The Tarot Diagnosis

Shannon Knight

Hey there! I'm Shannon - a licensed psychotherapist in private practice who also happens to love tarot. Each episode I work to demystify tarot and explore its connections to mental and emotional health while implementing its inherently helpful tools to better understand ourselves and those around us. Join me as I unravel common struggles related to our behavior, thought patterns, emotions, and relationships while pulling cards to facilitate growth and to help create the life and relationships we all desire.

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Top 10 The Tarot Diagnosis Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Tarot Diagnosis episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Tarot Diagnosis for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Tarot Diagnosis episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Revealing The Shadow: A Conversation with Thomas Witholt

The Tarot Diagnosis

09/24/23 • 52 min

This week on ⁠The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast⁠, I sit down with Thomas Witholt from Hermit's Mirror to create a space for us to unravel aspects of the shadow self - specifically as it relates to difficult emotions such as anger and fear.

Thomas brings in a Jungian and Buddhist approach to the shadow that helps to soften the edges on a topic that most of us find so uncomfortable.

We start off by exploring emotional power dynamics of the shadow and the concept of reparenting and building self-compassion through The Emperor, The Empress, the Six of Cups and The Lovers.

Tarot eventually leads us into a discussion on anger through the archetype of the Knight of Swords and the King of Wands reversed. We discuss how anger can emerge as reactivity, or stem from unmet needs, feeling a sense of injustice, or a boundary violation. Thomas also beautifully discusses the elemental components of the cards and how it relates to the importance of self-reflection.

I invite you to pull cards alongside us and allow your shadow self to join the conversation to explore when it emerges and what to do when it does.

Learn more about Thomas and his offerings below:

https://www.hermitsmirror.com

https://www.instagram.com/hermitsmirror

Have a topic you’d like to hear about? We’re always interested in hearing your suggestions! ⁠Click here⁠ to submit a topic!

Also! If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please be sure to hit those 5 stars and write us a review on whatever platform you listen to us on. It really is a HUGE help to us and allows more people to see our podcast!

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list to get all kinds of free mental health and tarot goodies on our website, as well as access to our private membership community The Symposium! ⁠www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com⁠

Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of Deep Resonance Sound

Contact: [email protected]

Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

The Alchemy of Language

The Tarot Diagnosis

09/04/23 • 48 min

This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I sit down with Erin Jones, the owner of Hermit and The Moon, to explore the power, nuance, and healing properties of language.

This conversation was inspired by a meetup in The Symposium a while back where Erin challenged the use of the phrase “stalker card” and changed the way I view repeating cards. This got me thinking about the language used within and about tarot, so naturally I invited her to explore this with me on the podcast.

Erin and I invite you to join us while we pull cards and discuss the modern and traditional language used, the personal and societal effect that language has on us, and how we can step into a trauma-informed space when it comes to the alchemy of language and tarot.

To learn more about Erin and her offerings, visit her website www.hermitandthemoon.com or follow her on Instagram @hermit_and_the_moon

Decks Used: Slow Holler Tarot, Outsider Tarot, Rainbow Moon Tarot

Have a topic you’d like to hear about? We’re always interested in hearing your suggestions! ⁠Click here⁠ to submit a topic!

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list to get all kinds of free mental health and tarot goodies on our website, as well as access to our private membership community The Symposium! ⁠www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com⁠

Follow us on Instagram ⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠

Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of Deep Resonance Sound

Contact: [email protected]

Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

You Mad? {The Anger Affair}

The Tarot Diagnosis

07/19/21 • 59 min

[Content Warning - domestic violence is briefly discussed beginning around the 40 minute mark. Please see resources below if you or someone you know has been impacted by intimate partner violence.] This week on The Tarot Diagnosis, Shannon and Luna go for the jugular on the topic of anger. We all know what it's like to be angry- it is an emotion that is inescapable as humans. It’s programmed deeply into all of us, and yet, there are so many contradictions and inconsistencies in discussions and research about what anger is (and perhaps more importantly) how we should treat it.
A quick stroll down Google avenue offered two quotes about anger, side by side:
First: “Keep your temper. A decision made in anger is never sound”- Ford Frick
Second: “Sometimes, you have to get angry to get things done.” - Ang Lee
Holy mixed messages, Batman
Chances are you have probably already experienced anger several times, just today. How do you think about that anger? Does it make you embarrassed? Self-righteous? Guilty? Do you try to move past it? Or do you take some pleasure in feeding it? And - have you ever really thought about your relationship with anger? What about how you saw anger growing up?
Come listen in as tarot helps guide us while we share our take on anger - what it means and what to do with it. Plus - we coin the new phrase “my bird/ Starbucks pastry rage.” Oh! And - we discuss all of the Wands. Because that's exactly what tarot offered us.

