Well hello, bookclub besties. . .

No? Too soon? Okay, what about....salutations, research readers? No, that isn't right either. Hang with me here. . . .

Today, I'm going to start looking at some research and chat about what I find interesting, insightful, and confusing about astrology used in therapeutic practices to heal and become more self-aware.

In other words, I'm trying to take it from. . .

to. . .

For those of you who would like to read along and make it a real "book club", I'll be focusing on excerpts from the peer-reviewed article titled, "Spiritual and Transpersonal Developmental Theories and Astrology: Keys to Targeting Dynamic Psychodrama" by Judi Vitale. I knowwwwww, I know, okay? I told you...goal is from Winona to "Ohhhhhh".

Here's the quick and dirty (aka the abstract from the article):

Those who suffer from trauma often "skip" certain stages of development. Their wounded condition prevents them from following the normal course of psychological and spiritual growth. Treating trauma with psychodrama becomes more precise when the stages of development that are missing can be identified and re-visited. In this paper, certain socially and spiritually oriented developmental theories, including those of Erikson and Piaget, along with Steiner's Spiritual Science, among others, will be compared with astrology as a tool for measuring developmental phases. Once the stage of development that was "skipped" is identified, healing with psychodrama can be more targeted and effective. Astrology can assist the therapist in identifying the "missing" developmental stage that may present itself when a client is experiencing recapitulation. (Vitale, p.53, 2020)

Wow. Astrology can assist therapists? It can...identify missing developmental stages. But but . . . how? This is south node stuff, right Lauren? (No really. . . Lauren. . . hop in on comments please haha).

I want to save the scroll a little. . . so. . . below I'll summarize key terms and ideas and then chat about how I think they're all connected based on what I read. . .

psychodrama: allows patients/people to represent the internal externally . . . seems like you are revisiting past traumatic events with the understanding they're done, over and cannot "hurt" you anymore (this is just my understanding. . . chime in pros!)

transpersonal psychology: moves beyond linear developmental stages from the likes of Erikson and Piaget. Focus on self-actualization and self-awareness as ways of healing and moving beyond the "ego". Helps person realize their connections to the "divine" and "fellow human beings" (yes, I have trouble saying that sentence seriously).

developmental theory in astrology: life cycles, planet cycles, retrogrades, astrology can explain the past and be predictive (i.e., when will mercury be in retrograde next? Get ready for it boys and girls!)

Fun note: Carl Jung wrote that in cases of difficult psychological diagnosis, he gets that person's horoscope to provide a unique perspective!

aaaaaaand....this is all connected, how?: I think that therapists can use the astrological as a tool to help a patient frame the fact that their trauma is in their past and possibly even explained by their birth chart. They can use it to guide them toward future healing and security and learn about themselves. They can use astrology to create a space that allows them to revisit past trauma from a "safe space" and avoid some risk of retraumatization. Once a person is secure, knows they are safe, knows they are in control they can develop a will to, "move toward [their] goals and reach them with the knowledge [they] have fulfilled [their] passion and purpose." (Vitale, 2020, p.69).

Don't know your chart? Head over to our learn page where you can explore everything from your sun sign, to compatibility, to charts, and things I still don't fully understand like trines, Grand trines.

Hmmmm. . . I am going to need more time to process that. While I didn't use astrology on my healing path. . . I can absolutely see the benefit of its use in reframing traumatic events I've suffered. Then again. . . the skeptic in me is saying: Raaaaaachel ---- do a post on the Barnum effect.

What's the Barnum effect you ask? Stay tuned. . . .