Can an astrologer really replace a therapist?

Life is complicated. Very complicated, and from many different perspectives. Navigating daily life might be more difficult for some people than for others. So, and there’s absolutely no shame or fear in it, one needs to ask for help. Help to better manage family, romantic, or friendship relationships, help to go to work, to finish studies, to deal with unpleasant past experiences. Help in relationships with food or with our body, in handling bad news, rejection, and much more. Who to ask for help? A mental health professional, of course. Or are there alternatives?

Astrology as therapy: Dua Lipa's statements

While more and more stars and celebrities talk about their relationship with mental health and their therapy journeys, Dua Lipa - guest on Waitrose & Partners' podcast Dish - went against the trend, saying: "I don’t have a therapist, but I have an astrologer. If I have a dilemma, I ask myself what Rosie would say." The singer of Houdini, Leo on the Virgo cusp, added: "I used to get an astrological reading every year for my birthday, but now I go a bit deeper. I’m hooked. Rosie and I text a lot."

What exactly does an astrologer do?

A natural question at this point might be: what does an astrologer do? An astrologer has studied the stars and astrology and makes inferences from them, explaining and interpreting, for example, our natal chart, how the transits and movements happening in the sky might affect our lives, our decisions, our path, and our way of existing and relating to others and the world. It’s an ancient discipline, often accompanied by tarot reading, palm reading, and the study of crystals. Now, as horoscopes and related content become more popular, the astrologer has become a well-known figure in public discourse, and more and more people seek their services.

Can astrology really replace therapy?

The answer to this question is not nuanced and is no. And we’re not saying it’s forbidden to have a trusted astrologer, quite the opposite. Having someone who guides us in interpreting the stars, the world, and reality, who tries with us to make sense of the chaos we live in can only be helpful, and we understand the appeal. However, going beyond this can be harmful. Professionals - psychologists, therapists, analysts, psychiatrists, regardless of each one's approach that must be personalized and carefully chosen according to our needs - are there for a reason. What if visiting a psychologist reveals we have a disorder? There's a possibility that an astrologer couldn’t tell us this because it’s not part of their role or work.

To each their own, but let’s not confuse the two

The stars watch over us, silently. Understanding their movements is beneficial for everyone, regardless, and could reveal something about ourselves that we didn’t know. Understanding ourselves, what influences our choices, and what happens in our minds - especially if we want to and if it seems we can’t feel well until we change something or fully understand our mechanisms and learn to manage them - is the job of a professional. And there should be no room for doubt on this point. If we want, we can decide to supplement our psychologist with an astrologer, but the two roles are not interchangeable, at most they coexist.