Holistic Biography Work ---- Bringing Spirit to Life ---- By Karl-Heinz Finke & Laura Summerfield
Holistic Biography Work reflects on individual biographies or life stories against the backdrop of the archetypal developmental journey of humanity. Looking at one’s life story in a creative and systematic way my be done individually, with a group of trusted companions or in therapeutic settings. This provides valuable insights into the themes, changes and turning points in one’s life. Strengthening and deepening self-knowledge, it offers keys for future change and growth. Holistic Biography Work is beneficial for personal and professional development. Participating therapists, teachers, facilitators and consultants have found that seeing everyday experiences embedded in a full Life Story and in context with the theory provided in our Courses, results in a deeper understanding of phases and layers in life and opens new perspectives and approaches in work. It is a useful tool within careers counselling, coaching, couples counselling, family therapy, curative work; and in consultancy work with groups or organisations. The development of groups and organisations, with some adjustments, follows similar patterns and phases to those of individual development. Holistic Biography Work provides a healing and curative approach because it helps us to view life in a clearer and more conscious way. It helps us to develop self-acceptance, it invites us to take new directions, to reinvent our goals and to create meaning. It can be part of individual biographical Consultancy, Counselling, Art therapy or Psychotherapy. It aims to work, at a soul level, towards the integration of difficult and unique life experiences. Alongside archetypal, general laws there are individual laws and patterns resulting from one’s destiny, which can be explored as individual work or in one-to-one sessions.
A Spiritual Perspective
The underlying philosophy of Holistic Biography Work is based on the pioneering work of Rudolf Steiner, Bernard Lievegoed, Gudrun Burkhard and Coenraad van Houten. Guided by Lievegoed’s words ‘Let’s make Anthroposophy – the wisdom of the human being – operational’, we have striven to make our work accessible and useful. Both Burkhard and van Houten were teachers of and then colleagues with, Karl-Heinz Finke and their work has informed our work. Anthroposophy and other Philosophies, as well as research within education and psychology, has been viewed through a spiritual lens. We think of it as a practical form of psychology, that acknowledges the soul and spirit of the human being, as well as recognising the wondrous form and energy of the physical body that makes our life on earth possible. We have developed and use resources that examine our lives in detail, using the 7-year life phases suggested by Steiner and other researchers. In each phase, we develop a new capacity that enables us to understand more of the world and ourselves. Along the human life journey, we face developmental tasks, and explore our life themes and life patterns and questions. We come to see our life as a journey of initiation – the trials and challenges that we face develop our potential and capacity to understand ourselves and contribute our unique gifts to the world. We grow closer toward our true individuality, and have the opportunity to take hold of our lives with greater awareness of spiritual realities. We become aware, as Steiner writes, that: My soul and the great world are one.
Training Goals
The Holistic Biography Work Online Training Program aims to prepare Biography Consultants who can accompany others in challenging or decisive moments of their lives. Biography Work is a preventative or salutogenic process. It is not a therapeutic modality or therapy substitute, but provides a method of clarification that is often experienced as helpful, with therapeutic side-effects. We can become more whole, more integrated, after falling apart and can come to better terms with ourselves and the world. We are heard and seen and gain a helpful perspective through this process. In individual or group work, the experiences of the past, the current life situation and future development opportunities are systematically examined and mapped, in order to develop steps and goals for the future. Various perspectives and themes are used throughout the training process. We use a phenomenological approach that incorporates questioning and self-reflection. The systematic stock-taking of the different aspects of our life contributes to an individual search for meaning. It is also helpful in considering vocational choices, partnership dilemmas, life challenges, destiny moments or coming to terms with ill-health. A Life Panorama Chart provides a condensed life overview and enables an objective overview to be undertaken. The methods of biography work can be applied in the field of human resources in organisations, or for the systematic development of a corporate biography and identity.
The methods of biography work that we teach in our courses are derived from two main sources:
Together they give rise to generalisable biographical laws, e.g. about life-phases, phases in the development of consciousness, typical developmental crises, rhythms and turning points in human biographies. Participants of our Holistic Biography Work OnlineTraining Program examine their life experiences through different lenses, over a period of 3 or so years, and deepen their understanding of the human life journey. They learn to become helpful companions for others facing questions or challenges. After successful completion of the training, they may become accredited Biography Consultants. Our goal is to support the development of a holistic approach to Biography Work through training, mentoring and gathering, and through the ongoing development of tools, resources and courses. We aim to work with a multicultural sensitivity, making room for different philosophies, spiritual backgrounds and traditions.
We are supported by a growing network of colleagues, some of whom are willing to provide sessions as Biographical Consultants. Some are group-guides in our online, real-time group-work sessions. Altogether, we speak 9 different languages, with English being our lingua franca.
Holistic Biography Work
Where to begin?
Our Biography Log-Book provides a self-guided exploration into a life story. Use it for your own self-reflection, create a life overview, or use it as a guide to assist someone else with their life story. It contains helpful information, charts, questions, and activities. A Companion Guide is available for those who would like assistance to work with the Log-book. You may start our Introductory Course at any time. It is completed with a comprehensive Learning Pack which includes: a Study Guide, video lectures, a personalised copy of our Biography Log-book (with helpful dates calculated for your life journey) and all your reading and learning materials. You may enrol for our Foundation Course and start at any time with its comprehensive Learning Pack. If you add the online sessions and do the Entire Course, you will gain maximum benefit. It is the pre-requisite for our Online Training Program. Learn more about our Holistic Biography work here.
