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Astrology in the Counseling Session

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A person’s natal astrology chart provides a cornucopia of information that can be aptly applied to coaching and therapy sessions. The chart may provide a type of roadmap of the personality that can suggest pertinent conversations and direction for a productive session.

During the intake interview, an Ephemeris is consulted to quickly access the natal astrological chart information. The Ephemeris is a book, providing a compilation of astrological data concerning each day for the entire year, decade, or century.

Although there are no claims to absolute, unfailing accuracy, from a person’s astrological chart one might discover the following tendencies:

• Basic personality

• Communication styles

• Learning and thought processing

• Approach to values, finances, money and spending

• Favored subjects of interest

• Career choice and direction

• Relationships with mother and father

• Emotional make-up and reactions

• Compatibility with others

• Spirituality leanings

When working with hypnotherapy clients, it has been quite helpful to look at their charts. You may want to focus on the five planets closest to Earth. Their abbreviated meanings are as follows:

• Sun – Will, ego, drive, willpower, ambition, constitution. Sun, together with Mars, may give indications of the relationship the client has with their father, or with the husband in a woman’s chart.

• Moon – Emotions, subconscious, dreams, imagination, sensitivity, inner personality, romantic tendencies, addictions, cycles. The Moon, together with Venus, may indicate the relationship the client has with their mother, or with the wife in a man’s chart.

• Mercury – Communication, thinking processes, expression, approach to learning, memory skills, creativity, susceptibility to trance, approach to structure.

• Venus – Values, handling of finances, appreciation of art and beauty, spiritual and religious tendencies, vanity, capacity for love. A man’s ideal of a woman, and his views of his own ‘feminine’ side. A woman’s view of her feminine attributes

• Mars – Energy, drive, aggressiveness, career choices, sex drive, action. A woman’s ideal of a man, and her views of her own ‘masculine’ side. A man’s view of his masculinity.

Five Planets in Twelve Signs These serve as guidelines only and need to be considered in conjunction with other data.

Aries – Fire. Ruled by Mars. March 21 – April 19 Leader, risk-taker, energetic, courageous, aggressive, extrovert, egocentric, impetuous. They learn by trial and error. Optimistic, sunny personality, strong attraction to challenge and danger. Impatient, don’t think before acting or speaking. Willing to explore new methods and means, as long as it appears to be an adventure. May visit your office seeking help with direction, focus, follow-through, sports performance, or anger issues. Imaginative, eager, uninhibited, possibly immature, and will want to get to the point.

Moon in Aries – Thrill seeker, fearless, impetuous, flit from one interest to another. They will be aggressive with the opposite sex as well as passionate. Their lover will need to be challenging and never dull.

Mercury in Aries – Great leadership qualities, with difficulties finishing what they start. Easily bored. To the point. Loves a challenge.

Venus in Aries – Impulsive with their money, not particularly religious, yet passionate about their beliefs and in relationships. Flirtatious. In a man’s chart, he will be attracted to athletic, courageous and challenging women.

Mars in Aries – Mars is at home here, where he can express his force and energy. Aggressive at work, may choose career in military, police or anywhere there is risk and action. Athletic. Quick temper, yet equally quick to forget it and move on. In a woman’s chart, they will be attracted to men who are heroes, leaders, optimistic, and exciting.

Taurus – Earth. Ruled by Venus. April 20 – May 20 Steadfast, loyal, stubborn, possessive, values-oriented, and patient. Demand quality in exchange for hard-earned money. Sensuous, with artistic taste and abilities. Introverted, quietly intense and materialistic. Their energy feels solid, immovable. Often stuck in a rut, or unable to see new possibilities. Will likely be more kinesthetic than visual.

Moon in Taurus – Faithful, romantic, artistic. They take their time giving their friendship or love, and when they do, it is forever. Can be obstinate and possessive. May present difficulties in handling change or a break up of a relationship.

