Astrology As a Technique in Therapeutic Intervention

(Originally written summer of 2000, Updated: June 11, 2003, April 27, 2005)

This article summarizes how I see Astrology as a therapeutic intervention. I have taken a few therapeutic techniques and shown how Astrology can create the desired outcome that many traditional therapists look for in therapy. I see astrology as a therapeutic tool. I have worked years on bridging the gap between these two fields. I am not alone, but we are few and far between. I believe it was Carl Jung who tried to convince Freud of the therapeutic value in Astrology, to no avail. Our culture was not ready, but I believe there are more and more opportunities. Six years ago, coaching was considered taboo as a therapy. Recently, The Networker is encouraging therapists to try it out ( Networker, May/June 2001). There are other fields popping up to add to the therapeutic world, such as anthropology as well as philosophy. So the field of psychology still has room for a lot of growth. It is still a relatively young field. In 2004, I attended the annual Networker Symposium in Washington D.C. and I was surprised to find out that the PhD teaching us in Money Matters was also a certified shaman. In March of 2005, I again attended The Networker Symposium in Washington D.C. This time the keynote speaker used a form of creative visualization as an intervention in healing trauma. Right now, there is a tremendous revolution going on in the field of therapy. An explosion I might add and I am ready. I feel this is something that I have been working on my entire life.

New therapeutic interventions are being discovered every day. Astrology is one possible intervention that has been sadly missed due to negative stereotyping. I would like to share my discoveries on astrology as a technique in therapeutic intervention. I search for truth with an open mind and it has led me here. This is not an article to prove astrology works, my 22 or more years in the field tells me it does. This is merely an article showing that therapeutic interventions work with astrology.

While working for my certification to consult in astrology, I realized that I needed more training in counseling. It was in the Winter of 1996 that I went back to school for a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology with and emphasis in Marriage and Family. I made the mistake of telling one of my mentors that I was an astrologer. I spent the next 5 years wishing I had never told her as I was scrutinized by some professors in the department. I must admit that there were times along the way that I hoped, no - I PRAYED- I would come to my senses and do the acceptable career (by others) and be just a therapist. This was not to be, my inner voice was just too darn strong. For better or for worse, I have become comfortable in saying that I am an astrologer with a M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy.

It has been 9 years since I first started working to put these two fields together, and with each passing year, I am a little bit wiser. I have begun developing my own style, taking from both astrology and psychology. I cannot seem to separate the two. More and more, I see how astrology provides therapeutic intervention. I guess you can say this stretches the limits of the eclectic for traditional therapists, but let's remember the main point for therapy -- which is to heal and/or to move onward. This is what the core of my work is about. I am about to share a case study that shows how astrology works therapeutically.

It is a work in progress that develops with each passing year. I love what I do. I have worked with psychologists as clients that see the benefits in astrology.

Case Study: Jerry

Below I will be using an example of how astrology helps to join and create therapeutic interventions with even the most difficult of clients. Jerry (*alias) is a 32 year old, single male from Ireland. He has been in therapy for two years in the US. He continues to see his therapist while initiating a visit with me- the astrologer. He has been diagnosed with manic depression and has attempted suicide twice. He is a recovering alcoholic who has been sober for two years. Jerry is a very astute and ethical male who deals with a lot of anger. His demeanor is defensive and pushy. He comes into my office with many questions and he wants answers. He was intense.

How Is Astrology Therapeutic?

Astrology can change the way you think. The very language of Astrology offers a change of thinking. One of the interventions that therapist seek to create in the therapy room is 'a change in thinking'. That is, to change the way an individual(s) is looking at a situation in order to loosen up the stuck thought process, so that new growth can occur.

Astrology is a language all its own. As with any language, a thought pattern or culture exists simultaneously with the language as it is translated. For example, the Spanish words, "picante" and "caliente" both translate into English as athe same word, "hot." However, the two words have completely different meanings. "Picante" means spicy hot and "caliente," temperature hot. If you know enough about the Hispanic people, you know that these two words have meanings that are deeply embedded in the psychology of the people. I suppose you could look at some of our pop hispanic icons such as Ricki Martin, J Lo, Enrique Iglesias etc. They are hot! Anyway, when you understand the language of astrology, a shift of thinking occurs which can ultimately effect behavior— a therapeutic intervention.

