Consulting Philosophy is based on new concepts, perspectives, and procedures which the author has developed through his study of philosophy, religion, psychology, political-economic dynamics, artificial intelligence, and in his pursuit of discernment through assimilation of the Perennial Tradition. 1 Another descriptor for Consulting Philosophy is Philosotherapy, a designation the author has used in several published articles.

  The author created Consulting Philosophy in 1969 after completing a B.A. in Psychology and Philosophy, an M.Th. (1958), M.A. (1960), and Ph.D. (1962) in Philosophy at Yale University and a Masters equivalency in Psychology, from 1967-69, at Washington University and Southern Illinois University. The author then developed a practice in Consulting Philosophy in St. Louis, MO and Belleville, IL, in collaboration with associates who were psychiatrists and psychologists.

  The author studied, worked, and trained with the following outstanding psychotherapists:
  • Albert Ellis, founder of Rational-Emotive Psychotherapy

  • Fritz Perls, founder of Gestalt Psychotherapy

  • Abraham Levitzky

  • The author also worked with a classical psychoanalyst.


  Additional features and elements were added to the author's practice of Consulting Philosophy when he completed a second Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence at Union Institute in 1989.

  The author has published a number of articles in the field of Consulting Philosophy:
  • "Roles People Over-Act in Group Consulting Philosophy," Psychotherapy, May, 1968

  • "Distinguishing Consulting Philosophy from Psychotherapy," Rational Living,, New York, NY, March, 1969

  • "Situational Learning," Humanist Educator, 1977 2

  • "Design Issues in the Simulation of Beliefs in Corporate Intelligence Systems," International Journal of Man-Machine Studies, June, 1993

  • "Design Principles in the Simulation of Belief Systems: REALPOLITIK," AAAI Spring Symposium on Cognitive Aspects of Knowledge Acquisition, Stanford University,March, 1992

  The author has conducted a number of group workshops in Consulting Philosophy
  • Group workshops in Consulting Philosophy, Institute for Rational Living, St. Louis, MO, 1968, 1969

  • Group workshop in Consulting Philosophy, Institute for Rational Living, New York, NY, 1968

  The author has conducted individual sessions in Consulting Philosophy

  • At the Institute for Rational Living, St. Louis, MO, 1968, 1969

  • At the Busch-McMahon Clinic, Belleville, IL, 1968, 1969

  • At the author's offices in California (San Francisco, Santa Rosa, San Diego, Vista), 1980-2023

"Either you think--or else others have to think for you and take power from you, pervert and discipline your natural tastes, civilize and sterilize you."

F. Scott Fitzgerald





The first Consulting Philosophers were Socrates and Plato.


The Methodology and Objectives of Consulting Philosophy

Consulting Philosophy assists the client in:

  1. Solving personal problems through dialectical interchange

  2. Learning to think critically: forming one's own personal beliefs by basing them on evidence

  3. Increasing one's self-awareness: developing an autonomous self which is able to think and act on its own initiative

  4. Gaining critical consciousness: learning to perceive social, political, and economic injustice and learning to take progressive action against the oppressive elements of reality
Progressive:

Of, relating to, or characterized by progress; making use of or interested in new ideas, findings, or opportunities; educational theory marked by emphasis on the individual; moving forward or onward; advancing; advocating political change through social improvement; enlightened

Self-Awareness:

Having or showing realization, perception, or knowledge; cognizance, discernment, sensibility; aliveness; being awake; having knowledge of elements not generally known or apparent
  • The primary procedure of Consulting Philosophy is consulting (dialectical interchange) one-on-one either via Internet chat or in person.

  • Consulting Philosophy is not psychotherapy or counseling.

        Consulting Philosophy does not attempt to deal with psychological problems or symptoms. Consulting Philosophy does not involve psychotherapy or psychological counseling in any manner. Persons needing such clinical services should seek assistance in one of those areas. Individuals currently involved in a psychological, counseling, psychotherapeutic, or metaphysical regimen are not admitted to consultancy in consulting philosophy. This includes persons who are involved in any kind of psychological or psychiatric drug regimen (e.g. antidepressants), whether actively undergoing psychotherapy or not.

  • Consulting Philosophy is not an academic course in philosophy.

        Consulting Philosophy does not involve the review of philosophical or metaphysical material in an academic manner; it deals uniquely with the individual who is consulting with the Consulting Philosopher. Individuals accepted for consultancy learn to examine their own beliefs and actions, acquire objectivity through deliberation, develop personal values, and understand ideas which the Consulting Philosophy sessions involve. The emphasis is placed on assimilation, not merely analyzing and theorizing. One of the primary objectives of Consulting Philosophy is personal transformation.

  • Only a small number of serious applicants are admitted into consultancy in Consulting Philosophy.

    • I have no interest in working with large numbers of merely inquisitive or idly curious persons.

    • I accept applicants into consultancy only after an initial free intake interview (via online chat site).

  • If you are interested in applying for acceptance into consultancy in Consulting Philosophy, send the following information via email to the email address below:

    • Name, street and email address, age, current occupation, and sexual orientation

    • Why you wish to be accepted into consultancy: problems, issues, difficulties, aspirations

    • Send your application email to this email address: normanlivergood@yahoo.com





Notes:

1 See the author's book, The Perennial Tradition, published by Dandelion Press

2 "This new technique of teaching and learning presents situations which provide the student a certain form of experience that can assist in our self-transformation. Of course the situations do not possess a mechanistic magic; they cannot change us automatically. We must use them in order to explore and transform ourselves. At the same time, however, the form of experience the situations provide can begin to affect us in ways which we may not at first recognize. As we participate in the situational learning experiences, we may find ourselves changing in ways which our old categories and feelings cannot explain."

Norman D. Livergood, "Situational Learning," Humanist Educator, 1977