So what attracts you to these simple stories? It turns out that, in contact with situations from the lives of other people, told in the language of emotions, gestures, images, we experience contact with them. An associative series is included, and now we are recalling how we once experienced the same emotions of resentment, grief, joy, passing through our trials. And there is a unification of our life with the life of the heroes of a simple film, which with its plot affects long-hidden feelings in us. And so it turns out that there is almost no intellectual baggage in it, and phenomenologically - a gamut of feelings.
Soul life
The inner life of the soul is studied using a phenomenological approach. The concept of "phenomenology" comes from the word "phenomenon", which means "something comprehended through the senses, which is not an exact picture of reality, but only a reflection of reality through the prism of our perception."
Thus, for the phenomenological approach, the internal movements of the soul are important; as for logical conclusions, objective constructions and social approaches, all this is an external superstructure, which matters only in its connection with inner life.
Correspondingly, the connection “phenomenology-psychology” is being examined, since the latter is also studying the internal motives of the personality, including its mental organization, which is very far from logical constructions. It is known that inner life is irrational: the ball of illusion, emotions, insights - in short, everything that is very far from the "radiance of pure reason" - rules here.
Gallery of approaches
In psychology there is generally no shortage of various kinds of approaches: for example, behavioral - many have heard of it; cognitive - a scientific word, but often mentioned; psychoanalytic is sacred, given the authority of Dr. Freud; a phenomenological approach is a rare occurrence, but at first inexperienced look.
In fact, coming to a consultation with a psychologist, you will most often come across the question: "What are you feeling now?" - or with its options. That is, you will constantly discuss your emotions and experiences that took place at different time periods, and only then you will move on to thoughts, but, again, in the context of sensory perception.
If we turn to the history of the emergence of the phenomenological approach, it turns out that the roots of its origin are in philosophy. Some time later, phenomenology became an essential component of the methods of gestalt therapy, neurolinguistic programming, art therapy, and others.
Prioritizing
So, let's try to figure out: why do people come to see a psychologist. Practice shows that happy people do not need psychoanalysis. As a rule, a person seeks help during the period of experiencing a crisis. What is a crisis? This is a situation in inner life when emotions and reason are in a state of confrontation, that is, as the poet said: "The mind with the heart is not in tune."
At this moment, the following happens: your analytical mind helpfully offers you perfectly flawless logical constructions explaining the patterns of circumstances of your life that are taking place at the present moment. And you agree with that.
But your feelings absolutely disagree with any of the points of inference and pull you in a completely different, irrational direction. And this is stronger than you, and therefore is a priority.
Thus, the phenomenological approach in psychology puts in the first place the feelings of a person, his self-awareness and his thoughts about his feelings. And an impartial view of the situation here is secondary. And the priority in this case will be the uniqueness of the sensory perception of a particular person; as for actions, they are only an illustration of feelings.
From theory to practice
Are there people who have not encountered problems in their lives? The answer is obvious. However, what can be considered a problem? There is no universal answer to this question: that, for some, the problem, for some, is another challenge that increases self-esteem.
If you look at the issue from the point of view of phenomenology, you can say that the problem is a phenomenon of external life that depresses a person from the inside. Sometimes it happens that a client comes to a psychologist with one question, but in the course of work it turns out that the true reason for visiting is completely different. That is, you have to dig to the root of the problem, which is due to many emotional blocks. And here again we are faced with a priority of feelings, that is, a subjective perception of reality.
When can we assume that the task to solve the problem is completed? When a client, looking at a different angle on the situation, changed his attitude towards it from negative (problem) to neutral or positive (solution), i.e., changing the vector of feelings in this case is a solution to the problem.
Principled approach
Phenomenology is a rather attractive area of psychology, based on certain principles. The main principles of the phenomenological approach are:
- personal inner impressions, feelings of the subject are primary;
- personality behavior is a reflection of his emotions, needs, value system, individual perception of the world;
- behavioral patterns are caused by impressions made by a person from past life experiences and present circumstances;
- if it is impossible to change past circumstances, it is possible to reconsider the attitude to these situations;
- a new look at oneself in the proposed circumstances changes the personality’s self-attitude, making it more constructive.
Phenomenological directions
Among the areas that are effectively applied in practical psychology, one should note the existential-phenomenological approach based on the subjective formation of a picture of the world by a person and his role in it. How harmonious the image of the world or its distorted version depends on how successful the life story of the author of the picture will be.
In this context, the role of the psychologist is to propose a different image of reality, more in line with the world order, in which the person will interact more adequately with society and itself.
Another approach is the systemic-phenomenological one, which was proposed at the end of the 20th century by Bert Hellinger. Currently, it is used to harmonize both family microsystems and other collective entities. Its essence lies in the choice by each member of the collective education of their place and role, taking into account the hierarchy and integrity of the system.