About Us

Holistic Biography Work is the initiative of Karl-Heinz Finke and Laura Summerfield

Our goal is to support the development of a holistic approach to Biography Work through training, mentoring and collegial gatherings, 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. We speak many different languages, with English being our lingua franca.
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 colleagues all over the world.

Contact us

We are based in Canberra.
The best way to contact us is via email.
mail@holisticbiographywork.com

Karl-Heinz Finke

Born in Germany in 1955, with many years of work internationally while based in Berlin.
An active Trainer and Consultant in Holistic Biography Work for over 30 years.
Has completed nearly thirty 3-year cycles of Training world-wide, with current work Online.
His teachers in Biography Work and Adult Education have included Gudrun Burkhard (1992-1997), Coenraad van Houten (1989-2005) and Helmuth ten Siethoff (1994-1995).
Is widely read in Philosophy (including Anthroposophy), Humanistic Psychology and the Social Sciences.
Was licensed by Health Department, Berlin as a (Non-medical) Practitioner Psychotherapy, 2008.
Travelled regularly for 16 years training Consultants in Biography Work – including in Germany, Hungary, UK, Australia, New Zealand, India, Thailand and Taiwan.
Now works with Laura Summerfield, his partner in life and work, to make their Holistic Biography Work practical and accessible world-wide.
Their work together is visible on this website, and in the resources that they create.
Their introductory text – the Biography Log-book – has so far been translated into: Hungarian, German, French, Hebrew, Vietnamese, Japanese, Traditional Mandarin, and simplified Chinese.
Mentors graduates of Training Programs to be able to run their own courses and trainings.
Is now based in Australia, but maintains his links to Germany.

Karl-Heinz Finke

Laura Summerfield

Born in the Netherlands in 1953, migrating to Australia at the age of 6 years.
Assists Karl-Heinz to create resources, deliver courses and support participants.
Completed tertiary education (Psychology and Education) in Australia.
Post-graduate qualifications in Education from University of New England – Graduate Diploma in Education and Master of Education (Steiner Education) – 1995-1997.
Worked as a registered Psychologist in Australia, in private practice and in community, health and educational settings (both tertiary and secondary). Counselling all ages with a range of challenges – 2005-2020.
Completed the 3-year Biography Training with Karl-Heinz, 2005-2007, and received mentoring 2015-2020.
Uses the framework of Biography Work and its picture of human development successfully in counselling work, and in work as a Biography Consultant.
Has an additional background in the arts, particularly folk/acoustic music, and sets verses (including those by Steiner) to music. Sings these verses as part of her spiritual practice.
Enjoys an active working life in this ‘final’ phase in her biography that draws together many threads – research, reading, writing, listening, travelling, singing.
Is enjoying life as a wife, mother and grandmother with 7 grand-children, happily based with Karl-Heinz in Canberra, Australia.

Laura Summerfield