What is philosophical consulting/counselling?
Philosophical consulting, sometimes known as philosophical counselling, uses the tools of philosophy to help people deal with the problems they face in life. Life is full of challenges, confusions and changes, and we often struggle to cope with them. A philosophical consultant can help in understanding and overcoming these difficulties.
Some of the issues that a philosophical consultant can assist with include:
- A lack of meaning and purpose
- Confusion about career/life direction
- Ethical dilemmas
- Job loss and problems with coworkers
- Friend and family feuds
- Personal change and growth
- Falling in or out of love
- Becoming a parent
- Breakups and divorce
- Midlife, aging or end of life issues
- Loss of a loved one
- Eco-anxiety
- And many more...
Philosophical consultants help people to unravel the underlying thinking behind a problem and find ways to remedy it through critical thinking, sound logic and practical wisdom. They can also assist anyone wishing to find more meaning and purpose in life and reach higher levels of happiness.
Are you looking for a counsellor or psychologist? A practical philosopher might be what you are really looking for.
How is a philosophical consultant different from a counsellor or psychologist?
Whereas counselling is often considered “talk” therapy, that is, therapy that primarily focuses on talking through a problem, talking is just one element of the philosophical approach which sets out to dig deeper than what is already on a person’s mind and help them decipher the inner logic of an issue.
Psychologists view a person’s problems in a scientific way, employing ways of categorising mental disorders and looking for causal explanations. In contrast, the philosophical approach focuses on a person’s way of thinking, analysing their underlying logic, concepts and values. For this reason, philosophical consultants do not deal with mental health issues.
Are you looking for a life coach? A practical philosopher might be what you are really looking for.
How is philosophical consultant different from a life coach?
While a life coach will help you set and achieve goals, on top of this, a philosophical approach will help you explore your own worldview more deeply, question your values and assess how your beliefs relate to your actions and behaviours. It will expose you to different philosophies that can help you to expand your view of the world, open up more possibilities and thus live a more meaningful life.