At What Point...

At what point does it stop being a tarot reading and start being low budget therepy? And when do you draw the line?

Most of the people I read for, particularly online, just want a big bright picture painted of their lives and where it's going. The only reason they seem to be seeking a reading in the first place is because it's cheaper than going to a psychologist.

My question is how do you explain to these people that you can't give them all of the answers? What if they are readers themselves and should know better?

I think readers are the worst to read for!

if you feel that your veering off to side of counselling, make the suggestion that perhaps the need healing,healing sounds softer then counselling, but it often will put them on the right road.

people dont often want to be in therapy as they see that is meaning they have a serious problem, they dont want to admit that to themselves.

Your responsibility is to read for them, give the guidence it says in the cards, they have their own responisbilty to look after themselves.

i find it personally quite easy to draw the line, i ask spirit directly or they will make the suggestion that starts them on the way, i dont need to worry so much about it. I also did a course in counselling so i can do a bit of it, but i prefer to start them off and send them to someone else with those skills.

I do wish more people would seek "real" help. I loved therapy when I was in it, and encourage everyone and their brother to go get it. Mind you, I did actually have some pretty serious issues.

However, I do find tarot to be irreplacable when it comes to my own "therapy". I do not go to reader but read for myself. Its a great way of clearing ones thoughts and forcing yourself to look at the situation from an objective standpoint.

Tarot definitely does not replace medical help, be it physical or mental. Tarot readers should definitely have some sort of smaller "discliamer" or whatever before reading.

NateSean said:

At what point does it stop being a tarot reading and start being low budget therepy? And when do you draw the line?

Most of the people I read for, particularly online, just want a big bright picture painted of their lives and where it's going. The only reason they seem to be seeking a reading in the first place is because it's cheaper than going to a psychologist.

My question is how do you explain to these people that you can't give them all of the answers? What if they are readers themselves and should know better?

Click to expand...

I found that taking counselling courses was incredibly beneficial. It really helped me to understand and listen to clients as well as giving me a good understanding of how to keep boundaries and help the client to empower themselves.

There are ways of relating information and reflecting what a client says which enables them to see things in a different light. In just the same way that we can look at the death card as a positive IF we know how to explain it's history and deeper meaning in a positive way.

I doubt that tarot will ever get away from the therapy aspect so perhaps it is a valuable asset to have some basic counselling skills?

Edited to add: I agree with rabid, tarot and basic counselling skills are no alternative to professional medical care when the need is there. However, having some training can and does equip one to often discern when someone needs professional help and how to gently assist them in getting it or at least pointing them in the right direction.

readers also need to realise their boundaries, there are alot of readers that dispense advice with readings thats not in the cards...why?

214red said:

readers also need to realise their boundaries, there are alot of readers that dispense advice with readings thats not in the cards...why?

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I don't know, I've not met all that many who do this. Perhaps they think they know it all and have advice for everyone instead of just listening???

214red said:

readers also need to realise their boundaries, there are alot of readers that dispense advice with readings thats not in the cards...why?

Click to expand...

Probably the same reason all people, who are not tarot readers, dispense advice - to try to be helpful.

NateSean said:

At what point does it stop being a tarot reading and start being low budget therepy? And when do you draw the line?

Most of the people I read for, particularly online, just want a big bright picture painted of their lives and where it's going. The only reason they seem to be seeking a reading in the first place is because it's cheaper than going to a psychologist.

My question is how do you explain to these people that you can't give them all of the answers? What if they are readers themselves and should know better?

Click to expand...

I'm sure there are a lot of different opinions on this, but my viewpoint is that Tarot readings ARE a lot like therapy. People come to us with problems, worries, concerns and we help them solve them. Except for querents who come to us just to test if Tarot really works, and I do not wish to read for that kind of querent, why else would someone come? They don't come when things are flowing perfectly. They come for our help.

I don't try to explain that to them that I don't have all the answers. I love being an helper and I embrance that part of Tarot with all my heart.

I will however carefully explain to them what Tarot can and cannot do. Eg if they ask me for a reading on the future I am careful to explain that the future the cards give is just one amongst many possible ones and that it can change. I would never do a readindg on the future for someone without explaining that carefully first, for example.

But after explaining what Tarot is and what it can and can't do which a querent who is not a reader may not understand, if they still want my help as a reader to solve things, at that point I am more than willing, very happy even, to do all I can through my cards to help. I am almost always told that I am very helpful. And it's a role I enjoy, being able to help others. Actually to me, in my viewpoint, readings are always therapeutic in the sense of offering help to the querent. At least I hope all of mine are. There is never a point where it stops being just a reading and starts being therapy. In a sense my readings always have that element. All of my readings do. In that sense I see my role as a reader as to help people through my cards.

Even though I do carefully explain what Tarot is and can do....I don't tell people I don't have all the answers. I don't have to have them. I presume that the cards (or that the source that sends us the answers through the cards more accurately) DOES have all the answers. And all I need to do as a reader is to interpret what is sent to me.

Babs

214red said:

readers also need to realise their boundaries, there are alot of readers that dispense advice with readings thats not in the cards...why?

Click to expand...

They probably do see it in the cards, or are getting that part throught the cards. Some read intuitively and one person can see in a card something that no one else does.

Also I know I often seem to read in a stream of consciousness , channeling kind of way. You just start writing and then the answers you are meant to tell the querent just come to you pretty well as if being dictated and all you have to do is write down what you are "told". It's a form of clair-sentience really. No one else may see that in the card but you just know it's the answer at the time, your intuition knows it, and it really works. When I do it I am always told I am spot on.

Babs

I also think too, you must decide what type of reader you are. Some readers are Spiritual Counselors and do mediumship and give advice in the cards. Hence...Strength means you need to get a hold of your emotions/ animal nature/ obsessions.

In opposed to a reader like myself, who is purely foretelling future events...using it for divination. Make a pamphlet if you do it at home as, I do and have done. Or put it up on your web what you do.

For example, I am precognitive. I can clearly predict future events, but not past. I am good at health. There are some strong points. What I put in the letter is, that I can clearly see the future, although not set in stone. I can answer any questions, but I do not go back and answer questions of the past.

Most readers can.

It is important to know your boundaries. Time the readings. And tell them what they can expect. When it steers off in the therapy direction I tell my clients, that they are not paying for my personal advice. They are paying for my intuition and Tarot reading services.