If you, or someone you know, has been impacted by domestic violence, please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline 1.800.799.7233 or visit their website https://www.thehotline.org/

Subscribe to our email list to get all kinds of free mental health related tarot goodies on our website www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com

Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of Deep Resonance Sound

Contact: [email protected]

The Intersection of Toxic and Positivity

The Tarot Diagnosis

05/03/21 • 58 min

This week on The Tarot Diagnosis, Shannon and Luna get into the weeds with the question- when does positivity become toxic?

We thought we were going to have some disagreements getting into this one (and frankly - were kind of hoping we might get some sparks flying). Instead, it’s a conversation about how positivity and happiness are seen in our culture - and how it has both light and dark sides to it. As always, we talk about this through the tool of The Tarot, loving how this simple deck of cards can give us ways to think deeply about the wide range of emotions we all experience as humans.

Spoiler alert - Shannon can’t stop referencing Parks and Recs, so if you don’t want to know what happened in season 7, save this one for later!

Luna and Shannon peel back the veil on their own lives this week, by pulling cards about themselves and asking what is blocking happiness and positivity in their own lives.

So here’s a question to ponder (which, btw- you will be seeing on Instagram later this week). Is it possible that The Sun is one of the most difficult cards to work with in Tarot, because although we all say we want to be happy- we actually have a very weird relationship with that desire.

We also invite you to participate in the Mental Health Awareness Daily Tarot Challenge on Instagram!

Final note- if you have a moment, it would mean so much to us if you could rate and review our podcast on whatever platform where you are listening. We are stunned and humbled by the response we continue to get from our listeners and feel honored and privileged to be able to share bits of our knowledge, experience, and passions.

Studies and Assessments explored in the episode:

https://www.viacharacter.org

http://thehowofhappiness.com/

https://positivepsychology.com/big-five-personality-theory/

https://positivepsychology.com

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/04/over-nearly-80-years-harvard-study-has-been-showing-how-to-live-a-healthy-and-happy-life/

https://positivepsychology.com/happiness/

Magical Thinking {Spirituality Vs. Cognitive Distortions}

The Tarot Diagnosis

02/06/22 • 47 min

We’re back! It feels like it’s been forever since we released a new episode, but it’s really only been two weeks. During that time we launched our very own, private membership community: The Symposium and have been thrilled and overwhelmed at the response. Keep an eye on your emails for when we open this community to new members later in the year!

Now, on to podcast news. . .

This week on The Tarot Diagnosis we are talking about magical thinking. This is a term used often in the therapy and psychology world and when a listener heard it mentioned on a previous episode, they wrote in to request an episode on the topic.

The question was so good, we couldn’t wait to dive in.

The listener asked, “Where is the line between spirituality and cognitive distortion? Does all religion inherently involve some level of cognitive distortion? I’m curious about how to gauge magical thinking vs. spiritual engagement.”

We dive right in with Shannon pulling The Magician alongside the Queen of Swords. Luna helps us explore the important role of The High Priestess, which then takes us on quite a journey as we discuss Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD), manifestation, call out fake gurus, and nod to Harry Potter.

We then meander through some nerdy talk about developmental psychologist, Jean Piaget, and make a few pit stops with the Four of Cups, Knight of Pentacles, Three, Nine, and Seven of Swords, The Hermit, Reversed Hierophant, and the Seven of Cups. The King of Pentacles emerges and may essentially solve the dilemma laden question posed by the listener.

It's quite the adventure and we are grateful to the listener whose question inspired such a fun and meaningful discussion highlighting two important aspects of the human experience.

So, come join us as we walk a tight rope in-between the world of “woo” and the world of Psychology.

*Side Note: We had a minor audio hiccup, so the audio might sound slightly different.*

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list to get all kinds of free mental health related tarot goodies on our website www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com

Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of Deep Resonance Sound

Contact: [email protected]

Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

Permission to Play

The Tarot Diagnosis

06/05/22 • 42 min

This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, we thought we might lighten things up a bit and talk about the purpose and need we have for play and to have fun.

“Talk about play” we thought, “It’s going to be so cheery!”

Enter Page of Cups Reversed, Page of Pentacles, Five of Wands, The Emperor, The Devil, and Three of Swords as the first cards we pull...

Okay, so talking about having fun turns out to be harder than we thought it would be. But- we are so glad we did!

Join us as we talk though some therapy theory, talk about the magic of sand trays, and get real about how what we sometimes think is fun, actually isn’t. We felt a lot better after this conversation, and we hope you will, too!

Speaking of playing...

We had the most fun in our most recent meet up - The Reading Room, a monthly meet up in The Symposium where we take turns practicing reading for one another. We know, it’s a little nerve wracking trying to read of others when you’ve been focusing mainly on reading tarot for yourself, which is why we carved out this very safe, quiet, and playful space where Symposium members can have a supportive place to just try.

If you want to have a gentle place to play and practice tarot with the support and insights of others, you can join The Symposium by clicking here.

