In 1982, Achenbach founded the Society for Philosophical Praxis to establish philosophical

counseling as a profession.
Praxis is a Greek word meaning the practical application of a branch of learning - in this
case philosophy - to solve life's problems. In classical Greek astrology and
counseling, Praxis also refers to one's career, life path, or calling. Helping clients find their
career or life path is a specialty of philosophical counseling.

"Philosophical counseling is a type of counseling that uses philosophical insights and methods
to help people think through significant issues in their life."
He goes on to say that it can be very helpful for finding your vocation, making a difficult
decision, career dilemmas, relationship issues, and being clear about what you want from life.

Eastern- their primary focus tends to be on flourishing and achieving optimal human
development through leading an ethical life, and are more aimed at liberation and “setting
[people] truly free so they can be in charge of their feeling states and so they can control their
thoughts,”
in traditional Eastern thought, it is all interactive. “Everything that happens in the body affects
the mind and emotions, and vice versa, Eastern thought is rooted more in the integration of
mind-body and energy,”
With many Eastern approaches, it is assumed that people will fix themselves, often by paying
close attention to themselves and their surroundings
He likes for his clients to feel that they possess the power within to handle and solve their
mental and emotional issues, which is based more in Eastern

Buddhism- As a result of frustration with the lack of efficacy in Western emotion-focused

counseling, new Eastern practices of yoga, qigong, Zen or mindfulness-based meditation, and
philosophical counseling are gaining attention in contemporary society.
The therapeutic goals of counseling established under Eastern philosophies and practices
include restoring the dynamic balance of the body, mind and spiritual integrative well-being,
fostering strengths, and facilitating meaning making for individuals and families.
Eastern Roots of an integrative approach Eastern concepts of embracing pain and positive
acceptance may provide a useful alternative perspective in coping with suffering (Chan, Ng, Ho
& Chow, 2006). The goal is to attain spiritual contentment and peace rather than fighting against
the pain (Chan et al., 2006; Chan, Ho, & Chow, 2001). The Eastern philosophical roots of
psychology and counseling are Daoist philosophy, Buddhist teaching, and concepts from TCM
Impermanence…. Nothing lasts a long time
Buddhist counseling is a process of reducing suffering in individuals using wisdom and
interventions from Buddhism, which aims to train the human mind to attain a state of
equanimity, joy, and liberation. In the last 2,500 years, Buddhism has been a choice of healing
method for millions of individuals but little is known about the components of Buddhist
counseling from a psychological perspective. Many empirically supported contemporary
psychotherapies such as mindfulness based cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior
therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy incorporate various Buddhist practices and
ideas into their treatment modalities. Furthermore, there has been an increase in clinical and
research endeavors to consider religiosity and spirituality in psychotherapy over the past
decade. Due to these very reasons, it is crucial to demystify the process of traditional Buddhist
counseling in order to increase mental health professionals’ cultural awareness of this fourth
largest religion in the world and provide considerations and recommendations for professionals
who are interested in applying Buddhist ideas and practices in treatment. In particular, this
article discusses the common processes of Buddhist counseling, which include 3 major
components: self-cultivation, mindfulness and meditation, and applications of Buddhist
teachings, and implications of each component for mental health professionals. Hypothetical
case examples were used to elucidate the process of Buddhist counseling as well as the
pragmatic use of specific components.
Buddhist and Hindu traditions teach that each individual person has a soul or god residing within
them,
Mindfulness-based therapy train their mind to think what they want to think… Mindfulness
teaches clients to focus on the here and now rather than on the there and then and on what
they can control rather than on what they cannot control.”

contemplative practices are “activities that are used to cultivate the mind and the heart.”
the act of contemplation helps shift us out of a current mode of thinking to a broader, more
open mode of thinking that increases our ability to understand issues. “
The foundation of any contemplative technique is to focus on relaxation first, then gain stability
of concentration and then advance to vividness/intensity
Both the counseling profession and Eastern philosophy share a respect and appreciation for the
client’s subjective, internal experiences, Thompson says, which makes them a good match for
the integration of contemplative approaches. Contemplative approaches are typically present-
focused, Thompson says, adding that studies have linked a contemplative mind to lower cortisol
levels,

