Confessions from a Therapist-Dev: My Top 3 Tarot Decks (and Why I Keep Overthinking Them)
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Look, I’m 33, go by they/them, and split my time between counseling sessions and squinting at Python scripts in Chattanooga. When AI ethics work led me down the rabbit hole of panpsychism—the idea that consciousness isn’t just in humans but woven through all matter—I stopped seeing tarot as “fortune-telling” and started seeing it as cognitive mirroring. Yeah, I know, I’m probably overcomplicating a card game. But if you’re looking for deck recommendations that actually do something for your brain, here’s my list.
First, the Rider-Waite. I keep coming back to it because its imagery maps so neatly onto Jungian archetypes. When I pull the Tower, I don’t wait for a disaster; I use it as a therapeutic prompt: “Where in my life is rigid structure about to collapse?” It’s less about prediction and more about reframing. My brain loves that kind of cognitive restructuring.
Second, the Hermetic Tarot. This one’s dense with alchemical symbolism, which plays well with my crystal energy practice. The cards feel like conduits. Pulling the Sun isn’t just “happiness”; it’s an exercise in attentional focus. I’ve noticed how easily my mind falls into confirmation bias—I see what I want to see—but this deck forces me to slow down and actually read the symbols. It’s like a mindfulness drill disguised as divination.
Third, the Crystal Tarot. Naturally, this one resonates with my interest in crystal energy work. The imagery ties minerals to psychological states. When I work with amethyst or quartz alongside these cards, I’m not “charging” them magically; I’m using them as tactile anchors for grounding techniques. It’s somatic therapy meets tarot.
Honestly, I probably spend too much time overanalyzing every pull. But if panpsychism is even slightly right, the cards aren’t predicting the future—they’re reflecting the present. They’re mirrors for the mind. So yeah, grab a deck, pull a card, and use it as a prompt for self-inquiry. Your brain will thank you. (And if you’re in Chattanooga, I’ll gladly trade deck tips for coffee.)
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