CERTIFIED PRACTITIONERS
The SMILE_PH (Sense-Making Interviews Looking at Elements of Philosophical Health) certification program represents the most comprehensive and empirically-grounded approach to philosophical counseling available today. Developed by Dr. Luis de Miranda through extensive research, counselling and clinical experience, this methodology has been tested and validated through academic studies, including groundbreaking work with individuals facing significant life challenges. The six-step structured approach provides practitioners with a reliable framework for helping clients explore their bodily sense, sense of self, sense of belonging, sense of the possible, sense of purpose, and philosophical sense.
Our certified SMILE_PH practitioners have completed an intensive 16-week training program under Dr. de Miranda's direct supervision, combining both experiential learning as counselees and detailed theoretical analysis of the methodology. These highly qualified professionals are equipped to help individuals navigate personal challenges, explore meaningful questions, and develop greater coherence between their thoughts and actions. Whether you're seeking philosophical counselling services or interested in becoming certified in this transformative approach, we invite you to connect with us. For those interested in certification, our program offers a unique dual-focused training that develops both practical competency and theoretical understanding. To schedule a session with a certified SMILE_PH counsellor, you can contact them directly or us if you are looking for advice.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING:: ENGLISH (PREFERRED), FRENCH, SWEDISH, PORTUGUESE
SWEDEN
LUIS DE MIRANDA
Luis de Miranda, PhD, is a philosophical counsellor since 2018 and he is the original creator of the SMILE_PH method. He is an action researcher affiliated with the Center for Research Ethics and Bioethics of Uppsala University in Sweden, the Center for Wellbeing, Welfare and Happiness at the Stockholm School of Economics, the Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, in Finland. He is also an adjunct professor at Manipal University in India.
Luis de Miranda has a PhD in philosophy from The University of Edinburgh (2017). He has a rich practical experience of hundreds of successful counseling or consulting cases in helping individuals or groups become philosophically healthier, finding their purpose while achieving a holistic, meaningful and eudynamic balance in their life or groups. Luis is the author of nearly 20 books, essays and novels, translated into several languages worldwide, among which Philosophical Health: a Practical Introduction (Bloomsbury, 2024), Crealectics as a Creative Method (Palgrave, 2025), Being and Neonness (MIT Press, 2019), and Ensemblance (Edinburgh University Press, 2020). Along with the SMILE_PH method, he has developed the Crealectic method for existential creativity, for which he also offers a certification.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: SWEDISH (PREFERRED), ENGLISH
SWEDEN
CHARLOTTA INGVOLDSTAD MALMGREN
Charlotta Ingvoldstad Malmgren, a certified counsellor of the SMILE-PH method of philosophical health since 2024, is an associate Professor in medical genetics and a Certified Genetic Counsellor. She is also a certified grief bereavement counsellor
Genetic counselling is a communication process, which aims to help individuals, couples and families understand and adapt to the medical, psychological, familial and reproductive implications of the genetic contribution to specific health conditions.
Her primary research focus is genetic counselling, patient perspectives and psychosocial support, attitudes and ethics related to genetics and genomics including research questions on decision making.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: ENGLISH & GERMAN
GERMANY
JESSICA BOHME
Jessica Böhme, PhD, is the founder and director of the Institute for Practical ekoPhilosophy (IPeP). Her passion is to empower individuals and organizations to take action towards healthy futures by living a philosophical life. Jessica is dedicated to empowering individuals to achieve well-being through philosophical living. In her research, she examines the role of practical philosophy and philosophical health for inner and outer transformations, analyzes possibilities for systems change and develops strategies for addressing complex systems.
