What is Tarotpy?

Pioneered in 1983 by Lauren Z. Schneider, M.F.T., Tarotpy® integrates psychotherapy - including hypnotherapy, Depth Psychology, Systemic Therapy, Eco-therapy, and dreamwork - with the rich symbolic imagery of Tarot, Dream Cards, Soul Cards, and other archetypal images.

Psychotherapy is by definition the healing of Soul. However, Soul is often left out of the therapy process. Integrating psychotherapy and tarot, Tarotpy is about listening to the deeper wisdom of the Soul.

Profound Results

Image is the language of the unconscious. Tarotpy uses this directly — approaching each image without preconceived meaning, present to the story it's already telling about who we are and what we need. These aren't random outcomes; they're the result of intentional engagement with the unconscious, bypassing ego defenses to reach deeper truths. The shifts that follow can be immediate — sometimes reducing months or years of work to just a few sessions.

Abstract artwork featuring a woman's face with a moon and stars in the background, two bottles, and various objects including paper and possible food items.
Abstract artwork featuring a woman's face with a moon and stars in the background, two bottles, and various objects including paper and possible food items.

"M" randomly selected a tarot deck, then chose a card to represent her central conflict. It turned out to be a "moon" card, which is common in every deck. But, this card was different; instead of being flanked by castles, the moon was flanked by wine bottles. When I asked, "Is there a drinking problem in your family," she dissolved in tears. Her husband had died of alcoholism and her two sons were both alcoholics. Already, we were confronting a problem she had spent years avoiding.

A tarot card titled "The Chariot" depicting a Formula 1 race car, a racing helmet with "Chariot" and "WAGEN" written on it, Roman numerals XII and X, and cosmic background elements.
A tarot card titled "The Chariot" depicting a Formula 1 race car, a racing helmet with "Chariot" and "WAGEN" written on it, Roman numerals XII and X, and cosmic background elements.

Sarah randomly selected two cards: the “Chariot,” which in this deck was illustrated as an oversized helmeted head looming over a race car. She assigned this position to represent “health.” The other card, which she designated to represent “guidance," was the “Death" card. The imagery--a head that seemed disconnected from the body, and the issue of “death” prompted Sarah to more deeply explore buried concerns about serious health issues and mortality. A combination of Dream work and Tarotpy® motivated Sarah to take charge of her situation. Months later, after a change in physicians and medication, her health improved significantly.  

Benefits of the Tarotpy method:

  • Bypasses conscious blocks to open deep conversation

  • Lays the unconscious on the table to access inner resources

  • Stimulates imagination for insight and creative problem-solving

  • Enhances intuition

  • Extraordinary synchronicities promote a sense of awe and connection to higher consciousness

  • Accelerates therapeutic process – insight and profound shifts happen spontaneously.

  • Shifts burnout to inspiration. Rejuvenates both the facilitator and the client.

“Divination is not mere fortune-telling or superstition. Rather it is an exceedingly subtle psychological technique whereby the secrets of the unconscious can be discovered, its powers (extrasensory and others) can be made accessible, and guidance for our confused and disordered lives can be obtained.”

- Stephan Hoeller

“The work of soul–making is concerned essentially with the evocation of psychological faith… faith in the reality of the soul… Psychological faith begins in the love of images…”

— James Hillman