MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) and MMTIC (Murphy-Meisgeier
Type Indicator for Children)
I originally did my MBTI Certification because I was having a lot of introverted clients who were coming to therapy, feeling that there was something wrong with them. I had taken the MBTI screening during my training and found it illuminating. I was concerned that so many people felt that there was something wrong with them, because they were not the typical outgoing, friendly, assertive personalities that they admired. Reading Quiet by Susan Cain, earlier this year, reinforced this understanding that introverts are significant, and important in our world, and that the gregarious people around us undervalue them and their contribution.
MBTI was developed in the 1940’s by two women, Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother, Katharine Briggs. This was before the advent of computerization, and they developed this rigorous system used 3”x5” cards, and organizing them in different ways. It helps makes the psychological types of Carl G Jung more accessible and applicable in people’s lives. It has been carefully researched, and has stood the test of time, and continued investigation. It involves a self-completed questionnaire, and some scoring and support prior to and after taking the test itself.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, divides people into 16 distinct categories based on 4 different dichotomies. The four dichotomies are introversion/extraversion; judging/perceiving; intuition/sensing; and thinking/feeling. The goal of knowing about personality type is to understand and appreciate the differences between people, since all types are equal, and there is no best type. It helps make sense of many behaviours that seem to be random. Many people struggle with trying to be something that they are not, and live in stress much of the time. When you can actually live out of your strengths, and your innate characteristics, it makes life more fulfilling, and satisfying, and a lot less work. Some people struggle with real or perceived rejection that they’ve experienced by family, school peers, work colleagues, or friends. This is a common experience, and one that is very damaging. This is especially difficult when one has been labeled or ostracized. Being able to see who you are, and value those parts of yourself, allows you to believe in yourself and your abilities, and fills the future with possibilities. It can bring you to that place of peace and reconciliation with yourself that is so valuable. Certainly, I had "A-ha!" moments during my process.
In the first 30 years, we tend to live out of our types, and after that we start to develop skills in our areas of growth. I have always been fascinated by people that can walk into a room, talk to anyone, and seem to make friends easily. I am not one of those people. When I worked in an agency, I would hire people like this to work for me, and then when we had to socialize, I just had to follow along after them, and it significantly eased the strain for me. In the last 20 years, I have developed the skills to do this on my own, most of the time.
This process would take about three to four hours, over two or three appointments. If you are interested in doing this, please contact me at wendy at comingintolife.com, and we’ll get started on this journey of finding out more about you.
MMTIC is a similar process, specifically geared to working with children. I have completed this training as well.