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Journey Through Life Phases: An Anthroposophic Approach
An Introductory Course to Biographical Work
Next course start date: September 28, 2026
Registration will begin shortly.
The biography course introduces a framework for understanding the nature of human biographical development based on anthroposophical knowledge and supported by physiological and psychological research. Over the course of six online sessions, we explore the nine life epochs from birth to the age of 63. A new session has been added to this year’s course, focusing on the role of health and illness in our biography.
Our individual life stories unfold through developmental rhythms and stages. How we navigate these stages is deeply personal, yet the stages themselves are universal to the human experience. Gaining a deeper understanding of the characteristics and qualities of each stage in the maturation of the human body, soul, and spirit can help us not only to understand ourselves more fully, but also to deepen our interest in and understanding of others.
In our study together, we will explore:
· a deeper understanding of each stage based on Rudolf Steiner’s view of the human being and the underlying archetypes as reflected in cultural customs around the world
· exploring your own personal life story
· learning from each other’s life stories, as our group consists of participants from all over the world, offering a truly rich diversity of perspectives on what life can be like
· exploring the role of illness and health in our life story (new)
· practicing basic therapeutic listening skills (e.g., how my listening helps or hinders someone from speaking, how I can listen to different aspects of the soul within an experience)
· In each session, we will introduce a “tool” for therapeutic listening, based on the seven healing aspects of the planets (new)
The guided online course is divided into six sessions. Each session lasts approximately 2.5 hours.
Mondays, 7:00–9:30 a.m. UTC (Coordinated Universal Time)
Dates of the online sessions
Session 1: Introduction and First Life Phase 0–7: Arriving on Planet Earth
September 28, 2026
Session 2: Second Life Phases 7–14:
My World Grows Bigger
October 26, 2026
Session 3: Third Life Phase 14–21:
Preparing for My Own Life
November 23, 2026
Session 4: Soul Development from 21 to 42:
Getting to Know the World and Myself Anew
December 7, 2026
Session 5: Life Stages from Age 42 Onward: Taking Charge of Creating the Future
January 11, 2027
Session 6: Why Me? Finding Meaning in Health Crises. The Role of Health and Illness in Our Life Stories
February 8, 2027
Each of the six sessions will include one hour of theory, followed by a practical exercise focusing on an aspect of your own life story. In each session, we aim to deepen your understanding of the developmental stage being explored. Each exercise includes individual work followed by sharing within a small group. The sharing portion of the exercise is structured to ensure that each person has time to speak and listen. It begins with a brief introduction to therapeutic listening tools, so that we learn to create a safe space during the course and potentially support your own practice at home. At the end of the small group work, everyone will come together to briefly report on their group’s findings and to answer general questions. This course is conducted entirely in English.
The course is designed to serve as an introduction to anthroposophic biographical work and to provide you with an opportunity to learn more about your own life story. It offers a deeper exploration of the biographical aspects introduced in the Foundation Studies and the Clinical Case Course. It is open to participants of these courses, as well as to other interested healthcare professionals who already have some working knowledge of anthroposophic healthcare.
Please note that this course is not a comprehensive training program designed to enable you to provide therapeutic treatment to patients.
Questions & Answers
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This course is intended for healthcare professionals and others with a basic working knowledge of anthroposophic healthcare. It is open to participants in the Foundation Studies program and the Clinical Case Course, as well as to other interested professionals.
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The course is taught in English.
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The course consists of six guided online sessions. Each session includes one hour of theory followed by practical biographical exercises, individual reflection, and structured small-group discussion.
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Six sessions (from September to February). Each session lasts approximately 2.5 hours.
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No. This course is not a comprehensive training program for therapeutic work 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 counseling 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 Academy in Stuttgart. Since then, she has taught in many postgraduate training programs at the University of Witten/Herdecke and in the postgraduate course on therapeutic-medical aspects of biographical 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 Clinical Case Course study board at the Arlesheim Academy.
Contact:
Katrin Oesteroth
Email address: info@arlesheim-academy.ch