Mercury in Taurus – Slower to learn new subjects, yet have remarkable retention. Learn best by doing and feeling. Stubborn. May seek assistance in expanding their horizons and seeing new possibilities. Possible depression.

Venus in Taurus – Venus is at home here where she can express her sensuous and artistic nature. Deeply romantic, loves art and the finer things in life. Self-indulgent, materialistic. In a man’s chart, he will desire beautiful, elegant and calm women.

Mars in Taurus – Stubborn, hard-working, practical. May choose careers in labor or finance, and possibly get stuck in a rut or unwanted situation. Smoldering, sustained anger when aroused. In a woman’s chart, she will be attracted to a romantic man, who is steadfast and capable of providing financial security.

Gemini – Air. Ruled by Mercury. May 21 – June 20 Excitable, energetic, clever, witty. Change their mind, or avoid decisions because they want it all. Quick mental activity, which can send them spinning. Trouble sitting still and may panic if told to relax. Let them fidget while going into trance. Geminis may be visual and auditory. They are natural candidates for Parts Therapy! Talkative.. You may have to control the intake session or you may never get them into trance.

Moon in Gemini – Indecisive, intellectualize their emotions. They want it all, and may have many different love affairs. Can be superficial, not having patience to go deeper. They come to you for help in figuring out what they want in life.

Mercury in Gemini – Mercury is at home in Gemini, where it can express its mental activity through communication and writing. Talkative, quick-witted, humorous, and excels at trivia. Motivated by curiosity. They may seek relief from inner confusion and indecisiveness. Quick reactions and mentally versatile. May be ambidextrous.

Venus in Gemini – Restless and fickle. Enjoy music, reading and writing. Many purchases are returned to the store, or kept in disinterest or unused. May dabble in many philosophies or religions. May need help with loyalty, follow through or development of sensitivity and romance. In a man’s chart, he will enjoy many different kinds of women, or needs to find one that is mysterious and changeable enough to keep his interest.

Mars in Gemini – Active, nervous, quick responses. Forever youthful. Shows manual dexterity, and prefers careers which offer a variety of tasks, and intellectual stimulation. May become a reporter, writer or work with children. In a woman’s chart, she will enjoy men who are intellectual, witty, humorous and active.

Cancer – Water. Ruled by Moon. June 21- July 22 Maternal, nurturing, domestic, introverted, homebodies. Dislike change or moving from their residence. Moody, dreamy, intuitive, and sensitive. Caretakers and enablers. Hard to penetrate their protective shells. Vulnerable, easily hurt, and have great capacity for empathy and compassion. Lean towards either visual or kinesthetic – or both. Great imaginations – which can also be turned against themselves in fear, guilt, and worry. They have tremendous memories – again, for better or worse. Feed them when grumpy!

Moon in Cancer – The Moon is at home here, enjoying this emotional, dreamy locale. Psychic, moody, emotionally vulnerable. They are hard to get to know, as they will not let people get close until they prove they will not hurt them. Then they may smother them with affection and attention. Family ties are important. May have eating disorders.

Mercury in Cancer – Excellent memory, good at history. Love to collect and may be a hoarder, or keep cluttered spaces. Sentimental, they are attached to home and objects. Detest change or moving. May need help letting go, or with depression.

Venus in Cancer – Collector, possessive, fear of loss. They have difficulty letting go or moving on. Seek relationships and situations that offer security. Intuitive. In a man’s chart, he will be attracted to someone that is maternal, domestic, and unpretentious, or reminds him of his mother.

Mars in Cancer – Tenacious, domestic, insecure. Prefers working from home or in an industry related to housing, real estate, and interior design. Needs a push to make career changes. In a woman’s chart, there is attraction to a man providing mental, emotional and financial security.

