Following psychological counseling, a new form of consulting is emerging globally. The new trend is 'philosophy consulting,' which encourages people to question and find meaning in life. Prof. Dr. İbrahim Özdemir has become Turkey's first certified philosophy consultant.
İbrahim Özdemir, who has been working as a visiting faculty member in the US for a year, believes that 'philosophy consulting,' which is rapidly spreading in developed Western countries, will become even more important in the coming years. Emphasizing that the ultimate goal of philosophical counseling is to help people question life and transform it into a consistent, empowering, and satisfying life philosophy, Özdemir stated the following; 'The minimum you will gain from philosophical counseling is to know yourself better and understand your problems better. The ultimate goal of philosophical counseling is to help you question your own life, develop your own consistent, empowering, and satisfying life philosophy, and find reasonable answers to your existential problems, thereby giving meaning to your life. A philosophical consultant does not tell you what to think or what to do; instead, they ask questions, use tools of critical inquiry, offer new perspectives, make connections, and provide encouragement.'
Received Philosophy Consulting certificate
İbrahim Özdemir obtained his internationally valid 'philosophy consulting' certificate from the American Philosophical Practitioners Association, headquartered in New York, and began providing online consulting services in the US. The majority of followers on Özdemir's website are our citizens living in Europe, Australia, and America. (https://www.ibrahimozdemir.org/) Noting that he has received significant interest from Turks living there and Americans of different nationalities, Özdemir stated:
'Philosophical counseling is an activity based on mutual conversation and collaboration. It should be known: This is not a new invention. In fact, it is as old as philosophy itself. Ancient Greeks - Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Stoics - viewed philosophy not merely as an educational activity, but also as a form of soul therapy that alleviates suffering, develops personal integrity, promotes self-mastery, creates justice, and enhances the good life.
A philosophical counselor does not diagnose or treat emotional or behavioral disorders, and if a medical issue arises, the philosophical counselor helps you find an appropriate healthcare professional.
A philosophical counselor works in collaboration with you to solve life problems by activating and developing strengths you already possess, such as critical thinking, imagination, empathy, desire, self-discipline, and creativity.'
Stating that as Philosophical Counselors they strive to be beneficial to society by taking philosophy outside the university, İbrahim Özdemir reminds us of Epicurus's words:
'Philosophy, if it does not alleviate human suffering, is a useless endeavor.'
İbrahim Özdemir is from İslahiye, one of the areas most affected by the earthquake. He lost many relatives and friends in the earthquake. He is also the first philosopher to provide ONLINE counseling to earthquake victims.