Eleven years ago, I created a Think for a Change video on my YouTube channel about philosophical counseling from the bedroom/living area of my studio apartment. I was young, fresh out of graduate school, decidedly not pursuing the career path of academic philosophy, and unwavering in my passion for helping others benefit from the transformative power of learning how to think critically (and differently).
Now, over three years after my decision to take a leap of faith and quit my career in higher education administration, I’ve prioritized doing work with community in Northern Colorado through Positive Philosophy Consulting. I am still living and growing in ways one would expect from a real-life, publicly-engaged feminist philosopher (i.e., I spend a lot of time thinking, writing, reading, and walking, and am in thoughtful conversation with people and groups as much as possible).
You may wonder the same thing many others wonder, which is, “How does one make a living as an independent, self-employed philosopher?” The blunt ones just ask, “How do you make money?”
From my position of perpetual flux mixed with great faith and general amazement, so far, the best answer I’ve been able to give others (and myself) is that every year is different from the last. Each year the content, form, and structure of what I focus on shifts, depending on what projects are on the horizon, which are often based on with whom I’m working. It’s a lovely cycle and reciprocal dynamic – I create and share in ways that are informed and inspired by the needs of people who already know what they will get when they collaborate with a philosopher like me.
Obviously, none of this would be possible without support from individual people, leaders, and local organizations that are committed to equitable change and justice, who recognize the value of a deeper, more critical approach to learning together that can build a stronger, shared foundation for long-term transformation. I’m always encouraged that there are more people out there who fit this description than the news cycle would lead any of us to believe.
It was about this time last year when I fully articulated and internalized my own commitment to stay responsive. This became one of my guiding principles for how to move through the world in light of all of its unfathomable unfolding, which is not to be confused with “reactive,” since reactivity can actually detract from our effectiveness. Clearly, it is a call to remain open and avoid being too-narrowly goal-oriented to the point of arrogant, to resist imposing our will onto conditions that are much more complex than our individual ability to control how things go.
Doesn’t that make it all the more interesting, then, how things move in cycles? How truth weaves its way through patterns? Or, as I’ve noted in other places several times before, how a mentor can foretell my own path with the simple phrase, “Wherever she’s going, she’s already there“?
Back in 2013, I created a YouTube video to describe the unique approach that can be described as ‘philosophical counseling.’ I’m writing now, near the close of 2024, to reiterate the significant value of thinking and learning through skillful dialogue, which amounts to a mode of reflective practice, and what I refer to these days instead as, ‘supportive sessions.’
It was also about this time last year when I was really honest with myself. In my usual end-of-year reflections, I noted how supportive sessions created space for some of the most uniquely personal, and profoundly transformative, experiences with those who did them. Not just that, but my own thinking was often re-energized from those conversations, as well! These intimate dialogues, a temporary container for a mutually valuable, reciprocally beneficial dynamic, are special.
So I am writing this post to be honest with you, reader, to share what I have learned, and to plant a seed of hope that supportive sessions will become a more substantial way that I engage with others through Positive Philosophy Consulting in (at least) the year ahead.
Yes, this is one way for me to make money.
But it is also something I know provides great value to those who are seeking something different, something a bit more meaningful when it comes to processing big thoughts and deep feelings and important questions. In short, I want to do supportive sessions with more people because I recognize the richness that comes from this particular space of thinking and learning together. And, frankly, I think we all need and can benefit from it. Myself included.
Most philosophers are keen to point out how, once we start down the rabbit hole of asking philosophical questions, we often don’t get clear answers and simply end up with more questions. There is a lot of truth to that.
But, for most of us, we are also living in a time and place where developing a sense of clarity, moral and political alignment, and meaningful direction feel more important than ever. Just as important as our willingness to critically reflect on ourselves as much as we critique the world. It makes a whole lot of sense, then, that to deeply explore questions that can make us feel vulnerable or confused, and to develop the ability to navigate this process of change with purpose, we would seek a certain type of support in that endeavor.
I’ve created a downloadable pdf that includes information about supportive sessions and several testimonials from previous clients on my Buy Me a Coffee page. Since a bullet-point list doesn’t do supportive sessions justice in terms of what they look and feel like or how they are also ideal for small groups, you can also read more about them in this post.