“Man, know thyself, then thou knowest all”.
Socrates
BIOGRAPHY WORK – LIFE COUNSELLING AT THE THERAPEUTIKUM COLOGNE
Every biography is worth looking at! It is highly individual and therefore unique. Beyond that, however, it is also integrated into some superordinate context and there are supra-individual themes, rhythms and imprints that can be used to put some things into an overall picture and thus better understood.
The biography of a human being is a gestalt that unfolds in time and is always capable of change. It is the path on which we walk; the trace we leave behind. It is our identity and the expression of our individuality. Events and experiences that occur on our path through life have an effect on us and we on them. They can help or hinder us and challenge us. Our outer life path is inseparably linked to our inner life path. Only the two together make up our biography. If we understand it as a unity, our biography can tell us a lot about ourselves, about our past, about our present and about our future – as well as about being human. We just have to learn to read our biography.
STILL & CHILL CAFÉ
Die Treffen richten sich an stillende und nicht stillende Mütter, Väter und sonstige Bezugspersonen mit ihren Kindern (bis 3 Jahre). Sie finden, so es das Wetter zulässt, draußen im Garten des Therapeutikums statt. Die Termine können einzeln oder fortlaufend besucht werden und dienen primär, nach einem kurzen Input, dem Austausch untereinander.
Die Teilnahme ist kostenfrei.
Um Anmeldung wird gebeten an:
Familienangebot@therapeutikum-koeln.de
Es folgen dann über E-mail weitere Informationen.
Mo 22.4., Di 30.04., Mi 15.05., Do 23.05.,
Fr 07.06., Mi 19.06. und Di 02.07.2024,
jeweils 10:00-11:30 Uhr
Ort: Garten des Therapeutikums, Lothringer Str. 40, 50677 Köln
Martha Koelman
Biography consultant (BVBA)
Anthroposophical psychotherapy (DtGAP)
Anthroposophical medicine (GAÄD)
Mobile: 01579 2494678
Phone: 0221 95018772
Email: biographiearbeit@therapeutikum-koeln.de
External life journey
Studied medicine, first at the Charité Berlin, then at the University of Witten/Herdecke with an integrated complementary course in anthroposophic medicine (IBAM). Parallel second degree in B.A. “Philosophy, Cultural Reflection and Cultural Practice”.
Further training in External Applications and Rhythmic Massage, Osteopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Acupuncture.
Certified in:
-
Anthroposophical Medicine (GAÄD)
-
Anthroposophical Psychotherapy (DtGAP)
-
Anthroposophy-based Psychotherapy (AbP)
Other further education and training:
-
Advanced training “Fundamentals of Anthroposophical Biography Work and Guided Conversation for Doctors and Psychologists” at the University of Witten/Herdecke
-
Further training “Mental Illnesses – Treatment Options in Anthroposophic Medicine” by the GAÄD
-
Further training “Anthroposophy-based psychotherapy” at the IAbP
-
“Further Training in Biography Work and Guided Conversation” by Karl-Heinz Finke “Living way… Lebenswege”
Medical practice for one year in rheumatology and two and a half years in psychiatry in the department of affective disorders (depression, mania, bipolar disorder) and personality disorders.
Lecturer at the University of Witten/Herdecke within the framework of the human medicine course at the Chair for the Training of Personal and Interpersonal Competences in Health Care and in the Integrated Accompanying Studies in Anthroposophical Medicine, as well as at the Alanus University of Applied Sciences for Art and Society in the course “Art Therapy – Social Art”. 2021- 2023 there with a permanent teaching position in the “Studium Generale – Interdisciplinary General Studies)” on anthroposophical psychology/psychiatry and biography work.
Inner Life Path
The human being as a unity of body, soul and spirit is so intuitively perceptible and yet, as I was made to realize during my medical studies, initially at the Charité Berlin, so little has been incorporated into conventional medicine. Although Uexküll paved the way for the joint conception of both psyche and soma with the introduction of psychosomatic medicine, the two still fall completely apart in everyday medical practice. The body-soul “problem” still seems to me to be the central theme of medicine and especially of psychiatry. I found my deep conviction reflected and described in Steiner’s approaches in a way that seems to me unique in its diversity of perspectives and clarity. Anthroposophical medicine understands itself as a complementary medical direction, which on the one side uses the current scientific standard and at the same time draws on deep knowledge of the ancient Vedas, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Four Elements teachings. The third element, the spirit of the human being, is revealed in their biography! In my work as a psychiatrist, biographical exploration was part of the daily patient intake, which I always felt was a great gift. I soon realised that a person’s biography can be asked merely as a string of dead, past facts, or as a living, unfolding being, which then presents itself in a completely different way in its formation. Learning and deepening this way of asking questions differently, of listening and feeling and looking differently, led me to the decision to train in biography work and to focus on life counselling in my own practice.
Offer
“To the question of what the meaning of life is,
everyone answers with their own biography.”
György Konrád
I ACCOMPANY YOU …
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In individual and couple work
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In difficult life situations and crises
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In case of inter-personal, relationship or family conflicts
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In search of your own identity
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Finding the “red thread”, discovering traces of meaning in your life and uncovering questions of meaning
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To dare a life review and preview
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Unleash your untapped potentials
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On the way to a desired goal
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During a personal or professional reorientation
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In the context of making important decisions
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In times of fear and uncertainty
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In states of exhaustion and burn-out
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to cope with illnesses in the sense of dealing with them on one’s own responsibility
MY WAY OF WORKING
As a biography counsellor, I see myself as a guide to help you decipher your biography as your individual handwriting and to expose it as a shape. I would like to enable you to dive into a consciously designed process of self-knowledge. I would like to invite you to join me on a search for the positive, forward-looking forces within you, to release bound forces and to listen for what may indicate a need for development. I would like to create a non-judgemental space in which you can find yourself and where what moves you can come alive so that personality development can take place.
