waybread
Well-known member
You may have a diagnosed mental or neurological disorder affecting your thoughts, be a mental health professional, have a family member or friend with a mental illness, or otherwise be willing to join the discussion!
How do you communicate the horoscope (or how should an astrologer communicate the horoscope) to a person with a mental illness?
I am skating on very thin ice here, but after reading a few thousand charts for people, I've come to believe that the horoscope can't be interpreted in the same way as to a person without a mental disorder. Of course, there is the obvious, common-sense approach: don't suggest that a native who is suicidal put herself in harm's way or be overly harsh with her.
But there are other issues as well, in that defensiveness, hostility, or victimhood may be part of the coping strategies the person has developed to navigate through a difficult life. Thus someone who asks for a chart reading may be bringing many more issues to the reading than the astrologer would normally anticipate.
I attach no stigma to mental illness. If a person broke a leg or caught pneumonia, these physical illnesses are comparable to a person who is depressed or bipolar. This isn't just my opinion: it's the law in Canada (where I live,) which prohibits discrimination on the basis of health/ability. In Canadian law, an employer (for example) cannot discriminate against a person in a wheelchair-- or against a person with diagnosed Tourette syndrome-- and must make accommodation for both in the workplace, provided they are able to do the basic requirements of the job.
The definition of "neuro-normal" behaviour is constantly shifting.
Your thoughts on this topic are welcome!
How do you communicate the horoscope (or how should an astrologer communicate the horoscope) to a person with a mental illness?
I am skating on very thin ice here, but after reading a few thousand charts for people, I've come to believe that the horoscope can't be interpreted in the same way as to a person without a mental disorder. Of course, there is the obvious, common-sense approach: don't suggest that a native who is suicidal put herself in harm's way or be overly harsh with her.
But there are other issues as well, in that defensiveness, hostility, or victimhood may be part of the coping strategies the person has developed to navigate through a difficult life. Thus someone who asks for a chart reading may be bringing many more issues to the reading than the astrologer would normally anticipate.
I attach no stigma to mental illness. If a person broke a leg or caught pneumonia, these physical illnesses are comparable to a person who is depressed or bipolar. This isn't just my opinion: it's the law in Canada (where I live,) which prohibits discrimination on the basis of health/ability. In Canadian law, an employer (for example) cannot discriminate against a person in a wheelchair-- or against a person with diagnosed Tourette syndrome-- and must make accommodation for both in the workplace, provided they are able to do the basic requirements of the job.
The definition of "neuro-normal" behaviour is constantly shifting.
Your thoughts on this topic are welcome!