Is tarot reading the new therapy? The answer might surprise you
Tarot readers and psychics feel like characters straight out of a fairytale, conjuring up images of witches scheming on the edge of town and foggy reflections in a crystal ball. No wonder the topic of tarot is often met with a heavy eye roll.
But the tide is turning – today, more people are seeking out the mystic for direction than ever before. In fact, over 30% of Americans say they consult horoscopes, tarot cards or fortune tellers at least once a year. And with the rise of TikTok psychics and digital tarot readings, new-age spirituality is looking less ‘Bewitched’ and more ‘Social Network’. On TikTok alone #tarot has racked up over 177 billion views, and #psychic has passed 16 billion.
While it’s easy to dismiss tarot as wacky pseudoscience, experts suggest there may be real value in the practice. So, is it all smoke and mirrors? Or could letting a psychic take the wheel help you manifest your dream life?
Why we turn to tarot
Research shows that people are more likely to turn to tarot during times of uncertainty. Unsurprisingly, demand surged during the pandemic, when traditional forms of support seemed out of reach. Tarot readers and psychics often feel more approachable than academics or therapists, offering a blend of spiritual insight and emotional support.
Rather than prophecy, modern tarot has evolved into a form of self-help. A 2018 in-depth study frames it as a ‘nuanced cultural practice’ that mirrors the aims of psychotherapy. Through what the study called ‘complex cognition’ and ‘playful creativity’, tarot readings provide emotional validation rather than definitive answers.
Eloise Skinner is a qualified psychotherapist as well as a certified tarot reader, and although she believes they are entirely distinct disciplines, she says they can both be incredibly helpful guides for self-development: ‘When used in a way that resonates with the individual, (tarot allows) them to use readings to dive deeper into a personal challenge, or explore issues that resonate with them.’
Instead of promising a fixed future, tarot works as a narrative tool for self-reflection and clarity. In a 2025 essay, researcher Yui Kwong Au-Yeung described tarot as a ‘mirror’, rather than a ‘crystal ball,’ arguing that by engaging with its symbolic imagery, readers can clarify emotions, build self-awareness and uncover meaning – particularly in difficult times.
A brief history of tarot
Tarot cards didn’t begin as a mystical practice but as a fun parlour game. The earliest known tarot decks appeared in northern Italy around 1440, using the suit symbols of Cups, Swords, Batons, and Coins. While some rumours trace the cards’ roots back to ancient India, Egypt, China or Korea, historians agree that their exact origins remain elusive.
A tarot deck consists of 78 cards, divided into:
- 22 ‘Major Acana’ (archetypal symbols like the Emperor, the Devil and the Star)
- 56 ‘Minor Acana’, similar to traditional playing card suits
By the late 18th century tarot had been adopted by oculists and fortune-tellers, who used their evocative imagery as symbols for deep emotions and spiritual concepts. And in 1861, French oculist Eliphas Levi cemented tarot’s reputation as a serious esoteric practice through his book ‘Dogma et Rituel de la haute magie’.
Intuition, not prophecy
A tarot reading isn’t about predicting a fixed future, it helps you reflect on your past, clarify your present and sketch out your next move.
According to Joanne Jones, founder of Trusted Psychics, the real power lies in intuition: ‘Intuition is something most people have experienced, usually as those gut feelings that come out of nowhere, the sense that something’s off.
‘A psychic’s intuition works in a similar way, but it tends to be more developed or fine-tuned. It’s not supernatural, but a heightened awareness of emotional patterns and subtle cues that many people miss or brush off.’
To leading medium TJ Higgs, tarot readings are about helping people reconnect with themselves: ‘The word psychic comes from psyche — the soul. It is rooted in the soul’s natural awareness and our ability to connect with deeper layers of consciousness. It isn’t about “special powers,” but about listening deeply and translating that soul-level awareness into language people can understand.’
The psychology behind tarot
At its core, tarot is storytelling. A classic three card spread maps out your past, present and future – essentially reframing your life as a narrative. According to psychologists, this is effective because humans naturally make sense of life through story.
Clinical Psychologist Dr. Daniel Glazer says tarot can also tap into the subconscious: ‘It helps transform thoughts and feelings that might otherwise stay below the surface. Turning to tarot or psychic readings can feel like a way to establish some sense of control over life’s chaos. Sometimes just seeing things laid out in a new way can provide fresh perspective and help someone think differently about a challenge.’
