Friendship for the Soul.

I have been working in the field of personal development for 25 years, my Ph.D. being focused on leadership and personal formation. I am also a full-time college philosophy professor in my hometown of Austin, Texas.

The purpose of this website is to introduce you to myself and my approach. The concept of soul friendship is unique in the care profession and intended to complement other modalities.

Every person has the potential for what philosophers called “eudaimonia.” This ancient Greek word has no direct English equivalent, but refers to a soul-level contentedness, satisfaction and success in life. Some aren’t experiencing eudaimonia because 1) they are being encouraged to pursue lesser pleasures, and 2) they are not receiving direction and encouragement from a competent and caring guide.

That’s what soul friendship is. It’s more than therapy, consulting or life coaching. It’s an organic relationship that transcends an hour long zoom session with a provider who is virtually inaccessible and unengaged outside of the session. It’s a personal discipline that targets what Aristotle, Kant and other sages saw as humanity’s #1 distinctive: the mind and its ability to reason.

While other therapeutic modalities can be helpful, some are looking for a different experience. Something slower, more reflective, more mentally engaging, more relational and longer term. That’s where soul friendship shines.

Ours is an age of quick fixes. Self-help resources are everywhere and claim to address most problems – and to address them in a few short steps. And the truth is that sometimes quick fixes are exactly what’s needed. Much like the patient in the E.R. who requires immediate life saving physical treatment, some require emergency help in relationships and mental health.

However, just as a hospital wouldn’t want its patient in the E.R. forever, so it is with caring for the soul. Long term psychological, relational and spiritual health can’t be based on an unending series of quick fixes. A person’s roots have to run deep, and a quick and flashy method that is miles wide and inches deep isn’t sustainable long term.

Personal growth begins in the mind, as you’ll read about on this site. However, it takes root in the soil of genuine, long term friendship. It finds its sustenance there. That’s why having a genuine confidante who will create space for you, listen to your heart, challenge your mind, keep your attention focused on what’s important, and love you in the process, is extremely valuable.

A parent, grandparent, mentor, etc. may fill this role, and fill it better than someone like myself ever could. My services exist for those who don’t have such a person at present, but are convinced of the need.

Cheers,

Jason