Iranian Journal of Educational Research

en Phenomenology as a Therapeutic Method Educational Psychology پژوهشي Original <div style="text-align: justify;">Objective: Over the past five decades, philosophical counseling has emerged as a growing field worldwide. A central question in this movement concerns how philosophy can be effectively applied in counseling and therapeutic settings. This article emphasizes philosophy as a method and examines whether Husserlian phenomenology can serve as a practical and effective methodological tool for philosophical counselors in the therapeutic context. Methods: This study employs a qualitative, theoretical-analytical approach, focusing on key concepts of Edmund Husserl’s phenomenology in relation to the aims of philosophical counseling. Core phenomenological notions—such as epoché, phenomenological reduction, suspension of judgment, intentionality, and lived experience—are analyzed to evaluate their relevance and applicability within counseling practice. Results: The analysis indicates that phenomenology helps client’s distance themselves from the natural attitude and adopt a reflective, phenomenological perspective toward themselves, their everyday experiences, and their thoughts. Through this process, clients come to understand the philosophical notion of the self as intentional consciousness—consciousness that is always directed toward something. With the support of a philosophical counselor, clients can use phenomenological techniques to suspend presuppositions and engage more directly with the essential structures of their lived experiences. Conclusion: Phenomenology offers a coherent and effective methodological framework for philosophical counseling and therapy. However, as this field continues to develop, it faces challenges arising from the gap between philosophical expertise and counseling practice. Research in philosophical counseling should therefore be written in a way that remains accessible and practically useful to both philosophers and counselors. </div> Philosophy, Phenomenology, Epoché, Reduction, Self, Consciousness, Philosophical Counseling, Therapy 0 0 http://ijer.hormozgan.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-508-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Faezeh Roodi 0061911755@iau.ir 10031947532846004872 0008-0001-5765-1272 No Department of Philosophy, SR.C. Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Ali Moradkhani a_moradikhani@iau-tnb.ac.ir 10031947532846004873 10031947532846004873 Yes Department of Philosophy, NT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Mehrnoosh Hedadayati m.hedaiyati@ihcs.ac.ir 10031947532846004874 10031947532846004874 No Department of Psychology and Counseling, Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies, Tehran, Iran