Philosophical Counselling
The Journey
Life is an interesting thing. It has it's ups, downs, joys and sorrows. Most of us want to live a happy life. We want a good life. However, life has many unexpected events which are out of our control. Just because bad or unexpected things happen to us or the people and things we care for, does not mean we cannot have a good life.
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Self-Reflection
People may need to break away from old patterns that cause problems and create new habits that promote solutions. If we reflect, some of us have been following what others expect us to do and we never got that chance to become the person we really are; the person inside of us waiting to grow. Others have been doing what they think is right, however, something is still missing. When following our own or others’ expectations, it can seem like chaos when we don’t get what or where we want. It's important to realize that we have control to bring order to the chaos.
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Cosmos
The Cosmos is where we live; a universe with order. Humanity has survived because we found a way to understand the consistency that actually exists in this universe. Our states of mind, the things and people we love, and the joy, fun and frustration, are all part of that universe. There is order behind it all. If there is order, we can follow some simple rules or guidelines to get what we want and what we need.
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The Right Approach
The difficulty is when we lack the tools to solve specific problems or knowing what the problem really is. Some of us know what we want but not how to get it, whereas others still feel misguided and crave to just know who they are and what they want. Whether it is a loved one who is lost, anxiety or depression, anger and sadness, not feeling fulfilled with one’s career, problems with our intimate relationship, growing up as a teen or parenting children and teens, problems with family and friends, addictions, spiritual conflict and functioning and flourishing in school, with the right approach and training, one can find a path to the life they want. There is a way to deal with all of these things and feel good at the same time. It can be a great help, if there was someone who was able to make what was foggy clear.
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Understanding
There are times when we need someone we trust, someone who understands, and someone who will listen. We need people in our lives that can see the bigger picture when we are stuck in the details and our emotions. We don’t need someone to label us as crazy for thinking a certain way or wanting to do things differently. There is a person who can help us, it is a counsellor.
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Wisdom-Action
Counsellors advise us, offer recommendations and suggest a course of action. We want the best, someone with a deeper understanding who can deal with our issue or problem so we are able to move on; we want someone who has wisdom. Philosophy is defined as the love of wisdom. So, a philosopher who is also a counsellor may be our best bet. What we really need is a Philosophical Counsellor.
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Well-Being
Philosophical Counselling is a means to help others achieve a durable sense of well-being in their lives. A Philosophical Counsellor has the capacity to help an individual change the course of their life in the direction they intend for it to progress by breaking down assumptions, beliefs, habits, attitudes and behaviours through discussion and observation. The counsellor is effectively giving the client autonomy over their life by helping the client gain control over elements that affect them and have an effect on them.
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Identity
It is also important to equip oneself with knowledge, principles and tools to achieve the end of realistic, resilient happiness and well-being. The Philosophical Counsellor is prepared to find and teach the necessary skills and tools required for the client’s well-being and a sense of balance with their identity.
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Reasoning Process
The rules of reason apply to both the counsellor and the client, making a fair exchange of ideas possible without appeal to authority. Teaching these reasoning rules are part of the method and responsibility of the counsellor.
My model of Philosophical Counselling utilizes the reasoning process of evaluating evidence and making sense of that evidence with a theory. The client and counsellor are then able to make progress in the client’s endeavours relative to the client's current skill set, knowledge base and state of mind. As the client improves on these attributes, they will eventually no longer need the support of the counsellor effectively growing from the client-counsellor relationship. The goal of the method is to train the client to become independent and self-maintaining in terms of their own mental health awareness.
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Training and Practice
The counsellor will make educated recommendations on how the client can solve specific problems from a general framework. The scientific problem of induction means that not every attempt will work and the counsellor is not to be blamed for unfulfilled expectations. It is the duty of the client to understand that changing one’s life takes training and practice. With training constructive habits, a developed knowledge set and a realistic perspective, the client can easily attain the goals they desire.
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Freedom
The counsellor may offer tools for the client to utilize, however the responsibility on how those tools are used falls on the client. The counsellor will respect the autonomy of the client in terms of the tools offered by insuring that the client is knowledgeable, competent and has the freedom to do otherwise. The counsellor wants to make sure that the client understands the principles and tools they are learning and how to apply them to their lives.
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