• Welcome. My name is Matthew Bishop. I am a philosopher and a counsellor.​

  • My professional life has been an exploration of how we cope with suffering and cultivate what is good in life. This has led to a lifetime studying and practicing both philosophy and therapy.​

  • It was while teaching philosophy at The University of Melbourne that I decided to study counselling and combine the two, and that combination is what I offer you.

  • I see people for the same issues they take to any general counsellor or psychotherapist: emotional struggles, relationship or work issues, grief and loss, shame and self-esteem, concerns with life direction and personal growth, and so one.

  • I see people, also, for those issues they wish they could take to a philosopher: questions of meaning, purpose, value, moral quandries, perspective and worldview, spirituality, living with the darker sides of life, and so forth.

I practice two distinct approaches: Philosophical Counselling, and Existential Therapy. Philosophical Counselling is philosophy done through the framework of counselling. Existential Therapy is psychotherapy which combines the psychological and philosophical. I draw also on the best of the various mainstream schools of counselling and psychotherapy. Perhaps you seek one of these two approaches in particular, or you have come across me in another context and simply want some quality counselling. Above all my goal is to draw on these disciplines as suits your needs, to help you cope well and make life better.

​I see clients by video or phone. Click the below links to read about: