A brief history of the School of Life

Have you heard of The School of Life? It's an organization set up by experts in their field dedicated to improving lives, especially when it comes to relationships, careers and emotional well-being. Find out more...

The School of Life was founded in 2008 by well-known public philosopher and author Alain de Botton. Alongside colleagues in the arts, education and cultural fields, the group started this London-based global institution dedicated to the pursuit of the better life.

The school provides consultations and training for businesses. This includes a range of courses and services for individuals which are aimed at helping clients with relationships, careers advice and emotional well-being. It now has branches in London, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Berlin, Istanbul, Melbourne, México City, Paris, São Paulo, Sydney, Seoul, Taipei, and Tel Aviv.

Never board: The School of Life is dedicated to a better life

Help comes in the form of face-to-face therapeutic treatments and classroom-based sessions. The School delivers educational material through physical books, online books and films, a YouTube channel, and various educational tools.

Many School of Life courses have received accreditation from the Continuing Professional Development Certification Service. The School is a partner in the Knowledge Quarter: a professional association that works towards the sharing and dissemination of ideas and knowledge.

The humane spirit of The School of Life

The School of Life bases its approach in the arts and humanities. It does this by exploring history, psychology, sociology, economics, politics, ethics and philosophical concepts. Alongside treatment of the inner aspects of the human subject, the School gives orientation in external social matters. These matters include responsible consumerism and entrepreneurship, and how to engage with culture and make one's place in the modern consumer-capitalist world, with all its challenges.

“The School of Life bases its approach in the arts and humanities. It does this by exploring history, psychology, sociology, economics, politics, ethics and philosophical concepts.”

The courses and therapies on offer encourage a realistic attitude to the concept of happiness. They pursue this and foster a sense of hopefulness and possibility with a humane spirit. Free of dogma and jargon or any particular ideology, they present challenging ideas to the individual. This is at the centre of everything The School of Life does.

Down under: the window of the Melbourne branch of the School
 

Aspects of modern living with which The School of Life can help:

• Improved parenting
• Being an understanding son or daughter
• Dealing with fear and anxiety
• Developing one's capacity for tolerance, forgiveness, appreciativeness and self-insight
• A more person-centred ethos in business and in the workplace
• Being comfortable with the acquisition of learning for its own sake, not only for passing examinations.
   

“The courses and therapies on offer encourage a realistic attitude to the concept of happiness. They pursue this and foster a sense of hopefulness and possibility with a humane spirit.”

The School of Life: goals

The people at The School of Life do not lack ambition. It's their purpose to become a global hub for the promulgation of better emotional health. They employ various media to reach across nations with their philosophy. Which is about personal development and the psychological well-being in personal lives and in the workplace.

The School aims to grow and bring its unique approach to finding solutions for emotional pain and confusion worldwide. In their own words, it 'wants to bring collective strength to the field of emotional health.' Check out The School of Life book and its website. ●

Images: The book of life, YouTube, Colorbox.com

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