Quote - Andrew Bing

Andrew Bing is a former business owner and is now a software and business management consultant. He graduated from the Diploma in Counselling training program in 2007 and regularly assists at The Haven. He is also a director of the Friends of Haven Foundation.

What brought you to The Haven?

I first came to The Haven in July of 2000, approximately a year after having cancer surgery. Prior to my cancer diagnosis I was always goal orientated mainly around business. In a business meeting during my cancer process, I had a health crisis and attending that meeting was someone who had been to The Haven, he recommended it me. My health crisis was the main catalyst for my coming to The Haven, but there were other issues in life that I was also facing. I didn't know what I wanted - my main purpose in life had been material things I did not know how to live and I was lonely, not connected to anyone.

What programs have you done?

My first program was Come Alive, with Linda Nicholls and David Raithby. After the Come Alive, I went back to work briefly and then came back a few months later to do Phase I, and then again for Reflections and Come Alive II. During Come Alive II, I decided to take a leave of absence - at first it was for six months, then I extended it to 18 months. During this time I took a significant number of programs and also started on the intern path. It took me a while to get to the point of being willing to let the learnings in - I knew what I was missing in my head, intellectually, it just took longer for my heart to 'get it'.

How have the programs benefitted you?

I now seem to have much more a sense of purpose and connection. I am now very different in the way that I approach my work. In the past I thought I knew better and ended up isolating myself with the people I worked with. I still know what I know, but I connect more and in this connection I am able to create relationships. As a result of this, I am now a much better consultant and have been brought back into projects - that would not have happened in the past. For a long time, I had a vision of one primary relationship - that hasn't happened, but now what I have is many really good relationships. Seeing people from The Haven model what they teach has added in my abilities to be with people and now model in much the same way.