We live in a time when outer supports and securities are falling away while the inner dimensions of reality come into daily consciousness. As a result, increasing numbers of people live with existential questions that no other generation has had to face with the same intensity. In the course of our lives, many of us confront events, uncertainties and moral dilemmas that leave us feeling lonely, bewildered and confused. We may lose our connection to others, to ourselves and to the source of our own potential.

These experiences call for the awakening of a new consciousness. They challenge us to enter into dialogue with our life, in order to get in touch with our truth and find renewed confidence and creativity for the future.

Biographical Counselling aims to help people in life crises build new strength to meet the challenges that life presents them with. It takes the psychological, social and spiritual dimensions of reality equally into account. It works with the past, present and future, understanding that the past and future reach far beyond one particular lifetime. This provides the basis for the biographical counsellor to create a space in which the richness and totality of human life can be worked with and affirmed in such a way as to liberate new forces for growth and development.

Biographical Counselling works at the border of healing and development. It is based on the understanding that many of the questions and struggles that we meet in our individual lives are at the same time the developmental questions of our time. It works towards social renewal by helping people to read the language of their own life story - the questions and tasks that their biography presents them with – knowing that when this is done, a contribution is made to the whole of humanity.

Anthroposophy,a science of the spirit, was founded and developed by the Austrian philosopher, scientist and spiritual researcher Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925). It offers a path of inner activity that leads to self-knowledge and the development of faculties of perception needed to serve others in their development. It awakens an understanding
of the human being and the nature of the human encounter, the laws of biography and the challenges in individual development today. This informs and inspires the Training in Biographical Counselling.

The Training in Biographical Counselling takes place over 3 years with two distinct stages:

YEAR 1: FOUNDATIONS and BIOGRAPHICAL COUNSELLING SKILLS

YEAR 2 AND 3: PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

Elements that run through the whole training

• Lectures, seminars and study
• Facilitated and supervised work with one’s own biography in small groups and in counselling skills and counselling practice
• Artistic activities
• Personal development groups
• Schooling of consciousness and awakening to a path of inner development
• Ethical and professional questions of counselling
• Regular assessment and tutorials
• Supervision and research
• Presentations of practice experiences, research and case studies

Year 1

FOUNDATIONS and BIOGRAPHICAL COUNSELLING SKILLS form Year 1:
Biographical Counselling Skills for Social Professions. This is a course complete in itself, providing social and health professionals with Biographical Counselling skills for their personal and professional development. It is also a foundation for further professional training to become a Biographical Counsellor.

FOUNDATIONS IN BIOGRAPHICAL COUNSELLING

• Biographical Counselling in relation to the awakening of a new consciousness
• Life Crisis and the nature of the ‘Consciousness Soul’
• The nature and constitution of the human being
• The psychological and spiritual challenges that arise from the crossing of the spiritual threshold in our time
• Understanding the forces of creation and destruction in the human soul
• The nature and aim of working with biography
• Researching human life as a foundation for Biographical Counselling
• Understanding human biography as a development path
• The rhythms and cycles of human development
• The laws of karma and reincarnation

BIOGRAPHICAL COUNSELLING SKILLS

• Basic attitudes, faculties and ethics of biographical counselling
• The nature and process of dialogue
• A phenomenological approach to working with experience
• Biographical Counselling skills in relation to the qualities of the 7 planets
• The human encounter and the dynamics of the helping relationship
• Couple conversation*
• Working with life events and biographical counselling skills in different contexts
• The inner development path of the Biographical Counsellor

*This theme is frequently offered as an open course as well as a training module.

Biographical Counselling Skills for Social Professions is comprised of 3 weeks and 9 weekends and runs over one year, with approximately 245 contact hours. To complete this module, students are required to submit: a 1000word piece of reflective writing on their own development in the course; a 4000 word Biographical study of a known personality and give an oral presentation to students and tutors.
A Certificate in Biographical Counselling Skills is awarded on the successful completion of this year and the training requirements.

 

Professional Training

Year 2

BIOGRAPHICAL COUNSELLING AS A PATH OF DEVELOPMENT

• Understanding and working with the dynamics and polarities of the human soul
  • Human emotions and feelings
  • The forces of creation and destruction
  • Feminine and masculine
• Karma and Psychology
  • Cycles of social interaction in biographical development
  • The impact of early childhood on the development of individuality
• Working with inner and outer thresholds
• Working with process in Biographical Counselling
• The process of Biographical Counselling as a path of development, awakening in the counsellor new faculties of perception
• Questions of profession: ethics, boundaries, contract, record keeping, supervision, etc.
• The nature of the counsellor/client relationship
• Working with homework and creative exercises in biographical counselling
• Working with biography in a counselling process
• Biograpical Couselling in different settings
• Questions of Healing and Development in our Time
  • The history of the profession of counselling
  • Comparative models of counselling and their relation to Biographical Counselling
  • Illnesses of our times, i.e., stress, burn-out, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, trauma and disassociation, personality disorders*
  • How medical doctors and Biographical Counsellors can work together out of a consideration of the primary focus of their respective professions*

* These themes are frequently offered as open courses as well as training modules.

