The Tarot Diagnosis

Shannon Knight
  • 4.9 (135)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
The Tarot Diagnosis

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.

  1. 4D AGO

    The Shadow Spiral of the Swords: A Tarot Journey from the Five to Ten of Swords

    This week on The Tarot Diagnosis, I had every intention of doing a neat little compare-and-contrast between the Five and Seven of Swords. But in true Swords fashion, what began as a tidy intellectual exploration turned into something much more raw, spiraling, and unexpectedly revealing. In this episode, I invite you into a descent through the second half of the Suit of Swords: from the Five through the Ten. What emerges is a psychological narrative about the cost of self-protection, the seduction of avoidance, and the long-term consequences of abandoning ourself. We begin at the Five of Swords with its hollow victories and relational fallout, and journey through the Six’s dissociative escape fantasies, the self-deception and silent bleeding of the Seven, the imprisonment of the Eight, and the mental reckoning of the Nine. Finally, we arrive at the Ten of Swords, which proves it’s not only a card of collapse, but one of catharsis and clarity. There’s a throughline here about the ways we try to outrun pain and how we carry our wounds into new landscapes, call avoidance healing, and sometimes end up wounding ourselves in an attempt to feel safe. But there’s also a glimmer of hope because in the darkest point of our sword's spiral, we can meet our truth, and maybe, forge a new path. So grab your deck, pull out the Five through Ten of Swords, and join me for this reflective and emotionally potent archetypal journey. Deck referenced: Dreamkeeper’s Tarot Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠!   If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This helps more people discover the show and is a great way to support my work 3 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 The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

    24 min

  2. JUN 30

    The Abandoned Archetype as the Golden Shadow

    This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I’m unpacking the emotional aftermath of the Summer Solstice Summit and diving deep into one of the most powerful psychological and tarot-based concepts I explored there - the Golden Shadow, which I expand on as a type of abandoned archetype. I begin by reflecting on the special magick that unfolded during the Summer Solstice Summit and how a weekend meant for learning and connection blossomed into something collectively sacred and transformative. From heartfelt comments in the chat box, to “aha!” moments during presentations, it became clear that this space wasn’t just about tarot, it was about holding space for each other and ourselves. ***Skip to 9:57 to avoid hearing me gush about the Summer Solstice Summit.*** That leads into the theme of this episode: the golden shadow as the abandoned archetype. Using both therapeutic insight and Jungian psychology, I examine how the golden shadow holds our disowned potential… all of that creativity, boldness, and joy that have been buried under years of social conditioning and shame. I draw from Robert Bly’s “bag of shadows” as a metaphor and infuse some developmental psychology, as I reflect on how our shadow forms across the lifespan. Plus, you get to hear me talk about how the Tower is one hell of an epic, abandoned archetypal golden shadow. Tune in to hear my thoughts on how this often feared card is actually beautiful and admirable. In this episode, I also walk you through a tarot spread to help you meet your own golden shadow and discover your abandoned archetype. Through three card pulls, we explore how to identify repressed potential, recognize what’s blocking it, and find ways to integrate it back into our life. I end up pulling the Magician, Six of Wands, and the World. Whether you attended the summit or are just tuning in, I hope this conversation invites you to look at your shadow not only as a place of wounds, but as a container of all of your endless potential and authenticity! Deck used: Pamela Coleman Smith’s Playing Card Deck Tarot Spread from the Episode: The unacknowledged potential of an abandoned archetype An obstacle preventing me from embracing this potential A way I can reclaim and integrate this hidden potential into my life  🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform or YouTube!   Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠!   If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This helps more people discover the show and is a great way to support my work 3 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 The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

