Tarot decks consist of 78 illustrated cards. Tarot is a visual tool, with cards depicting symbols, often personified. Psychologists have also explored Tarot’s therapeutic
possibilities. Carl Jung, the founder of analytic psychology, suggested that Tarot cards could help us in “understanding the flow of life, possibly even predicting future events. . . with Tarot we begin to think symbolically. In the symbolic realm, things connect; Tarot allows us to see those connections.”

By exploring the metaphor of a Tarot card, oftentimes, patients can gain insight into their issues. This process is similar to inkblot activities, where the subconscious is used to pick out “what it sees” within an image. The subconscious can often make sense out of a random picture, and the patient’s energy can translate this into a physical representation within the card, and how intuition can allow a narrative to flow from a single symbol.

Some patients turn to complementary and alternative methods because they become frustrated with traditional treatment approaches. Some alternative interventions, such as meditation, have more scientific backing than Tarot. In the case of Tarot, the practitioner should consider why Tarot is meaningful to the patient; this is from a place of concern for the patient’s well-being and a sense of social-scientific responsibility. Tarot does not repeal traditional therapy, but it can be a different lens to borrow from.