The World Health Organisation recently listed air pollution as the most significant threat to human health. Air pollution comprises particulate matter (PM), metals, black carbon and gases such as ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO). In addition to respiratory and cardiovascular disease, PM exposure is linked with increased risk of neurodegeneration as well as neurodevelopmental impairments. Critically, studies suggest that PM crosses the placenta, making direct in utero exposure a reality. Rodent models reveal that neuroinflammation, neurotransmitter imbalance (...) and oxidative stress are triggered following gestational/early life exposure to PM, and may be exacerbated by concomitant mitochondrial dysfunction. Gestational PM exposure (potentiated by mitochondrial impairment in the metabolically active neonatal brain) not only impacts neurodevelopment but may sensitise the brain to subsequent cognitive impairment. Having reviewed this field, we conclude that strategies are urgently required to reduce exposure to PM during this sensitive developmental period. (shrink)

Philosophical counselling is typically conceptualised as a praxis going beyond academic and theoretical philosophy. However, two problems soon follow, namely the lack of agreed-upon methods and a substantial neglect of different philosophical traditions informing its practice. In this article, I propose reconceptualising philosophical counselling as a distinct method through which academic philosophy can be practised. This allows me to introduce an understanding of African philosophy, inspired by African philosophers Chimakonam and Serequeberhan, that might encourage the philosophical counsellor to (...) render academic philosophy more applicable to the counselee. Moreover, it allows for embodied voices talking from an embedded African lifeworld to create new and more relevant concepts that emerge from that lifeworld. (shrink)

Critiques existing theoretical approaches and practices of philosophical counseling and presents a new model.

Philosophical counseling is an educational activity in which philosophers engage in dialogue with clients who wish to address questions or manage problems that arise during the course of everyday life. This chapter offers three contrasting perspectives on the question of what philosophical counselors do: first, an institutional scope of practice for philosophical counseling; second, an anecdotal list of common issues for which clients seek philosophical counseling; and third, a heterogeneous set of views by several pioneers of philosophical counseling. From what (...) we have seen thus far, it may already be clear that there exist both parallels and anti‐parallels between philosophical counseling and psychotherapy. First and foremost, anyone who wants to become a philosophical counselor should earn an accredited graduate degree in philosophy in whichever area of specialization captures their interest. (shrink)

Everyone confronts questions about personal meaning and purpose, family and relationship conflicts, work-related frustrations, midlife crises, life-altering health problems, hard choices, and many more challenges in daily living. -/- Can philosophy help with any of these issues? Advocates of “philosophical counseling” argue it can. Philosophical counseling is the application of philosophical methods, concepts, theories, arguments, and insights to concerns that are traditionally addressed by psychology-based counseling. -/- This essay describes a leading approach to philosophical counseling, known as Logic-Based Therapy (LBT), (...) that has been developed and used since the 1980s. (shrink)

Informed consent is a key condition for prenatal screening programmes to reach their aim of promoting reproductive autonomy. Reaching this aim is currently being challenged with the introduction of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in first-trimester prenatal screening programmes: amongst others its procedural ease—it only requires a blood draw and reaches high levels of reliability—might hinder women’s understanding that they should make a personal, informed decision about screening. We offer arguments for a renewed recognition and use of informed consent compared to (...) informed choice, and for a focus on value-consistent choices and personalized informational preferences. We argue for a three-step counselling model in which three decision moments are distinguished and differently addressed: (1) professionals explore women’s values concerning whether and why they wish to know whether their baby has a genetic disorder; (2) women receive layered medical-technical information and are asked to make a decision about screening; (3) during post-test counselling, women are supported in decision-making about the continuation or termination of their pregnancy. This model might also be applicable in other fields of genetic (pre-test) counselling, where techniques for expanding genome analysis and burdensome test-outcomes challenge counselling of patients. (shrink)

Informed consent is a key condition for prenatal screening programmes to reach their aim of promoting reproductive autonomy. Reaching this aim is currently being challenged with the introduction of non‐invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in first‐trimester prenatal screening programmes: amongst others its procedural ease—it only requires a blood draw and reaches high levels of reliability—might hinder women’s understanding that they should make a personal, informed decision about screening. We offer arguments for a renewed recognition and use of informed consent compared to (...) informed choice, and for a focus on value‐consistent choices and personalized informational preferences. We argue for a three‐step counselling model in which three decision moments are distinguished and differently addressed: (1) professionals explore women’s values concerning whether and why they wish to know whether their baby has a genetic disorder; (2) women receive layered medical‐technical information and are asked to make a decision about screening; (3) during post‐test counselling, women are supported in decision‐making about the continuation or termination of their pregnancy. This model might also be applicable in other fields of genetic (pre‐test) counselling, where techniques for expanding genome analysis and burdensome test‐outcomes challenge counselling of patients. (shrink)