    32 min

  3. JUN 15

    Judgement & Justice Demystified: A Therapeutic Tarot Breakdown

    This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I’m diving into the nuanced and often-confused archetypes of Judgment and Justice (especially for newer readers). Plus, these are two major arcana cards that are especially relevant given the state of the world. Fun fact: this episode was inspired by a listener request, and I went full nerd-mode by pulling out lots of books I thought had unique perspectives on these archetypes in order to dig into these cards from psychological, therapeutic, and archetypal lenses. After a brief life update about my recent trip back to Florida, I shift gears into the cards. Using frameworks like Internal Family Systems (IFS), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Jungian psychology, I explore how Justice and Judgement invite us into a deeper state of reckoning with both awareness and action. I discuss how Judgment functions as an inner awakening, a self-led moment of reflection, integration, and individuation. It’s less about condemnation and more about liberation, calling us to rise above our limitations. On the other hand, Justice shows up as the embodiment of accountability, action, and agency, while encouraging us to take what we’ve learned and apply it with wise decision-making. I also pull a couple of cards live to help me explore how these archetypes are similar and different. And what shows up? The Emperor and Queen of Pentacles. The result is a thoughtful (and real-time) interpretation that I hope inspires you to engage your own deck as a thinking tool. Further Reading: Tarot for Change by Jessica Dore Tarot for Life by Paul Quinn 78 Acts of Liberation by Lane Smith Radical Tarot by Charlie Claire Burgess Tarot as a Way of Life by Karen Hamaker-Zondag Tarot for the Hard Work by Maria Minnis Holistic Tarot by Benebel Wen  🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform or YouTube!   Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠!   If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This helps more people discover the show and is a great way to support my work 3 Don't forget to subscribe to the 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 The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

    29 min

  4. JUN 1

    The Truth Behind the Two of Cups

    This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I’m sitting down with the Two of Cups, but not in the romanticized way we often think about with this card. Sure, this card speaks to connection, mutual care, and being seen, but in this episode, I’m more interested in what is hiding underneath all that sweet relational imagery. Inspired by a lively (and opinionated!) book club discussion inside The Symposium, I revisit Jessica Dore’s take in Tarot for Change, where she explores the Two of Cups as a mirror - one that reflects not just the other person, but all of our unconscious projections, unmet needs, and early attachment wiring. Spoiler alert: we had a lot to say about her interpretation. I also spend time honoring Paul Quinn’s more relational lens from Tarot for Life, and some attachment theory to explore how this card hits differently when you're someone with a dismissive-avoidant style. We talk about the storylines we pick, as Esther Perel says, when we pick a partner - and how intimacy can feel like a high-stakes negotiation when we’re secretly wondering if our cup will be too heavy for someone else to hold. There’s a big through-line in this discussion around how intimacy and autonomy often feel like opposing forces, but they don’t have to be. Eventually, I explore the Devil and Temperance cards (because of course I do) as well as ALL of the cups as a progression of this dynamic. And we end with a beautiful appearance from the Page of Cups, who offers us a gentle reminder that curiosity can be the antidote to defensiveness. This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt the ache of wanting to be close to someone, but fearing what it might cost them. We talk childhood attachment wounds, projections, survival strategies, and how tarot can be a tool for navigating all of it…with softness, insight, and just the right amount of therapeutic nerdiness. Books referenced: Tarot for Change by Jessica Dore Tarot for Life by Paul Quinn Esther Perel Join me in unpacking what it really means to offer your cup, and what it takes to believe someone might actually want to hold it. 🌙 Stay Connected With Me: 💌 Follow me on Instagram: @thetarotdiagnosis 🧠 Sign up for my newsletter at thetarotdiagnosis.com 👥 Join The Symposium — my tarot & psychology membership community If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is a super easy and FREE way to support my work. Plus, it helps more people discover the podcast. I appreciate you all so much! Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