The starting point of life counselling is you, your biography and your current related questions. The events remain a phenomenon in their own right and can speak for themselves without being judged or psychologised. This requires sensitive listening, which is based on appreciative attention, the greatest possible impartiality and a benevolent attitude. Often specifically applied artistic exercises in biographical work can also be helpful to bring what is experienced and felt back to the level of the phenomenon, the merely factual description. No previous knowledge is required for this.
The aim of biography work is to leave behind entrenched ways of thinking and looking at things, to discover individual possibilities and abilities, values and needs, to recognise these as sources of strength, to use them and to expand their creative scope. This can lead to free, conscious and authentic decisions, to true integrity, to individual biographical development and to a self-determined future.
NOTE
Crises in particular often give rise to questions about the context and the meaning, as well as the search for solutions, which we can address together. As rich as a biography can be in joyful experiences, there are also sad and traumatic events that will also be considered in counselling. It is important for me to point out that – even though biography work can be used in consultancy as well as therapy – it is decidedly not a talking therapy or psychotherapeutic intervention in the classical sense. Nevertheless, as a psychiatrically and psychotherapeutically trained doctor, I can also deal with these issues and, if necessary, refer you to an appropriate colleague or institutional facility.
COSTS
Unfortunately, biography work is not reimbursable, but a private service that is not covered by health insurance.
The costs are:
-
for an individual counselling 80,00 € – 120,00 € per session (between 60 and 90 min.)
-
for couple counselling 150,00 € – 200,00 € per session (between 90 and 120 min.)
The length of the session is oriented towards the consultancy process and is usually located in the middle of the given time spans.
The first mentioned cost amount represents a basic contribution, which I need at least, the second the extended contribution, with which you support others who can give less at the moment. Please assess your financial possibilities yourself. If you do not feel financially able to make the basic contribution, please feel free to contact me.
I look forward to meeting you and will be happy to answer any further questions by phone or email.
“Once you have found yourself, there is nothing left in this world to lose”.
Stefan Zweig
Martha Koelman
Biography consultant (BVBA)
Anthroposophical psychotherapy (DtGAP)
Anthroposophical medicine (GAÄD)
Mobile: 01579 2494678
Phone: 0221 95018772
Email: biographiearbeit@therapeutikum-koeln.de
External life journey
Studied medicine, first at the Charité Berlin, then at the University of Witten/Herdecke with an integrated complementary course in anthroposophic medicine (IBAM). Parallel second degree in B.A. “Philosophy, Cultural Reflection and Cultural Practice”.
Further training in External Applications and Rhythmic Massage, Osteopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Acupuncture.
Certified in:
-
Anthroposophical Medicine (GAÄD)
-
Anthroposophical Psychotherapy (DtGAP)
-
Anthroposophy-based Psychotherapy (AbP)
Other further education and training:
-
Advanced training “Fundamentals of Anthroposophical Biography Work and Guided Conversation for Doctors and Psychologists” at the University of Witten/Herdecke
-
Further training “Mental Illnesses – Treatment Options in Anthroposophic Medicine” by the GAÄD
-
Further training “Anthroposophy-based psychotherapy” at the IAbP
-
“Further Training in Biography Work and Guided Conversation” by Karl-Heinz Finke “Living way… Lebenswege”
Medical practice for one year in rheumatology and two and a half years in psychiatry in the department of affective disorders (depression, mania, bipolar disorder) and personality disorders.
Lecturer at the University of Witten/Herdecke within the framework of the human medicine course at the Chair for the Training of Personal and Interpersonal Competences in Health Care and in the Integrated Accompanying Studies in Anthroposophical Medicine, as well as at the Alanus University of Applied Sciences for Art and Society in the course “Art Therapy – Social Art”. 2021- 2023 there with a permanent teaching position in the “Studium Generale – Interdisciplinary General Studies)” on anthroposophical psychology/psychiatry and biography work.
Inner Life Path
The human being as a unity of body, soul and spirit is so intuitively perceptible and yet, as I was made to realize during my medical studies, initially at the Charité Berlin, so little has been incorporated into conventional medicine. Although Uexküll paved the way for the joint conception of both psyche and soma with the introduction of psychosomatic medicine, the two still fall completely apart in everyday medical practice. The body-soul “problem” still seems to me to be the central theme of medicine and especially of psychiatry. I found my deep conviction reflected and described in Steiner’s approaches in a way that seems to me unique in its diversity of perspectives and clarity. Anthroposophical medicine understands itself as a complementary medical direction, which on the one side uses the current scientific standard and at the same time draws on deep knowledge of the ancient Vedas, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Four Elements teachings. The third element, the spirit of the human being, is revealed in their biography! In my work as a psychiatrist, biographical exploration was part of the daily patient intake, which I always felt was a great gift. I soon realised that a person’s biography can be asked merely as a string of dead, past facts, or as a living, unfolding being, which then presents itself in a completely different way in its formation. Learning and deepening this way of asking questions differently, of listening and feeling and looking differently, led me to the decision to train in biography work and to focus on life counselling in my own practice.