Why do tarot readings often feel eerily accurate? Partly due to confirmation bias – our tendency to notice details that fit with our expectations while overlooking what doesn’t. Renowned Swiss psychologist Carl Jung also offered an explanation for tarot’s pull through his theory of synchronicity – the idea that seemingly random coincidences can carry meaning.
Tarot’s imagery, rich with figures like Death, The Lovers, or The Fool, connects directly with Jung’s ideas on archetypes and the collective unconscious – symbols that transcend cultures and speak to our shared human experience. These archetypes represent both the ‘light’ and ‘shadow’ parts of our psyche, offering a way to explore hidden emotions and confront repressed aspects of the self.
For Jung, practices like astrology and tarot weren’t literal predictions of the future, but symbolic mirrors of the psyche – a tool for reflection, insight and personal growth.
Are tarot readers the new life coach?
No longer hidden in dark corners, tarot readings and psychics are becoming a mainstream form of self-help, leading many celebrities to have their spirit guide on speed dial.
‘Tarot introduces a symbolic structure, which most find inspiring and motivating,’ says Echo, a professional tarot reader at Tarotap. ‘It’s not a substitute for therapy or professional counselling but can co-exist with coaching as a tool of self-evolvement.’
Jones agrees, explaining that many clients seek readings during big life transitions like after breakups, career changes or relocations.
‘The most powerful readings aren’t about “what’s going to happen”, they’re more about asking: what do I need to understand right now so I can move forward? In that way, a psychic can act as an intuitive guide, or someone who offers space for reflection and helps you see what your next step could be.’
‘At its best, it offers emotional clarity, perspective, and a sense of direction, which can be exactly what someone needs during a turning point in their life.’
Embracing the psychic
As a trusted psychic medium, Jones has carried out many intuitive readings. She recounts the story of one client navigating a divorce, unable to make sense of her future. During the reading, one card – the star, a symbol of healing – led her to remember a forgotten passion for interior design.
‘That moment shifted things for her. The focus wasn’t on whether she’d “be okay”, but how she might rebuild in a way that felt truer to who she was going forward.
‘She didn’t need answers, just someone to help her see what she already knew. That’s where psychic insight, at its best, really shines. It doesn’t invent a future but reconnects you with the one you might’ve forgotten you wanted.’
The dangers of tarot
Despite its emotional benefits, tarot can be risky when misused, especially when seen as a substitute for professional support.
‘The interpretive nature of readings makes them vulnerable to bias and suggestion,’ warns Brian Lutz, a licensed therapist at Blume Behavioral Health. ‘People may hear what they hope to hear or what they fear most. That can lead to confusion, delay in getting help, or choices that create new stress.’
Lutz suggests people establish safe boundaries around their relationship with tarot: ‘Here are simple guardrails. Do not make financial, medical, or relationship decisions based on a reading. If intense symptoms are present, such as persistent low mood, loss of interest, panic attacks, unsafe substance use, or thoughts of self-harm, seek professional help right away.
‘Tarot can be a conversation starter with oneself or with a trusted person, but it should not be used as a substitute for professional treatment when serious concerns arise.’
The risks and rewards of tarot
In the age of social media, live tarot readings can miraculously appear on our feeds like divine intervention – blurring the line between intuition and algorithm. This can open the door to psychic scam artists, who prey on hopefuls looking for a sign when they’re most vulnerable.
Jones says the emotional impact of scam psychics can be serious: ‘I’ve worked with clients who were made to feel dependent, frightened, or convinced that something terrible would happen if they didn’t keep paying. That’s not true guidance, but coercion and manipulation moonlighting as something it's not.’
By contrast, legitimate readers aim to encourage self-reflection, rather than assert control. Done responsibly, a tarot session can feel empowering, helping people to pause, process, and regain a sense of autonomy. However, this openness to guidance also creates ideal conditions for the placebo effect – but that doesn’t necessarily discredit the practice.
‘Anything that causes people to stop, think, and consider their own needs or life direction has real psychological value’ says Dr Glazer, ‘If it gives someone clarity or encourages them to take a constructive step forward, then that might not be a bad thing. Even though it is by no means a replacement for professional coaching or therapy.’
Blending storytelling, psychotherapy and spirituality, tarot can serve as a compass for self-discovery. Rather than telling us our fate, it allows us to tune into our own desires and take control of our future.
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