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Marten Bos: trainer, public speaker, moderator, connector and writer.
“The Power of Differences”

Self-employed since 1999 and retired in 2021.

Diversity, Inclusion, Equality, Equity and Justice are much more than just fashionable words to me. It is about the importance of sharing stories about us, our lives, experiences. And for most to make space for stories of people in marginalized positions. To really deeply listen and try to see the world through the eyes of ‘the not me’.

Where and how do exclusion, stigmatisation, lack of opportunities take place? Where do doors stay closed for people of colour, transgender people, people with less/(un)visible abilities, women, LGBTI+ etc. people, etc.? How do people experience racism, sexism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, black or Asian racism, sexism, transphobia, homophobia, etc. in there daily life?

I facilitate dialogues, meetings, training sessions and inspirational days to become aware of the power of diversity in individuals, teams, organisations, companies, schools, in politics, etc.
Story telling needs a safe space, I call it: ‘to install on diversity.” We need to try saying away from a tube view, competition, stigma, talking about identity, people, ourselves as objects. To become more aware of ‘who is in charge of the story’? ‘Who has direction and how do we deal with ‘normalities’ in our rituals, language, attitude, norms, etc’. ‘How exclusive can some of our rituals, language, routines etc. be?’
For this we need deep understanding of what we consider as ‘normal’, often not even aware of the way we communicate, see, feel, listen, etc.

Gestalt thought me to not just look at the individual, but from a contextual view. The field that influences us, that let us develop patterns to deal with exclusion, most unaware. The Neo-Liberalism that gives us the idea we are to blame for not being successful, happy, normal, etc. The field phenomena idea gives a lot of information about our creative adjustments. How we survive from a marginalized position, how we try to fit in, even when our survival skills are quite unhealthy.

For me the combination of Intersectionality, gestalt and systemic work is the inspiration for my work. 

If you want to know more, send an email. Also you can read some of my blogs to get more information about my way of thinking, feeling, experiencing, acting, motivation, etc.

Contact: .(JavaScript moet ingeschakeld zijn om dit e-mail adres te bekijken)
0(031)6 21642597
My blog: martenbos.wordpress.com

Counseling
I stopped doing personal individual counseling in 2019!
I am trained in (Gestalt therapy) on the Nederlandse Stichting Gestalt (NSG) based on Gestalt therapy.
Subjects i specialized in were: dealing with sexual abuse in the past (for men), dealing with fear related problems, low self-confidence, dealing with traumatic experiences in the past, questions about sexual identities (LGBTI), dealing with different cultural backgrounds in the Netherlands, etc.

I am Supervisor for the LVSC (Landelijke Vereniging voor Supervisie en Coaching) and the NVAGT (Nederlands Vlaamse Associatie Gestalt Therapie).

‘WORKING WITH DIVERSITY CARDS’

The Diversity Cards are a result of working in the field of diversity for over 30 years as trainer, coach, consultant, activist, volunteer, therapist, etc.

The 19 cards, 18 represent themes that i came along during my work as being most mentioned in the way we define ourselves as different and interconnected layers of our identities.

The cards have an A3 size to work experiential en systemic and are finished in washable laminate.

Available to order send email .(JavaScript moet ingeschakeld zijn om dit e-mail adres te bekijken) the set of cards is 50 euro

The methodology and content are developed from a practice of working over 30 years in the field of diversity / intercultural communication/ intersectionality.

The cards can be used for training, team - and individual coaching sessions, in organizational consulting and individual work.

• The substantive inspiration is the theory of Kimberle Crenshaw / Gloria Wekker a.o. on ‘Intersectionality’.
• The basic theory of teaching methods is inspired by Gestalt and Systemic work .

Workshops can be offered ‘open enrollment’ or ‘in-company’.
For information about the cards and workshops:
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Reviews of trainers that have been working with the cards:
“Would like to tell you a big THANK - cards during the strategic session worked perfectly well!! We went deeply into values, culture and client needs instead of usual empty discussion.”

“I wanted to let you know that the Diversity Cards worked very well indeed with the group I facilitated; indeed they were the highlight of the six week programme!  There were participants from Sudan, Indonesia, Guinea-Bissau, Poland, S. Africa, and Bangladesh; because the cards opened up the possibility for each person to talk about themselves from a position of their own choice, it created a lively and egalitarian atmosphere on the first day, for which I was happy. Also, everyone enjoyed translating the words into their mother tongue!”

Training on demand for teams, conferences, organisations also in English ‘Training with Diversity Cards’

Training experience:
For a variety of companies, commercial and non commercial, governmental, schools, etc.
Themes: personal development for professionals and managers, intercultural management, working with intersectionality (included LGBTI issues / gender and sexualdiversity) in education and in sociale work.
Train the trainers, therapists, coaches.
Coping (work related, domestic, sexual, relational) violence, aggression at work.
Training and supervising (gestalt)therapists in the Netherlands, Belgium and in Bulgaria.

Consulting:
- Organizations and schools in developing of (train the) trainings programs. (Including Diversity and other issues).
- Projects in the field of diversity for organizations, schools and local government.
- Writers for their books and essays on themes of sexual and cultural diversity.

Dialogue projects as trainer, counselor and consultant. Themes as: Sexual and Gender Diversity, LGBTI issues and the multicultural city of Rotterdam, Amsterdam and a National Dialogue between Refugees and Dutch organizations.

My background:
Social worker, started in 1978 and been working in this field until 1991.
My clients were: (young) immigrants, people with physical and/or mental disabilities, people with drugs addiction, juvenile delinquents, etc.)
From 1991 until 1999 I worked as (senior) trainer at the national refugee organization: VluchtelingenWerk.

In 1999 I started my own ‘one man company’. ‘Marten Bos, The Power of Differences’
I am working for a variety of companies, organizations, schools, governmental organizations and also for individual clients.

Education:
Master of Science in Gestalt therapy, Middlesex University England       2007
Systemic work/ Family constelations                           2010
V.O. Supervision en Consultation Hogeschool van Amsterdam             1992-1993
(Registration: supervisor by the LVSB S10760 H, senior supervisor LS1157H, teacher supervisors))
Bachelor (HBO) Academy Educational and Social Work ‘Jelburg’ te Baarn     1974–1978