BIOGRAPHICAL COUNSELLING AS A PATH OF DEVELOPMENT is comprised of 3 weeks, 7 weekends and 2 extended weekends and runs over one year, with approximately 270 contact hours.

 

Year 3

BIOGRAPHICAL COUNSELLING AS A VOCATION

This course is open to people who have completed all the training modules and requirements of Year 1 and Year 2 of the Training in Biographical Counselling

• The aims, practice and process of Biographical Counselling
• The process and practice of research
• Questions of profession
• The therapeutic relationship
• Supervision groups for research and counselling practice
• Working with specialised themes in couselling, e.g., illness and death, evil, dreams, karma, myth and story
• The inner gesture and spiritual path of biographical counselling
• Presentations of case studies and research papers
• Talks and seminars including and arising out of participants’ research presentations and the questions and experience gained in their paths of development and practice.

BIOGRAPHICAL COUNSELLING AS A VOCATION is comprised of three weeks and 7 weekends and runs throughout one year, with approximately 225 contact hours. Between April and June there are no course weekends in order to give time for individual research and writing.

 

Certificate and Diploma

A Certificate of Completion in Biographical Counselling is awarded on the successful completion of all training modules and requirements.

A Diploma in Biographical Counselling is awarded after further hours of practice and supervision are achieved.

The Training in Biographical Counselling conforms to the guidelines for such a training as agreed by the General Anthroposophical Section of the School of Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland. On successfully completing all modules and course requirements students will receive a statement to this effect on their certificate/diploma.

 

 

Course Director and Leader of Professional Training Years 2 & 3

Margli Matthews, PG Dip. Couns, Dip. Biographical Counselling, Cert. Supervision, MBACP (accred), UKRCP Reg. Ind. Couns, CAHSC Registered is a biographical counsellor and trainer with over 25 years experience in adult education and private practice. A former faculty member of Emerson College and the Centre for Social Development, she is co-founder of the Biography and Social Development Trust and has 15 years’ experience designing and leading the Training in Biographical Counselling. She leads training courses and workshops and teaches in many courses and conferences throughout the world. She is a contributor to Lifeways and co-author of Ariadne’s Awakening, a book concerned with a new consciousness of the feminine and masculine principles in our lives.

External Consultants:
George Perry, MCFM, Dip. Conflict Res. & Mediation and Anita Charton, Dipl.Psych, M.A. Psychology, Dip. Biographical Counselling, co-founder of the Biography and Social Development Trust, with many years’ experience directing the Training in Biographical Counselling.

Throughout the Training a number of biographical counsellors/psychotherapists, medical doctors, consultants and artists contribute to the Training out of their professional experience.

Course Leaders Year 1
Biographical Counselling Skills for Social Professions

Ileana Botero, Diploma in Biographical Counselling, member of BACP. Biographical Counsellor and trainer. has assisted and then lead the Training in Biographical Counselling together with Margli Matthews for the last 5 years. She has completed 3 years of training in Integrative Psychosynthesis Psychotherapy and has worked in social therapy in a community for people with learning disabilities for over 20 years.

Cristina D’Agostino, Diploma in Biographical Counselling, Diploma in Biography Work,
PG Dip Couns, CAHSC Registered, member of BACP works as a Biographical Counsellor at Blackthorn Medical Centre and in private practice. She runs biography workshops and translated the book ‘Biographical Work: The Anthroposophical Basis,’ by Gudrun Burkhard.

Procedure for Application

• Obtain forms of application from:
  Training in Biographical Counselling
  Biography and Social Development Trust
  First Floor North, Hillside House
  Lewes Road, Forest Row
  East Sussex, RH18 5ES
  Tel: +44(0)1342 822907; Email: biogsoctru@aol.com

• Or download a PDF version here

• Fill out and send your application, medical form and biographical sketch with a non-refundable application fee of £50 to the address above.
• Arrange for your references to be sent to the above address.
• All forms of application inclusive of references to be received no later than 15th August 2008.
• Attend an interview to be arranged on receipt of your application.
• On acceptance to the Training a £150 non-refundable deposit towards tuition will be required to confirm your place on the course. The remainder of the tuition will be due by cheque or bank deposit/transfer by 1 September 2008, unless other arrangements have been requested and agreed. After this date no refunds can be given and full costs are due.
• Cheques to be made payable to: Biography and Social Development Trust
• For bank transfers, our bank details are:
  HSBC, 1 Middle Row
  East Grinstead, W. Sussex, RH19 3AY, UK
  Account No: 71319841; Sort Code: 40-20-09

For International Bank Transfers use bank details above, including the codes:
IBAN No. GB17MIDL40200971319841 BIC Code MIDLGB2111W