About Philosophical Counseling

There are times in our lives when we find ourselves increasingly frustrated with the status quo. Popular media portrays this archetype as the midlife crisis. However, you can evaluate your beliefs, values, identity and worldview at anytime. Other common events precipitating the interest in such reflection range from leaving your family home to becoming a parent, and the loss of a loved one to a change in careers or retirement. 

No matter what has led you here, we will work through it together. 

You need to be heard, you need the opportunity to articulate what you feel as well as what patterns of thinking have brought you to this juncture. You want options, alternative ways of seeing the situation, and guidance to remove the roadblocks so that you can get beyond the problem. 

As your counselor, I will guide you in understanding the breadth and depth of the issue, unpack established assumptions, consider existing patterns of reasoning, help find alternative ideas and a rational forward focused approach to the issues.

Thinkers the world over have raised the same questions time and time again. These questions continue to resonate because they address what it means to be human, mortal, unable to do some things, and capable (thus responsible) of others, what it means to be a thinking being, social, and moral.

How do I know what is true? 

What is real? How do I know? 

Is there reality beyond perception? 

What kind of being am I really? 

Is there life after death? 

Who am I? 

How does my body affect my identity?

Is my future destined or do I have free will?

What role does memory play in truth, reality, and identity? 

What is the relationship between language or mathematics and reality? 

What is: love? friendship? beauty? autonomy? freedom? justice?

How should we live together socially?

What do I owe others? 

What does it mean to be a good person? 

Is there a system of ethics that ought to guide behavior? 

Why is there suffering? What ought to be the response to suffering? 

What kind of life is worth living? 

Should happiness be the goal? 

And to each of these questions there is also WHY?

Admittedly, most people don't spend a lot of time considering philosophical questions. We take a lot for granted and that makes getting through the day much simpler. But sometimes issues arise that call those assumptions into question. 

Philosophical counseling is excellent when: 

• You face a sticky ethical dilemma 
• You need to reevaluate your beliefs, values and priorities
• You are searching for, or reevaluating, purpose and meaning in life
• You feel pulled in multiple directions 
• You want to better understand ideas of hope, love, authenticity, integrity, courage or duty
• You or someone you care about has experienced a major life event and it has raised new concerns
• You are experiencing a tension between what you want and what others want you to do/ be. 
• Someone you love has left or died and you are processing what it means for your life
• You notice a disconnect between how others perceive you and how you view yourself
• You experienced an enlightening or unsettling event, which brings up questions about yourself, others, society, reality
• You are working through religious or spiritual beliefs
• You are dealing with event-specific anxiety
• You have an insatiable curiosity about complex concepts 

Philosophy started to become more practiced as a form of counseling in the late 20th century. Leading up to that, philosophy had been largely seen as academic pursuit or applied theory. However, several philosophy practitioners realized that they were all engaging in counseling types of interactions and started putting together a group to support developing the practice further. 

Philosophy as counseling may seem quite different from academic lectures and arguments laid out in journals. However, there has always been a dialectical aspect to philosophy. Philosophy as counseling harkens back to ancient philosophy, when philosophers would regularly engage in a pedantic style or debate in the city center. 

Many of the earliest psychologists were also philosophers. Although philosophical counseling does not address the same concerns, they both listen to clients, carefully consider the deeper issues, and respond compassionately to help clients. Philosophical counseling emphasizes reasoning, using critical thinking to process the questions at hand. 

Philosophical counseling is an excellent choice for many people. However, it is not suitable for everyone seeking counseling. As a type of educational counseling, it does not diagnose or treat mental health disorders. It is not therapeutic or prescriptive. Philosophical counseling is not equipped to address behavior disorders, addiction, trauma, or learning disorders. 

Various specialized counselors, mental health providers, psychologists, and psychiatrists are adept at addressing those needs. 

If you have recently been diagnosed with a mental health disorder or suspect your concerns originate from a mental illness, please rely on your healthcare team for treatment.