Paper presentation: Where we are now, where we could go
Abstract: I wish to introduce my speech presenting a short synthesis of my experience as a philosophical counselor, developed in the last twelve years of practice, trying to identify a common thread, a fil rouge while noting some recurrent topics in the relationship with most of the counselees I have met so far. By asking where we are now, I mean to contextualize this philosophical, personal experience within the Italian context of philosophical counselling, with the help of some data, highlighting any strong and weak points, and summarizing the lessons learnt. Finally, posing the question “where could we go?”, I would like to share some possible scenarios with the esteemed colleagues and participants – how philosophy in practice can contribute to raise a community awareness about some urgent and global matters, as well as how to boost its own level of public recognition.
Patrizia F. Salvaterra, is an APPA-certified philosophical practitioner based in Verona (Italy) and a doctor of Philosophy from the State University of Milan. She graduated with honors in 1984, and served as a research fellow and lecturer for some years, focusing on Phenomenology, Aesthetics, Ethics and Philosophy of History. She wrote and published mainly on Roman and Greek Stoicism, G.W.F. Hegel, E. Husserl, L. Dumont, J-F. Lyotard and Postmodernism. In the last years she has collaborated with the University of Verona as a member of the teaching staff. Patrizia is also a scientific journalist, and an expert on communication matters, collaborating with the European Union on some public projects regarding environmental and open research issues, and trying to merge philosophical knowledge and practical expertise in her work as a counselor, trainer and consultant.
Professional affiliation: Patrizia is a member of APPA, the American Philosophical Practitioner Association; a member of Pragma, the Italian Association of Professional Philosophical Practitioners; and a guest member of PHI, the Philosophical Health International movement focused on health and care. As a journalist, she is a member of the Italian National Order of Journalists.
Most recent research interest is addressed to the structural, deep link between communication and philosophy, in a continuum of dialogic interactions as an effective and practical mode applicable to different areas, such as – among others – environmental problems, bioethics, artificial intelligence, social and organizational issues: individual motivation, team building, group leadership, conflicts resolution, company’s mission.