The Tarot Diagnosis

This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I’m continuing my monthly Tarot Therapy series by exploring a topic I’ve been wanting to discuss for ages: How tarot and witchcraft function as Psychodrama.Specifically, I explore how tarot and witchcraft can be understood and practiced through the lens of psychodrama, a powerful therapeutic method developed by Dr. Jacob Moreno. Psychodrama is essentially theater for the psyche. It’s an embodied way of working with emotion, memory, and healing through role play, creativity, and storytelling.If you’ve ever lit a candle for someone you love, pulled a tarot card that made your stomach drop, or cried while drawing a protection sigil - then you’ve already engaged in psychodrama.In this episode, I share why I believe tarot and magick aren’t just symbolic or ritualistic, but active, expressive healing tools. I talk about how tarot spreads become psyche-inspired stages, how tarot becomes characters, and how we can use these practices to externalize our inner world in ways that go beyond talk therapy.I also walk you through a guided psychodrama-inspired tarot practice using a technique called the soliloquy - a beautiful, embodied way to give voice to something you’ve been holding inside. ✨ In this episode, I talk about:What psychodrama is and how it relates to tarot and ritualWhy embodiment and symbolism matter for emotional healingHow to turn your tarot spread into a living storyA guided soliloquy-style tarot activity to help you release what’s been unspoken Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠! If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This helps more people discover the show and is a great way to support my work <3Don't forget to subscribe to our email list to get all kinds of free mental health and tarot goodies on our website, as well as access to our private membership community ⁠The Symposium⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.comMusic by Timmoor from Pixabay

This discussion dives into the concept of the 'wounded caretaker,' uncovering how early emotional responsibilities affect adulthood. It juxtaposes the nurturing Queen of Pentacles with themes of burnout and self-neglect. The show explores the psychological impacts of parentification, emphasizing the importance of self-care. Tarot archetypes serve as tools for reflection, revealing hidden emotional needs and encouraging listeners to reconnect with their inner child. Through humor and deep insights, it highlights the often-overlooked struggles of those who habitually prioritize others.

Discover the intriguing link between over-explaining and the Page of Swords tarot archetype. Explore how gaslighting shapes communication styles, leading to a lifelong quest for clarity and understanding. Journey through the evolution of self-expression from anxious to grounded as you learn about the transformative power of self-trust. Dive into strategies for emotional healing and the importance of recognizing your worth. Plus, connect with a supportive community embracing tarot for personal growth!

Dive into the fascinating intersection of tarot and therapy! Explore how tarot illuminates our inner dynamics through Jungian archetypes like the manager and the lovers. Discover personal stories reflecting the exile through the Eight of Swords and find balance between societal expectations and emotional truths. Plus, get ready for a Summer Solstice Summit featuring an array of brilliant tarot and astrology practitioners. It's all about understanding ourselves better, one card at a time!

This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I’m continuing the new Tarot Therapy series, where I explore tarot through the lens of therapeutic theories and modalities. In this episode, I’m nerding out about Motivational Interviewing (MI) and the Suit of Wands and uncovering how the fiery energy of Wands aligns perfectly with the psychology of change, motivation, and burnout.At its core, Motivational Interviewing is a therapeutic approach designed to help people work through ambivalence and move toward change. I spend time talking about how the four fundamental MI processes (Engaging, Focusing, Evoking, and Planning) mirror the journey of the Suit of Wands, making this an exciting and dynamic pairing.Join me as I explore how each card in the Suit of Wands maps onto different aspects of MI, using a fictional client case study to illustrate these concepts in action. From the Ace of Wands igniting motivation to the Ten of Wands warning us about burnout, this episode walks you through how tarot can help us better understand the change process.If you’ve ever felt stuck in cycles of procrastination, burnout, or self-doubt (or if you just want to explore new ways to approach personal growth) this episode is for you! Tune in for a nerdy and insightful blend of tarot, psychology, and practical self-reflection.Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠!If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a 5 star review on whatever platform you listen on. It really is a HUGE help and allows more people to see the podcast!Have a topic you’d like to hear about? I'm always interested in hearing your suggestions!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to submit a topic!Don't forget to subscribe to The Tarot Diagnosis email list to get all kinds of free mental health and tarot goodies on our website, as well as access to our private membership community ⁠The Symposium⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.comMusic by Timmoor from Pixabay

