Exploring Mindfulness Through Hakomi and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: A Body-Based Approach to Trauma Therapy in Bunbury & Southwest WA

Mindfulness has become widely recognised as a valuable practice for reducing stress and improving wellbeing. However, not all mindfulness approaches are the same.

At South West Trauma Therapy, mindfulness is integrated in a deeper, clinically grounded way through body-based therapies such as Hakomi and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.

These approaches move beyond simply observing thoughts, focusing instead on how mindfulness can support healing through the nervous system and the body.

What Is Mindfulness in Trauma Therapy?

Mindfulness is often taught as paying attention to thoughts or breathing. In trauma therapy, mindfulness becomes a way of noticing how experiences are held in the body and how the nervous system responds in real time.

This is particularly relevant for individuals experiencing trauma, PTSD, anxiety, chronic stress, or relational difficulties.

Mindfulness in Hakomi Therapy

Hakomi is a body-centred psychotherapy that integrates mindfulness with experiential techniques.

In Hakomi, mindfulness is a state of curious, compassionate awareness. Clients are guided to explore bodily sensations, emotional responses, and underlying beliefs.

For example, a subtle tightening in the chest or a shift in posture may reflect deeper emotional patterns or past experiences. By bringing mindful awareness to these experiences, individuals begin to uncover and transform the patterns shaping their behaviour.

A Hakomi-Inspired Mindfulness Exercise

• Sit comfortably and bring attention to a part of your body, such as your hands or feet

• Notice sensations such as warmth, tension, or stillness

• Maintain a gentle, non-judgmental awareness

• Allow thoughts or emotions to arise naturally

• Observe what emerges with curiosity

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Mindfulness in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy integrates mindfulness with somatic and attachment-based approaches. It recognises that trauma is often stored in posture, movement patterns, and physiological responses.

Rather than focusing only on thoughts, this approach helps clients track bodily responses in the present moment.

For example, this may include noticing tightening in the shoulders, observing changes in breathing, or becoming aware of impulses to move or withdraw.

This awareness creates space to interrupt automatic reactions and develop more adaptive patterns.

A Sensorimotor-Inspired Exercise

• Sit or stand comfortably and notice your posture

• Take a few slow breaths

• Gently move part of your body, such as your shoulders or neck

• Observe sensations and any emotional shifts

• Notice how your body responds to movement and stillness

  
  

Why Body-Based Mindfulness Matters

Many people find traditional mindfulness difficult, particularly when working with trauma. The body provides a more direct pathway to the present moment.

Hakomi and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy demonstrate that mindfulness anchored in the body allows deeper access to experience, supports nervous system regulation, and facilitates meaningful change.

For example, someone experiencing anxiety may notice tightness in the chest before panic escalates. Mindful awareness of this sensation can create a pause, allowing a more regulated response.

How These Approaches Support Healing

Both Hakomi and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy support increased body awareness, non-judgmental curiosity, integration of mind and body, and practical tools for emotional regulation.

Mindfulness and Trauma Therapy in Bunbury WA

At South West Trauma Therapy, mindfulness is integrated into trauma therapy in a structured and clinically informed way.

This approach is particularly suited to individuals who have found traditional talk therapy limited, experience strong emotional or physiological responses, are interested in body-based approaches, or are seeking deeper and longer-term change.

About Dr Andy Harkin

Dr Andy Harkin is a medical doctor, trauma therapist, clinical supervisor, and facilitator specialising in body-centred psychotherapy.

He provides trauma-informed therapy, clinical supervision, and delivers workshops and presentations on trauma and nervous system-based approaches.

Dr Harkin is also a TEDx presenter, speaking on alternative approaches to trauma therapy.

TEDx Talk

Bringing Mindfulness Into Daily Life

Body-based mindfulness can be integrated into everyday life through simple practices such as noticing bodily sensations, practicing mindful breathing, using gentle movement, and approaching emotional responses with curiosity rather than judgment.

A Different Approach to Mindfulness

Mindfulness is not only about calming the mind. Through approaches such as Hakomi and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, it becomes a pathway to understanding patterns, regulating the nervous system, and supporting meaningful and lasting change.

Learn More

To explore trauma-informed therapy and mindfulness-based approaches in Bunbury, visit:

• Southwest Trauma Therapy

Dr Andy Harkin is a medical doctor and body-centered psychotherapist. A Ted-X presenter, clinical supervisor and facilitator Psilocybin-assisted trauma therapist at the Empax Centre, He provides mindfulness workshops in Bunbury Western Australia. www.southwesttraumatherapy.com.au

Trauma-Informed Yoga and Sound-Based Relaxation in Bunbury WA: A Somatic Approach to Mental Health and Nervous System Regulation

Mental health challenges can often leave people feeling disconnected from their bodies and overwhelmed by emotions. While traditional therapies can be helpful, they do not always address the subtle ways trauma is held in the nervous system and body.

