Discussion peer responses Personality Type

As a novice counselor, the Myers-Briggs can be a useful tool because it will highlight the “strengths and limitations” and will help the counselor understand how to use these strengths to their client’s benefit as well as be aware of their limitations (Granello, 2019, p. 121). Although all personality types are able to be counselors and can be successful counselors, there are several “character strengths” that some people have which are likely to make those individuals “more successful as counselors than those without these strengths” (Granello, 2019, p. 121). According to Granello (2019), the most effective counselors possess the following strengths; are self-aware and possess good mental health, are trustworthy, are risk takers, have a sense of humor, have an innate curiosity about the work and the people in it, know their strengths and limitations, are emotionally stable, believe that people can change and are optimistic, are not afraid of psychological pain or are afraid of other people experiencing such pain, have respect for their clients and an innate sense of social justice, are nonjudgmental and have the capacity for self-denial when necessary for patient treatment, are comfortable with their power and are effective communicators, are patient, flexible, and tolerate ambiguity, and are human (Granello, 2019, p. 127-131). The Myers-Briggs and other personality assessments can help a counselor identify which of these strengths one possesses and which ones he or she does not thus prompting the counselor to seek help in strengthening their weakness as well as lead with their strengths when necessary.

Reference

Granello, D. H., & Young, M. E. (2019). Counseling today: foundations of professional identity. NY, NY: Pearson. Kindle Edition.