Introduction

In episode 418 astrologer Shawna Marie McGrath joins me to talk about incorporating astrology into psychotherapy, and explain what it looks like to use astrology as a tool in a therapeutic context. The premise of the episode is that despite a huge amount of literature on psychological astrology, astrology in psychotherapy is rarely discussed. Nearly all literature written on the topic of therapeutic astrology is either geared toward “counseling skills for astrologers” or “how to read a birth chart therapeutically”. Though these are valuable topics, neither address the practical application of astrology in therapy over time (what does it look like, what should clinicians/clients know, what are the pros, cons, risks, etc.). This is what we set out to discuss in this episode, by answering the question "what does it look like to incorporate astrology into psychotherapy?" Within this context we get into astrology as a tool for psychotherapists to conceptualize and understand their client, as well as astrology being used more openly as a psychotherapeutic tool that is discussed with the client directly. We also discuss a number of the ethical considerations surrounding the use of astrology in psychotherapy, and talk about some pros and cons, in order to help clarify situations where astrology might be a helpful or appropriate tool to use versus when it might not be. Shawna is a a psychotherapist and astrologer based in California, and you can find out more about her work on her website: https://www.theastropsyche.com This episode is available in both audio and video versions below. Watch the Video Version of This Episode Watch the video version of this episode on astrology and psychotherapy on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHOUEVRr9-0 - Transcript A full transcript of this episode is available: Episode 418 transcript Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode Listen to the audio version of this episode or download it as an MP3: