Phenomenological psychotherapy: ambitions, concepts, approach and practice

Abstract

The article deals with the texts published in a special issue of the Moscow Psychotherapeutic Journal “Phenomenological approach to psychology and psychotherapy” (№2, 2009). Fundamentals of phenomenological philosophy are analyzed in order to discuss their impact on psychologists’ and psychotherapeutists’ ideas. The author demonstrates that the approach used in phenomenological psychotherapy is similar to that of the humanities, yet limited to mainly organizational matters focused on a special kind of understanding and communication. A criticism is made to review the ideas of phenomenology psychotherapeutists in the sphere of cognition, research, and psychological help.

Keywords

• psychotherapy
• phenomenology
• research
• cognition
• ideal object
• interpretation
• knowledge
• personality