Paraphrased from the Foundation for Shamanic Studies:
HSC is a highly effective system of personal problem-solving and guidance for those who wish to use the methods for themselves or professionally for others. Harner Shamanic Counseling originated in the early 1980s by Michael Harner based on his earlier devised core shamanism.
DESCRIPTION. In essence, the clients become practitioners of divinatory shamanism for themselves, with the help and guidance in ordinary reality of the shamanic counselor. One of the features of HSC is that the real shamanic counselors are in non-ordinary reality. These are wise teachers that the clients encounter in their shamanic journeys and who provide answers to the clients’ questions. The ordinary reality HSC counselors, in contrast, provide instruction, orientation, and methodological advice based upon core shamanism and shamanic journeying. HSC uses electronically provided sonic driving to alter the state of consciousness of the client in order to go “outside of time” to utilize ancient shamanic problem-solving methods. The client is trained in the Harner-originated method of simultaneous narration and recording of the shamanic journey in order to amplify the quality of experience and to have a complete set of their recorded journeys for future reference. Through their experiences in the shamanic journey, clients have the opportunity to discover their own abilities to obtain extraordinary, practical and wise answers to important personal questions, overcome inhibitory fears, and to acquire self-confidence and incredible heartfelt wisdom. With this, the client commonly experiences a sense of personal empowerment and a new-found joy in existence. Since HSC is a spiritual rather than a psychological system, it is not necessary for an HSC counselor to be a professional psychotherapist or other counselor. What does seem to be essential is that the counselor be well-versed in the concepts and practices of shamanism, and be a stable individual of sensitivity, intelligence, character, and compassion.