The phrase "takes counsel" can be described in several ways. One synonym is "consults" which can be used in a sentence like, "She consulted with her colleagues before making a decision." Another descriptive term is "seeks advice" as in "He sought advice from his mentor before moving forward." "Brainstorms" is another synonym that conveys the idea of gathering ideas and input from a group of people such as, "They brainstormed multiple solutions before settling on one." Finally, "deliberates" is a more formal way of describing the act of taking counsel, such as in the sentence, "The board of directors deliberated carefully before making a decision".