Avraham Cohen

Centre for Cross Faculty Inquiry/Centre for the Study of Curriculum and Instruction Faculty of Education/University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

As with most things in my life, I come to doctoral studies later than average. I have always been a late bloomer. It has worked for me, against me, and sometimes just with me. I have been a psychotherapist in private practice since 1987. I still love doing this work. I am also an instructor in the Counsellor Certificate Program at Vancouver Community College and an associate professor in the City University M.A. Counselling Psychology program where I teach group counselling; also experiences I enjoy greatly. In my doctoral studies I am synthesizing my ideas about inner work and community development in educational environments.

I have written the Whole Person Meditation Manual, A Small Handbook about Intimacy and relationship for Couples and Individuals, and The Life Force Seminars Process-Directed Counselling Training Manual. I have some publications, including, The Secret of Effective Psychotherapy: Metaskills in The Canadian Counselling Association Private Practitioner's Newsletter, Multi-Dimensional Communication Construction in the Moment, and a Chapter section, Process-Directed Group Counselling, in Fehr, S. (Ed.), (2003, 2nd ed.) Introduction to group therapy: a practical guide.

I presented at two University of British Columbia conferences, The Faculty of Education Research Day and The Investigating our Practices Conference in 2003. My presentations were about Developing Community in Educational Environments.

I am in the second year of my doctoral work and am currently working on these writings: Working on a Dream Alone, Contemplations on the Inner Life of the Educator, The Spiritual Dimension of Educational Communities, and Training in Groups. I am thinking about the intersection of educational research methods and in-the-moment counselling skills. I am wondering about the use of group facilitation skills and classroom to support the development of educational community and to support learning. 

lifeforce@shaw.ca