Leo – Fire. Ruled by Sun. July 23 – August 22 Creative, dramatic and willful. The Sun luxuriates in Leo, radiating its full glory. Generous, boisterous, love center stage. Ambitious with an element of laziness. Love to dominate, control, and can’t imagine not getting their way. Natural talent magnetizing people to them, getting the attention they crave. Fun loving, enjoys humor and the finer things in life. Problems with self-esteem issues or when under-appreciated or disrespected. Very visual and imaginative.

Moon in Leo – Generous, loyal, and egotistic. They love falling in love, and will be demonstrative, romantic, and dramatic. Status conscious and snobbish. Issues of rejection, disloyalty or abandonment.

Mercury in Leo – Conceited, egotistic, creative, and imaginative. May have grand schemes and be overly optimistic. Frequently exhibit an attitude of superiority or a need to have mental domination. May need assistance in learning to play well with others.

Venus in Leo – Ostentatious, dramatic, flirtatious, and expressive. Can be very generous and demonstrative of affections. Loves luxury and expensive or showy accessories. In a man’s chart, he will want the most popular woman, a glamorous arm piece, or a woman who is ‘high maintenance’.

Mars in Leo – Natural leader, tending towards domination. Self-confident, possible gamblers. Prone to temper tantrums that will appear childish in an adult. Prefer being the boss in any career choice. Possibly self-employed, or engaged in work with children. In a woman’s chart, she will want the most popular man, and yet be loyal, generous and playful.

Virgo – Earth. Ruled by Mercury. August 23 – September 22 Analytical, rational, practical, and critical. Good workers, caretakers, and pay great attention to detail. Champion of hygiene, and have scrupulous morals. May need treatment for obsessive/compulsive behaviors, insomnia, anxiety, and worry, with some tendency towards hypochondria. They will want to elaborate on the details of their conditions, meticulously quoting resources and doctors’ findings. Hyper vigilant, and possibly challenging to put into trance. Try separating the ‘part’ that is analytical. Give it the job of observing, while the rest of the client experiences the session. Promise the ‘analytical imp’ that its valuable observations will be requested at the end of the session.

Moon in Virgo – Caretaker, worrier, analyzes their emotions. Will want to know exactly where they are with their partner, labeling and analyzing every event or word. They will be dedicated and reliable. Have the opportunity for considerable personal growth, as they will take responsibility for things that go wrong. May need assistance with self-blame and guilt.

Mercury in Virgo – Mercury is happy in Virgo, where it can turn its mental activity into practical application. Analytical, with attention to detail. May complain of insomnia due to worry and a racing mind covering details that may be forgotten by morning. Anxiety and sexual dysfunction issues may surface during a session.

Venus in Virgo – Frequently disappointed when others don’t demand the same high standards that they expect of themselves and others. Will examine every detail of an item before purchasing. Very good taste in clothing, art, and decorating. A need for cleanliness and hygiene may turn to hypochondria, compulsive behavior, or phobia. Keeps meticulous financial records. May have phobia issues, or sexual dysfunction. In a man’s chart, he will be attracted to purity and innocence, as well as a slender, conservative appearance.

Mars in Virgo – Prefers employment involving details. May be an accountant, banker, or medical personnel. Honest, and worried about pleasing others. Takes responsibilities seriously. May seek help with anxiety, nervousness and obsessions. In a woman’s chart, she will be very fussy about her suitors, demanding the highest standards in all details, from looks to mannerisms. She may become overly critical within a long-term relationship.

Libra – Air. Ruled by Venus. September 23 – October 22 Balance, fairness, kindness, partnerships. Relationships are vital to their well being, feeling unbalanced and single-minded in their quest, until they have found their other half. Like to be liked, and have a good sense for creating pleasantries in their environment and within relationships. They enjoy cultural activities and romance. Librans will be well groomed and act appropriately. Going out of their way to not offend, they typically center on relationship issues, and feelings of being under-appreciated and over-extended.