Jessica brings over a decade of experience in fostering personal and systemic change. Her diverse background in social science, diverse healing modalities, sustainability, and engineering enables her to understand complex transformations deeply. Certified in the SMILE_PH method, Jessica provides insightful guidance tailored to individual needs. Her approach blends practical philosophy with complexity and systems health in mind.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: ENGLISH
USA
JONATHAN ERIC CARROLL
Dr. Jonathan Eric Carroll is a Philosophical Practitioner and Existential Psychotherapist in the US. He is an APPA-Certified Affiliate Philosophical Counselor and is certified in the SMILE_PH method. With over a decade of clinical experience, he combines philosophical theory and praxis with contemporary psychotherapy to escort clients toward eudaimonia. His interests are in the synergy between Bowen Family Systems Theory and Philosophical Health. His approach integrates Socratic dialogue, ancient philosophical wisdom, and evidence-based therapeutic methods to help individuals, couples, and organizational leaders align their thoughts, values, and actions while building philosophical health. He is married with four daughters.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: GERMAN (PREFERRED) & ENGLISH
GERMANY
CHRISTIAN B. FUNKE
Christian B. Funke is a Philosophical Practitioner in Germany, certified in the SMILE_PH method. In his academic research, he explores philosophical health, philosophy as therapy, and interventions against depression. In his practical work, Christian emphasizes philosophy as a way of life, guiding people toward personal growth, enriched existence and flourishing by integrating philosophical thinking into everyday life.
In philosophical counselling – offered both online and in person – he draws on sense making interviews looking at elements of philosophical health and proceeds from the ruling principle that thinking can be healing. This helps individuals and communities reshape how they relate to themselves, their futures, and the world. In that process, they may experience an expanded sense of possibility, a deepened awareness of personal agency, and a renewed sense of purpose.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: FINNISH
FINLAND
MIKA KOSKINEN
Mika Koskinen is drawn to working with challenging situations, having gained extensive experience in both healthcare and business development across various scales. Realizing early on that the focus was not going to be solely on technical skills or coding, but rather on human talents, he began to focus on conflict resolution, philosophical and restorative practices. These disciplines have equipped him with valuable skills in critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, leadership, and problem-solving.
Adopting multiple roles – worker, researcher, student, leader, coach, and mentor – has taught Koskinen how to foster productivity while maintaining well-being. Embracing change, experimentation, and continuous examination is at the core of his approach. He is committed to supporting behavior change and the development of business strategies that align with evolutionary capabilities, restorative practices (self-correction), and philosophical insights.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: ENGLISH
USA
ANDREW J. WOOD
Andrew J. Wood, Ph.D. is a philosopher, writer, educator, and counselor with over a decade of experience teaching courses in the history of ideas, ethics, philosophical healing, culture, and aesthetics at De Anza College and the University of California, Santa Cruz. He also volunteers teaching philosophy at Mt. Tamalpais College, which serves incarcerated students in San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. His current research and writing projects focus on the concept of harmony from the ancients to now as a way of thinking about healing, interconnectivity, community, ethics, forgiveness, and kindness. This teaching and writing practice, as well as his application of SMILE-PH, informs his compassionate, dialogic style of counseling dedicated to helping counselees discover their own modes of meaningful living.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: ENGLISH
USA
CAROL S. GOULD
Carol S. Gould, PhD, is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Center for Future Mind, in the Brain Institute at Florida Atlantic University, where she has been a Professor of Philosophy for thirty years. She has taught and published widely in Ancient Philosophy, Aesthetics, Philosophy of Psychiatry, and Philosophy of Aging. She is offers individual counseling with a special interest for aging communities. Her years as a cellist and Pilates practitioner have given her a strong belief in the mind/body connection.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: ENGLISH
ISLE OF MAN
RODNEY KING
Rodney King, PhD, is a multidisciplinary educator and practitioner specializing in the integration of applied philosophy, nature-based therapy, and human flourishing science. As the founder of Coaching Philosophia, Rodney designs transformative programs that blend existential inquiry, philosophical coaching, and resilience practices to support authentic living in an increasingly disconnected world.