The Confession of Belhar was accepted as official confession of the Dutch Reformed Mission Church by its General Synod on 26 September 1986. During the apartheid regime in South Africa, it confesses its belief in God who serves the poor and the downtrodden, and defines the church as taking a stance against injustice. This article explores the values expressed in the Confession of Belhar to be applied in pastoral care and counselling context. The study aimed to determine whether the (...) values of the Confession of Belhar can transcend the boundaries of ‘church’ and how pastoral care supports people towards healing and healthy religious discourses. The research population are people who: firstly, visited a state hospital in a previously black township for primary care and referred to the author for counselling; and secondly, those who received counselling and pastoral care in black and brown townships where the author has been a tent-maker minister of the Word in the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa. Upon analysis, five harmful religious discourses that prevent healing were identified: (1) God is punishing me; (2) Is Christ really stronger than evil forces? (3) I am alone and afraid; (4) I have no access to spiritual gifts or any opportunities; and (5) no reconciliation or peace is possible in my situation. Contribution: This article describes the Belhar Confession in surpassing its aim of unity, reconciliation and justice in that it supports pastoral counselling by assisting people to deconstruct harmful religious discourses of pain and helplessness to alternative discourses of health and healing. (shrink)

The role of translation in philosophical counselling has not yet been sufficiently acknowledged, despite the importance it might play in multilingual contexts such as South Africa. In these contexts, translation becomes fundamentally philosophical. Concepts and ideas are firstly formulated in one language and translated into another, situated within a philosophical framework. However, this presents a unique challenge: philosophical counsellors are not necessarily translators. To mitigate this potential problem, I argue that philosophical counselling is best conceptualised as incorporating the (...) practice of transcreation – a process of co-creating and co-cultivating meaning through a radical re-interpretative engagement. I turn to two African philosophical traditions to illustrate but also ground this process of transcreation, namely, Tsenay Serequeberhan’s hermeneutic philosophy and Jonathan Chimakonam’s conversational philosophy. Serequeberhan’s notion of a sifting and sieving or a cultural filtration and fertilisation of a living past demonstrates that philosophical inheritance is not passive reception but active reinterpretation, listening, and responding to contemporary needs. Similarly, Chimakonam’s method of conversationalism emphasises how knowledge must be “forged” through dynamic and radically reciprocal conversations grounded in a conversational dialect. With the help of these perspectives, I argue that philosophical counselling embraces a similar process of transcreation, shifting its focus to a radical reciprocity and cross-pollination of co-creatively cultivating different ways of thinking. (shrink)

The integration of robots into healthcare is an advancing field, with potential to enhance patient care, for example in medication counselling. Peplau's Interpersonal Relationship Model was adapted as a framework for the aim to explore the needs of young adults in relation to social robots in medication counselling. Peplau's model outlines the phases of the nurse‐patient relationship and is emphasised through three key phases, such as Orientation phase, Working phase and Termination phase. Qualitative interviews with six young adults (...) were analysed using deductive reflexive thematic analysis. The results suggest the following: In the orientation phase, the robot should offer reliable and clear communication and a neutral appearance to the young adult to create a trusting relation. In the working phase, the robot should utilise the individuals’ resources to address their medication‐related needs and begin to anticipate goals beyond the immediate problem. Finally, in the termination phase, the robot facilitates the transition to independence for the young adult to manage own medication without relying on the robot. This research contributes to the broader discourse on the intersection of technology and human caring, emphasising the importance of maintaining interpersonal relation in the digital age. Insights from this study informs the design and implementation of social robots in healthcare, ensuring that they effectively meet the needs of young adults and complement medication counselling. (shrink)

Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenological description of the authentic dialogue serves as an ideal framework for the embodied experience of listening, especially in philosophical counselling. Even though philosophical counsellors such as Gerd Achenbach and Anders Lindseth provide their own phenomenological accounts of listening in their practices, I argue that these descriptions lack corporeal grounding. Drawing on Merleau-Ponty’s concepts of reversibility, encroachment and the chiasm, I provide what I call the porous listening body, a framework that positions listening not as a skill (...) to be mastered, but as a mastery of vulnerability – a continuous state of porosity. This embodied condition and ethical stance of radical receptivity allows both philosophical counsellor and the guest to be genuinely transformed by this encounter. Through three theoretical reframings, I translate Merleau-Ponty’s principles into a lived practice: encroachment becomes permeability, reversibility becomes a dynamic reception and the chiasm becomes the very structure of porosity itself. The porous listening body emerges as an active chiastic site where both participants dwell in the productive silences of the écart – the irreducible gap between the self and the other. By placing the framework of the porous listening body in dialogue with Achenbach’s and Lindseth’s work, I demonstrate how a Merleau-Pontian perspective not only deepens our understanding of philosophical counselling, but offers a concrete, embodied model for practitioners seeking to heed the call of truly listening. (shrink)