Moon in Libra – Romantic, artistic, even-tempered. They want emotional stability – no roller coaster relationships for them. Can be self-indulgent, and manipulative. May seek help in dealing with emotional turbulence.

Mercury in Libra – Fair, tactful, indecisive, artistic. Good mediation skills. Artistic, poetic, kind. Indecision may lead to missed opportunities and mental paralysis. Try Parts Therapy.

Venus in Libra – Venus enjoys its home in Libra, expressing taste and culture. Sense of beauty and balance. Refined, enjoys cultural affairs. May choose a career in decorating, design, personal grooming, or art. Needs affection. Will choose a religious affiliation based on that of their family of origin, their partner’s, or the community acceptance. May be unable to make a large purchase due to fretting over the pros and cons. Work to enhance their creative visualization, and strengthen their self-esteem to overcome co-dependency. In a man’s chart, his preferred mate will be beautiful, refined, elegant, and even-tempered.

Mars in Libra – Strong desire for relationships and partnerships. Good looking and mild mannered. Detests disputes. Frequently becomes a mediator even among friends and family. May take careers in artistic pursuits, cultural events, law and justice, or matchmaking and family counseling. Often paralyzed in decision-making, they may seek your assistance in choosing which path to take. In a woman’s chart, she will be driven by her need for relationship, yet only be happy with a man who is attractive, gentle, refined, and attentive.

Scorpio – Water. Ruled by Pluto. October 23 – November 21 Dynamic, intense, controlling, emotional. Loyal as long as you are on their good side. They enjoy research and are fascinated by the motives of others. Secretive, guarded, and suspicious. Watch for vindictiveness, revenge or control issues. Have a dark and lusty side to them, and can be driven by sex and money. There is an aspect of sentimentality that is only shown to their closest allies, and those people will benefit from Scorpio’s fierce protection. Scorpio clients may try to out-analyze you, and can play manipulative mind games to avoid the scariest parts of their soul-searching. Control may be more important than Truth. They may exhibit kinesthetic and psychic abilities, and they have learned to trust their gut reactions.

Moon in Scorpio – Passionate, controlling, intense. Possessive, they will demand strict faithfulness from their partner, but may justify their own extra-marital affairs. They can be tactless, suspicious, and explosively emotional, while guarding their true feelings as closely kept secrets. May need assistance in issues of rage, phobias and possible criminal contemplations.

Mercury in Scorpio – Analytical, suspicious, phobic. Has the mind of a detective or a criminal. May belittle others’ ideas, and jockey for mental domination. They trust their hunches, and analyze other people’s motives and weaknesses. May seek help for phobias, anger, trust issues and difficulties in communicating. They make great psychoanalysts.

Venus in Scorpio – Sensual, intuitive, sexual. Tastes are black and white – they love and hate with a vengeance. They will be secretive about their financial affairs, yet very astute in gaining wealth. Jealous and possessive of people and things. Can be motivated by one-upmanship. A woman may have a strong sexual appetite, and a secret ‘leather and lace’ fetish. A man with this configuration will want a sexually permissive woman, who has a dark and lusty side.

Mars in Scorpio – Ambitious, power-driven, and controlling. Very astute in financial accumulation. Beware of a vindictive nature. If they sense disloyalty, they will cut off their affections and never forgive. Strong sexual urges in a man’s chart. They may need help with passive/aggressive behaviors, anger and control issues. In a woman’s chart, she is attracted to the sexually aggressive ‘bad boy’, and may have masochistic tendencies.

Sagittarius – Fire. Ruled by Jupiter. November 22 – December 21 Philosophical, religious, spiritual, uninhibited, and hungering for knowledge and education. They consider themselves to be intellectuals, can be opinionated, and frequently speak it as they see it, without filtering their words for bluntness, sarcasm or insults. Talkative and energetic, they happily engage in mental stimulation, sports, and outings in nature. The typical “Sag” loves travel, and the universe is their playground. For these folks, rules are to be broken, and fences are to be jumped. They rebel against limitations, possessiveness, and boundaries. They may be visual and auditory. They frequently arrive in the office seeking enlightenment and self-improvement. Their partners have complaints about the lack of attentiveness, romance or commitment offered.

