Philosophical Counseling with Monica
At Curious Soul Philosophy, we develop the practical value of philosophy for everyday life.
Individual philosophical counseling is a way to explore, in one-on-one dialogues, the philosophical dimensions of your life-challenges and quests, such as:
Individual philosophical counseling is a way to explore, in one-on-one dialogues, the philosophical dimensions of your life-challenges and quests, such as:
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In philosophical counseling, our focus is on your concerns, your struggles, your goals, and your dilemmas. Together, we study your life, your situation, and your potential choices.
We bring insights from the history of philosophy into the conversation as they become relevant for our critical and creative thinking. But you do not need an academic background in philosophy to engage in this process.
I am here to bring ideas to the table, ask questions, and help you discover, examine, and execute your agenda in a reflective and deliberate way.
We bring insights from the history of philosophy into the conversation as they become relevant for our critical and creative thinking. But you do not need an academic background in philosophy to engage in this process.
I am here to bring ideas to the table, ask questions, and help you discover, examine, and execute your agenda in a reflective and deliberate way.
Meet Your Philosophical Counselor
Monica Vilhauer, Ph.D.
Hi, I'm Monica Vilhauer and I have been studying and teaching philosophy for over 20 years.
A few years ago, I started to feel a "lost at sea" sensation and found myself searching for direction. I was in a high-pressure academic career in which mainstream assumptions regarding successful education and a successful life conflicted with some fundamental beliefs and experiences of my own. I had been part of the academic world for so long, though, that its goals and expectations had set up shop in my thinking, feeling, and sense of identity. I had a big internal struggle going on.
Through philosophical conversations and a whole lot of soul searching, I worked to get clear about my values, the person I wanted to be, and the ways I wanted to use my energy. I was able to find a new path that felt much more authentic and fulfilling. I shifted my focus from academic philosophy to the practical value of philosophy, and turned my efforts to sharing philosophy in a way that speaks to the problems we deal with everyday — the problems of meaning, values, integrity, empowerment, freedom, creativity, and fulfillment. Curious Soul Philosophy was born.
Now I practice philosophical counseling, which is different from psychotherapy in some important ways. Philosophical counseling approaches life's problems not as symptoms of sickness, but as predicaments of the human condition that we all face. In philosophical counseling, we take on existential and ethical problems with the goals of enhancing clarity, choice, and self-realization in our lives. I do not diagnose or treat emotional or behavioral disorders. I do help you to work through big questions that can be at the root of many kinds of human distress, angst, and perplexity, like:
A few years ago, I started to feel a "lost at sea" sensation and found myself searching for direction. I was in a high-pressure academic career in which mainstream assumptions regarding successful education and a successful life conflicted with some fundamental beliefs and experiences of my own. I had been part of the academic world for so long, though, that its goals and expectations had set up shop in my thinking, feeling, and sense of identity. I had a big internal struggle going on.
Through philosophical conversations and a whole lot of soul searching, I worked to get clear about my values, the person I wanted to be, and the ways I wanted to use my energy. I was able to find a new path that felt much more authentic and fulfilling. I shifted my focus from academic philosophy to the practical value of philosophy, and turned my efforts to sharing philosophy in a way that speaks to the problems we deal with everyday — the problems of meaning, values, integrity, empowerment, freedom, creativity, and fulfillment. Curious Soul Philosophy was born.
Now I practice philosophical counseling, which is different from psychotherapy in some important ways. Philosophical counseling approaches life's problems not as symptoms of sickness, but as predicaments of the human condition that we all face. In philosophical counseling, we take on existential and ethical problems with the goals of enhancing clarity, choice, and self-realization in our lives. I do not diagnose or treat emotional or behavioral disorders. I do help you to work through big questions that can be at the root of many kinds of human distress, angst, and perplexity, like:
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Dare to ask big questions!
You might think of me as a navigation partner for the uncharted waters of life . . . someone with a lot of good questions, a discerning ear, a box full of critical thinking tools for examining ideas, and a broad array of philosophical perspectives that can open up thinking.
I'd be honored to be your philosophical counselor. I approach life problems with an open mind and an empathetic heart. And I always try to hold on to humor, even when the waters get rough.
I'd be honored to be your philosophical counselor. I approach life problems with an open mind and an empathetic heart. And I always try to hold on to humor, even when the waters get rough.
Ready to ask the big questions?
"Monica meets you on every level: She’ll readily engage with any abstract ideas you have about the world or the self, and analyze those ideas with you, but she also has a way of making you feel that she viscerally understands the difficulty of the situations you’re describing. When I talk to her, I have the feeling that I’m talking to someone who is very present, who is on my side, and who has also fought to be able to live her own life on her terms."
Philosophical Counseling with Monica Featured in Oprah Magazine and VICE
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