Journals / AYNA Klinik Psikoloji Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 13 Sayı: 3

An Examination of the Psychological Counseling Process within the Framework of Chaos Theory: A Phenomenological Study

Psikolojik Danışma Sürecinin Kaos Teorisi Çerçevesinde İncelenmesi: Bir Olgubilim Çalışması

Neslihan Aydın(MARMARA ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0009-0001-6313-4052
Ali Özdemir(MARMARA ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0001-6089-1966
Muhammet Übeydullah Öztabak(FATİH SULTAN MEHMET VAKIF ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0003-4923-2163
Pages
688–710
Publication Date
2026-09-30
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The study highlighted the theoretical contribution of chaos theory in explaining the unpredictable, multifaceted, and changeable nature of the psychological counseling process.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Chaos theory is widely used in understanding and modelling complex, dynamic, and non-linear systems.
📊
Key Findings & Data:The study group, determined through purposive sampling, consisted of 10 psychological counselors actively working with clients in psychological counseling centers.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:The study highlighted the theoretical contribution of chaos theory in explaining the unpredictable, multifaceted, and changeable nature of the psychological counseling process.
🔬Design:Review & Systematic Survey
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:kaos teorisi · psikolojik danışma · olgubilim

Abstract

Chaos theory is widely used in understanding and modelling complex, dynamic, and non-linear systems. The theory argues that relationships in complex systems are non-linear, consisting of interconnections and branching choices that make the universe unpredictable. Psychological counseling, although structured according to specific theoretical approaches, is a non-linear, dynamic process. The aim of this study is to examine the psychological counselling process in the context of the fundamental concepts of chaos theory, namely unpredictability, non-linearity and the butterfly effect, based on the experiences of psychological counsellors. The study used a phenomenological design, a qualitative research method. The study group, determined through purposive sampling, consisted of 10 psychological counselors actively working with clients in psychological counseling centers. The interview form was completed based on expert and participant evaluations. Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed using coding-based content analysis and an inductive approach. During coding, different researchers reviewed and compared codes to ensure inter-coder consistency. NVivo 12 software supported the coding process. The analysis produced seven sub-themes under three main themes. Participants' statements enriched the findings. The study highlighted the theoretical contribution of chaos theory in explaining the unpredictable, multifaceted, and changeable nature of the psychological counseling process.

Özet

Kaos teorisi kompleks, dinamik ve doğrusal olmayan sistemlerin anlaşılmasında ve modellenmesinde yaygın olarak kullanılmaktadır. Teori, karmaşık sistemlerdeki ilişkilerin doğrusal olmadığını, evreni öngörülemez kılan ara bağlantılardan ve dallara ayrılan seçimlerden oluştuğunu savunur. Psikolojik danışma, belirli kuramsal yaklaşımlar doğrultusunda yapılandırılsa da doğrusal olmayan, dinamik bir süreçtir. Mevcut çalışmanın amacı, psikolojik danışmanların deneyimlerinden hareketle psikolojik danışma sürecini kaos teorisinin temel kavramları olan öngörülemezlik, doğrusal olmama ve kelebek etkisi bağlamında incelemektir. Çalışma nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden olgubilim (fenomenoloji) deseni kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Amaçlı örnekleme yoluyla belirlenen çalışma grubunu psikolojik danışmanlık merkezlerinde aktif olarak danışan gören 10 psikolojik danışman oluşturmaktadır. Uzman ve katılımcı değerlendirmeleri sonucunda görüşme formuna son hali verilmiştir. Yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmelerle veriler elde edilmiştir. Kodlamaya dayalı içerik analizi ve tümevarımcı bir yaklaşımla veriler analiz edilmiştir. Kodlama sürecinde, kodlayıcılar arası tutarlılığı sağlamak için kodlar farklı araştırmacılar tarafından incelenmiş ve karşılaştırılmıştır. Kodlama işlemi, NVivo 12 yazılımı ile desteklenmiştir. Analiz sonucunda üç ana tema altında toplam 7 alt temaya ulaşılmıştır. Bulgular katılımcıların ifadeleriyle zenginleştirilmiştir. Psikolojik danışma sürecinin öngörülemez, çok yönlü ve değişime açık yapısını açıklamada kaos teorisinin sağlayabileceği kuramsal katkılar ortaya konulmuştur.