School Counselling in a Chinese Context discusses research in school counselling in the Chinese context of Hong Kong schools and various educational settings, and provides a contextualized understanding of counselling issues. This book highlights key contextual conditions for counselling in Hong Kong a Chinese society. The sub themes addressed in the book include school practices and teacher perspectives on guidance, counselling, behaviour support and school discipline; whole-school guidance program for identity construction; school counselling for (...) ethnic minority students; contextual influence of the use of play therapy; school counselling for students with minority sexual orientation; Chinese cultural influence on counselling, etc. The book also develops new theoretical orientations to understanding various issues of counselling as arisen in the Chinese society of Hong Kong and helps school practitioners to develop culturally responsive approaches to school counselling for personal growth, spiritual and emotional education. The themes addressed in the book include: School practices and teacher perspectives on guidance, counselling, behavior support and school discipline School counselling for ethnic minority students Contextual and cultural influence of the use of play therapy School counselling for students with minority sexual orientation Chinese culture influence on parental participation in counselling School Counselling in a Chinese Context will be of interest to postgraduates and researchers in the field of Counselling, school psychology, child development and Chinese studies. ". (shrink)

In this paper, we deal with the issue of contradictory beliefs, particularly with regard to Philosophical Counseling: both voices from the philosophical tradition (with no claim of being exhaustive!) and concepts developed by philosophical practitioners will be considered, in order to make clear what a wide range of resources for dealing with contradictions is available to the philosopher who may wish to engage in Philosophical Counseling. Among the philosophical practitioners, we devote special consideration to Ben Mijuskovic and Gerd Achenbach, and (...) this for two main reasons: first, because the issue of contradiction plays a central role in their concept of Philosophical Counseling and, accordingly, it is given special consideration in their writings; second, because their approaches to Philosophical Counseling are so different that by looking at them one can get an impression of the variety of the positions one can adopt in Philosophical Counseling with respect to the issue of contradiction. (shrink)

In this article, I suggest that combining resources from philosophy and psychology can yield useful tools for philosophical counselling. More specifically, I argue for three theses: a) Iris Murdoch’s notion of just attention and Marshall Rosenberg’s method of non-violent communication are interestingly compatible; b) engaging in non-violent communication serves to support one’s endeavors to acquire the kind of clear vision Murdoch thinks doing well by others requires; and c) non-violent just communication would be beneficial to both counsellors and counselees (...) and thus a useful resource for philosophical counsellors. (shrink)

Multicultural Counseling: Responding With Cultural Humility, Empathy, and Advocacy is divided up into three sections. The first section is comprised of four chapters and explores the counselors' worldview. The second section is made up of 19 chapters that encapsulate the clients' worldview. The third section includes four chapters that demonstrate the application of multicultural counseling by broaching race and culture; providing culturally responsive assessment, diagnosing, and treatment planning; finding a supervisor who prepares advocates; and designing a culturally sensitive workplace. Each (...) chapter opens with questions designed to have counselors consider their beliefs, attitudes, and judgments and how they might show up in their work with diverse clients. Chapters include clinical case scenarios where students can conceptualize cases using empathy, humility, and advocacy. A distinguishing feature of this book is that it includes cultures that may have been overlooked elsewhere. The authors also sought to include various faiths in this text-such as agnosticism, atheism, and indigenous spiritual practices-with hopes that counselors' first experience with such would be in this book rather than on their couches with clients. Another chapter is dedicated specifically to transgender people. The goal of this book is to give learners the framework to begin to understand who the people are that they will be serving. (shrink)

While we have seen a significant investment in widening participation in Australian higher education, many equity groups remain under-represented. Males from low socio-economic backgrounds are the least likely to pursue higher education and the reasons for their non-participation are complex and arguably under-researched. Integral to the agenda of widening participation is career counselling (in its many forms) that occurs at the secondary school level, and the important role it plays in how young people make decisions about their futures. Unfortunately, (...) in Australian secondary schools today, career counselling remains under-resourced and fragmented, often failing to serve the populations most in need. This article presents research conducted with first-in-family young men from low socioeconomic backgrounds where we document their perspectives on the career counselling they experienced during their secondary education. The data suggests they perceived their experiences as substandard; furthermore, their experiences indicate that career counselling is most effective when delivered by people they trust, highlighting how boys continue to be highly relational learners. (shrink)

Contributions of Pierre Hadot pertaining to the notion of philosophy as a way of life have had a profound and enduring influence upon philosophical counselling. Philosophical counsellors, such as Robert Walsh and Arto Tukiainen, embrace this imperative by living their philosophical counselling practices. A prevailing trend among these practitioners lies in their almost exclusive reliance upon either ancient Greek philosophical traditions as expounded by Hadot and Martha Nussbaum, or in their adaptation of Western philosophy. Regrettably, a conspicuous omission (...) prevails regarding the incorporation of contemporary African philosophy, notably their philosophical praxes as a way of life/living, within the philosophical counselling discourse. The integration of African philosophy into philosophical counselling holds significant promise, particularly concerning the potential to impact ways of living within a southern African context. Within the wider landscape of contemporary African philosophy, certain authors have already conceptualised Ubuntu philosophy as a way of life/living. Notwithstanding, I undertake to introduce two additional African philosophical practices, namely hermeneutic African philosophy and conversational philosophy. I advance a novel interpretation of both by positioning them as relevant praxes for philosophical counselling. Emphasis is placed on interpretative actualisations in response to lived experiences, contextualised within a conversational framework. The implications for philosophical counselling are threefold: first, there is a disclosing of alternative ways of living/becoming along with the creation of new concepts; second, the relational dimension of philosophising is emphasised; and third, methodological constraints concerning the practice of philosophical counselling are transcended while embracing the transformative potential of reflective, creative and critical conversations. (shrink)

