Kairos Institute: Healing in a World of Need by Karine Munk Finser, MEd whose eternal “I being” needs to find a harmonious way into its sheaths (the physical, etheric, and astral bodies). Many children struggle to overcome substantial challenges, sometimes arising from Artistic therapies informed deep-seated collective trauma, by anthroposophy are mostly emotional or environmental invisible in our independent trauma, or cumulative stress. and public Waldorf schools. These burdens make it hard Yet the need for them is clearer for them to inhabit their bodies than ever before. and unfold their destiny paths. Though there are strong The sun’s light that shines healing forces in the Waldorf curwith warmth is made inner riculum, we are receiving more within every human soul. Liane and more children who need Collot d’Herbois, the paintone-on-one help beyond tutoring therapist and painter who ing or another IEP (“individual1 worked closely with Ita Wegized education program”). The man, often remarked that we still untapped resource of the are hardly able to do a thing artistic therapies can offer great here on earth if we are not well support in helping our children incarnated. She would also say, regain their sense of self, their at every goodbye, “Keep your inner resilience, joy, and readiheart warm!” ness for learning. Our work as healing eduRecently, a Washington cators or therapists is to help Post article detailed how SEL “Roses” by Karine Munk Finser children become receptive to (the educational movement we all that streams towards them in terms of goodness and know as “social-emotional learning,” once so popular) is love. These unifying and healing forces can emanate simply not sufficient to meet the evolving needs of our from family, friends, a therapist, the community, a great children. teacher, or from one trusted individual. In the face of rampant racism, digital addiction, a This is the essential gesture of healing that we want to climate change crisis that threatens our entire species, instill and teach our future practitioners of art therapies and the greatest economic inequalities in 50 years, through the Kairos Institute. The parameters for diagnopositive psychology books that urge us to manage our sis and the development of capacities in artistic therapies behavior with calmness, resilience, and grit have been 2 flying off the self-help shelves. take their root from a dedication to relieve the suffering in our children, and to help them on their way. We need to see every child as an individual mystery The Kairos Institute is a new initiative of the Center for Anthroposophy in collaboration with the Transdisciplinary Healing Education Program at Antioch University New England.
1 “The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legal document under United States law that is developed for each public school child in the U.S. who needs special education.” — Wikipedia. 2 “Why social-emotional learning isn’t enough to help students today” by Valerie Strauss, The Washington Post, December 17, 2021 — free access at https://wapo.st/3sAdc30
24 •
being human
A vocational training pathway for the artistic therapies “Kairos” began many years ago as a whisper in my ear. While running the summertime program of Renewal Courses at Center for Anthroposophy (CfA) for 21 years,