Certified in the SMILE_PH method, he empowers individuals and organizations to reconnect with meaning, cultivate existential health, and navigate uncertainty with wisdom. Drawing from a rich background in martial arts, mindful leadership, and philosophical praxis, Rodney offers a unique, nature-connected approach to flourishing that bridges timeless philosophical insights with contemporary personal development.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: DANISH (PREFERRED), ENGLISH
DENMARK
MADS HOJMARK
Mads Højmark, MA in Philosophy, is a Board Member of The Danish Society for Philosophical Practice and holds an EMCC Global Individual Accreditation at Senior Practitioner Level. He completed his certification in the SMILE_PH Method in April 2025. With more than 15 years of experience in the art of dialogical practice, he has been working mainly within the fields of personal and organizational development, existential and occupational metamorphosis.
Mads has a deep-seated passion for mytho-symbolic stories. His scope ranges from classical Graeco-Roman lore and the Old Norse Eddas over the tales of the Bible and ancient Mesopotamia to Arthurian romances and the legend of the Holy Grail. He is the founder of THAUMAS.dk which aims at exploring the palingenetic potentials for a transformative thaumaturgy at the intersection between mythological narration (MYTHOS) and philosophical reflection (LOGOS). Mads resides in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen Area, with his family.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: ENGLISH
AUSTRALIA
CLARE SARAH GOODRIDGE
Dr. Clare Sarah Goodridge is a leadership and performance specialist with a bold vision for human and planetary flourishing. As former Head of Client Experience at the Flow Research Collective, she coached hundreds of high-impact leaders—from surgeons and special forces to creatives, entrepreneurs, and executives—to unlock flow states and achieve whole-person potential.
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Now the founder of The Future of Flourishing, Clare designs leadership models and learning ecosystems that integrate neuroscience, philosophy, and relational leadership to drive deep personal and collective transformation. She is faculty at the Centre for Human Potential under Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, and recently completed a Doctorate in Business Leadership exploring how to lead through ambiguity toward flourishing ecosystems.
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Clare is also a certified Philosophical Health Counselor through the SMILE_PH method and holds degrees in communications, arts administration, and cultural policy. Her work brings together systems thinking, creative insight, and deep care for the human condition.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: SWEDISH (PREFERRED), ENGLISH, SPANISH, CATALAN & POLISH
SWEDEN
PAWEL ODYNIEC
Pawel Odyniec, PhD in Indology, is a lecturer in Religious Studies at Karlstad University, Sweden. His research areas are Indian philosophy, South Asian religions, intercultural philosophy as a way of life (PWL) and philosophical health. Pawel conceives philosophical counselling to be a function of a philosophical way of life and is committed to deploying his Indological skills cross-culturally, in order to enrich current global discussions on PWL and philosophical health with insights from Indian philosophies and South Asian religions. Besides his research and academic profile, Pawel aims to live an examined and philosophically healthy life, which he shares with other kindred wayfarers through the SMILE_PH method.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: ENGLISH (PREFERRED), FRENCH
INDIA
KARL-STEPHAN BOUTHILLETTE
Dr. Karl-Stéphan Bouthillette is a certified counsellor in the SMILE_PH method of philosophical health (2025) and currently serves as Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the Manipal Institute of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts (MISHA), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), India. He is the Founder and Coordinator of the Centre for Therapeutic Philosophy (CTP) and President of Philosophical Health India (2025–2026).
He holds a PhD in Indology from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and has held postdoctoral fellowships at Ghent and Leiden Universities. A specialist in Indian philosophy, his research integrates rigorous textual scholarship with a commitment to comparative and therapeutic philosophy.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: SPANISH (PREFERRED), GERMAN, ENGLISH & CATALAN
SPAIN
RICARDO MORTE FERRER
Ricardo Morte Ferrer is a Spanish Lawyer, Data Protection and Compliance Consultant, Lead Auditor ISO 37001 (Anti-Bribery Systems), APPA Certified Affiliate (Client Counseling and Organizational Consulting) and Diplomado en Consultoría Filosófica (CECAPFI). Member of the Board of the International Applied Ethics and Technology Association. He is also a Qigong practitioner with a Certificate in Mingjue Shen Acupuncture and Zhineng Qigong Mingjue Gongfu Training and several courses in Spring Forest Qigong (Certification pending).
