The Tarot Diagnosis

Gaslighting, Over-Explaining, and the Page of Swords in Tarot

The Tarot Diagnosis

Show Notes

This week on ⁠The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast⁠, I’m discussing a tender and often overlooked habit many of us carry: over-explaining. In this episode, I explore the psychological roots of this behavior through the lens of the Page of Swords, an archetype that is curious, alert, and sometimes altered by experiences of gaslighting or a lack of conflict resolution.

We’ll unpack how early experiences with unresolved conflict or emotional invalidation can lead us to constantly seek clarity, not just for understanding and being understood, but also for safety. I explore how the Page of Swords becomes the internal part of us that can't rest until everything has been said just right, and how that habit, while protective, can also be exhausting.

From there, we journey through the Swords court to see how our communication style evolves over time: from the anxious explaining of the Page, to the defensive urgency of the Knight, the discerning clarity of the Queen, and finally the peaceful detachment of the King. Each archetype offers insight into how we can move from over-explaining to grounded self-trust.

If you’ve ever sent a “just to clarify…” text, stayed up all night replaying a conversation (hello Nine of Swords), or struggled with the need to be understood perfectly, this episode is for you. I also share practical strategies and tarot prompts to support your healing, self-reflection, and emotional regulation.

✨ Tune in for a heartfelt, validating, and empowering exploration of communication, trauma responses, and the healing journey from the Page to King of Swords.

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform!

Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠!

If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a 5 star review on whatever platform you listen to us on. It really is a HUGE help to us and allows more people to see our podcast!

Have a topic you’d like to hear about? We’re always interested in hearing your suggestions!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to submit a topic!

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list to get all kinds of free mental health and tarot goodies on our website, as well as access to our private membership community ⁠The Symposium⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Contact: [email protected] Music by Timmoor from Pixabay

More from The Tarot Diagnosis

Oct 18, 2026

In this episode of The Tarot Diagnosis, I’m exploring the psychology of shame, childhood wounds, and how our earliest experiences shape the way we show up in adult relationships - all through the lens of tarot.

Oct 4, 2026

In this episode of The Tarot Diagnosis, I’m pulling cards for our collective monthly tarot reading for October and this month, we’re exploring the psychological space between who we’ve been and who we might be becoming.

Sep 20, 2026

In this episode of The Tarot Diagnosis podcast, I’m exploring tarot clarifiers and a question I don’t think we ask often enough: Why are we pulling clarifying cards if we already understand the card in front of us?

Sep 6, 2026

In this episode of The Tarot Diagnosis, I’m back with another collective monthly tarot reading, and for September, I’m exploring The Courage to Become, which is a four card tarot spread I originally created around identity, existentialism, and the often uncomfortable process of growth and change.

Aug 30, 2026

In this special episode of The Tarot Diagnosis, I’m celebrating 200 episodes with someone who has quite literally been behind the scenes since the very beginning: my cousin and the podcast’s audio engineer, Anthony DiGiacomo.

See all episodes →