Counselling courses to help with readings?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 24 Jun 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

linabeet	24 Jun 2004
Has anyone here taken counselling courses to improve their reading skills? Do you think it would help, or be necessary or irrelevant? I'm considering taking my readings to a higher level and trying to decide which types of study or training would help with this. Thoughts?

AngelAstro	24 Jun 2004
Hi there, I had always wondered this myself as I've been using the tarot for about 7 years. Many people suggested to me I should start reading and charging for my time. I never felt like I could do this because I felt like I just wasn't ready. I guess I thought that if I had some counselling skills (and qualifications) I'd feel better equipped to deal with 'clients' experiencing difficulties. Anyway, to cut what is becoming a long story short.... I am a teacher and was studying for my Masters. As part of this I did a subject at uni of basic counselling skills etc. I have found it to be enormously helpful in every aspect of my life - work, relationships, and readings. Counselling skills are very valuable, but professional recognition of these skills isn't always as important. Even if you are able to go to a seminar, or do some reading on the subject, I'm sure you'd find the concepts helpful. Essentially, being able to listen well, and help the person you are listening to feel as if they are being heard, is the key. If it's an area that interests you I'd definitely say to look into it. I could go on for ages about this but I'm probably just rambling! So much for cutting it short (ha ha). Hope this helps. Good luck with what you choose to do. A

ros	24 Jun 2004
I think counselling course would help. Some of the people I read for come to me for help. The more we know the more we can share with others. Sometimes it helps just learning about different personality types. People are always having problems with others!

hedgecub	24 Jun 2004
I definitely think taking a course or two in counselling would help. As a reader, you need to have good listening and communication skills, and preferably also good counselling skills, since many querents can be understandably distraught by the problems they bring to you. I think the psychic in the movie The Gift portrays this well :)

purple_scorp	24 Jun 2004
I work at an education facility and we have a student counsellor. Interestingly, she reads Tarot. I'm not sure if she did that before becoming a counsellor or not. Cheers purple_scorp

linabeet	24 Jun 2004
The more I read, the more important the dynamics of those involved seems important. It feels like some basic counselling skills would be very helpful, just knowing how to deal with people and listen right.

The Counselling courses to help with readings? thread was originally posted on 24 Jun 2004 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.