Jerry had an afflicted mars. This translated into two main points for this astrologer. One- he had a lot of energy and 2- if it was misused, I would want to find out if he had anger management issues? So, the question was presented in an astrological interpretation which helped to aliviate an out right attack. " As I look at your chart, I am curious about this planet 'mars'. It is afflicted. This has me wondering if you are quick to anger. Is this possible? He agreed that he as well as his whole family dealt with this trait. He said it was an Irish trait. I came back with another interpretation that went something similar to this. Anger is misused energy. Each planet, sign, house has a positive and negative manifestation much like the flip side of a coin. It is what you do with the energy available to you that matters. How will you use this energy of this mars? You can get angry and lash out or you can do a hard days work, you can work out physically, you can move mountains in your life with an afflicted mars. The choice is up to you, the client. These options were explored with Jerry. What could you do with all this innate energy.

Now, the use of 'mars' in the chart as a therapeutic intervention is just one out of a whole host of other planets and points in the chart. Astrology uses the interpretation of the planets, 12 signs, 12 houses and the geometric configurations (the dance) they make together to reveal both positive AND negative manifestations. Forever clients have come in and ask, " Is that bad?" or "Is that good?" This kind of thinking comes from Aristotle.As western thought has its roots in Aristotelian logic, something must be either A or B, good or bad, but it cannot be both. Basically, good and bad are relative terms, and astrology supports this point. This point allows someone choices that can lead to changes. It is not good or bad, but when and how to use the energy available to us. An astrological chart points this out rather nicely.

I believe there are several psychological techniques that provide a similar ‘change of thinking' as a therapeutic intervention. For example, Minuchin called this change — reframing. Narrative therapy sought change in rewriting the individual's life story. Whatever the term, astrology can offer a ‘change in thinking' which offers an opportunity for growth, to heal and to move on.

Tracking

Astrology can pinpoint when and where and under what circumtances a problem began. The therapist asks, so when did this begin? Where were you? Was there anything different going on at the time that 'such and such' began? Astrology not only looks to the timeframe, but can find out the themes of the story that were going on at the time a problem began. Astrology can deem whether or not it is a characteristic trait that was waiting to emerge or whether it was just a passing situation that the individual does not need to own.

This is called tracking. Tracking is another therapeutic technique that helps to pinpoint the source of a problem. This means discovering when and under what circumstances a problem began. This gives valuable information to the therapist. There are astrological techniques that are used to track events in an individual's life. I do this with each new client that I see. I cover it in the first session. As in Jerry's case, this astrological tool was a pivotal turning point of the session. When I asked what happened between 15, Jerry opened up. Astrology is an excellent tool for tracking as you will see.
The past ahead of time. That is one of the beauties of being a professional astrologer- knowing the themes and asking what happened.

Prior to Jerry's first visit, I had studied his chart. Among other points, his chart indicated a serious crisis between 15-17 years of age. The chart also indicated a difficult father figure (afflicted Saturn). Trust and intimacy stood out as a deep issue (afflicted Uranus and Pluto in the 8th). As the first session began, I noted that he was testing my knowledge. He was not trusting and he was very defensive. I wondered if I would ever see him after the first session. After collecting some information, we began to discuss his birth chart in english. He listened, then I listened. At one point I asked about his father and I said, " It appears that he has played a profound impact on your life- particularly between the ages of 15-17." Astrology was used to get to a key issue. A traditional therapy session could have taken 5-7 sessions to come to this point. We went right for a target with the help of translating the charts, a language that is over 4,000 years old.

He immediately went into a long story about how his dad was an alcoholic and beat his mother when he was growing up. He was always protecting his mother. He was clearly still troubled by the relationship he had with his father. He wanted to work on it. A little later I asked, "What happened when you were 15? This seemed to be enough, Jerry began to tell a compelling story of a day that his brother fell off a ladder while they were working as painters. His brother was seriously injured and unconscious. On the way to the hospital, Jerry's dad blamed him for the accident and tells him that he never loved him. Jerry was 15. He ran away from home that day never to return. This information was covered in the first session because astrology pointed the way!

