Select Page

Journey to Recovery Series
Individualizing Treatment for Temperament
Presented by: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes Executive Director, AllCEUs
Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox & Happiness isnā€™t Brain Surgery

Objectives
~ Review temperament dimensions as defined by the Keirsey
~ Review temperament as defined by the DISC
~ Explore how temperament impacts treatment approaches, interventions and settings
~ Identify common goals for treatment and ways to individualize them.
Keirsey/MBTI
~ Extrovert/Introvert
~ Environment
~ Awareness
~ Processing methods
~ Sensing/Intuitive
~ Details vs. Big Picture
~ Thinking vs. Feeling
~ Motivation and Decision making
~ Judging vs. Perceiving
~ Time management

Temperament
Extrovert
~ Are expansive; less passionate
~ Easy to get to know
~ Like meeting new people
~ Would rather figure things out while they are talking
~ Often enjoy background noise
~ Know what is going on around them rather than inside them
~ Often do not mind interruptions
~ Are often considered good talkers

Introvert
~ Are intense and passionate
~ Difficult to get to know
~ Exert effort to meet new people
~ Figure things out before they talk
~ Prefer peace and quiet
~ Are more likely to know what is going on inside them
~ Dislike being interrupted
~ Are often good listeners

Temperament
Sensing
~ Are practical and realistic
~ Prefer facts and live in the real world
~ Content in general
~ Would rather do than think
~ Focus on practical, concrete problems
~ See the details and may ignore the big picture
~ Want specifics and tend to be very literal
~ May think that those preferring intuition are impractical
~ Believe ā€œif it isnā€™t broken, donā€™t fix itā€
iNtuitive
~ Are imaginative dreamers
~ Prefer abstraction, inspiration, insights
~ Live in the world of possibilities
~ Would rather think than do
~ Focus on complicated abstract problems
~ See the big picture but miss the details
~ Love word games
~ May think that those preferring the practical lack vision
~ Believe anything can be improved
~ Focus on the future and possibilities

Temperament
Thinking
~ Like words such as principles, justice, standards or analysis
~ Respond most easily to peopleā€™s thoughts
~ Want to apply objective principles
~ Value objectivity above sentiment
~ Can assess logical consequences
~ Believe it is more important to be just than merciful
~ Assess reality with a true/false lens
~ May think that those who are sentimental take things too personally
~ May argue both sides of an issue for mental stimulation

Feeling
~ Like words such as care, compassion, mercy, intimacy, harmony, devotion
~ Respond most easily to peopleā€™s values
~ Want to apply values and ethics from multiple perspectives
~ Value sentiment above objectivity
~ Good at assessing the human impact
~ Believe it is more important to be caring/merciful
~ Assess reality with a good/bad lens
~ Think that those preferring objectivity are insensitive
~ Prefer a to agree with those around them

Temperament
Judging
~ Plan ahead
~ Self disciplined and purposeful
~ Thrive on order
~ Get things done early. Plan ahead & work steadily.
~ Define and work within limits
~ Maybe hasty in making decisions
~ Time and deadline oriented
~ Thinks those preferring spontaneity are too unpredictable
~ Excellent planners. May not appreciate or make use of things which are not planned or expected
Perceiving
~ Adapt as they go
~ Flexible and tolerant
~ Thrive on spontaneity
~ Get things done at the last minute depending on spurt of energy
~ Want more information
~ May fail to make decisions
~ Always think thereā€™s plenty of time
~ Think that those who are not spontaneous are too rigid
~ Good at handling unplanned events, but may not make affective choices among the possibilities.

