Creative Connections & Client Communications
Recommending a PsychoSemantic Diet

Astrologers must be creative listeners in consultations, and we have pursued this several times in our studies with techniques to make “creative connections.” [Please see “Counseling Insights”/Archives: December 2000; August 2001; September 2001;January 29, 2003]

Very often, the client will repeat a sense –usually of suppression, demoralization, or futility—that is first introduced in a negative, self-deprecating relationship reference to a parent. The client will then say the same routinized concept in different words with reference to developments at different times in life. Hearing the relationship among the references not only shows the persistence of the debilitating mind-set, supports exposure of this to the client, but also permits changing it. –One must “see” a situation first before one can get a grip on it to make adjustment.

For example: a clearly serious, creative, talented lady, in the midst of changing professions, has the Nodal Axis tightly conjunct the Midheaven, squaring the Ascendant. We can expect that the significance of the mother is quite pervasive.

Two planets rule her third, the mind-set: Venus, which is also involved with the Nodal Axis, and Pluto, which is conjoined with Saturn. –We can anticipate a maternal influence that is depressive to one degree or another.

When I asked about this maternal relationship, the lady said, “My mother was controlling; I felt crushed, and it took me years to get over it.”

Vocationally, as we explored her many strengths, I observed several great-fit avenues of activity that were explored but just abandoned. Why was her “excellent editing/writing” skill not pursued, for example?

”I’ve never done much, because I didn’t want to get stuck….”

Now, these phrases “I felt crushed” and “I didn’t want to get stuck” are possibly the same. [And there were others within the same aural image, like “I was stifled.”] To my ears, I felt the theme of a controlling mother trying to usurp the daughter’s individuality –which took years to get over, remember— continually haunting my client’s exploration of where and how she would fit into the world.

To reinforce this impression, I could easily see a serious, even gloomy demeanor as her evolved way of appearing. That’s the way it was, except when I made reference to her creativity and the potentials that could flow from that (five quintiles, Venus conjunct Midheaven etc.) She would light up! She was recognized for who she really is. She was a different person, we would say. She instantly shone out of the “crushed-stuck-stifled” cloak of gray!

I worked this metamorphosis back and forth several times and pointed it out to my client. She understood. It was a discovery.

Now, how can we make recall of this discovery stick. –It’s always important to give your client something cryptic to capsulate the discovery or motivational theme accomplished in the consultation.

We could say, “I think it would be helpful for you to go on a PsychoSemantic diet!” –This interesting, newly coined word would carry with it the vigilance she needs to guard against the shade-tree influence of the mother that was still branching into her adult professional life. She would guard against using the phrases and self-deprecating mind-set they triggered.

–We had a fine time together bringing her alert creativity into a new vista ahead. It will work. Her new Diet will add to her efficiency of expression and her pride of accomplishment.