Knowing Your Personality Type Can Help You in Therapy
Have you ever taken a personality test online and thought, “Wow, that really sounds like me”? Or maybe you’ve gotten wildly different results each time. Either way, personality assessments like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Enneagram, DISC assessment, or the Big 5 (OCEAN). Personality assessments can offer valuable insights into how you think, feel, and respond to the world around you.
Understanding your personality type isn't about labeling or diagnosing yourself. It’s about discovering patterns in how you process emotions, solve problems, communicate, and even make decisions. And when you bring those insights into the therapy room, it can deepen the entire experience. Whether you're exploring therapy, navigating relationships, or figuring out how you learn best to study more effectively, personality awareness can be a powerful tool.
Why Personality Insights Matter in Therapy
Therapy is all about self-awareness and personal growth. The better you understand yourself, the more effective your sessions can be. Here’s how personality assessments can help:
- • Clarity – You gain language for things you’ve always felt but couldn’t quite explain.
- • Emotional Awareness – You learn how you typically react under stress or conflict, which is key to emotional regulation.
- • Communication Style – You better understand how you relate to others and how you listen, express needs, or handle conflict.
- • Personal Growth – You identify natural strengths and areas of growth opportunities.
Understanding your personality type doesn’t just improve how you relate to others. It can also shape the way you learn and study. Dr. John Pelley of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center has shown through his work on SuccessTypes that personality insights can help students develop strategies aligned with their mental habits. For example, some people thrive with structure and routine, while others need variety or deep reflection to stay engaged. Knowing your preferences can make academic life feel less like a struggle and more like a customized path to success.
Personality + Therapy = A Stronger Connection
When you understand your personality, you might begin to notice how you show up in therapy:
- • If you’re an introvert, you may need more processing time or feel more comfortable with written reflection between sessions.
- • If you’re naturally structured and task-oriented, goal-oriented therapy may work better for you.
- • If you’re naturally empathetic, feeling focused, or emotionally intuitive, you may be drawn to deeper relational work.
Your therapist doesn’t need a personality report to support you but being aware of your tendencies gives you a head start on understanding what kind of support, structure, and pace work best for you.
Not All Tests Are Equal
While online personality tests can be fun and thought-provoking, a professional assessment interpreted by a trained counselor or psychotherapist offers much more reliable insights. These inventories are best used as a conversation starter. Assessments are not a diagnosis or box you’re stuck in.
Strategize Your Success
Self-awareness is one of the most powerful tools you can bring into psychotherapy. Personality assessments like the MBTI are just one way to help you get there.
At Tactical Counseling, we believe therapy works best when it’s personalized. Knowing how you naturally show up in the world can help us work together to tailor your care so you feel seen, understood, and empowered.