Astrological Counselling
integrating astrology and psychotherapy
Astrological Counselling-
astrology brings a rich depth to psychotherapy
My practice of astrological counselling sits on the threshold between psychotherapy and astrological consultation, integrating both the practice of psychotherapy and astrology to enrich the depth of the psychotherapeutic practice. I consider astrological counselling to fall under the umbrella of spiritually-integrated psychotherapy.
What is astrology?
“The basic principle of astrology is that the planets have a fundamental, cosmically based connection to specific archetypal forces or principles which influence human existence, and that the patterns formed by the planets in the heavens bear a meaningful correspondence to the patterns of human affairs on the Earth. In terms of individuals, the positions of the planets at the time and place of a person’s birth are regarded as corresponding to the basic archetypal patterns of that person’s life and character.”
– Richard tarnas
Integrating Astrology into Psychotherapy-
In addition to Existential Analysis and Logotherapy, my work is informed by Carl Jung’s tradition of analytic psychology and James Hillman’s archetypal psychology where we explore the depths of your unconscious through archetypes, dreams, symbolism, myth, metaphor, and—astrology. Many are familiar with the work of Jung, but often do not know he was a practicing astrologer and incorporated astrology into his work.
The following correspondence between Jung and prolific Indian astrologer, Professor Bangalore Venkata Raman captures the way Jung valued and incorporated astrology into his work—
carl jung & astrology
“As I am a psychologist, I am chiefly interested in the particular light the horoscope sheds on certain complications in the character. In cases of difficult psychological diagnosis I usually get a horoscope in order to have a further point of view from an entirely different angle. I must say that I very often found that the astrological data elucidated certain points which I otherwise would have been unable to understand. From such experiences I formed the opinion that astrology is of particular interest to the psychologist, since it contains a sort of psychological experience which we call “projected” — this means that we find the psychological facts as it were in the constellations. This originally gave rise to the idea that these factors derive from the stars, whereas they are merely in a relation of synchronicity with them. I admit that this is a very curious fact which throws a peculiar light on the structure of the human mind.”
excerpt of a letter from Dr. Carl G. Jung to Professor B.V. Raman
Who is Astrological Counselling for?
for clients …
- of psychotherapy or mentorship who themselves are astrology lovers, or even just curious, and would like to incorporate an astrological worldview into their process.
- of professional astrologers who would like to continue their introspective work within a psychotherapeutic setting with more ongoing, psychological support than what an astrological consultation provides.
- looking for a psychologist who understands the language of astrology
- who like working with symbolism, myth, metaphor to access the psyche
- who are looking for meaning and/or are spiritually oriented
- who would like to introspect within a rich narrative, symbolic framework
What does Astrological Counselling Entail?
the horoscope: your natal birth chart
Astrological counselling involves your natal birth chart, which is a snapshot of the alignment of planets and celestial bodies (sun, moon, astroids, etc.) at the exact time and place of your birth. The alignment of these planets are considered your unique signature and can reflect archetypal themes in areas such as your personality, health, relationships, rhythms, and different domains of life (career, finances, relationships.).
astrological counselling, not consultation
I do not provide astrological consultations / stand alone birth chart readings as a professional astrologer would, as the purpose of exploring your birth chart is to aid the psychotherapeutic process. Therefore, if you are interested in astrological counselling, it is important to note that this is for clients who are seeking psychotherapy with me and would like to add astrology into that process. I highly recommend getting an astrological consultation / your birth chart read by a professional astrologer if you have not already done so and would like to pursue astrological counselling. Many clients will also get a professional reading done after exploring it in session with me to assess if it is something they would like to pursue. If this is the case for you, I am happy to provide an overview of the basics of astrology to give you the language and foundational understanding to facilitate your self-study and to help prepare you for a session with a professional astrologer.
consent and booking
If astrological counselling interests you, I will seek your consent before integrating astrology into your counselling sessions. Once you are a client, you will have access to the online booking calendar. If you would like your upcoming counselling session to be primarily centred around your birth chart, you can select the “astrological counselling” appointment type to book the session. This session needs to be booked 3 business days in advance so that I have time to review your natal chart before session. Please note that astrological counselling sessions are not available as the first session for new clients.
Benefits of Astrological Counselling-
The following are some of the key benefits you may experience by incorporating astrology into your psychotherapy.
The Details-
| Session | The format is same as a standard psychotherapy session, but with astrological counselling sessions, we also include looking at your birth chart together. | |
| Format | In-person and/or online | |
| Length | 50 minutes | |
| Fee | $235 | |
| Requires | 1) Exact time of birth (to the minute), 2) Date of Birth, 3) Town/City where you were born | |
| Process | If you express your interest in astrological counselling, there is a separate consent form to sign that will be sent to you. Once you consent to astrological counselling, we can incorporate it as often or as little as you would like. I need 3 business days notice if you would like a session fully focused on your astrological birth chart. |
I don’t have my exact birth time – can we still do astrological counselling?
If you do not know your exact time of birth, there are limitations to the depth of exploration of your chart. Accuracy of birth time is essential to most aspects of chart interpretation. If there is no way to find out your exact time of birth, some professional astrologers practice rectification in which they help you identify the most likely time of your birth.
Is astrology an evidence based practice?
Astrology is not an evidence based practice for psychotherapy, and as such, within psychological settings, it falls under the category of a spiritual practice. Therefore, the use of astrology within a psychotherapeutic setting is considered a form of spiritually integrated psychotherapy.
Is astrology deterministic/fatalistic?
A common misconception is that astrology determines your personality, relationships, events, etcetera and that there is nothing you can do to change your fate. However, this is not the case (think correlation, not causation). The planetary alignments do not cause you to make certain choices but rather have an energetic influence that invites your participation and choice. Therefore astrology is a helpful tool for self-awareness, growth, and change, not a solidified fate to resign to. In this way, astrology is more so empowering and can inspire hope.