Is there such a thing as a Tarot reading that does not have therapeutic potential?

[FMTarotstudy]

Is there such a thing as a Tarot reading that does not have therapeutic potential?

I came upon this question just pondering in all my years reading Tarot whether I had done any readings for myself or others that did not offer some—or for that matter a great amount of—therapeutic potential. For myself I have found that such therapeutic potential can manifest as personal insight into oneself and/or one’s environment, clarification of unformulated or ambiguous events, empowerment to consciously create or invite change, or at least an alternative perspective through a story depicted in a reading that allows one to take on a new perspective.

In my personal experience all of my readings have offered at least one of these therapeutic potentials to either a querent or myself (when I do readings for myself).

I am curious to hear others’ perspectives on this topic. Is this other people’s experience? Are there certain readings you feel offer little or no therapeutic potential?

Forrest

 

[The crowned one]

Potential? Every word we speak and every action we do has potential therapeutic possibilities. Evil, neutral or good on our part, one can learn from it if one chooses to.

I think it is up to the person we read for. If they take and make the reading therapeutic or not. Advice or idea's ignored are generally not going to be therapeutic. There must be some sort of overall improvement in emotional/physical/personal/ outlook for something to be therapeutic.

 

[Nevada]

I agree with The Crowned One. Potential is everywhere, and I think any Tarot reading has therapeutic potential.

Whether that potential is met is another thing altogether.

I suspect that if one isn't a trained counseling professional, it's best to let the situation reveal itself, to go with both the flow set by the sitter and their question or concerns, and with the synchronous things that come up in the reading, either in the cards or in what occurs to the reader.

I'd also avoid putting across any notion that I know more than I do about "therapeutic" uses of Tarot or anything else.

But yes, I think it's difficult to separate therapeutic value from any Tarot reading. We read in order to be helpful, and if a reading is helpful, chances are it's because it's somewhat therapeutic.

 

[Teheuti]

It seems to me that if all (or most) tarot readings have a therapeutic potential that it's ironic that as tarot readers we are supposed to deny it to others and pretend it doesn't happen. What does that say about our profession—that we are in denial (or must lie) about a major potential of our work?

There is a difference between "therapeutic" and "Therapy." The first is simply an adjective for a whole range of "helping or remedial effects." It is not regulated anywhere that I know of. Therapy is a noun and is sometimes regulated when applied to fields of endeavor (massage therapy). Therapist is a profession and its use to identify a person's work or profession is regulated in most places.

There are all kinds of "helping professions" (i.e., 'therapeutic') - not all of which are regulated.

The only regulation that some government entities have for tarot is that it be for "entertainment purposes only." However, can't entertainment be therapeutic?

Consider this description of therapeutic effects:

"Therapeutic Jurisprudence concentrates on the law's impact on emotional life and psychological well-being. It is a perspective that regards the law (rules of law, legal procedures, and roles of legal actors) itself as a social force that often produces therapeutic or anti-therapeutic consequences. It does not suggest that therapeutic concerns are more important than other consequences or factors, but it does suggest that the law's role as a potential therapeutic agent should be recognized and systematically studied."
http://www.law.arizona.edu/depts/upr-intj/

I say that as a profession we also have the right to recognize and systematically study tarot's role as a potential therapeutic agent. In fact, we have a responsibility to do so!!! To NOT do so--to stick our heads in the sand--as a profession is, in my opinion, unconscionable.

To deliberately not understand the effects (intended or otherwise) of what we do is not professional, and it may even be immoral in that ignorance is no defense.

 

[FMTarotstudy]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. Today was the first time I got to review them as I have been rather busy.

Potential? Every word we speak and every action we do has potential therapeutic possibilities. Evil, neutral or good on our part, one can learn from it if one chooses to.

I think it is up to the person we read for. If they take and make the reading therapeutic or not.

I agree with The Crowned One. Potential is everywhere, and I think any Tarot reading has therapeutic potential.

Whether that potential is met is another thing altogether.

I agree, it is up to the querrent/client (or for that matter ourselves) to use free will and decide whether to consciously utilize the information we present to them (or us) as therapeutic potential.

However, just the nature of presenting someone with information has effects on him or her. Whether we intend to or not this creates the possibility for change. Perhaps for this reason unconscious therapeutic potential is initiated that neither the reader nor the querrent/client has conscious control over. Regardless of either party’s intent, perhaps there is unconscious therapeutic potential to whatever we do.

I'd also avoid putting across any notion that I know more than I do about "therapeutic" uses of Tarot or anything else.

But yes, I think it's difficult to separate therapeutic value from any Tarot reading. We read in order to be helpful, and if a reading is helpful, chances are it's because it's somewhat therapeutic.

When I read for others, particularly for the first time, I explain to them that a reading can provide them with information on how to make more informed decisions about their lives; that it can help them utilize other options; and/or can help them balance unbalanced energy that has manifested in their lives. My interpersonal stance with the querrent/client is that of consultant rather than expert. For this reason I offer hypotheses rather than predictions. I do not posit information as advice. I believe by doing this I empower the querrent/client to choose whether to make their own conscious choices on the information I present to them. By doing this I believe I do not give the false impression that my knowledge and intuitive use of the Tarot is superior than others or their understanding about their own life and what will work best for them. It is my intention by doing this that I maximize the potential therapeutic power of a reading while allowing the querrent/client the choice of a) whether to use that therapeutic power and b) if so how to use that therapeutic power.

It seems to me that if all (or most) tarot readings have a therapeutic potential that it's ironic that as tarot readers we are supposed to deny it to others and pretend it doesn't happen. What does that say about our profession—that we are in denial (or must lie) about a major potential of our work?

I say that as a profession we also have the right to recognize and systematically study tarot's role as a potential therapeutic agent. In fact, we have a responsibility to do so!!! To NOT do so--to stick our heads in the sand--as a profession is, in my opinion, unconscionable.

To deliberately not understand the effects (intended or otherwise) of what we do is not professional, and it may even be immoral in that ignorance is no defense.

I believe you bring forth an excellent point Teheuti. Tarot is a tool with many uses. There are those who use it exclusively for entertainment and impressing others with its mystical power to forecast upcoming events. Yet those who do this I consider a minority. I believe the majority of people in the Tarot community act (whether conscious of this or not) as helpers and healers when we conduct readings in one form or another. To be in denial of this limits our potential and causes us to disenfranchise ourselves from this beautiful and potentially therapeutic aspect of our heritage and the services we offer to others.

I would lie to say that I personally do not struggle with this schism about denying Tarot therapeutic potential. As a graduate student in professional psychology I find myself bombarded with predominately negative messages about what Tarot is and how people can use it “unethically” as a non-validated treatment modality or alternative. I hear people cast superstitious comments about it and relegate it as what psychology should not be. Yet the sad thing is that the people who make such comments fail to see Tarot as a tool that is often used as an alternative or complementary adjunct for those who are seeking holistic health and wellness. (Or for that matter its potential use in transpersonal therapy modalities.) That it can be a wonderful tool used for self-discovery. Sadly, in an effort to separate scientific psychology from “para-psychology” or “pseudo-psychology” Tarot is frequently bashed, rather than being acknowledging as a separate and different perspective; rather than seeing it as a cross-cultural variant of the helping, healing, and wellness professions.

Internalize fear and denial about Tarot therapeutic potential is something myself and I believe many others in our community deal with. However, it is not all internalized as there are many external social and cultural factors that contribute to such hostile notions. My hope is that over time this will diminish.

Forrest