    36 min

  5. MAY 18

    Lazy or Liberated? The Four of Swords & Eight of Pentacles go to Therapy

    This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I invite you to step away from your Eight of Pentacles bench of productivity and join me on the stone slab with the Four of Swords - a card I kept circling back to while creating a workshop on the architecture of stability. After pulling the Eight of Pentacles (yet again) I realized this card that’s been following me around for two months now was in desperate need for a session on the couch. So, I paired these two cards and asked: Why does pressing pause feel so threatening? And what happens when relentless mastery meets restorative stillness? I also brought the Eight of Wands into the mix because I know we have all experienced a sense of urgency when it comes to creating, checking off a to-do list, or simply just by existing. In this episode I touch on: Why rest feels unsafe. First we look at the knight in the Four of Swords with three blades suspended overhead and one tucked beneath him. I talk about how many of us lie down “at the ready,” never fully releasing vigilance. Polyvagal Theory helps us name that jumpy nervous-system state and identify the ventral vagal calm we’re craving. How hustle culture rewires worth. Drawing on Juliet Schor’s research and Devon Price’s Laziness Does Not Exist, we trace the way late-stage capitalism elevates exhaustion to a status symbol, turning the Eight of Pentacles into a bit of a warning sign. The shame spiral of speed. Brené Brown’s work on perfectionism meets the Eight of Wands, highlighting our belief that value = how much we accomplish and how fast we deliver. Spoiler: that metric is unsustainable. A values check-in. I share a quick exercise I use with clients comparing an “ideal day” with a so-called “lazy day” to expose how easily we mislabel restoration as failure. Practical invitations. From booking bodywork to choosing a new setting (nature, a quiet room, etc.), I offer ways to step outside the urgent grind and let your nervous system soften into safety. The takeaway: the Four of Swords isn’t laziness; it’s necessary maintenance. And until our Eight of Pentacles selves learn to lay down the hammer (even briefly) true stability will stay out of reach. Reference material and further reading: Devon Price, PhD — Laziness Does Not ExistBook page (Simon & Schuster): https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Laziness-Does-Not-Exist/Devon-Price/9781797120591 Simon & SchusterAuthor hub / articles: https://devonprice.medium.com/ Medium Juliet Schor, PhD — The Overworked AmericanBook page (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/Overworked-American-Juliet-Schor/dp/046505434X AmazonFaculty bio (Boston College): https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/morrissey/departments/sociology/people/faculty-directory/juliet-schor.html Boston College Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW — The Gifts of ImperfectionBook page: https://brenebrown.com/book/the-gifts-of-imperfection/ Brené BrownOfficial site: https://brenebrown.com Stephen W. Porges, PhD — The Polyvagal Theory Book page (W.W. Norton): https://www.amazon.com/Polyvagal-Theory-Neurophysiological-Communication-Self-regulation/dp/0393707008 Amazon Official site: https://www.stephenporges.com/  🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform or YouTube!   Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠!   If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This helps more people discover the show and is a great way to support my work 3 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 The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

    27 min

  6. MAY 4

    Architecture of Stability: Tarot and Financial Wellness with Mimi Cirbusova

    This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I have a timely and tender conversation with my friend and favorite financial educator Mimi Cirbusova to explore what it means to find stability when the world feels like it’s crumbling. Whether it’s rising rent, global uncertainty, or emotional exhaustion, we’re all navigating something right now. This episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and reimagine what stability looks like for you. Mimi walks us through her Money Mountain framework, and together we explore how tarot (especially the Fours) can help us ground ourselves, soften financial shame, and build emotional resilience in real, accessible ways. ✨ In This Conversation, We Explore: Why “stability” looks different than it used to and how to meet yourself where you are How the nervous system and financial anxiety are deeply connected The symbolic (and somatic) energy of the Four of Swords The tension between the Four of Pentacles and Four of Wands (survival vs. joy) Reframing saving, spending, and celebrating through a trauma-informed lens How tarot can soothe money shame and create space for gentler decision-making Why community is essential for both emotional and financial well-being 🔮 Cards We Explore Together: Four of Swords Four of Pentacles Four of Wands Four of Cups King of Wands Two of Pentacles The Tower, The Star, The Sun, and the Wheel of Fortune 🧘 Final Reflections: If you're feeling the weight of the world, I hope this episode reminds you that you’re not alone. Stability isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about giving yourself permission to rest, connect, and redefine what support means for you today. Let’s pull some cards, take a breath, and remember that we don’t have to do this alone. 💡 More from Mimi: 🎧 Listen to the Meadow Sweet Money podcast 🌐 Visit meadowsweetmoney.com 📰 Subscribe to her Substack for new + full moon reflections 💞 Join her Patreon for tarot-infused financial accountability 🌙 Stay Connected With Me: 💌 Follow me on Instagram: @thetarotdiagnosis 🧠 Sign up for my newsletter at thetarotdiagnosis.com 👥 Join The Symposium — my tarot & psychology membership community If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is a super easy and FREE way to support my work. Plus, it helps more people discover the podcast. I appreciate you all so much! Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

