Tarot and Counselling

[Toby Stimpson]

Hello all...

Ok so...Im kind fo excited... Im graduating from College tomorrow for my diploma in Social Work.

Now my question for you all is, how do you personally use your tarot cards in counselling sessions, if you do or are professional counsellors? You see, I was thinking about this over the past few months...and whenever I do a spread with my own personal deck...I often end up using them not to tell the future but to look at the past, and try to draw out problems that people have gone through and to talk about those issues that are troubling about them. Its a pretty intensive session, really, because Im not so much predicting the future but using the cards as a metaphorical map for them to see what actions they need to take.

So Im curious, in strictly Tarot sessions...what techniques have any of you used to focus more on the past than the future...and what issues have you found were raised with using tarot or other divinatory practices in counselling friends or even in your healing sessions??

Namaste

Tobias

[kotu]

I think Tarot cards (or any divinatory tool) can be very valuable in counselling situations. They make you look within yourself and using them is a route to self discovery. Unfortunately most counsellors/psychologists have the scientific background though, and think people like you and I are mad. I'm sure there's some clever ones out there (yourself included!) Well in fact once you have witnessed how divination really works there is no denying it. Unless you're closed right off to such possibilities.

I can certainly see how in a counselling session reading for the future would be unnecessary and reading for the past would be important. But how about reading for the present? Wouldn't this help even more?

PS. I'm not a counsellor by the way. But this is an interesting discussion.

[MariThorn]

I have used the tarot for helping people deal with past and present problems. I always do a simple three card drawing with clarifiers. It has been my experience that people seek me out, I don't have to advertise that I do tarot. I have even had very conservative Christians ask for readings. They were very unnerved when the cards nailed them on the head. I think your idea is very good, however, I would think long and hard about publicizing that you do this, unless your already open about your religious beliefs.

Mari

[LisaT4P]

I had a thought that it might be useful in couples therapy a while ago... I know I started a thread somewhere *rumaging around*... I'll find it.....

[SentineledFirs]

Just playing a bit of devil's advocate here - I think that tarot can definitely be a valuable tool to use...

But what about the tendency for people (especially those in distress) to grasp at predictions of the future and try to find "easy" answers? I can see that causing potentially more problems in the future, especially if it doesn't turn out the way the cards "say".

Maybe you'd just have to do a lot of unconditioning regarding the "future predictions" aspect of Tarot?

[LisaT4P]

I think you could avoid that problem by not having any "spread" positions that would predict the future. For instance a 3 card spread like:

Id, Ego, Superego (since we're talking therapy ;) )

That would keep it completely on the person's psyche and not have any kind of prediction value at all.

[Bryony]

I have a book (I think it is out of print), called Tarot Therapy. The author guides you through reexamining yourself and others based on what the imagery means to you, and only you. I haven't found any easy answers, but using the imagery sure makes the most difficult choices plainer and gives you a chance to look deeper at yourself. Really just reiterating what you already knew, but highly helpful.

Can you all wait a couple days for the author and publisher information? I'm packing to move, and it is in the bottom of a box that is at the bottom of a pile of boxes...

[aranarose]

I tend to focus on the counseling aspect of Tarot more so than the predictive aspect. I find that knowing what led to a current situation, and the state of the current situation, helps me to make better decisions than looking at what might happen in the future.

[Windsmith]

Tobias,

I had a post in another thread some time back about a Tarot exercise I know that might be very useful in a counselling situation: http://mysticwicks.com/showpost.php?p=2181143&postcount=6

Enjoy!

[Shatril]

There are several books out about psychology and use of tarot.

Jungian Tarot Deck--http://www.amazon.com/Jungian-Tarot-Deck-Robert-Wang/dp/0971559120/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-2175864-5282562?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182560515&sr=8-1

Tarot Achetypes--http://www.amazon.com/Tarot-Archetypal-Journey-Sallie-Nichols/dp/B000R3Q01I/ref=sr_1_6/102-2175864-5282562?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182560588&sr=8-6

I have both of these but find them limiting.

I actually like to have the querent pull all the cards that they have strong reactions to, whether positive or negative. Then by looking at the achetypes represented by the cards, you can tell pretty much what is going on, and why they choose those cards. It is fascinating. The readings are intense, and certainly not predictive in any way. Revealing in everyway though. You need to make sure that you have a good grasp of the archetypes and their psychology before you go screwing with someones minds though.

Shatril

[aranarose]

The Heart of Tarot (http://www.mysticwicks.com/shop/shop.php?c=mw05&n=1000&i=1567180086&x=Heart_Of_Tarot_An_Intuitive_Approach) is a book that takes a VERY psychological/counseling approach to reading. In this method, the reader is only a guide asking open ended questions about what the querent sees in or feels about the cards that they have drawn.

[Shatril]

The Heart of Tarot (http://www.mysticwicks.com/shop/shop.php?c=mw05&n=1000&i=1567180086&x=Heart_Of_Tarot_An_Intuitive_Approach) is a book that takes a VERY psychological/counseling approach to reading. In this method, the reader is only a guide asking open ended questions about what the querent sees in or feels about the cards that they have drawn.


ooooooooo a must have book for me. Thanks.

Shatril