The Philosophical Counselor’s Toolkit

Post-Certification Professional Development Workshop

Next Program

Weekend 1: March 7-8, 2026

Weekend 2: March 28-29, 2026

Capacity:

• Weekend #1: 16 participants maximum, 6 minimum
• Weekend #2: 12 participants maximum, 6 minimum
  • Note: Weekend #2 must be capped at 12 participants to ensure individualized supervised practice opportunities for each participant.

In the event that there are more than 12 participants interested in Weekend 2, we will repeat Weekend 2 (April 11-12) with a minimum of 6 registrants. Please inquire. If there is a repeat Weekend 2, anyone who has already completed Weekend 2 will be welcome to participate again.

Schedule

Saturday & Sunday, both weekends

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST each day (New York time)

Location

Online, via Zoom platform

Eligibility

To enroll in the program, participants must be APPA-Certified Practitioners.

Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis. The program organizers reserve the right to limit enrollment to ensure optimal learning conditions and adequate supervised practice time for all participants.

Enrollment

As an APPA-Certified Practitioner, you may enroll as follows:

Early bird pricing ends: February 21, 2026

Enrollment capacity varies by weekend (see Capacity above). Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Upon enrollment, you will receive a welcome email with orientation materials and program details.

For questions or more information, please contact: pd.workshop@appa.edu

Upon completion, participants will receive an APPA Certificate of Professional Development.

Completion of Weekends 1 and 2 partially fulfills the requirements for APPA Level 2 Certification, by reducing the minimum of 5 case studies. Weekend 1 only: 4 case studies required for Level 2. Both weekends: 3 case studies required for Level 2. Practica sessions in this program do not count toward level 2 requirements.

Enroll here for:

Weekend 1 only, early bird
Both Weekends, early bird
(Early bird pricing ends: February 21, 2026)
Weekend 1 only, standard
Both Weekends, standard

Cancellation Policy

• If cancellation is made up to 2 weeks before the start of either Weekend, payment will be refunded for that Weekend, less a $100 administrative fee.
• If a cancellation is made within 2 weeks of the start of either Weekend, payment will be refunded for that weekend, less a $200 administrative fee.

Required Materials

This program emphasizes practical application. There are no required readings or textbooks, although there may be readings or videos suggested during the program.

Language of Instruction

The program will be conducted in English.

Program Structure

Overview

This workshop provides philosophical counselors with hands-on experience and training in core counseling skills applicable across all approaches to philosophical counseling. The program addresses the need many APPA graduates express for additional supervised practice opportunities as they transition from certification to professional practice, or prepare for APPA’s Level 2 Philosophical Counseling certification program.

Weekend 1: Core Skills Training

March 7-8, 2026 (Saturday-Sunday, 16 hours)

This intensive training weekend builds six foundational skills essential to any philosophical counseling approach. Rather than teaching a specific method, the training develops transferable capacities that make philosophical counseling effective and responsive in real conversations.

The six foundational skills include: Mirror, Attune, Midwife, Question, Apprentice, and Guide. Each day, participants will engage in short teaching segments, skill drills, and supervised small-group practice sessions, followed by personalized coaching. The emphasis is on practical experience over theory—developing abilities through repetition, supervisory feedback, and shared reflection in a supportive environment.

By weekend’s end, you will have greater confidence in your counseling presence, sharper listening and questioning skills, and clearer understanding of how to navigate client/counselor conversations.

Day 1 (8:00am – 5:00pm Eastern Time)

1. Welcome & Introduction
2. Skill 1: Mirror
3. Skill 2: Attune
4. Skill 3: Midwife
5. Group Dialogical Exercise Introduction and Q&A
6. Lunch
7. Group Dialogical Exercise Session #1
8. Group Dialogical Exercise Session #2

Day 2 (8:00am – 5:00pm Eastern Time)

1. Welcome & Introduction
2. Skill 4: Question
3. Skill 5: Apprentice
4. Skill 6: Guide
5. Core Skills Q&A
6. Lunch
7. Group Dialogical Exercise Session #3
8. Group Dialogical Exercise Session #4
9. Group Integration

Weekend 2: Intensive Practica

March 28-29, 2026 (Saturday-Sunday, 16 hours)

Weekend 2 provides extensive supervised practice in philosophical counseling sessions. Participants engage in progressively longer counseling sessions (from 35 to 60 minutes), with detailed supervisory feedback and coaching after each session. The weekend includes instruction on opening and closing sessions effectively, along with a demonstration session by the instructors.

All participants experience counselor, client, and observer roles multiple times, gaining insight into the counseling process from all angles. The emphasis is on building confidence, refining the skills learned in Weekend 1, and developing your natural counseling style through practice and personalized feedback.

Day 1 (8:00am – 5:00pm Eastern Time)

1. Welcome & Introduction
2. Opening a Session
3. Philosophical Counseling Demonstration and Discussion
4. Supervised Practica Session #1 (35-minute session + debrief)
5. Lunch
6. Supervised Practica Session #2 (35-minute session + debrief)
7. Supervised Practica Session #3 (35-minute session + debrief)
8. Supervised Practica Session #4 (35-minute session + debrief)
9. Integration Discussion

Day 2 (8:00am – 5:00pm Eastern Time)

1. Introduction & Q&A
2. Closing a Session
3. Supervised Practica Session #5 (60-minute session + debrief)
4. Lunch
5. Supervised Practica Session #6 (60-minute session + debrief)
6. Supervised Practica Session #7 (60-minute session + debrief)
7. Integration and Next Steps

Future Offerings

We plan to offer additional iterations of this program following APPA Level 1 trainings. If you’re interested in future sessions—including options for those who completed only Weekend 1—please inquire.

Session Leaders

This program is led by members of the Philosophical Counseling Working Group:

Rick Repetti, Ph.D.

APPA Vice President, Professor of Philosophy at CUNY

Rick Repetti is Professor of Philosophy at CUNY, Vice President of APPA, Meditation Instructor for the Vervaeke Foundation, author of The Counterfactual Theory of Free Will (Lambert 2010) and Buddhism, Meditation, and Free Will (Routledge 2019), editor of Buddhist Perspectives on Free Will (Routledge 2017) and The Routledge Handbook on the Philosophy of Meditation (2022), and author of dozens of articles on Buddhism, meditation, agency, self, and related topics. He is a 50+ years meditation and yoga practitioner, and 3 decades meditation and yoga instructor, with extensive training in Gestalt therapy and contemplative practices.

Max Parish, Ph.D.

Philosophical Counselor, Full-time Instructor of Philosophy at Fresno City College

Max Parish is an APPA-certified philosophical counselor and Instructor of Philosophy at Fresno City College. He is a certified Level 1 Circling Practitioner and experienced coach and facilitator, with extensive training in relational practice. His work focuses on the intersection of philosophical inquiry and interpersonal attunement.

J. Alistair McKenzie, JD

Attorney, Philosophical Counselor, and Certified Facilitator

Alistair McKenzie is an APPA-certified philosophical counselor, Certified Dialectic into Dialogos facilitator, certified Authentic Relating Facilitator, certified Level 2 Circling Facilitator, and certified Level 2 Transformational Connection Facilitator. He brings deep expertise in relational and dialogical practices to philosophical counseling.

Benjamin Polansky, MA

Philosophical Counselor, Software Developer

Ben Polansky is an active APPA-certified philosophical counselor, a master in the art of philosophic conversation, with extensive teaching, coaching, collaboration, and facilitation experience.