It is a very good question.

Firstly it depends upon the kind of reading being requested.

I once did a talk for my local Rotary Club and asked for birth details of a couple of members without names. One in particular ( the then President) had a worrying trio of planets in the 12th house making bad aspects. As it was a 'fun' talk I did not mention the implications. He has since left both his job and Rotary suffering from severe depression.

Another work colleague (female) asked for a reading. She had some severe 8th house Scorpionic placements AND transits and I warned her of some dark times ahead. I did not know that she was pregnant at the time and the resulting full-term stillbirth of a deformed foetus gave me much food for thought.

I read alot on other internet sites and I try to make it clear beforehand that I do not do 'chocolate box' readings, nor do I write what I think people want to read. Once that is made clear and accepted then I feel I am able to write about what I really see in the charts.

I also keep in mind one of the most negative charts I ever saw. Lots of sixth house 'health' stuff and extreme violence in the chart. The lady concerned became a successful teacher of Special Needs children( 6th house =SERVICE to others) and was Karate Freestyle Champion of England for TEN years. She turned all the negativity around ( mind you she was as mad as a hatter - a lovely lady!).

Tpicco makes some excellent points. His 5 planet t-square sounds similar to my five planet Grand Cross. I EXPECT the worst and prepare for the challenges, making the most of the good stuff I find in my chart. I KNOW my Mars in Scorpio in the third makes me an argumentative difficult sod at times, and I try to control it, but there are other times when I utilise the power and aggressiveness and channel it in my favour.

Finally there are few charts which have NO positive points to make to attempt a balance with the bad stuff. In bad charts I try to indicate the best path out of the mire utilising these positives.