This paper explores the classical Advaitic concept of Nididhyasana (deep contemplation), tracing its origins in the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad and examining its potential applications in contemporary philosophical counselling. Nididhyasana transcends mere meditation; it entails the profound assimilation of truth, following the stages of Sravana (hearing) and Manana (reflection). The Upanishadic dialogues, particularly those between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi, serve as rich templates of experiential teaching that stand the test of time. This paper positions Nididhyasana as a potent tool for existential transformation, (...) particularly in contexts where philosophical clarity and ontological anchoring offer a viable path beyond modern psychological frameworks. Through a comparative and applicative approach, the paper advocates for Nididhyasana as an experiential modality, bridging the gap between metaphysical truth and practical life, and intriguingly shifting the focus from problem-solving to ontological grounding. (shrink)

During the last years, more and more countries have introduced a practice of assisted dying in their medical system and regulated it by separate laws or by additions to the existing body of criminal law. In this respect, the two neighboring countries, Germany and Switzerland, are exceptional cases. In both countries, there exists a long‐standing and largely uncontested legal prohibition of euthanasia, but only minimal state regulation concerning assisted suicide. Right‐to‐die organizations face the challenge of filling the gap by defining (...) their own rules. In this, the largest right‐to‐die organizations in both countries are advised by individual ethicists or ethics committees, with the mission to uphold ethical standards. The paper compares the role of ethical counseling in these organizations (in which the authors are the heads of the respective ethics committees) and describes the scope of their counseling work and the extent of their responsibility for maintaining an ethically defensible practice. (shrink)

_ Source: _Volume 28, Issue 2, pp 103 - 131 Although the distinction between counsel and command in Hobbes’s works, especially _Leviathan_, has been often acknowledged, it has been little studied. This article provides background and analysis of this critical distinction by placing it in conversation with the works of Henry Parker and in the context of the English Civil War, especially as regards the discussion of prudence, interests and crisis. In so doing, three conclusions can be drawn. First, it (...) becomes clear that for both Parker and Hobbes, counsel serves as a foundation to their arguments about the placement and function of sovereignty. Second, in grounding their arguments about sovereignty in the discourse of counsel, both authors – intentionally or unintentionally – undermine the previously critical discourse of counsel. Finally, we see that especially Hobbes’s engagement with and overthrow of the discourse of counsel profoundly alters of the terms and focus of modern political debate, moving from a ‘monarchy of counsel’ to a discussion of political sovereignty. (shrink)

Philosophical counselling in South Africa has developed over several decades alongside, and often closely aligning with, broader movements originating in Europe. As elsewhere, the practice has taken root in a heterogeneous range of forms. While early scholarly engagements offered important theoretical mappings of philosophical counselling, comparatively little systematic attention has been given to how the practice has adapted in South African contexts. In this article, I provide a nomadic cartography, that is, a non-exhaustive, movement-sensitive mapping, focusing on public (...) self-descriptions of practising South African philosophical counsellors. I offer an interpretation of how their practices appear through publicly available self-authorised descriptions of method and aim. Websites are understood here as significant, as for many prospective counselees such profiles constitute the practical horizon of what philosophical counselling is. This cartographic exercise subsequently maps overlapping tendencies along three orientating dimensions: the telos/orientation of practice (ranging from ameliorative aims to wonder); the dominant method (rational-logical to relational- hermeneutic); and the locus from which philosophical counselling is articulated (universalist to situated). Through this mapping, a diverse yet uneven landscape of practices is revealed that might appear as a field in disarray, but is better understood as a necessary plurality within a functioning ecology. While several established orientations are identifiable, a relative absence emerges through the mapping process of approaches that are simultaneously deeply situated and hermeneutic. In response, I conclude by locating this unoccupied position, suggesting that its recognition is a contribution to a fuller and more pluralistic ecology of philosophical counselling in South Africa. (shrink)

Counseling Ethics for the 21st Century prepares students to address ethical issues arising in contemporary counseling practice. Drawing on their own clinical and practical experiences, authors Elliot D. Cohen and Gale Spieler Cohen present detailed, realistic, and engaging clinical case studies along with a comprehensive five-step model that can be used to manage the complex ethical problems raised throughout the book. Each chapter focuses on particular virtues in the context of examining a particular counseling issue, including online counseling, digital record (...) keeping, and social media. Students will be empowered to define problems, identify relevant facts, conduct ethical analyses, and make the best decisions for their clients. (shrink)

Counselling : Philosophical? Awakening Socrates in you is an engaging exploration of philosophical counseling, a practice that reconnects philosophy with everyday life. Drawing on both Western and Eastern traditions, The book bridges abstract philosophical concepts with real-word dilemmas. It invites readers to navigate real-life challenges, ethical dilemmas, and existential questions through self-discovery and practical wisdom.