From the Eastern side, her chosen approaches include mindfulness, yoga breathing, Buddhist
meditation, Tibetan chants and mantra. The aim of these techniques is to reduce clients’
anxiety, which can frequently accompany pain and the human tendency to guard against the
pain,
Counselor quality
dharma means "cosmic law and order"
Regaining Balance and Harmony: Daoist Philosophy
Daoism is an ancient Chinese philosophical tradition that adopted the yin-yang theory that
engenders a holistic and dynamic system perspective in viewing change in individuals and the
world. It recognizes the complementary and interrelatedness of contrasting forces in life in
maintaining a dynamic balance of growth and movement (Koenig & Spano, 1998). Daoist
philosophy is primarily about living a harmonious life through being in accord with the flow of life,
allowing nature to unfold in its own way and relinquishing efforts to control. The Dao is the way
to generativity, peacefulness, harmony, and well-being (Tsuei, 1992). The implication for Daoist
philosophy in counseling includes enhancing clients’ ability to regain balance and harmony as
instrumental in igniting their self-healing capacity.
The balance of yin and yang is a good example the need for balance in the universe as a whole
as well as in one’s personal life

Ying Yangwhich is a belief of having the balance to get back to perfection. It has twocolors
black and white where the while side is called Yang which means thebright, assertive, male
energy in the universe while the black side is calledYing which denotes the power of dark,
receptive and female energy.

Taoism stresses harmony with nature and people. Illnesses such as mental disorders are
viewed as disharmony within a persons body and soul. Healing consists of restoring balance.
There are no boundaries between physical and psychological illness. Mental health problem
commonly considered as weakness in spiritual strength. Taoism view of disorder is that it is an
imbalance of yin yang that need adjustment. Taoist approach is to help client realize that social
attainments are untrustworthy and temporary; morality standards are unreliable; and self image,
self evaluation, honor disgrace pride as well as egocentrism get in the way of achieving a state
of good mental health. A good state of mental health can be achieved through calm acceptance
and letting go of thoughts and feelings that interfere with achieving harmony and balance

Eradication of Suffering through Non-attachment: Insights from Buddhism

Buddhist philosophy sees life as a journey through suffering. The primary concern of Buddhism
is with freeing people from pain and remorse in life. However, people suffer most not from
physical discomfort caused by illness, physical deterioration and death but by endless desire,
craving and over-attachment to possessions, relationships, sense of control and life. The
Buddha observed that the root of suffering lies in ignorance, greed and over-attachment, an
inability to acknowledge that everything is impermanent (Dalai Lama & Cutler, 1998; Lee, Ng,
Leung & Chan, 2009). In Buddhist psychology, the way to cultivate the capacity of non-
attachment is through the practice of meditation and mindfulness (Ramaswami & Sheikh, 1989;
Rubin, 1996). Through total concentration, an individual exercises self-regulation of perceptual
and cognitive attention to attain peace of mind, inner happiness and mental health. The
effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction programs in countering mental health has
been widely established in the literature (e.g. Segal, Williams, & Teasdale, 2002).

Islamic counseling
-counseling basically a term encompasses 4 different section level of therapy
empathy, validation, providing a safe place and a non judgmental environment
counselors interact with clients to assist them to learn about themselves, deal with their
environments, and understand the roles and responsibilities inherent in these relations. The role
of emotions in causing psychological and emotional disturbances is central to understanding
and helping clients. Individuals are thus aided to recognize their potential, learn how to utilize
this potential, and work towards removing obstacles that block full realization of their
capabilities.

Application of religion is counseling, religious issues in counseling because most clients feel it is
important in life, it is not only required in counseling individuals, but also important in group
counseling
Counselors be given training in application of religious values to counseling.

exhibits Islamic spirituality and religiosity as a way of life

2nd does not condition a person based on social expectations and norms, rather, it instills
standards that are to be internalized and which later serve to condition society
3rd islam disagrees the underlying philosophical principles of all approaches of counseling is
individualism relativism and humanism which essentially follow constructivisim in behavior
modification ex. A person conditions himself with what is going on in his surroundings,
environment and society.

Islam instructs a person to attain the highest state of morality through its comprehensive system
of living which not only a set of belief but also a course of action

Compare to western, Islamic is essentially preventive than curative