Tarot Cards, Oracle Decks, & Astrology in Therapy

A question I’ve been seeing circulate a lot recently has been:

Do tarot cards/oracle decks/astrology/Enneagram/Human Design have a place in therapy?

And interestingly enough, I’m mostly seeing other therapists ask this question!

Let me spoil this blog post for you, I say: YES! Tarot cards, oracle decks, and astrology absolutely do have a place in therapy when it’s meaningful for the client.

I consider all of these tools for personal reflection: just like art, reading, or other forms of spirituality. 

Personally, I’ve always been fascinated by astrology (I’m a Scorpio Sun, Scorpio Rising, and Aquarius Moon- what about you?) and I can spend way too much time watching astrologers speak on social media [especially Chani Nicholas (@chaninicholas) and Colin Bedell (@queercosmos)]. 

I got my very first tarot deck in 2020 (The Modern Witch deck by Lisa Sterle). I, like many of us in 2020, was looking for some meaning-making. In a rapidly shifting world, in “unprecedented times”, I was looking for a connection to something more lived-in. Something arts-based that tied me to humans of centuries past.

(some of the images featured in The Modern Witch Tarot deck)

I do see these practices as an art- not only are they subjective like art, but they often come with beautiful imagery, moving words or poems, and storytelling aspects. 

Humans have long used art and spirituality to help us make meaning, to understand our lives, and to cope with our struggles. I see Earth-based Spiritual Practices as an extension of that.

Research shows that people who engage in religious and spiritual practices can report lower rates of mental health and emotional problems (see: David Brown’s research here). These spiritual practices can fall perfectly in line with that.

There’s a whole podcast about therapists integrating tarot into clinical work (The Tarot Diagnosis) and many online resources, trainings, books, and podcasts on incorporating these practices with others., I would struggle to be the one to introduce these practices to clients myself, but mostly because I don’t feel skilled enough in my abilities to read the cards. I would absolutely be on board with a client bringing these practices in and exploring their own process and what they discovered through the cards with me.

And who knows, maybe as I practice and build comfort with the cards, these can be integrated some way!

I once went to a week-long somatic training that incorporated an oracle deck in a really meaningful way. At the end of each day, we had an opportunity to each pull an Oracle deck card.

It was so meaningful to get dragged by those damn cards. 

But seriously, they added an extra facet to my own introspection and journey that week. Mostly, they reflected back to me what I was already experiencing- much like a Rorschach test.

It was also a fun bonding experience as we each gasped when the cards nailed us and bonded over the beautiful images on the cards themselves.

If you’re interested in solo practice, here’s one I recommend.

Materials: deck of choosing (oracle or tarot), journal and pen or a Google doc (aka somewhere to write!)

Schedule out 30-40 minutes for yourself. Uninterrupted quiet time with minimal distractions (I know, I know, easier said than done).

Set your space by lighting a candle, herbs/incense, or even pouring a warm beverage into your favorite mug. Something that feeds the senses.

Engage with your deck according to the booklet that comes with it. At a loss? Just shuffle the cards and pick one. Refer back to the booklet and read what the description of the card says.

Use this card as a prompt to explore what comes up for you:

What does that card signify? 

Has there been a time in your life that the message of this card really hit home? 

What do you notice in your body when you look at this card? 

When you read the description?

Close out by taking a few deep breaths. 

Tarot cards, oracle decks, astrology and the like are just beautiful tools for self-reflection. If you’re struggling to start a journaling practice, they can be a helpful way to get started. 

I don’t believe they’re prescriptive, just because you pull a certain card doesn’t guarantee a certain outcome. But they can help you pause and perceive your inner and outer worlds. They can help you build a relationship with your intuition.

What do you think? Would you want to bring cards into a therapy session? A group? Or would you prefer to keep it a solo practice?