Philosophical counselling is an approach that aims to assist people to deal with life events in an effective manner. As such, it is of interest to nurses who are concerned with helping clients who require assistance effectively to manage life events. The approach utilizes both ancient and contemporary philosophical promises and theories. On the promise side, it offers the belief that philosophy can be concerned with providing answers to the question of how people ought to live a good or (...) healthy life. On the theory side, it offers the belief that philosophical inquiry and theory can help people towards such answers. Thus the theory and practice of philosophical counselling is relevant to nurses whose practice aims to promote in their clients a good or healthy lifestyle. The practice of philosophical counselling, in a substance abuse centre, will be explored to demonstrate the theory and methods of the approach. (shrink)

The practice of ‘Philosophical Counselling’ (henceforth ‘PC’) is growing. But what exactly is PC? The variety of attempts to define PC can be summarised in terms of three overlapping sets of opposites: practical versus theoretical definitions; monistic versus pluralistic definitions; and substantive versus antinomous definitions. ‘Practical’ definitions of PC include descriptive accounts of its actual practice. ‘Theoretical’ definitions exclude such accounts. ‘Monistic definitions’ refers to definitions of PC that define it in terms of the work of one specific philosopher (...) or approach in philosophy. ‘Pluralistic’ definitions draw on the work of a variety of philosophers or approaches. ‘Substantive’ definitions are definitions that purport to say what PC is, while ‘antinomous’ definitions of PC say what it is not . My aim is not to define PC definitively. The aim of this article is rather to: (i) provide an overview of the wide variety of efforts to define PC; and, (ii) briefly suggest a preliminary understanding of PC that seems to cover most of the other definitions thereof. For David Fourie (1946-2013). (shrink)

This study investigated challenges, counselling needs and coping strategies of students with visual impairment in regular secondary schools in Nigeria. The descriptive survey of cross-sectional design was employed for the study. Five hundred and twenty-seven students with visual impairment in regular secondary schools were included in the survey by using purposive and captive sampling techniques. The findings of the study revealed that the challenges of students with visual impairment in regular secondary schools include inability to access modern technologies, ( (...) X¯ $\overline {\rm{X}} $ = 3.73), inappropriate teaching methods ( X¯ $\overline {\rm{X}} $ = 3.64), non availability of special curriculum ( X¯ $\overline {\rm{X}} $ = 3.57). It is therefore recommended that teachers and school authorities should ensure that students with visual impairment are taught to develop effective study habits and techniques of self-activity. (shrink)

The development of the Christian Pastoral Care and Counselling (CPCC) approach aims to support the recovery process of schizophrenia patients, who have not been appropriately handled by the church. A lack of understanding of schizophrenia has led church ministers and congregations in Maluku to consistently identify schizophrenia patients as possessed by evil spirits or ancestral spirits, affected by witchcraft, experiencing original sin, or breaking traditional vows. Consequently, the recovery approach used by pastors is to perform exorcisms, which include prayer, (...) covering schizophrenic patients with priestly robes, or striking them with the Bible. Through descriptive qualitative research using a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) approach and analysed using Clarke & Braun’s six stages, this study proposes a holistic pastoral counselling approach to support the recovery of schizophrenia patients. This pastoral counselling approach is expected to improve the spiritual well-being of schizophrenia patients, reduce anxiety, enable self-management and help them find meaning in life despite their symptoms. The development of this model not only focuses on pastoral-spiritual interventions but also collaborates with medical, psychological, social and cultural approaches to provide holistic support for schizophrenia patients. Contribution: This article contributes to the growing body of holistic pastoral theology studies, caring for and assisting with the recovery processes of patients with schizophrenia. The holistic pastoral theology approach is also interdisciplinary, encompassing the involvement of other disciplines, such as health and psychosocial-cultural studies. (shrink)

Rape is an act of humiliation that leaves the survivors ashamed. They therefore often try and hide from others and rarely seek help. Informal discussions with female ministers revealed that some of them had counselled female rape survivors. A descriptive phenomenological study, aimed at exploring and describing the experiences of female ministers in counselling female rape survivors through individual interviews, was conducted. Six ministers were interviewed. They experienced the dichotomy of being a woman and being a minister during their (...) encounter with rape survivors. As women, they became emotionally involved in the suffering of the rape survivors, and as ministers they experienced that prayer and scripture reading in collaboration with counselling promote healing. They also experienced that rape survivors perceived them as approachable because of their gender, but less approachable because of their status as ministers. (shrink)

