Markus van Alphen was born on 27 June 1960 in Pretoria, South Africa. He received his education in Pretoria and later moved to Cape Town, where he completed his degree in Electrica...view moreMarkus van Alphen was born on 27 June 1960 in Pretoria, South Africa. He received his education in Pretoria and later moved to Cape Town, where he completed his degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Cape Town and studied for two years towards completion of degree in commerce. He worked for several years as a consultant electrical engineer as partner of an engineering firm before moving to the Netherlands. His focus then shifted to software development, and from there to the individual and interpersonal realm, leading him to complete a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Amsterdam.
He currently lives in Slovenia and works as a worldwide therapist for individuals, couples and families using webcam technology. He is a trainer, lecturer and curriculum developer in undergraduate and postgraduate psychology, counselling students at various colleges and universities across the Netherlands. He writes educational books in the field of psychology for the Dutch publisher Boom, and is also a contributing author to various textbooks. As a restorative practitioner he works hands-on, being called in to resolve incidents and initiate the process of conflict resolution, as well as train others to implement the restorative approach.
As a researcher he is currently associated with the Open Universiteit in Heerlen as a PhD candidate, where he is researching the development of empathy at various stages of education in the field of clinical psychology.view less