🔖

Cite This Article

Aydın, N., Özdemir, A., Öztabak, M. Ü. (2026). An Examination of the Psychological Counseling Process within the Framework of Chaos Theory: A Phenomenological Study. AYNA Klinik Psikoloji Dergisi, Cilt: 13 Sayı: 3, 688–710. https://doi.org/10.31682/ayna.1837575

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (51)

  1. Akhmet, M. ve Fen, M. O. (2016). Unpredictable points and chaos. Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation, 40, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnsns.2016.04.007
  2. Amaral, L. A. N. ve Uzzi, B. (2007). Complex systems—A new paradigm for the integrative study of management, physical, and technological systems. Management Science, 53(7), 1033-1035. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.1060.0696
  3. American Counseling Association. (2014). ACA code of ethics. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119221548.ch6
  4. Betchtold, B. L. (1997). Chaos theory as a model for strategy development. Empowerment in Organizations, 5(4), 193-201. https://doi.org/10.1108/14634449710195462
  5. Boccaletti, S., Grebogi, C., Lai, Y. C., Mancini, H. ve Maza, D. (2000). The control of chaos: Theory and applications. Physics Reports, 329(3), 103-197. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0370-1573(99)00096-4
  6. Braun, V. ve Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
  7. Chernikov, A. A., Sagdeev, R. Z. ve Zaslavskii, G. M. (1988). Chaos: How regular can it be?. Physics Today, 41(11), 27-35. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.881159
  8. Corey, G. (2017). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Cengage Learning.
  9. Creswell, J. W. (2015). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Pearson.
  10. Elliott, R. (2010). Psychotherapy change process research: Realizing the promise. Psychotherapy Research, 20(2), 123–135. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503300903470743
  11. Eryılmaz, A. ve Mutlu, T. (2014). Kuramdan uygulamaya bireyle psikolojik danışma. Anı Yayınları.
  12. Galatzer‐Levy, R. M. (2004). Chaotic possibilities: Toward a new model of development. The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 85(2), 419-441. https://doi.org/10.1516/VU40-J906-TX68-VTJH
  13. Glaser, B. ve Strauss, A. (2017). Discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203793206
  14. Gleick, J. (2008). Chaos: Making a new science. Penguin.
  15. González-Miranda, J. M. (2004). Synchronization and control of chaos: An introduction for scientists and engineers. World Scientific. https://doi.org/10.1142/p352
  16. Grassberger, P. ve Procaccia, I. (1983). Measuring the strangeness of strange attractors. Physica D: Nonlinear Phenomena, 9(1-2), 189-208. https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-2789(83)90298-1
  17. Guegan, D. (2009). Chaos in economics and finance. Annual Reviews in Control, 33(1), 89-93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arcontrol.2009.01.002
  18. Hayes, A. M. ve Andrews, L. A. (2020). A complex systems approach to the study of change in psychotherapy. BMC Medicine, 18, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-020-01662-2
  19. Hayes, A. M., Laurenceau, J. P., Feldman, G., Strauss, J. L. ve Cardaciotto, L. (2007). Change is not always linear: The study of nonlinear and discontinuous patterns of change in psychotherapy. Clinical Psychology Review, 27(6), 715-723. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2007.01.008
  20. Hayes, A. M., Yasinski, C., Barnes, J. B. ve Bockting, C. L. (2015). Network destabilization and transition in depression: New methods for studying the dynamics of therapeutic change. Clinical Psychology Review, 41, 27-39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2015.06.007
  21. Hentschel, H. G. E. ve Procaccia, I. (1983). The infinite number of generalized dimensions of fractals and strange attractors. Physica D: Nonlinear Phenomena, 8(3), 435-444. https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-2789(83)90235-X
  22. Hofmann, S. G., Curtiss, J. E. ve Hayes, S. C. (2020). Beyond linear mediation: Toward a dynamic network approach to study treatment processes. Clinical Psychology Review, 76, 101824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101824
  23. Hsieh, H. F. ve Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15(9), 1277–1288. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732305276687
  24. Joo, J. M. (2009). A pragmatic introduction to chaos theory for engineers. Industrial Data, 12(2), 89-94. https://doi.org/10.15381/idata.v12i2.6138
  25. Kellert, S. H. (1993). In the wake of chaos: Unpredictable order in dynamical systems. University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226429823.001.0001