In the current era patient autonomy is enormously important. However, recently there has also been some movement back to ensure that trust in the doctor's skill, knowledge and virtue is not excluded in the process. These new nuances of informed consent have been referred to by terms such as beneficent paternalism, experience‐based paternalism and we would add virtuous paternalism. The purpose of this paper is to consider the history and current problematic nature of counselling and consent. Starting with the (...) tradition founded by Hippocrates we trace and seek to understand how relevant aspects of the patient‐doctor relationship have evolved under the influences of subsequent moral theories. Finally we tentatively endorse certain modes of counselling in the current era in order to promote morally sound, good clinical practice. (shrink)

This chapter describes the relation between humanism and counselling. It explores this relation by proceeding in two directions, departing from different starting points. The chapter discusses some important approaches to counselling which are rooted in the humanist worldview. It reflects the diversity of traditions and heritage on which humanism draws. The chapter deals with a further exploration of the question of how to understand humanist counselling nowadays: which counselling practices may be called humanist and which not, (...) and what are essential features of humanist counselling practices. It focuses on some central ideas and principles of humanism instead of on the diversity of humanist thought. The chapter uses the work of the Dutch philosopher and humanist Peter Derkx to identify this shared humanist inspiration in terms of more specific key aspects of humanist counselling. Derkx presents four principles as central characteristics of humanism as a worldview. (shrink)

I offer a method for philosophical counseling that is contrasted with Marinoffs. This version of philosophical counseling is primarily epistemic and suggests therapy as the examination of the justification of a client's beliefs, with a goal of enabling the client to change belief systems if the client so chooses.

We often talk loosely of the “tyranny of the majority” as a threat to the workings of democracy. But, in ancient Greece, the analogy of demos and tyrant was no mere metaphor, nor a simple reflection of elite prejudice. Instead, it highlighted an important structural feature of Athenian democracy. Like the tyrant, the Athenian demos was an unaccountable political actor with the power to hold its subordinates to account. And like the tyrant, the demos could be dangerous to counsel since (...) the orator speaking before the assembled demos was accountable for the advice he gave. With Dangerous Counsel, Matthew Landauer analyzes the sometimes ferocious and unpredictable politics of accountability in ancient Greece and offers novel readings of ancient history, philosophy, rhetoric, and drama. In comparing the demos to a tyrant, thinkers such as Herodotus, Plato, Isocrates, and Aristophanes were attempting to work out a theory of the badness of unaccountable power; to understand the basic logic of accountability and why it is difficult to get right; and to explore the ways in which political discourse is profoundly shaped by institutions and power relationships. In the process they created strikingly portable theories of counsel and accountability that traveled across political regime types and remain relevant to our contemporary political dilemmas. (shrink)

Method in philosophical counselling is still a contentious topic. That is, there is no consensus on whether the philosophical counsellor should have a method in her practice to help the counsellee resolve philosophical problems. Some philosophical counsellors claim that there should not be any rigid adherence to method(s) as this will render philosophy too dogmatic. Philosophical counselling, in light of this view, promotes a kind of mutual philosophising sans definite goal with the counsellee. What I call "dissentient philosophical (...) counselling" takes this claim even further: the philosophical counsellor lives/practices her philosophical counselling, that is, she embodies and practices philosophy as a way of life. This view is posed as a response to contemporary conceptualisations of philosophical counselling where the philosophical counsellor might stand in a disembodied relationship with her method(s) and tries to have a conversation "from nowhere". Dissentient philosophical counselling, even though more focused on living philosophically , still suffers from certain shortcomings. In this paper, I firstly showcase how even the seemingly innocuous but important question "How might one live?" suffers from a lack of much needed nuance. And secondly, I introduce, via a fictional narrative, a provisional way of practicing this reworked dissentient philosophical counselling. I do this by, firstly, introducing African conversational philosophy, via its method of conversationalism, and secondly, I introduce a peculiar version of Pyrrhonian scepticism especially regarding the notion of bios adoxastōs (life without dogma). (shrink)

Philosophical counselling, Ran Lahav and others claim, helps clients deepen their philosophical self‐understanding. The counsellor's role is the minimalist one of providing the client with the philosophical tools needed for reflective self‐evaluation. Respect for the client's autonomy entails refraining from intervening with substantive moral criticism, theories, and methods; the client's ways of working out fundamental questions like ‘Who am I and what do I really want?’cannot be assessed by the counsellor in terms of their truth‐value, but only in terms (...) of whether they reflect the client's autonomous choice to express him/herself in a certain way. I argue that this view, which is informed by an anti‐realist account of self and life‐history, undermines the distinction between self‐knowledge and self‐deception. Once interpretive and criteriological free rein is given to the client, and once personal, pragmatic and aesthetic considerations take precedence over truth‐value, then the way is left open to clients to generate the most morally convenient self‐interpretation to suit their current needs. I defend the view that truth matters in philosophical counselling; more specifically, that there is a basic distinction between true and false forms of self‐understanding. To do this, I offer a broadly realist account of self and reflective self‐evaluation. If this is right, then philosophical counsellors shoulder a significant burden of responsibility in helping their clients achieve an accurate, defensible, action‐guiding and truth‐oriented self‐understanding. (shrink)

This commentary shows how philosophical counseling offers an alternative way for consultants to facilitate "closure" in bioethical disputes.

In the current era patient autonomy is enormously important. However, recently there has also been some movement back to ensure that trust in the doctor's skill, knowledge and virtue is not excluded in the process. These new nuances of informed consent have been referred to by terms such as beneficent paternalism, experience-based paternalism and we would add virtuous paternalism. The purpose of this paper is to consider the history and current problematic nature of counselling and consent. Starting with the (...) tradition founded by Hippocrates we trace and seek to understand how relevant aspects of the patient-doctor relationship have evolved under the influences of subsequent moral theories. Finally we tentatively endorse certain modes of counselling in the current era in order to promote morally sound, good clinical practice. (shrink)

After a short description of the nature of philosophical counselling, this paper suggests that what makes philosophical counselling philosophical is that it helps the counsellee in philosophical self‐investigations. These are critical non‐empirical investigations of the fundamental principles underlying the counsellee's ‘lived understanding’(i.e. conceptions which the counsellee lives by, though not necessarily articulates in words), aimed at the development of wisdom. In order to illustrate the nature of philosophical self‐investigation, two case studies are presented. The nature and measurability of (...) success in philosophical counselling is then discussed. A questionnaire filled out by a counsellee is quoted as an illustration of the possible effects and success of philosophical counselling. (shrink)

ObjectiveTertiary education can be stressful for many young people, who consistently report high levels of distress. The issue has major implications for campus health services and mental health policymaking more widely. The present study proposes to map student counseling services in Europe.MethodsThe sample of institutions was sourced, using standardized data extraction, from the European Tertiary Education Register (ETER). Then, each institution’s website was analyzed for information about the availability of student counseling centers and the services provided. Data extracted from the (...) ETER database were: ETER ID, national identifier, institution name, English institution name, number of students, legal status (in English), institution category (in English), and institutional website. Data extracted from institutions’ websites concerned the availability of students’ psychological centers and the services provided. Analyses were carried out using the SPSS Statistics software package (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, United States), version 26.ResultsOverall, it was found that most institutions do not provide mental health counseling services for their students. Institutions of medium dimensions showed a higher probability of reporting students’ psychological centers than small institutions. Moreover, private institutions and public institutions were more likely to report having such centers, while private government-dependent institutions were less likely. Universities of applied sciences and universities were more likely to report having them, while other institutions were less likely. Regarding provision according to geographic area, compared to Northern Europe, every other European region was less likely to report featuring such centers. Most institutions reported offering counseling, career counseling, or not otherwise specified psychological services, but only a small number reported providing services such as psychotherapy, psychiatric services, or counseling for learning-specific disabilities.ConclusionIt is critically important to catalog European data on student counseling centers and services, to encourage tertiary education institutions to invest in such services as key sites for mental health promotion. Indeed, professionally trained staff and the possibility of long-term treatment options would go a long way in supporting students who might not otherwise have access to treatment. (shrink)

Counselling y cuidados paliativos es el título del libro que conjuntamente decidieron escribir la doctora Esperanza Santos y el profesor José Carlos Bermejo. En esta obra de fácil lectura y con consejos muy prácticos y útiles, se presentan elementos fundamentales para brindar un acompañamiento de óptima calidad en el cuidado paliativo, así como la posibilidad de hacer un autoexamen de cómo los cuidadores de los pacientes vienen prestando sus servicios e incluso para no caer en burnout. Este libro es (...) de gran utilidad, tanto para los profesionales de la salud que trabajan en las unidades de cuidados paliativos, como para personas que dedican gran parte de su tiempo al cuidado de familiares con enfermedades terminales o que pasan por procesos prolongados de enfermedad. Con ejemplos de conversaciones de la vida real entre cuidadores y pacientes, la lectura del libro se hace, a la vez, agradable, divertida y profundamente reflexiva. Para citar esta reseña / To cite this review / Para citar esta resenha Rosas-Jiménez CA. Esperanza Santos y José Carlos Bermejo. Counselling y cuidados paliativos. Bilbao: Desclée de Brouwer-Centro de Humanización de la Salud, 2015, 164 pp. ISBN: 978-84-330-2786-3. Pers Bioet. 2019; 23: 137-139. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5294/pebi.2019.23.1.9. (shrink)

The book is concerned with the shifting notions of self and identity and develops a Foucauldian analysis that examines these inherently philosophical notions in...