At South West Trauma Therapy, trauma-informed yoga combined with sound-based relaxation offers a gentle, body-oriented approach to supporting mental wellbeing.

Ann Harkin, a trauma-informed yoga instructor, somatic psychotherapist, and sound practitioner, integrates these approaches to support nervous system regulation, body awareness, and emotional balance.

What Is Trauma-Informed Yoga?

Trauma-informed yoga is a mindful movement practice designed for individuals who have experienced trauma, chronic stress, or nervous system dysregulation.

Unlike traditional yoga classes, this approach focuses on creating a safe, supportive environment where participants maintain choice and control throughout the practice.

This is particularly important because trauma can leave the nervous system in a heightened state of alert, making conventional exercise or therapy feel overwhelming.

Key elements of trauma-informed yoga include:

• Choice and empowerment: Participants are encouraged to move in ways that feel safe and comfortable

• Body awareness: Developing awareness of physical sensations without judgment

• Gentle pacing: Slow, regulated movement to support the nervous system

• Breath awareness: Using breath to support regulation and grounding

This approach supports reconnection with the body, reduces stress, and fosters a sense of safety and stability.

How Sound-Based Relaxation Supports the Nervous System

Sound-based practices use tones and vibrations from instruments such as singing bowls or gongs to support relaxation and internal awareness.

These practices can encourage the nervous system to shift toward a more settled and regulated state.

When integrated into trauma-informed yoga sessions, sound-based relaxation can:

• Support deeper states of rest and relaxation

• Enhance body awareness and internal focus

• Assist in releasing physical tension

• Encourage a sense of calm and grounding

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Rather than being used as a standalone intervention, sound is incorporated as part of a structured, trauma-informed experience.

A Somatic Approach to Mental Health and Wellbeing

Combining trauma-informed yoga with sound-based relaxation offers a body-centred approach to mental health that complements traditional therapy.

Potential benefits include:

• Reduced stress and anxiety

• Improved sleep and restfulness

• Greater emotional awareness and regulation

• Increased connection to the body

• Development of self-compassion and resilience

Research into body-based approaches, including trauma-informed yoga, suggests improvements in mood, stress regulation, and overall wellbeing.

Ann Harkin’s Approach

Ann Harkin integrates her experience as a somatic psychotherapist, trauma-informed yoga facilitator, and sound practitioner to create a structured and supportive environment for healing.

Her work focuses on:

• supporting nervous system regulation

• increasing body awareness and embodiment

• creating safe, paced experiences for clients

• integrating somatic psychotherapy principles into movement and stillness

  
  

Sessions may include:

• guided, trauma-informed yoga sequences

• gentle breath and awareness practices

• sound-based relaxation to support integration

• a focus on choice, safety, and individual pacing

This approach is particularly suited to individuals who may feel overwhelmed by traditional therapy or who are seeking a more body-based pathway into healing.

Trauma-Informed Yoga in Bunbury WA

At South West Trauma Therapy, trauma-informed yoga and somatic classes are offered as part of a broader trauma-informed and integrative approach to wellbeing.

These sessions can complement psychology and counselling services, supporting individuals to:

• regulate their nervous system

• reconnect with their body

• develop internal awareness and stability

  
  

Is This Approach Right for You?

This approach may be helpful if you:

• feel disconnected from your body

• experience anxiety, overwhelm, or stress

• are interested in somatic or body-based approaches

• prefer a gentle, non-verbal entry point into healing

• are seeking ongoing personal growth and self-awareness

  
  

Getting Started

If you are interested in exploring trauma-informed yoga and sound-based relaxation:

• Seek a qualified, trauma-informed facilitator

• Communicate your needs and preferences

• Begin slowly and allow your body to guide the pace

• Focus on breath, sensation, and internal awareness

• Approach the process with patience and curiosity

Healing is a gradual process, and consistency over time is key.

Where to Learn More and Connect

Ann Harkin offers resources and sessions through her websites southwesttraumatherapy.com.au and yogasoma.org. These platforms provide information about trauma-informed yoga, sound healing, and somatic psychotherapy, along with opportunities to join classes or workshops.

Exploring these integrated practices can be a valuable step toward improved mental health and wellbeing.

