The distinction between Philosophical Counseling and Spiritual Direction is fairly obvious, but not so the distinction between Philosophical Counseling and Psychotherapy. Just how do they differ?
Between the two there is considerable complementarity and overlap (certainly no firewall), especially considering that psychotherapists also handle many of the existential issues listed above. The American Psychiatric Association’s authoritative Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) devotes only about ten of its 886 pages to the type of existential issues handled by philosophical counselors and, as just noted, by many psychotherapists. It is arguable that Philosophy has a deeper, broader, and conceptually richer body of reflection upon existential matters than do the much newer mental health sciences. From classical antiquity through the Middle Ages, from the Renaissance through the Reformation, from the classical modern through the modern period and into our so-called postmodern millenium, philosophers have been wondering and writing about the very same real life, existential issues that nowadays philosophical counselors and their clients are exploring togethe
