All In The Mind
All In The Mind
ABC listen
Divination isn’t scientific, but can it ever be therapeutic?
34 minutes Posted Jul 26, 2025 at 6:00 pm.
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Show notes
Love it or hate it, there are reasons you might read your star sign and relate to what it says about you as a person.
We all fall into cognitive traps — but if we’re aware of them, is it such a bad thing to indulge in your daily horoscope, or a tarot card reading?
Today, we delve into the occult, to understand why some people seek messages from the universe, and if it can play a role in therapeutic care.
If you want to hear more about otherworldly beliefs, check out our episode Spooky science: What's behind a paranormal experience?
And Soul Search also has an episode called Astrology and tarot — telling the future, or connecting with the present?
Guests:
Professor Susan Krauss Whitbourne
Professor Emerita of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Ryan Findlay
Psychotherapist and tarot reader
Credits:
Presenter: Sana Qadar
Reporter/producer: Shelby Traynor
Senior producer: James Bullen
Producer: Rose Kerr
Sound engineer: Simon Branthwaite
Extra information:
When It Comes to Personality Tests, a Dose of Skepticism Is a Good Thing
Why You Might Not Want to Trust a Personality Test – Psychology Today
The validity of astrological predictions on marriage and divorce: a longitudinal analysis of Swedish register data
Even the stars think that I am superior: Personality, intelligence and belief in astrology
The Power of Rituals – Psychology Today