And if you’re not ready to play with others yet, don’t forget that we have some fun workbooks in our online shop. Ready for some Tarot for Identity Development? Or Relationship Manifestation? Yes, please!

And if you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please be sure to hit those 5 stars and write us a review on whatever platform you listen to us on. It really is a HUGE help to us and allows more people to see our podcast!

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list to get all kinds of free mental health related tarot goodies on our website, as well as access to our private membership community The Symposium! www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com

Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of Deep Resonance Sound

Contact: [email protected]

Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

Reframing Scarcity & Abundance

The Tarot Diagnosis

11/13/22 • 33 min

This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, we explore the concept of scarcity and abundance. These words get thrown around a lot and often conjure up intense emotions - including anxiety. So, it was no surprise when we opened the episode by pulling The Tower and Nine of Swords.

There is plenty to unpack with this topic - including spirituality, mental health, privilege, and social media. We invite all of the Aces, The Magician, Four of Wands, and Nine of Pentacles to round out our discussion, with a few other cards making a cameo.

Decks Used: Pagan Otherworlds & Crow Tarot

Have a topic you’d like to hear up talk about? We’re always interested in hearing your suggestions! Click here to submit a topic!

If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please be sure to hit those 5 stars and write us a review on whatever platform you listen to us on. It really is a HUGE help to us and allows more people to see our podcast!

Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of Deep Resonance Sound

Contact: [email protected]

Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

Managing Expectations

The Tarot Diagnosis

11/27/22 • 39 min

This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, we explore the expansive landscape of Managing Expectations. We begin this journey with the Three of Swords and the Page of Cups - an unlikely pairing, but one that really captures the topic and all of its rocky terrain, the potential for joy, and for heartbreak.

We talk about the spaces in between, and how to engage with our expectations more thoughtfully. From expectations for self, for family, for partners, careers, and yes, even the holidays - we leave no stone unturned.

And speaking of expectations, we know that you’ve come to look forward to a new episode of The Tarot Diagnosis nearly every Sunday. We wanted to let you know that for the first time in nearly two years, we are going to go on a short hiatus in the month of December. We both need a little time to recuperate and to plan some really exciting new things for the new year. Never fear- we’ll be back with a brand-new episode in January!

If you want to stay connected with us, be sure to follow us on Instagram or join our ever-growing community The Symposium!

Small note: Luna’s audio in this episode didn’t record properly and is of lesser quality than normal. Our apologies for this minor aggravation.

Decks Used: Tarot Vintage & Tarot of the Abyss

Have a topic you’d like to hear up talk about? We’re always interested in hearing your suggestions! Click here to submit a topic!

Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of Deep Resonance Sound

Contact: [email protected]

Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

Taming the Inner Critic

The Tarot Diagnosis

01/15/23 • 38 min

This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, we decided to do a few rounds with an adversary we all know in Taming the Inner Critic. We all have a critic’s voice in our head - and some of us have multiple critic’s voices. A quick Google search will offer some quick advice about how to quiet this voice, but we wanted to go a step farther and move beyond “symptom management” and really dive deep into how to better understand and ultimately tame, gain mastery over, and even embrace these voices.

We went through a ton of cards in this episode, including all the Sevens, a deep dive into the King of Swords, and gain some new perspectives on both Justice and Three of Wands. We both walk away with some new ideas and ways to look at both the cards and our own inner critics.

Decks Used: Scorpio Sea Tarot & Pamela Coleman Smith's Playing Card Deck

Have a topic you’d like to hear up talk about? We’re always interested in hearing your suggestions! Click here to submit a topic!

Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of Deep Resonance Sound

Contact: [email protected]

Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

The Golden Shadow

The Tarot Diagnosis

06/30/24 • 32 min

This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I’m pulling cards to the concept of the golden shadow, a lesser-known aspect of Carl Jung’s theory of the shadow. While the idea of the shadow and shadow work is well-known and often discussed in the realms of tarot and psychology, the golden shadow highlights the positive traits and potentials we might have repressed or ignored.

Throughout this episode, I pull the Page of Swords as an example of golden shadow work, highlighting how curiosity may be repressed due to negative feedback in childhood. The Magician as representing resourcefulness and the potential within. The Seven of Swords highlighting strategy, resourcefulness, and self-assertion.

Follow along as I create a “Golden Shadow” spread on the spot and analyze the cards I pull!

Queen of Swords: Unacknowledged potential.

Ace of Cups: An obstacle preventing the embrace of this potential.

The Emperor: Steps to reclaim and integrate this hidden strength.

If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please be sure to hit those 5 stars and write us a review on whatever platform you listen to us on. It really is a HUGE help to us and allows more people to see our podcast!

Have a topic you’d like to hear about? We’re always interested in hearing your suggestions!⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to submit a topic!

Follow The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Contact: [email protected]

Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

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