    48 min

  7. APR 27

    Damocles: A Jungian-Tarot Psychoanalysis of Sleep Token

    This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I’m stepping back into my music-journalist roots (yes, I share a tidbit of my personal lore in this episode haha) and I’m leaning hard on my therapist brain to do something I’ve been dying to do: a Jungian-tarot psychoanalysis of Sleep Token’s new single, “Damocles.” Beyond dissecting the song itself, this episode journeys into the artist’s mind and unpacks the relentless push to outdo one’s last creation, highlighting the unique ache of making art under capitalism. In this episode, I look at how a seemingly stripped-down metal track can crack open huge psychological themes of coping with fame, creative and emotional burnout, cognitive dissonance, and the inevitable collapse of any persona. Drawing on Jung’s ideas of the Persona and Shadow, I unpack Vessel’s lyrics line by line, explore the myth of Damocles, and show how the song mirrors key tarot archetypes like The Tower, The Moon, Seven of Wands, and The Emperor (but specifically The Emperor from the Somnia Tarot with that anvil-over-the-throne vibe). Along the way, you’ll hear: Why the song’s minimal arrangement is a clever metaphor for longing to return to simplicity amid skyrocketing success How anonymity and adoration create cognitive dissonance and create emotional whiplash The inner critic’s cameo: “I know these chords are boring, but I can’t always be killing the game” A tarot-infused reading of the lyrics that reveal a map from persona collapse to individuation and integration Even if Sleep Token never hits your playlist, you’ll still love hearing a therapist psychoanalyze a song and weave its themes through universal tarot archetypes. So grab your deck, hit play on “Damocles,” and join me for a deep dive where metal meets myth and tarot meets therapy. Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠!   If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This helps more people discover the show and is a great way to support my work 3 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 The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

    29 min

  8. APR 13

    Tarot Therapy: The Psychodrama of Tarot & Witchcraft

    This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I’m continuing my monthly Tarot Therapy series by exploring a topic I’ve been wanting to discuss for ages: How tarot and witchcraft function as Psychodrama. Specifically, I explore how tarot and witchcraft can be understood and practiced through the lens of psychodrama, a powerful therapeutic method developed by Dr. Jacob Moreno. Psychodrama is essentially theater for the psyche. It’s an embodied way of working with emotion, memory, and healing through role play, creativity, and storytelling. If you’ve ever lit a candle for someone you love, pulled a tarot card that made your stomach drop, or cried while drawing a protection sigil - then you’ve already engaged in psychodrama. In this episode, I share why I believe tarot and magick aren’t just symbolic or ritualistic, but active, expressive healing tools. I talk about how tarot spreads become psyche-inspired stages, how tarot becomes characters, and how we can use these practices to externalize our inner world in ways that go beyond talk therapy. I also walk you through a guided psychodrama-inspired tarot practice using a technique called the soliloquy - a beautiful, embodied way to give voice to something you’ve been holding inside.   ✨ In this episode, I talk about: What psychodrama is and how it relates to tarot and ritual Why embodiment and symbolism matter for emotional healing How to turn your tarot spread into a living story A guided soliloquy-style tarot activity to help you release what’s been unspoken   Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠!   If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This helps more people discover the show and is a great way to support my work 3 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 The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

    23 min
See All (168)

4.9
out of 5
135 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Shannon Knight
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    168
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Shannon Knight
  • Show Website
    The Tarot Diagnosis

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada