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Journey Through Life Phases: An Anthroposophic Approach
An Introductory Course to Biographical Work
The new biography course introduces a framework for understanding the nature of human biographic development based on anthroposophic knowledge and supported by physiological and psychological research. Within the five online sessions, we will explore the six life epochs from birth until age 42.
Start: September 30, 2024
Our individual life's story unfolds through developmental rhythms and stages. How we travel through these stages is intensely personal, yet the stages themselves are universal to the human experience. Understanding more fully the characteristics and qualities of each stage in human maturation of body, soul, and spirit can help us to understand not only ourselves more fully, but also promotes a deepening of our interest and understanding of others.
In our study together we will consider:
- the deeper understanding of each stage based on Rudolf Steiner's ideas of the human being and the supporting archetypes as seen in cultural customs around the world;
- delving into your own personal life story;
- learning from each other's life stories, with our group consisting of participants from all around the world, providing a truly rich diversity of perspectives on how life can be; and
- practicing basic therapeutic listening skills (e.g., how my listening helps or hinders someone to speak, how I can listen to different aspects in an experience).
2-hour monthly guided online sessions
Mondays, 7 to 9 am UTC (Coordinated Universal Time)
Dates of the Online Sessions
September 30, 2024 - Session 1
October 28, 2024 - Session 2
December 2, 2024 - Session 3
January 13, 2025 - Session 4
March 3, 2025 - Session 5 (new!)
Each of the five sessions will include 30-45 minutes of theory followed by a practical exercise focusing on an aspect of your own biography. In each session we aim to deepen your feeling for the developmental timeframe explored. Each exercise includes individual work followed by sharing within a small group. The sharing portion of the exercise is structured to ensure each person has time to speak and listen. The listening part of the exercise helps to create a safe space and potentially support your own practice. At the close of the small group work, everyone will come together to briefly report on their group's findings and for general questions. This course is conducted only in English.
The course aims to be an introduction to anthroposophic biography work and an opportunity for you to learn more about your own biography. It provides a deepening of the biographic aspects introduced in Foundation Studies and the Clinical Case Course. It is open to participants of these courses as well as to other interested health professionals who already have some working knowledge of anthroposophic healthcare.
Please note this course is not a training to enable you to work therapeutically with patients.
The course is led by Carine Biessels. Carine was born in Switzerland and spent most of her youth in the Netherlands. She moved to England in her early twenties to study biographical counselling and was fascinated by the positive approach to truly living and actively engaging with one's life story while therapeutically addressing past experiences. To deepen her understanding of anthroposophic therapy and medicine, she decided to move to Germany in her thirties to study Human Medicine at the University of Witten/Herdecke and at the Eugen-Kolisko Akademie in Stuttgart. Since then, she has taught in many postgraduate training programs at the University of Witten/Herdecke and at the postgraduate course of therapeutic-medical aspects of biography work in Kassel. In her daily life, she works as a biographical counselor and as a medical doctor in a psychosomatic and psychiatric clinic.
Carine is a member of the Foundation Studies study board at the Arlesheim Clinic.
Contact: Michelle Schmocker
E-mail address: info@arlesheim-academy.ch
+41(0)76 329 14 59