Building a Bridge between the Worlds of Counseling and Philosophy. Lessons from the World of Karl Jaspers

Abstract

Karl Jaspers, a psychiatrist turned philosopher, always maintained an interest in all facets of what it means to be human. Because of this, his writings contain many ideas which can be useful to counselors of all persuasions. This paper introduces four of Jaspers’ ideas which, when considered all together, create a positive feedback loop that leads to greater efficacy in the counseling setting.

The first, limit situations, includes the kind of situations a client is commonly in when she decides to seek help, for example, encounters with death, suffering, guilt, or loss. The second, meaningful connections, involves finding and establishing significant relationships that lead to greater understanding of what the client herself finds important. The third, the use of symbols, facilitates the client’s encounter with Being and gives her access to the Truth. The fourth, freedom, encourages the client to weigh all possibilities of a situation and to choose what is best for her.

The dynamic process that ensues by interacting with these four ideas throughout the counseling process can enable the client to have a stronger sense of herself and to be more resolute as the subject of her life. The case study of a thirteen-year-old girl, whose presenting problem was cutting herself, is used to demonstrate how these four ideas can yield efficacious outcomes.