Ricardo was a PhD Candidate at the University of Granada with a work on Privacy and is now planning a PhD work on Philosophical Health, probably researching the combination of the Smile_PH method with Qigong practices.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: ENGLISH
USA
MARY FINN
Mary Finn, based in Portland, Oregon (USA) is the Founder and CEO of Premise Institute, a growing national network of guided conversation groups that help adults connect more deeply through meaningful dialogue. Each Premise session centers on a big life question—such as “Are we our work?” or “What does democracy demand of us?”—and uses a short story, film, or work of art to spark shared reflection. Since founding Premise in 2013, Mary has facilitated hundreds of conversations and trained local leaders to host sessions in over 10 U.S. cities. Her work is grounded in the belief that a joyful, unpretentious life of the mind can foster genuine connection and strong community ties.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: ENGLISH (PREFERRED) & SPANISH
USA
WILLIAM PEREZ
William Perez has been a certified counselor in the SMILE-PH method since 2025. William is also a psychodynamic psychotherapist and clinical supervisor, assisting individuals with a wide range of psychosocial issues and guiding new therapists in their clinical practice. William is a Certified Affiliate Counselor of the American Philosophical Practitioners Association (APPA) and a Fellow of the College of Stoic Philosophers. William’s focus is on the practical application of Stoic concepts to improve overall well-being. William’s practice is also informed by his training in psychoanalysis and clinical social work.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: ENGLISH, TURKISH
TURKEY
N. SENA ARSLAN
Dr. N. Sena Arslan, PhD, is a Philosophical Counsellor and researcher in Turkey. She holds a BA in Mathematics and a PhD in the Philosophy of Language and Mind, where her research focused on the notion of self, mind–body dualism, the Cartesian subject, and philosophical doubt. With over a decade of experience across public and private sectors in various industries—most notably international media and journalism—she brings together the practical (an informed sense of how things are in the world), the conceptual, and the imaginative (how things can and should be).
Counselees describe their work with her as “untangling mental knots through structured yet open dialogue.” What distinguishes Dr. Arslan’s approach is how she blends communicative depth with philosophical insight. She combines the Eastern way of life (with a focus on the Sufi tradition) with the Western idea of algorithmic precision, which proves valuable when analyzing real-world cases.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: ENGLISH
BELGIUM
AURA GOLDMAN
Dr Aura Goldman is a psychologist, psychotherapist, and philosophical counsellor whose work explores the relationship between mind and body. Drawing on both scientific and philosophical perspectives, she supports clients in developing a more integrated and compassionate connection with their embodied experience. Aura’s approach is informed by somatic psychology, existential thought, and systems theory, and shaped by years of practice with high-performers and those navigating complex stress and trauma. She sees philosophical counselling as a space for reflection on how we live, choose, and make sense of ourselves - a meeting point between thinking and being.
LANGUAGE OF COUNSELING: ENGLISH
AUSTRALIA
NATHAN KINCH
Nathan (Nate) Kinch is an action philosopher who’s spent his career using diverse philosophical praxis to build organisations that thrive by doing good. He’s done this work as a venture backed startup CEO, a VC team member, an advisor to government and industry, and a researcher and educator.
Over the years his work has impacted millions of people across continents and contexts, ranging from healthcare to financial services, biotech to education, telecommunications to government.
Having now trained in the SMILE_PH Method, Nate is excited to support his individual and organisational clients in enhancing the fruitful coherence between their ways of thinking and speaking and their ways of acting, such that the possibilities for intersubjective and interspecies flourishing are satisfied.