Moon in Sagittarius – Freedom loving, limitless, and unbounded. Impetuously jump into affairs of the heart, staying only if they are completely sure they are free to go. When the love affair is over, it is over – no sentimentality, no going back. Frequently, prefer foreigners as life partners, and will not mind a long distance relationship. May turn to mysticism, religion or philosophical pursuits, and look to a hypnotherapist for facilitating enlightenment.

Mercury in Sagittarius – The quest for knowledge makes them the perpetual student. Typically receiving high levels of education, with interests in philosophy, religion, law, and foreign affairs. Will come to your office seeking self-improvement and explorations of their inner universe.

Venus in Sagittarius – Spiritual, philosophical, independent. Learning is more important than money. Need complete freedom and have their own religion based on philosophical tenets. May seek help for prosperity issues or for a change of perspective. In a man’s chart, he will be attracted to an independent, aloof, and athletic woman.

Mars in Sagittarius – Athletic, active, highly educated. Needs to be self-employed or have a non-restricting job. Leans towards sales, marketing, teaching, publishing or law. May need help in perseverance in practical matters, or in search of their soul. In a woman’s chart, she will be attracted to a man for his philosophical nature, his independence, and his gentleness.

Capricorn – Earth. Ruled by Saturn. December 22 – January 19 Structure, schedules, order, and practicality. These individuals are responsible, serious, and mature. It is important to them that they feel they are doing the right thing, morally, as well as conforming to social expectations. Typically hard working, they take on responsibilities too early in life. Frequently, they come to the office seeking assistance in finding joy, frivolity, and escape from their self-imposed limitations. They may be analytical, kinesthetic and take a ‘prove it to me’ attitude about anything out of the ordinary. Introduce them to Reverse Metaphor as a way to stimulate their imagination. Inner child work, or soul retrieval, may help them to restore innocence, and release unnecessary responsibility and maturity.

Moon in Capricorn – Stern, serious, aloof, realistic, materialistic. May marry for societal position, and any relationships will be practical and self-serving. Look for an unusual age difference with mates. May seek help in career matters or in connecting with their emotions.

Mercury in Capricorn – Logical, practical, and serious. They look at issues unemotionally. They read practical, self-help and technical books, finding no time for novels or casual entertainment. May be concerned with status and the conventions of society. Mentally organized, preferring structure and reliable schedules. They may be willing to pay for a session if it helps them to figure out business solutions, or have other practical applications.

Venus in Capricorn – Conventional, organized, righteous. They strive to be correct and moral. Their purchases are of a practical and useful nature, streamlined and not fancy or frivolous. No lace curtains in their house! In a man’s chart, he is attracted to earthy, conservative women and his liaisons are based on usefulness and status in the community.

Mars in Capricorn – Hard working, conservative, they climb to the top of their field. They prefer their lives to be structured, with all things ordered and scheduled. May prefer work in construction, civil service, engineering, and architecture. May seek help discovering how to have fun, and how to delegate responsibility. In a woman’s chart, she is attracted to someone who can raise her social status, is mature, and will provide basic material support. Her choice of partner may have a considerable age difference, and may remind her of her father.

Aquarius – Air. Ruled by Uranus. January 20 – February 18 Unconventional, inventive, humanitarian, and aloof. They seek uniqueness, are futuristic, and rarely dwell in the past. Spontaneous, freethinking, liberated and generally a mystery to others. Can be viewed as a “know-it-all”, rebellious, and bizarre. You may find Aquarians in your office distressed over being misunderstood, or when those who would demand conventionality or mediocrity thwart their visionary goals. Their friends and relatives find them aloof, lacking emotional support, or unavailable. Visual and auditory, Aquarians may be seeking self-improvement, mind expansion, or answers to their suspicions about being abducted by aliens.

