Counsel MCP Server

Open-source MCP server for connecting AI agents to the Counsel API

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What is the Counsel MCP MCP server?

Counsel MCP MCP server is a hosted integration for AI assistants that speak the Model Context Protocol. Open-source MCP server for connecting AI agents to the Counsel API.

What you get

Connect instantly to the hosted Counsel MCP server - no installation required:

  • Hosted & Self-Hosted — - Use the hosted server instantly or run your own instance
  • Strategic Reasoning — - Access Counsel's debate and multi-perspective reasoning engines
  • Advisor Sessions — - Run interactive intake and profile tuning sessions
  • Native OAuth 2.0 — - Standard MCP authentication handled automatically by clients
  • Dual Transport — - STDIO for local clients, HTTP for web clients and shared servers

What the assistant can call

Once Counsel MCP is connected, these are the calls the assistant has available:

  • Prerequisites — 1. Node.js 18+ installed on your system 2. A Counsel account at counsel.getmason.dev
  • Cursor — Add to your Cursor MCP configuration (.cursor/mcp.json in your project or global settings):
  • Windsurf — The Windsurf tool exposed by this server
  • start_consultation — Start a new strategic consultation (debate) to analyze a complex question with multiple perspectives
  • get_consultation_status — The get_consultation_status tool exposed by this server
  • get_consultation_report — Retrieve the final synthesis report from a completed consultation
  • list_consultations — The list_consultations tool exposed by this server
  • sharpen_question — Refine and improve a strategic question before starting a consultation
  • consult_advisor — Start an interactive advisor session for brainstorming or scoping problems
  • Setup — The Setup tool exposed by this server
  • Commands — The Commands tool exposed by this server
  • Security — See CONTRIBUTING.md for details

Setting it up

Being a remote server, there is no local install. You register the endpoint with your client, authorise it once, and the tools appear.

Configuration and credentials

You will need 2 environment variables: COUNSEL_API_KEY, COUNSEL_API_URL. The server will not start without them, which is usually why the tools fail to appear on a first run. Keep credentials in your client's env block or a secrets manager rather than in a file you might commit.

  1. Node.js 18+ installed on your system 2. A Counsel account at counsel.getmason.dev

Choosing this one

Among the developer tooling options, the useful question is rarely "what can it do" but "what does it cost you to run" — permissions, credentials, and how much of your context its toolset consumes. Counsel MCP's toolset — Prerequisites, Cursor, Windsurf and 9 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by mercurialsolo; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

SyncDev reviews every entry in this directory against the project's own documentation before publishing, and revisits them as servers change.

Before you rely on it

  • Your data travels to the provider's service, so the usual questions apply about what you send and what they retain.
  • With 12 tools registered it takes up a noticeable share of the context window; turn it off in projects that never touch Counsel MCP.
  • Missing credentials fail quietly in some clients — if no tools show up, check the environment block first.
  • MCP clients confirm each tool call by default. Leave that on until you have watched what the counsel mcp mcp server does with a few real requests.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
Prerequisites1. **Node.js 18+** installed on your system 2. A **Counsel account** at [counsel.getmason.dev](https://counsel.getmason.dev)
CursorAdd to your Cursor MCP configuration (.cursor/mcp.json in your project or global settings):
WindsurfThe Windsurf tool exposed by this server.
start_consultationStart a new strategic consultation (debate) to analyze a complex question with multiple perspectives.
get_consultation_statusThe get_consultation_status tool exposed by this server.
get_consultation_reportRetrieve the final synthesis report from a completed consultation.
list_consultationsThe list_consultations tool exposed by this server.
sharpen_questionRefine and improve a strategic question before starting a consultation.
consult_advisorStart an interactive advisor session for brainstorming or scoping problems.
SetupThe Setup tool exposed by this server.
CommandsThe Commands tool exposed by this server.
SecuritySee [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md#security-checks) for details.

How to install the Counsel MCP MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "counsel": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "counsel-mcp-server", "start"]
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

  1. Node.js 18+ installed on your system 2. A Counsel account at counsel.getmason.dev
VariableDescriptionRequired
COUNSEL_API_KEYCredential the server authenticates with.Yes
COUNSEL_API_URLEndpoint or connection string the server talks to.Yes

Example prompts to try

  • Use Counsel MCP to Prerequisites.
  • Use Counsel MCP to Cursor.
  • Use Counsel MCP to Windsurf.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Counsel MCP to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 12 tools (Prerequisites, Cursor, Windsurf, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Counsel MCP directly.