Tarot, Dreams & Ritual, Oh My! Here's the Scoop on PsychoSpiritual Counseling

​

I must be a mermaid ... I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living - Anais Nin

If you're reading this, I imagine you're someone who is drawn to the mysteries of life, just as you are the depths of your own inner world. You're a seeker of sorts. I get that. Me too.

Maybe you dabble with tarot cards or oracle decks, jot down your dreams intrigued by their messages, or spend time in nature attuning to the world around you. Maybe you meditate or maybe you pray to someone or no one in particular. Still, you've been longing for a more formal container to apply these practices to your own healing and personal growth. This is where PsychoSpiritual Counseling comes in - my version, at least.

Wait, that's a real thing?

It is!

While many approaches to therapy integrate spirituality or existential issues into the work, PsychoSpiritual Counseling in my practice focuses on and is rooted in matters of the spirit, developed specifically to support women as they delve deep and cultivate the kind of personal insight and power that helps them change their lives and ultimately, the world they live in.

This approach dovetails beautifully with Feminist Therapy which positions the client as the expert on her own experience, and with Expressive Arts Therapy which emphasizes 'other ways of knowing' and accessing our own inner wisdom through creative process.  

So, what does this all look like in practice? Good question. It really depends on you. 

Let's say, for example, you're a client struggling with trusting yourself and your decision-making process. We may look toward practices such as tarot cards to help you access your own inner knowing or connect with whatever higher power you feel akin to (if you do). In a situation like this, we may also pay closer attention to your dreams and utilize guided imagery to re-enter those dreams in a wakeful state to gain additional insight. 

Maybe the insight is just what you're looking for and we stop there, but if you're someone who is action-oriented, we can go the extra step and discuss concrete strategies (i.e. therapy homework) to integrate the guidance you've accessed into your daily life. We'll take wisdom to pragmatic action.

I want to pause here for just a moment just to make clear that the PsychoSpiritual Counseling I offer is based in therapeutic principles and ethics, it is not about me telling you what will happen, what to do or how to do it. If that's what you're seeking, there are absolutely folks out there who provide those services. Ultimately, I am here as a psychotherapist licensed by the state of California, to support you in accessing your own answers, which I truly believe you have. 

So, here are some hints that PsychoSpiritual Counseling may be right for you:

- You find yourself feeling energetically drained and want to learn new ways to take care of yourself.

- You want to develop a stronger level of intuition.

- You feel drawn to a more spiritually-connected life, but are unsure how to move forward with that desire.

- You were raised in a specific religious/spiritual tradition and you are now questioning that path. Maybe you're questioning everything.

- You feel stuck in grief and loss and need to process on a deeper level.

- You struggle with symptoms of anxiety and trauma, and want to reclaim a sense of personal power.

- You're just plain curious.

If you're interested in learning more about my PsychoSpiritual offerings, please check here or reach out here. I'd love to talk with you!

Till next time, wishing you health & ease, 

​Jessika