Gestaltification: your genesis and elaboration in the Work of Afonso Fonseca

Abstract

The article analyzes the concept of "gestaltification" developed by Afonso Henrique Lisboa da Fonseca (1954-2020) and its relevance to Phenomenological-Existential Psychology, particularly the Person-Centered Approach (PCA) and Gestalt Approach (GA). Fonseca innovated by integrating influences from Nietzsche, Brentano, and Buber, conceiving phenomenology as action rather than a philosophical system. "Gestaltification" refers to the ontological process of constituting action, going beyond perception to involve implication, understanding, and embodiment—an active experience of existence. This understanding reshapes key GA concepts such as "contact" and "self," placing them within the phenomenological logic of action. The research, based on bibliographic and theoretical analysis, examines the emergence of the term and its relation to "action," "implication," and "movement." Finally, it proposes a systematization of the concept, identifying its origins and implications, encouraging further discussions on Gestaltificative Phenomenology.