Holistic Biography Work reflects on individual biographies or life stories against the backdrop of the archetypal developmental journey of humanity. Looking at one’s life story in a creative and systematic way my be done individually, with a group of trusted companions or in therapeutic settings. This provides valuable insights into the themes, changes and turning points in one’s life. Strengthening and deepening self-knowledge, it offers keys for future change and growth. Holistic Biography Work is beneficial for personal and professional development. Participating therapists, teachers, facilitators and consultants have found that seeing everyday experiences embedded in a full Life Story and in context with the theory provided in our Courses, results in a deeper understanding of phases and layers in life and opens new perspectives and approaches in work. It is a useful tool within careers counselling, coaching, couples counselling, family therapy, curative work; and in consultancy work with groups or organisations. The development of groups and organisations, with some adjustments, follows similar patterns and phases to those of individual development. Holistic Biography Work provides a healing and curative approach because it helps us to view life in a clearer and more conscious way. It helps us to develop self-acceptance, it invites us to take new directions, to reinvent our goals and to create meaning. It can be part of individual biographical Consultancy, Counselling, Art therapy or Psychotherapy. It aims to work, at a soul level, towards the integration of difficult and unique life experiences. Alongside archetypal, general laws there are individual laws and patterns resulting from one’s destiny, which can be explored as individual work or in one-to-one sessions.
A Spiritual Perspective
The underlying philosophy of Holistic Biography Work is based on the pioneering work of Rudolf Steiner, Bernard Lievegoed, Gudrun Burkhard and Coenraad van Houten. Guided by Lievegoed’s words ‘Let’s make Anthroposophy – the wisdom of the human being – operational’, we have striven to make our work accessible and useful. Both Burkhard and van Houten were teachers of and then colleagues with, Karl-Heinz Finke and their work has informed our work. Anthroposophy and other Philosophies, as well as research within education and psychology, has been viewed through a spiritual lens. We think of it as a practical form of psychology, that acknowledges the soul and spirit of the human being, as well as recognising the wondrous form and energy of the physical body that makes our life on earth possible. We have developed and use resources that examine our lives in detail, using the 7-year life phases suggested by Steiner and other researchers. In each phase, we develop a new capacity that enables us to understand more of the world and ourselves. Along the human life journey, we face developmental tasks, and explore our life themes and life patterns and questions. We come to see our life as a journey of initiation – the trials and challenges that we face develop our potential and capacity to understand ourselves and contribute our unique gifts to the world. We grow closer toward our true individuality, and have the opportunity to take hold of our lives with greater awareness of spiritual realities. We become aware, as Steiner writes, that: My soul and the great world are one.
Training Goals
The Holistic Biography Work Online Training Program aims to prepare Biography Consultants who can accompany others in challenging or decisive moments of their lives. Biography Work is a preventative or salutogenic process. It is not a therapeutic modality or therapy substitute, but provides a method of clarification that is often experienced as helpful, with therapeutic side-effects. We can become more whole, more integrated, after falling apart and can come to better terms with ourselves and the world. We are heard and seen and gain a helpful perspective through this process. In individual or group work, the experiences of the past, the current life situation and future development opportunities are systematically examined and mapped, in order to develop steps and goals for the future. Various perspectives and themes are used throughout the training process. We use a phenomenological approach that incorporates questioning and self-reflection. The systematic stock-taking of the different aspects of our life contributes to an individual search for meaning. It is also helpful in considering vocational choices, partnership dilemmas, life challenges, destiny moments or coming to terms with ill-health. A Life Panorama Chart provides a condensed life overview and enables an objective overview to be undertaken. The methods of biography work can be applied in the field of human resources in organisations, or for the systematic development of a corporate biography and identity.
The methods of biography work that we teach in our courses are derived from two main sources:
- The systematic, phenomenological and comparative exploration of human biographies by various researchers; and
- the study of the human being based on psychological studies and a spiritual perspective, such as that offered by Anthroposophy.
Together they give rise to generalisable biographical laws, e.g. about life-phases, phases in the development of consciousness, typical developmental crises, rhythms and turning points in human biographies. Participants of our Holistic Biography Work OnlineTraining Program examine their life experiences through different lenses, over a period of 3 or so years, and deepen their understanding of the human life journey. They learn to become helpful companions for others facing questions or challenges. After successful completion of the training, they may become accredited Biography Consultants. Our goal is to support the development of a holistic approach to Biography Work through training, mentoring and gathering, and through the ongoing development of tools, resources and courses. We aim to work with a multicultural sensitivity, making room for different philosophies, spiritual backgrounds and traditions.
We are supported by a growing network of colleagues, some of whom are willing to provide sessions as Biographical Consultants. Some are group-guides in our online, real-time group-work sessions. Altogether, we speak 9 different languages, with English being our lingua franca.
Holistic Biography Work
- We offer a systematic, creative and practical framework for understanding life stories, human biographies.
- We create courses and resources that we share globally, including free resources.
- We use a holistic approach, recognising the spiritual dimension of the human life journey.
- We are based in Australia, but maintain links with Germany.
Where to begin?
Our Biography Log-Book provides a self-guided exploration into a life story. Use it for your own self-reflection, create a life overview, or use it as a guide to assist someone else with their life story. It contains helpful information, charts, questions, and activities. A Companion Guide is available for those who would like assistance to work with the Log-book. You may start our Introductory Course at any time. It is completed with a comprehensive Learning Pack which includes: a Study Guide, video lectures, a personalised copy of our Biography Log-book (with helpful dates calculated for your life journey) and all your reading and learning materials. You may enrol for our Foundation Course and start at any time with its comprehensive Learning Pack. If you add the online sessions and do the Entire Course, you will gain maximum benefit. It is the pre-requisite for our Online Training Program. Learn more about our Holistic Biography work here.