How ADHD Can Hinder Connection & Communication in Relationships — and how to do it differently. Trauma-Informed Couples Therapy in Bunbury & South West WA

Relationships where one or both partners have ADHD can be deeply loving and meaningful — but they can also feel confusing, reactive, and stuck in the same painful communication patterns.

At South West Trauma Therapy in Bunbury, we often work with couples navigating ADHD, emotional regulation challenges, and recurring conflict cycles that don’t seem to resolve — no matter how hard both people try.

What many couples don’t realise is this:

These challenges are often not about a lack of care or effort

They are about nervous system responses, emotional regulation, and communication patterns shaped by ADHD.

Creating a safe space for open conversation in neurodiverse relationships

Why ADHD Can Hijack Connection

In relationships where ADHD is present, everyday conversations can quickly become overwhelming.

One partner may feel:

• interrupted

• dismissed

• alone

• not heard

The other partner may feel:

• criticised

• overwhelmed

• like they can never get it right

And so the same conversation happens again… and again… and again.

Not because either person is being spiteful. Not because the relationship is broken.

But because:

The nervous system becomes activated, and communication breaks down.

This is where ADHD can unintentionally hijack connection.

The Pattern Couples Get Stuck In

Without understanding ADHD and emotional regulation, couples often fall into a cycle:

• One partner reaches out (often with intensity or urgency)

• The other feels overwhelmed or criticised

• They react, defend, shut down, or withdraw

• The first partner feels even more alone or unheard

And the loop continues

This isn’t a communication failure —it’s a regulation and safety issue in the nervous system.

Why Traditional Communication Advice Often Fails

Many couples are told to:

• “just communicate better”

• “listen more”

• “don’t interrupt”

But when ADHD is involved, this can feel impossible in the moment.

Why?

Because:

• processing can be fast or fragmented

• emotional intensity can rise quickly

• overwhelm can lead to shutdown or reactivity

So the structure of communication becomes essential.

A Better Way to Talk: Imago Dialogue

This is where Imago Couples Therapy can be incredibly powerful for couples where ADHD is impacting connection.

Instead of reacting, interrupting, defending, or shutting down…

You learn how to:

• Slow the conversation down

• Mirror what your partner says

• Validate their experience (even if it’s different to yours)

• Respond with empathy instead of escalation

This creates a structured way of communicating — which is especially important when ADHD affects attention, processing, and emotional regulation.

Why This Works

When communication is structured:

• Both people feel safer

• The nervous system begins to settle

• Defensiveness reduces

• Understanding increases

And most importantly:

You can hear each other again.

I see this consistently in my work with couples.

Couples arrive feeling stuck in painful, repetitive loops —and leave with practical tools that bring calm, clarity, and connection.

ADHD, Emotional Regulation, and the Nervous System

ADHD is not just about attention —it also impacts:

• emotional regulation

• impulse control

• sensory processing

• nervous system activation

This means that during conflict:

• reactions can be faster

• emotions can feel bigger

• repair can feel harder

A trauma-informed approach recognises this and works with:

• regulation first

• communication second

  
  

Moving From Conflict to Connection

If ADHD has been shaping conflict, misunderstanding, or disconnection in your relationship, there is nothing “wrong” with you as a couple.

But you may need:

A different way of communicating — not just more communication

When couples learn to:

• slow things down

• communicate with structure

• understand each other’s nervous system

relationships begin to shift.

ADHD-Informed Couples Therapy in Bunbury & South West WA

Leigh offers trauma-informed couples therapy at At South West Trauma Therapy, Transcending Trauma and Quantum Couple Coach, supporting relationships impacted by ADHD, emotional regulation challenges, and recurring conflict patterns.

Leigh Milne is a registered psychologist and couples therapist integrating:

• Imago Couples Therapy

• Resource (Parts) Therapy

• Schema Couples Therapy

• Somatic and nervous system-based approaches

Sessions are available through:

• South West Trauma Therapy (Bunbury)

• Transcending Trauma (Donnybrook & Gnarabup / Margaret River region)

• Quantum Couple Coach (couples weekend intensives & retreats)

  
  

Begin the Process

If you are navigating ADHD, neurodivergence, or emotional regulation challenges in your relationship, support is available.

To learn more:

• Southwest Trauma Therapy

• Transcending Trauma

• Quantum Couple Coach

Leigh Milne is a trauma-informed psychologist and couples therapist trained in Imago, Resource Therapy & Schema Couples Therapy. Leigh integrates evidence-based and holistic interventions through a trauma-informed somatic focus. Leigh provides couples therapy and couples coaching intensives and retreats for couples ready to work on their relationship issues. www.southwesttraumatherapy.com.au www.transcendingtrauma.com.au www.quantumcouplecoach.com.au