This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I explore how the brain’s dopamine system drives us to feel intoxicated by toxic relationships. Inspired by conversations with clients, I discuss the science behind intermittent reinforcement and how tarot cards like The Devil and the Two of Swords reversed perfectly mirror these psychological patterns. Join me as I walk you through the neurobiological and emotional mechanics behind toxic relationship cycles and share insights from the minor arcana that represent these forces. I also talk about the reversed behavioral characteristics of the Knight of Cups, the role of cognitive dissonance, and the pointed, yet nurturing guidance from the Queen of Pentacles for reclaiming stability and self-worth. The Moon, Wheel of Fortune, and Eight of Swords make their role known in this process as well.If you’ve ever wondered why you find it so hard to walk away from a toxic relationship or want to develop a healthier relationship with yourself, this episode is a must-listen! Tune in for a blend of mental health wisdom, neuroscience, and tarot magic.Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠!If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a 5 star review on whatever platform you listen to us on. It really is a HUGE help to us and allows more people to see our podcast!Have a topic you’d like to hear about? We’re always interested in hearing your suggestions!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to submit a topic!Don't forget to subscribe to our email list to get all kinds of free mental health and tarot goodies on our website, as well as access to our private membership community⁠The Symposium⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.comMusic by Timmoor from Pixabay

Dr. Thomas Brooks, a research psychologist and tarot enthusiast, dives deep into the cognitive magic of tarot. He explains how tarot enhances cognitive flexibility and promotes self-reflection. The conversation covers the significance of archetypes like The Emperor and how they evoke personal emotional responses. Thomas also shares his academic journey, discussing how tarot serves as a powerful tool for personal growth and insight. Discover how this unique blend of psychology and tarot can reshape our understanding of ourselves.

This week on ⁠The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast⁠, I am nerding out! I explore the concept of Tarot by Omission: what it means when a particular suit or archetype is missing from a reading, and how that absence can guide deeper self-exploration.  To bring this concept to life, I introduce a fictional, therapeutic case study, analyzing a tarot spread where Cups and Swords are absent, revealing deeper emotional and cognitive blocks. I also offer practical applications for identifying and working with omissions in your own readings. Side note: I didn't explore the absence of court cards, but I will be exploring this in an upcoming workshop inside The Symposium! Inspired by my clinical musings on silence in the therapy room, I reference the following study in this episode:  Koudenburg, N., Postmes, T., & Gordijn, E. H. (2011). Disrupting the flow: How brief silences in group conversations affect social needs. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 47(2), 512–515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2010.12.006 Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠! If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a 5 star review on whatever platform you listen to us on. It really is a HUGE help to us and allows more people to see our podcast! Have a topic you’d like to hear about? We’re always interested in hearing your suggestions!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to submit a topic! Don't forget to subscribe to our email list to get all kinds of free mental health and tarot goodies on our website, as well as access to our private membership community ⁠The Symposium⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

This week on ⁠The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast⁠, I am introducing a brand-new series—Tarot Therapy! In this series, I’m returning to the foundation of my work, where I explore tarot through the lens of psycho-therapeutic models and theory. Each episode in this series will dive into a different psychological theory and/ or therapeutic model, blending them with tarot to deepen self-awareness and of course, personal growth. In this kickoff episode, I explore The Aces in tarot through the Transtheoretical Model of Change, also known as the Stages of Change. If you’re part of The Tarot Diagnosis community, The Symposium, you might recognize this concept from a recent workshop. This episode serves as a deep dive into how each Ace corresponds to a different stage of change. Precontemplation → Ace of Cups: When we’re unaware that change is needed. What are we oblivious to that needs to change? Contemplation → Ace of Swords: The moment clarity strikes, but doubt lingers. What’s the story we tell ourselves about change? Preparation → Ace of Pentacles: Laying the foundation and gathering resources. What support do we need? Action → Ace of Wands: Taking bold steps toward transformation. What’s one small action we can take right now? Maintenance → The Fool: Sustaining progress with curiosity and resilience. How do we keep moving forward? Throughout the episode, I pull cards to explore each stage more deeply, offering prompts and reflections for your own tarot practice. Plus, I’ve modified the Celtic Cross spread to align with the Stages of Change—head over to Instagram (@TheTarotDiagnosis) to check it out! If you’re ready to explore transformation through tarot and psychology, this episode is for you. Listen now and let’s dive into Tarot Therapy! Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠! If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a 5 star review on whatever platform you listen to us on. It really is a HUGE help to us and allows more people to see our podcast! Have a topic you’d like to hear about? We’re always interested in hearing your suggestions!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to submit a topic! Don't forget to subscribe to our email list to get all kinds of free mental health and tarot goodies on our website, as well as access to our private membership community ⁠The Symposium⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

2025 is poised to be the 'Year of the Hermit', inviting deep introspection and personal growth. The symbolism of the Hermit—such as the lantern and staff—serves as a guide for self-discovery and transformation. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their journeys, fostering gratitude and an understanding of their impact on the community. Plus, there's an exciting new guided journal filled with prompts and rituals to navigate this transformative year. Embrace the Hermit's wisdom and prepare for an insightful year ahead!