As sympathetic outsiders trying to understand and explain the field of philosophical counselling to other (perhaps not so sympathetic) outsiders, we find ourselves repeatedly asking and being asked two questions: “What is philosophical counselling?” and “What is its relationship to psychological counselling?” In seeking to develop satisfactory answers to these questions, we present a taxonomy of philosophical counselling. This fourfold taxonomy was developed by classifying the work of a range of recognised philosophical counsellors in terms of (...) their declared ends. This taxonomy makes sense of the diversity of the field, while also recognising the underlying coherence. Moreover, the categories of the taxonomy align with existing forms of psychological counselling practice, and in this way the taxonomy enables us to pinpoint the relationship between psychological and philosophical counselling. We end with some consideration of what philosophical counsellors can learn from their colleagues in psychology, especially in relation to the role of empathy and the importance of empirical testing. (shrink)

This is a study of the two letters of Thomas More to Nicholas Wilson writ-ten while the two men were imprisoned in the Tower of London. The Dialogue of Comfort against Tribulation illuminates the role of comfort and counsel in the two letters. An article of Thomas Aquinas’ Summa theologiae is used to probe More’s understanding of conscience in the letters.

Can philosophy help ordinary people confront their personal or interpersonal problems of living? Can it help a couple whose marriage is on the rocks, or someone going through a midlife crisis, or someone depressed over the death of a significant other, or who suffers from anxiety about making a life change? These and many other behavioral and emotional problems are ordinarily referred to psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical social workers, or other mental health specialists. Less mainstream is the possibility of consulting a (...) philosophical counselor or practitioner. Yet, there is presently a steadily increasing, world-wide movement among individuals with postgraduate credentials in philosophy to harness their philosophical training and skills in helping others to address their life problems. But is this channeling of philosophy outside the classroom into the arena of life a good idea? Are philosophers, as such, competent to handle all or any of the myriad emotional and behavioral problems that arise in the context of life; or should these matters best be left to those trained in psychological counseling or psychotherapy? Through a diverse and contrasting set of readings authored by prominent philosophers, philosophical counselors, and psychologists, this volume carefully explores the nature of philosophical counseling or practice and its relationship to psychological counseling and psychotherapy. Digging deeply into this relational question, this volume aims to spark more rational reflection, and greater sensitivity and openness to the potential contributions of philosophical practice. It is, accordingly, intended for students, teachers, scholars, and practitioners of philosophy, counseling, or psychotherapy; as well as those interested in knowing more about philosophical counseling or practice. (shrink)

This paper approaches philosophical counseling practice from the idea that philosophy itself is primarily a way of living and only secondarily a subject matter to be grasped and comprehended. Three things are shown to follow from this view: first, charging a fee for access to this practice is inimical to the practice itself; secondly contrary to scientific 'objectivity' as the means to truth-speaking this view of philosophy calls for a consciously articulated autobiographical expression or personal admission on the part of (...) the philosophical practitioner; and, finally, an understanding of philosophical counseling practice emergesfrom this view of philosophy that is depicted as naturally occurring therapeutic interacting. (shrink)

This article investigates National Defense Education Act and National Defense Education Act-related calls in the late 1950s for the training of guidance counselors, an emergent profession that was to play an instrumental role in both the measuring and placement of students in schools by “intelligence” or academic “ability”. In analyzing this mid-century push for more guidance counseling in schools, this article will first explore a foundational argument for the fairness of intelligence testing made by Educational Testing Service psychometrician William Turnbull (...) in 1951, and then later taken up and employed by other National Defense Education Act-era advocates of testing and grouping. Secondly, this analysis will proceed to National Defense Education Act expert testimony, examining here assertions of the necessity of guidance counseling in schools, and an emergent and shared vision articulating the role guidance counseling was supposed to play in school life. A pattern or structure to this vision emerges here. According to its advocates, guidance counseling would not only inform the self-understanding of the measured individual, but it would also work to condition the ideology of individual intelligence across numerous layers of social life around the student: through peer group, through teachers and school administrators, and finally through home, family, and the wider community. (shrink)

Various approaches and methods are used in philosophical counselling. Two main trends can be observed: the first is the use of contemplative methods and the second constitutes approaches based on dialogical critical thinking. The author defends the idea that developing philosophical counselling on the basis of critical thinking presupposes that it is possible for counsellor and client to hold a philosophical dialogue where the relationship is one of expert/lay person. J. Šulavík has described this relationship in greater detail. (...) In the Socratic model, the philosopher and the lay person hold a dialogue whereby they ascertain opinions via inductive comparison and by defining things, creating a shared concept. While the Platonic and Enlightenment models were grounded in the authority of the expert philosopher, in the Socratic and postmodern models, the expert philosopher loses the power to manipulate those who know “less”. Lay people are not passive consumers of a particular “optimal” philosophy but through their own “philosophising” create philosophy and tailor it for themselves. While philosophising, therefore, the philosopher does not take on the role of “producer” of philosophy but of “adviser” (consultant). It is therefore supposed that people have a general need for philosophy and that ultimately they should create and reflect upon their own philosophy. (shrink)