Moon in Aquarius – Intellectualize emotions, detached and independent, and have unusual liaisons. Prefer to be friends first, then lovers. May be caught up in mental or business pursuits, and forget about romance. May seek your help in areas of romance, affection and sexual issues.

Mercury in Aquarius – Scientific, mathematical, futuristic, and sometimes bizarre thoughts. Inventive mind, though sometimes quirky and kinky. Unorthodox, yet concerned with humanity and social causes. May seek help with problem solving, creative visualization and relaxation.

Venus in Aquarius – Independent and eclectic in nature and taste. May be atheistic or agnostic, and base beliefs on scientific proof or their personal, humanitarian philosophy. Socially aware and political, they support social causes. Lack in romance. May seek help sorting out moral beliefs, or for self-improvement. In a man’s chart, he is attracted to unique individuals with a mind of their own.

Mars in Aquarius – Idealistic, motivated by causes and human rights. Contrary, rebellious and argumentative. Prefer independent work, and excel at electronics, mathematics, computers, music, and advanced technology. May seek help in finding balance in life, self-discovery and releasing anger, which is masking repressed emotional issues. In a woman’s chart, they will be attracted to his intellect, zaniness and the freedoms that he allows.

Pisces – Water. Ruled by Neptune. February 19 – March 20 Dreamy, altruistic, compassionate, and idealistic. Pisceans detest conflict and confrontation, holding in their anger until they blow up, out of control. Give too much of themselves to others, and later feel neglected and abandoned when they expect something in return and don’t get it. Fond of animals and the underdog in any situation. Can be moody, co-dependent, and deluded. Alternatively, may exhibit great capacity for insight, intuition, and musical ability, being especially fond of music with a strong or sensuous beat. Visual and kinesthetic, they trust their gut reactions. Sponges for the emotions of those around them. May seek assistance in matters of addictions, co-dependency, depression, or spiritual pursuits, past life work and spirit contact.

Moon in Pisces – Sentimental, co-dependent. Look for family history of alcohol, drugs, or other forms of escapism. They often seek a partner who needs them, has a criminal record or a problem with drugs and alcohol. Psychic dreams. They are gentle and sympathetic. They may seek your assistance with worry, anxiety, guilt, escapism, addictions, and inferiority complexes.

Mercury in Pisces – Intuitive, while balancing somewhere between illusion and delusion. Easily influenced by others, gullible. Love to escape into fantasy and altered states. May see you for strengthening confidence, discernment, life direction, and spiritual connections.

Venus in Pisces – Emotional, sympathetic, and idealistic. Artistic, creative, and sensuous. Can become involved with spiritual, religious, or cult activities. Co-dependent, they may have difficult or broken relationships. Will give the shirt off their back for those less fortunate, yet fret and worry over money. In a man’s chart, he is attracted to her grace, acquiescence, and willingness to serve his goals.

Mars in Pisces – Self-sacrificing, altruistic, peaceful. Anger builds slowly and then bursts in a volcano of rage, leaving the Piscean with guilt, regret and embarrassment. It would happen less often if they were more forthright with their needs early on. They may attract secret enemies, and are prone to escapism and laziness. May work for charitable organizations, in institutions, or become involved with a religious order. They may seek a religious experience, or help with tenacity, conviction, and standing up for themselves. In a woman’s chart, she will like a man exhibiting sentimentality, sensuality, and idealistic goals.

Certainly, clients come in with a wide variety of issues. The above is only a brief, yet fascinating, observation I have made over the years. Play with the ideas outlined, observing what correlations you may encounter in your own office.

In addition to the information provided here, aspects between the planets and other astrological details will provide further considerations.

If you are ready to learn how to give valuable readings using astrology charts, check out Interpretive Astrology for Coaches, Counselors, and Lovers.