Biographical Work
Biographical work
Biographical work invites you to reflect on your life – looking back at formative experiences, turning points, relationships, and decisions. It’s not just about “What happened?” but also about how you see and make sense of these experiences today and what they mean for your personal journey.
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It can be especially meaningful if you are going through a transition, want to close a chapter, or explore a new direction. By engaging with your own story, you may notice patterns, recurring themes, and connections that were not obvious before. At the same time, biographical work can help you appreciate the path you have taken and open up new ways of seeing the future. By recognising what has supported or inspired you along the way, you can gain confidence in your own perspective and sense of purpose.
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Biographical work offers space for reflection, appreciation, and new orientation – suitable for any age or stage of life. Your life is not judged; it is recognised as a unique journey.​​
Biographical work creates space for self-reflection, appreciation, and reorientation—regardless of age or stage of life. Your life is not judged, but made visible as a unique path.
The sessions can be held in German, English, or Dutch, either on-site or online.
Areas where biographical work can offer support and insight:
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Gaining perspective – reflecting on purpose, clarity, or direction
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Exploring key moments – reviewing biographical milestones and patterns
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Reflecting on experiences – looking mindfully at your life events and personal themes, supporting self-direction and clarity
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Discovering resources – reconnecting with strengths and potential, fostering self-confidence and optimism
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Exploring perspectives - observing and actively shaping your own life
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Looking at life phases – engaging with life changes, transitions, or growing older
Who can benefit from biographical work
Adults
My offer is aimed at people aged 18 and over who want to reflect on their lives and gain new inspiration for the future.
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Biographical work can be especially engaging if you are going through a challenging phase or facing an important life decision.
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If you are curious about actively shaping your life, open to new perspectives and methods, and want to gain a deeper understanding of your own experiences, I look forward to supporting you on your journey.
Couples
In couples coaching, I support you in exploring your relationship from new perspectives and reflecting on shared strengths, values, and resources. We also look at your individual life stories, identify communication patterns, and use creative methods to discover new ways of relating to each other.
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This offer is aimed at couples who want to explore their relationship mindfully – it does not replace couples therapy or any psychotherapeutic treatment.
Parents
In biographical work, parents can take time to reflect mindfully on their life story and explore how they have become the person they are today. This allows for a conscious awareness of formative experiences, values, and childhood memories.
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The process creates space to consider family patterns and connections across generations. The focus is on gaining a deeper understanding of yourself and engaging thoughtfully with your own experiences, so you can approach family life with presence, care, and reflection.
Procedure
In a free initial consultation, we clarify your focus and intentions.
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A one-on-one coaching usually begins with one or two sessions, during which a current topic is explored. We look at which experiences and situations from your life so far may have influenced this topic and what connections emerge. After that, the focus turns to the future: What perspectives are possible, and how would you like to approach this topic moving forward?
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For a more in-depth biographical process, we examine your life in seven-year phases. Each phase is covered in one session. For every phase, you respond to targeted questions and engage creatively through a drawing exercise, making your personal life story visible. During the sessions, I provide space and a listening ear for your reflections and for what emerges in your artwork.
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At the end, your personal “House of Life” is created, incorporating your vision for the future. Together, we review the entire House of Life, highlighting connections between the different life phases. This can provide insights and guidance for your ongoing life journey. New topics may also emerge from these reflections, which can be explored in further sessions.
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A particular focus is on your resources: What has strengthened you, which abilities and qualities define you, and what visions or possibilities would you like to explore for the future? These themes can be further explored in conversation or serve as a starting point for additional sessions. Depending on your needs and preferences, the process can include creative work and, if suitable, be accompanied by Qigong exercises.
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Miriam, 24 Years
"Coaching with Svenja was a first and new experience for me. In our conversations, I was able not only to talk about past situations, but also to understand how old beliefs had shaped my thinking and actions. She supported me in letting go of old patterns and exploring new, positive perspectives.
I learned that the past doesn’t have to determine who I am today or where I’m going, and that change begins with awareness. I am grateful for her guidance and the insights she shared, which I hope will continue to support me in a lasting way."
Biographical Work in the House of Life®
I work with the House of Life® method developed by Dr. Susanne Hofmeister. Biographical work following an anthroposophical approach is based on the idea that human life unfolds in certain rhythms, particularly visible in the so-called seven-year phases. Each of these phases brings typical themes, transitions, and challenges.
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In biographical work with the House of Life®, life is represented visually as a “house of life,” with each life phase occupying its own room. Through this approach, you get to know your house better. Significant events—both positive and challenging—are assigned to the corresponding rooms. This perspective helps you organise and make sense of your personal story.
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Together, we can then consider what might be let go of—for example, old beliefs that are no longer helpful today. By reflecting on your House of Life, space is created for new ideas, insights, and orientation.
Biographical work with the House of Life® is a modern mind-mapping method. It was developed by Dr. Susanne Hofmeister from Heidelberg. www.susannehofmeister.de
Working with the House of Life® method
The basement of your house
Throughout our lives, especially in childhood and adolescence, we gather experiences that are not always consciously processed and often remain hidden in the “inner basement”—old feelings, beliefs, or parts of ourselves. Certain everyday situations can open this “basement door” and bring these old reactions to the surface. In biographical work with the House of Life®, we explore together which memories, needs, or patterns arise.
These unconscious areas often hold not only past experiences but also valuable insights into your personal potential. This approach can provide a clearer perspective on your life story and offer guidance for your next steps.
Discovering the guiding thread in your life
By looking at the different stages of life and the experiences associated with them, connections can become visible. This allows the “red thread” in your life to emerge, representing recurring themes, motifs, or patterns of development. It highlights values, questions, or impulses that shape your life and provide orientation.
Discovering this red thread can help you make sense of your personal story. From the question “Where do I come from?” the question “Where do I want to go?” often arises, opening up possibilities to approach your future with greater awareness and intention.
Your life as a compass for the future
Working with your own biography allows you to consciously perceive your personal development and recognise connections within your life. By looking back at the different life phases, experiences can be viewed from multiple perspectives. A focus is placed on recognising positive developments and understanding which situations have strengthened you.
At the same time, you can reflect on the resources you have gained from each life phase. This process provides orientation for your ongoing personal growth and for shaping your own future.
Exploring your vision for the future
Often, we hold on to familiar routines because they give us a sense of security, while avoiding conscious contact with our future self, as the uncertainty of what lies ahead can feel unsettling. In the process, we tend to repeat familiar—but sometimes limiting—patterns instead of trying new paths.
In coaching, we focus on who you want to be in the future and where you want to stand. Together, we explore the steps needed to move closer to your future self. This helps create a clearer picture of which possibilities suit you and how you can shape your next steps.
Sometimes the roughest road brings you to the most wonderful places
Biographical work with the method of the House of Life® is a non-therapeutic service designed to support personal orientation and development. ​It is aimed at people who, on their own initiative, wish to reflect on their lives, recognise patterns, and consciously shape their personal development steps.
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My offer also includes work with couples who want to explore their relationship mindfully and take time for shared reflection and connection.
Biographical work provides a guided space for exchange and personal insights, but does not replace couples therapy or psychotherapeutic treatment.