Do philosophical counselors expect their clients to have some “entrance knowledge” of Philosophy, Psychology or related academic subjects?
No such entrance knowledge whatsoever. Philosophical counselors aren’t like the bore who tells you how the watch is made when all you’ve asked for is the time. Yes, philosophical theory is there, but in the background, informing the counselor’s understanding of your issue as you explore it together – just as all your physician’s medical training is there in the background as you go through the paces of your annual checkup. If, for example, you’re a client with a relationship issue, it’s unlikely that the philosophical counselor will launch into a lecture on Aristotle’s three degrees of friendship. Nor, if you’re there to discuss feelings of powerlessness and low self-esteem, is the counselor likely to regale you with Jean-Paul Sartre’s view of the person as “to freedom condemned.” Even less likely will you hear chapter and verse from Epictetus or Marcus Aurelius on Stoic imperturbability when you’re discussing job stress or anxiety matters. The client and his or her issue are the exclu
