First steps into phenomenology: learning phenomenological comprehension of a therapeutic work

Abstract

"Abstract: This paper explores the possibilities of phenomenology within psychotherapy and particularly within Gestalt psychotherapy. Two aspects of the whole are presented: apart from psychotherapeutic applications, the aspect of pedagogy and its potential is shown and demonstrated using the concrete example of the online available therapeutic work of Dr Robert Resnick. The basic notions of phenomenology as Husserl’s legacy are introduced in order to show their relevance for psychotherapy and its pedagogy. Since some notions taken from Gestalt psychology (e.g. figure/ground structure) have their origins in phenomenology, there is a question as to whether this could be a challenge for Gestalt therapy theory. Keywords: phenomenology, Gestalt therapy, experiential learning, phenomenological notions and structures."