The DISC
~ The DiSC profile is a tool used for discussion of people's behavioral differences.
~ DiSC profiles help clients:
~ Increase self-knowledge of how they respond to conflict, what motivates them, what causes stress and how they solve problems
~ Improve working relationships by recognizing the communication needs and motivators of significant others

DISC
Dominance (IST_)
~ Emphasis on shaping the environment by overcoming opposition to accomplish results.
~ Motivated by winning, competition and success.
~ Prioritizes accepting challenge, taking action and achieving immediate results. (Thinking)
~ Is described as direct, demanding, forceful, strong willed, driven, and determined, fast-paced, and self-confident.
~ May be limited by lack of concern for others, impatience and open skepticism. (Thinking)
~ May fear being seen as vulnerable or being taken advantage of.
~ Values competency, action, concrete results, personal freedom, challenges. (Sensing)
Dominance (IST_)
~ Goals:
~ unique accomplishments
~ new opportunities
~ control of audience
~ independence
~ Will need to expend more energy to:
~ show patience
~ display sensitivity (Introvert)
~ allow deliberation
~ When communicating with the D style individuals, give them the bottom line, be brief, focus your discussion narrowly, avoid making generalizations, refrain from repeating yourself, and focus on solutions rather than problems.
Influence (ENFP)
~ emphasis on shaping the environment by influencing or persuading others.
~ may be limited by being impulsive and disorganized and having lack of follow-through (Perceiving)
~ is described as convincing, magnetic, enthusiastic, warm, trusting and optimistic
~ prioritizes taking action, collaboration, and expressing enthusiasm
~ is motivated by social recognition, group activities, and relationships (Feeling, Extraversion)
~ may fear loss of influence, disapproval and being ignored
~ values coaching and counseling, freedom of expression and democratic relationships (Feeling)

Influence (ENFP)
~ Goals
~ Victory with flair
~ Friendship and happiness
~ Authority and prestige status symbols
~ Popularity
~ Will need to expend more energy to:
~ Follow-through completely
~ Research all the facts
~ Speak directly and candidly
~ Stay focused for long periods
~ When communicating with the I style individual, share your experiences, allow the I style person time to ask questions and talk themselves, focus on the positives, avoid overloading them with details, and don't interrupt them.

Steadiness (E_ FJ)
~ Emphasis on cooperating with others within existing circumstances to carry out the task (feeling)
~ Motivated by cooperation, opportunities to help and sincere appreciation
~ Prioritizes giving support, collaboration and maintaining stability
~ Is described as calm, patient, predictable, deliberate, stable and consistent. (Judging)
~ May be limited by being indecisive, overly accommodating and tendency to avoid change
~ May fear change, loss of stability and offending others.
~ Values loyalty, helping others and security

Steadiness (E_ FJ)
~ Goals:
~ Personal accomplishments
~ Group acceptance (extrovert)
~ Power through positions of authority (extrovert)
~ Maintenance of status quo and controlled environment
~ Will need to expend more energy to:
~ Quickly adapt to change or unclear expectations
~ Multitask
~ Promote themselves
~ Confront others
~ When communicating with the S style individuals, be personal and amiable, express your interest in them and what you expect from them, take time to provide clarification, be polite, and avoid being confrontational, overly aggressive or rude.

Conscientiousness (ISTJ)

~ Emphasis on working conscientiously within existing circumstances to ensure quality and accuracy. (Judging, sensing)
~ Motivated by opportunities to gain knowledge, showing their expertise, and quality work.
~ Prioritizes ensuring accuracy, maintaining stability, and challenging assumptions.
~ Is described as careful, cautious, systematic, diplomatic, accurate and tactful.
~ May be limited by being overcritical, overanalyzing and isolating themselves.
~ May fear criticism and being wrong.

Conscientiousness (ISTJ)

~ Goals:
~ Correctness
~ Stability
~ Predictable accomplishments
~ Personal growth
~ Will need to expend more energy to:
~ Let go of and delegate tasks
~ Compromise for the good of the team (thinking)
~ Join in social events and celebrations (introvert)
~ Make quick decisions
~ When communicating with the C style individual, focus on facts and details; minimize “pep talk” or emotional language; be patient, persistent and diplomatic.
Summary
~ Temperament defines what we prefer in terms ofā€¦
~ Environments we prefer
~ How we process information
~ How we receive information (bottom up/top down)
~ Decision making
~ Time management
~ Interpersonal relationships
~ Communication
~ Individualizing treatment means
~ Creating environments that appeal to each client
~ Helping clients identify what their preferences are and make choices and modifications that work with their temperament
~ Helping clients understand different temperaments