  26. Lartey, F. M. (2020). Chaos, complexity, and contingency theories: A comparative analysis and application to the 21st-century organization. Journal of Business Administration Research, 9(1), 44-51. https://doi.org/10.5430/jbar.v9n1p44
  27. Levy, D. (1994). Chaos theory and strategy: Theory, application, and managerial implications. Strategic Management Journal, 15(S2), 167-178. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.4250151011
  28. Li, T. Y. ve Yorke, J. A. (2004). Period three implies chaos. İçinde B. R. Hunt, T. Y. Li, J. A. Kennedy ve H. E. Nusse (Edl.), The theory of chaotic attractors (ss. 77–84). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-21830-4_6
  29. Lincoln, Y. S. ve Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Sage. https://doi.org/10.1016/0147-1767(85)90062-8
  30. Lorenz, E. (1995). The essence of chaos. UCL Press. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2807913
  31. Loye, D. ve Eisler, R. (1987). Chaos and transformation: Implications of nonequilibrium theory for social science and society. Behavioral Science, 32(1), 53-65. https://doi.org/10.1002/bs.3830320107
  32. Maxwell, J. A. (2019). Distinguishing between quantitative and qualitative research: A response to Morgan. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 13(2), 132-137. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689819828255
  33. Miles, M. B. ve Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. Sage.
  34. Murphy, P. (1996). Chaos theory as a model for managing issues and crisis. Public Relations Review, 22(2), 95-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0363-8111(96)90001-6
  35. Neuman, W. L. (2014). Toplumsal araştırma yöntemleri (S. Özge, Çev.). Siyasal Kitabevi.
  36. Newman, M. G., Schwob, J. T. ve Rackoff, G. N. (2022). Within-day sudden gains and generalized anxiety disorder psychotherapy outcome. Psychotherapy, 59(3), 460-469. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000445
  37. Oestreicher, C. (2007). A history of chaos theory. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 9(3), 279-289. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2007.9.3/coestreicher
  38. Overman, E. S. (1996). The new sciences of administration: Chaos and quantum theory. Public Administration Review, 56(5), 487-491. https://doi.org/10.2307/977050
  39. Özakkaş, T. (2022). Terapi süreçlerinde geleneksel-modernite salınımında çekim merkezleri ve kaos kuramı. Türkiye Bütüncül Psikoterapi Dergisi, 5(10), 59-82.
  40. Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Sage.
  41. Peters, E. E. (1994). Fractal market analysis: Applying chaos theory to investment and economics. John Wiley & Sons.
  42. Richards, D. (2025). Artificial intelligence and psychotherapy: A counterpoint. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 25(1), e12758. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12758
  43. Rössler, O. E. (1976). An equation for continuous chaos. Physics Letters A, 57(5), 397-398. https://doi.org/10.1016/0375-9601(76)90101-8
  44. Schiepek, G., de Felice, G., Desmet, M., Aichhorn, W. ve Sammet, I. (2022). How to measure outcome? A perspective from the dynamic complex systems approach. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 22(4), 937-945. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12521
  45. Schiepek, G. ve Pincus, D. (2023). Complexity science: A framework for psychotherapy integration. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 23(4), 941-955. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12641
  46. Schiepek, G. K., Viol, K., Aichhorn, W., Hütt, M. T., Sungler, K., Pincus, D. ve Schöller, H. J. (2017). Psychotherapy is chaotic (not only) in a computational world. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 379. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00379
  47. Shalom, J. G. ve Aderka, I. M. (2020). A meta-analysis of sudden gains in psychotherapy: Outcome and moderators. Clinical Psychology Review, 76, 101827. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101827
  48. Şahin, Y. F. (2018). Psikolojik danışmanlar için el kitabı. Nobel Yayınevi.
  49. Tetenbaum, T. J. (1998). Shifting paradigms: From Newton to chaos. Organizational Dynamics, 26(4), 21-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0090-2616(98)90003-1
  50. Thietart, R. A. ve Forgues, B. (1995). Chaos theory and organization. Organization Science, 6(1), 19-31. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.6.1.19
  51. Zaslavsky, G. M. (1999). Chaotic dynamics and the origin of statistical laws. Physics Today, 52(8), 39-45. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.882777