This article explores the differences between descriptive and hermeneutic phenomenology, two approaches used in nursing research to understand human experiences of healing, caring, and wholeness. Phenomenology is central to interpretive paradigms and is a philosophical discipline and research method. The article explains that descriptive phenomenology focuses on uncovering universal essences of experiences through bracketing, while hermeneutic phenomenology emphasizes interpreting experiences within their cultural, social, and historical contexts. Both approaches are valuable for holistic nursing research, but they differ in their philosophical foundations, assumptions, and methods. Descriptive phenomenology aims to describe the universal structures of phenomena, while hermeneutic phenomenology seeks to interpret the meanings and contexts of lived experiences. The article provides guidelines for researchers to choose between the two approaches based on their cognitive style and research goals. It also includes examples of how each approach has been used in nursing research, such as studying the experiences of women who have miscarried or those with bulimia nervosa. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of understanding the philosophical and methodological underpinnings of both approaches to advance holistic nursing science.This article explores the differences between descriptive and hermeneutic phenomenology, two approaches used in nursing research to understand human experiences of healing, caring, and wholeness. Phenomenology is central to interpretive paradigms and is a philosophical discipline and research method. The article explains that descriptive phenomenology focuses on uncovering universal essences of experiences through bracketing, while hermeneutic phenomenology emphasizes interpreting experiences within their cultural, social, and historical contexts. Both approaches are valuable for holistic nursing research, but they differ in their philosophical foundations, assumptions, and methods. Descriptive phenomenology aims to describe the universal structures of phenomena, while hermeneutic phenomenology seeks to interpret the meanings and contexts of lived experiences. The article provides guidelines for researchers to choose between the two approaches based on their cognitive style and research goals. It also includes examples of how each approach has been used in nursing research, such as studying the experiences of women who have miscarried or those with bulimia nervosa. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of understanding the philosophical and methodological underpinnings of both approaches to advance holistic nursing science.