For generations, the belief and practice of witchcraft has brought many people guidance and comfort. On social media, communities of self-identified witches have led workshops and classes that explore the diverse cultures of witchcraft.
It was in those practices that former St. Louis County Council member Kelli Dunaway found empowerment. Soon after stepping down from the council in 2024, she launched Legal Witchcraft. The new venture combines her experiences as an attorney and witch. She provides counseling through tarot card readings, moon phase classes and self-reflection.
Dunaway told St. Louis on the Air that she came to witchcraft during the first year of the COVID-19 shutdown as she started writing novels.
“When the days got long and dark and lonely, I leaned into the quiet and leaned deeper into myself,” she said. “The more I got to learn about modern witchcraft, what it means, who's involved and how deep and wide it goes, I felt like I found my place and my people and what I was here to do.”
Dunaway said that Legal Witchcraft is about creating a connection between a person and their natural environment. It’s also about helping people access what they most desire. Many of her clients are lawyers, but she said that's not a requirement to seek her services.
“What we’re doing is finding words to put what it is you truly want in your life. Once you have the words for it, we will turn it into an affirmation so that you remind yourself all the time what it is that you really want,” Dunway said. “My goal is to get you not just to say it out loud, but to take that first step into action. There's the thing you want, and now you have to go get it.”
Dunaway knew there would be criticisms of her work and identity as a witch. She sees the backlash as an example for misogyny, which hurts both men and women.
“I think it's society justifying treating women who are not following in the footsteps of what society wants women to be. I am never going to be the person,,” Dunaway said. “I'm connected to my own power, not the power that the patriarchy wants. It's this magic that we have inside of ourselves that I want everyone to be able to tap into.”
She added, “Until we can bridge that gap and be open to and love each part of ourselves that make up the whole, we're never going to move forward as a society or as St. Louis County or anything else.”
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Darrious Varner is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
