The word phenomenon is of French origin and means "something that can be perceived by the senses" (http://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenomenon). Phenomenology is a philosophical movement or method founded by Edmund Husserl. This movement rejects absolute truth. Because reality is always perceived by a consciousness directed towards it. In other words, reality is something that is seen, perceived and made conscious by the consciousness directed towards it. Therefore, all world experiences are established by consciousness. According to the phenomenological approach, the various possibilities that constitute a situation should be studied with the subjectivity that they are experienced by the person who plays a role in the formation of that situation at that moment. It is not possible to reach a single objective or absolute truth; only subjective interpretations of reality can be achieved (Mackewn, 2004, pp. 58 - 59). From a phenomenological perspective, the field of study of disciplines has shifted from objective facts to subjective perceptions. This philosophical movement has influenced many thinkers and scientists from different disciplines (Keskin, 2002). Gestalt Therapy Approach is one of the approaches influenced by the phenomenological perspective.
Existentially, human experiences have no universal or ultimate meaning. However, human beings are creatures in search of meaning; Therefore, individuals attribute meaning to various aspects of their experiences or their environment. These meanings that an individual attributes to his perceived environment are specific to that individual. So phenomenology; It can be defined as a person's way of perceiving and understanding himself and his environment in a unique way (Estrup, 2000; cited in Daş, 2014, p. 12). According to the phenomenological point of view, what is important is not the general meaning of an event, situation or object; It is the specific and subjective meaning it carries for that person at that moment and place (Mackewn, 1999, 60; cited in Daş, 2014, p. 12). The meaning of everything is specific to that person and the situation and moment they are in (Daş, 2014, p. 13).
The contributions of the phenomenological approach to the Gestat Therapy Approach are not limited to the theoretical field. The effects of the phenomenological perspective are also seen in the applications of the Gestalt Therapy Approach. According to the phenomenological point of view, every Because the meaning of a thing is specific to that person and the situation and moment he is in; In the Gestalt Therapy Approach, comments and generalizations are never included. Because the basis of interpretation and generalization is not "personality" but "specificity for everyone" (Daş, 2014, p. 13). In order to reflect the phenomenological perspective into the therapy environment, a Gestalt therapist should move away from the old interpretations and assumptions he has acquired so far and focus on current experiences and base them on them. During the interview, instead of making generalizations and interpretations, the client should draw attention to various dimensions of the environment created jointly with the client and describe them (Mackewn, 2004, p. 60). For example, the therapist may describe the client's sitting style and ask the client the meaning of this sitting style. Because the fact that a person is sitting like that at that moment; There may be many reasons such as feeling cold, angry, ashamed, or lonely. Only that person can know the meaning of that person sitting like that at that moment (Dash, 2014, p. 13).
There is another point that the Gestalt therapist, who acts from a phenomenological perspective, should pay attention to. The therapist should give equal importance to each of the different dimensions of current experiences (thought, emotion, bodily posture, the counselor's own sensations, etc.). In other words, each of these dimensions should be specified without prioritizing them (Mackewn, 2004, p. 61).
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