methodology, the individuals stand firmly at the centre of their own world, exerting their will and abilities to change their own situation. Rodway sums up Heimler's philosophy as: "the belief that man has choices, that choices should be made available to man and that freedom is equated with self-determination as man makes his choices". Heimler's approach engages with the need to clarify the crux of the problem so as to facilitate a remedy. Although the concepts of social functioning were not new, Heimler sought a practical integrative tool which would "focus on the positive, and how frustrations, abnormalities and difficulties could be turned into ultimate gain". Heimler recognised that his ideas were not original but he sought an integrative whole which would offer a therapeutic tool. Along with his colleagues he produced a visual scale that showed to both therapist and client the connection between the individual's subjective experience and objective reality. Training HSF training is largely experientially-based with participants using their own life material when learning the interviewing techniques. Further training in therapeutic applications follows a similar pattern and incorporates imaginative techniques. Traditionally those wishing to use the HSSF have had to complete the full Human Social Functioning methodology with its disciplined structured mirroring approach as well as the administration of the HSSF. However most practitioners have a prior training in a form of counseling and find it irksome to learn another approach. Although HSF practitioners still consider that the methodology has its own distinctive value, there is a recognition that many want to use the HSF more as an assessment and add-on to their own core practice. Training in the Heimler scale includes an understanding of the ethos of the scale, administration, calculation, understanding, therapeutic aspects as well as the diagnostic opportunities it affords. Learning is through practical administration, video practice in feedback and written work to achieve a required standard in diagnosis and scale analysis. Training in the full HSF method is open to anyone with a professional health care qualification, taking 60 training hours with 20–40 hours of private study. For those who have prior counselling training, the HSSF (tool specific) training takes 30 hours with 20–30 hours of private study. Successful participants to both parts receive a certificate from The British Association of Social Functioning (BASF) and practitioner status with Heimler International. HSF training from qualified trainers in HSF has been recognised by BACP as