Hi Tarot Bumblebees,

The hardest thing as a Tarot Professional is dealing with clients that just DON’T want to hear what you have to say. We’ve all experienced it and it’s never a fun experience. Here’s my BEST advice and tips and tricks for you to move forward through those readings, and not let those negative clients get you down!

1. Don’t take it personally

I know this can be easier said than done but it’s an important thing to remember. Your client could be having a bad day, just heard bad news or is actively struggling within themselves and that’s NOT on you. Just because your client doesn’t want to hear it doesn’t mean your reading is wrong or you’re a bad reader, it just means they’re not in the headspace to hear it. A tip that I find really helpful is to not look to your client for confirmation when doing your reading. I find this can derail your reading if you’re constantly looking for feedback from your client if you’re on the right path. Instead, I’d recommend performing your reading and at the end ask your client if the message resonated with them.

2. Don’t placate your clients

If you’re the type of reader who’s going to say what your client wants to hear, you’re likely going to deliver the wrong message and do a real injustice to you, your client and the Tarot. Your job as a Tarot reader is to read the Tarot and deliver your reading as you see and feel it and be in your integrity. It’s not your burden to carry and you’re not responsible for fixing their lives. Take a big step back to acknowledge what’s your energy and responsibility and what is theirs, then you’ll be able to move on with a lot more perspective.

3. Converse with your client

When you have a conversation with your client, you can oftentimes iron out where the disconnect is. This is a big reason why I have a clear and thorough disclosure to share with potential clients before I read for them. It’s all about clear communication and managing expectations.

I find open-ended questions like these very helpful:

• Was this not what you were expecting?
• What did you want to hear?
• What kind of reading were you looking for from me?

In the same vein, I never read for people in a point of crisis. When someone is experiencing a lot of acute stress and emotional turmoil, it can be a little challenging to read for them. Also, it’s likely that they wouldn’t be ready to listen. I will ask the clients if I can book them in a few day’s time or even at a later point when they’re feeling more at peace.

4. Switch it up!

One of the techniques I love to use can be seen in the video so check it out. I find switching the types of reading to something that involves more client participation can be helpful in certain scenarios.

5. Stop the reading

Don’t waste your precious time or theirs. If you can feel the reading isn’t vibing, stop the reading and have a conversation with your client. Let them know how you’re feeling. That way you’re not sitting there stress sweating for an entire hour. You’re the professional in this scenario so act accordingly.

6. Move on

This step is carried out once your client has left the reading space or you’ve finished your session. The first thing you need to do is leave your space, I love going for a walk and resetting in nature. Call someone you love or respect who will listen and offer a bit of a pep talk. You can check out this blog post for additional rituals you can do to close your readings.

7. Hit Reset

When you come back to your space, hit the reset button. I find it essential to record all of my Tarot readings so the clients have time to come back to it with hopefully a more open mind after they’ve had a chance to think on it. You never know, they may even email you back a few days later letting you know how right you were, and yes, it’s happened before.

I have said it before, and I will say it again. Professional Tarot Readers hear all sorts of not-so-nice things. This is something to take into consideration when looking at becoming a professional reader. If you’re extremely empathic (like I am), there are ways to hold space for others and keep your energy yours. If hearing and delivering uncomfortable news is not something you want to be doing, this may not be the professional path for you. That is something only you can decide.

I hope some of my advice and tips and tricks help you if this situation was ever to arise. Remember, shake it off and don’t let it derail your day or bust your confidence.