Tracking for prevention of depression. Jerry dealt with depression. A behavioral technique I learned in school was to help the individual plan out their day. I reinterpreted the therapeutic goal using astrology. I typed out a personalized calendar of the month ahead. It highlighted the days that were good to get mental or physical work done. I cautioned against days that would likely leave him challenged mentally. We discussed ahead of time what could be done on the days that astrologically looked challenging. In essence, astrology offered Jerry a chance to plan ahead to avoid the pitfalls of depression. This has been popular with many of my clients. Astrology not only looks into the past and present, it also looks into the future. Basically, this is why many come into a session. Traditional therapists will argue that telling somebody about what is going to happen to them, takes away autonomy. I would counter- argue that there is a way to handle telling the client about upcoming themes in their life, that still puts the power in their hands- not in mine. I continually communicate to my clients that they are not only coming from a past, but building towards a future. They know their lives better than I do, but astrology can give them time to prepare for upcoming themes. I help them to be conscious of their choices. Again, each planet and/or aspect has a positive and negative manifestation. It all depends how you use the energy. It all comes down to choices and right thinking. This has often led to working on what it is that they want in their life. Pulling out their goals and their wishes. Another therapeutic intervention.

Tracking the future. We met about once a month over the summer, during which time he sent his dad a plane ticket to come to the U.S. He wanted to work on this relationship with his father. Unfortunately, the visit did not turn out as well as he had hoped. The astrological time frame for the arrival of his father was very conflictual and I warned him (a full moon eclipse phase was in effect.) We discussed what he could do if his father's visit did not turn out as he had hoped. What were his goals for the visit? What safeguards could he put in place during this important time that would help it run smoothly? Unfortunately, his father remained belligerent, violent and drunk for good portion of the visit. He had been forewarned and had thought of an alternate place to stay ahead of time that kept them both safe from each other.

Joining and Validation

Astrology is used to build trust and validate the client. Two key steps in therapy are to join with your client in order to build trust and validate the client. No therapy can occur without these ingredients. What happened to help Jerry open up? Astrology was used to validate Jerry's experiences. He did not have to fight to be understood and believe me he was ready to fight his point, but it was all there in the chart... validating him and his existence. When Jerry could hear from an outside source that he had a difficult father and that at the age of 15 something difficult had happened, his whole demeanor changed from defensive to being validated. You could see it in his face. He did not have to explain himself at length. Joining had occurred. This played a tremendous role in building trust. Astrology was being used therapeutically.

Objectivity

Astrology is the 'other' entity in the room. My mentor, Ann Itzkowitz, at Child Guidance helped me with this one. There is one final intervention that no therapy I know of can offer, which is astrology allows for objectivity of the self. Clients are allowed to see themselves projected on a chart, on a piece of paper, or on the computer screen. This allows them to see themselves from a distance. A wonderful intervention because this takes the pressure off from the client that would otherwise stifle the moment. It is the third person in the room that can be played within a whole host of creative interventions. For example, Jerry was a defensive client, by taking the attention off from him, his defenses were allowed to come down long enough to build some trust between client and astrologer. A huge therapeutic intervention.

Getting Past the Label and Getting to the Point

Astrology points to the source of the problem without a label. What comes first -- the chicken or the egg? When Jerry ran away from home at age 15, did this cause the manic depression and suicide attempts later on, or was it just going to happen? Western thought needs to identify the problem, so we label and classify. The DSMIV- Diagnostic Statistical Manual seeks to classify a problem in order to treat it. It is helpful for insurance purposes, but there are strong arguments that it labels and makes it difficult for these individuals to break away from a label. Astrology offers another language all together. Working together with the individual with an accurate chart, astrology points to the source of the problem- not the secondary and tertiary problems that are layered on top, e.g., alcoholism, co-dependency etc. A good therapist will find this, but not in the first two to three sessions.

Conclusion

Astrology can be used therapeutically. I hope the examples I have given, show the benefits of using astrology as a therapeutic intervention. Astrology has the potential of cutting through the first several session of traditional therapy. In an age where time is short and quick results are best, astrology offers strong potential. Astrology offers a ‘change in thinking.' It helps the client plan ahead and develop goals. It fills a curiosity about the self. It is food for the soul. It gives another perspective on life, unlike traditional ways of looking at life, and it covers more ground. It is a wealth of self- knowledge. It shows past, present and future themes in an individuals life with the idea that they are in control. In essence, astrology can and does work as a therapeutic technique.