For many years, I worked as an HR specialist, trained to understand people — their motivations, communication styles, and unique strengths. It was more than just hiring and performance reviews. It was about reading between the lines, understanding human behavior, and creating environments where people could thrive.
Now, as a therapist, that background has become an incredible asset. One of the tools that continues to resonate — both in professional and personal life — is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).
But what makes it so powerful?
Let’s look at it through the lens of neuroscience and psychology — where personality meets brain function.
🔹 MBTI: More Than a Label
The MBTI identifies 16 personality types based on preferences like how we energize (Introversion vs. Extraversion), gather information (Sensing vs. Intuition), make decisions (Thinking vs. Feeling), and approach the world (Judging vs. Perceiving).
When used with care, it’s not a box — it’s a map. A way to understand how someone naturally processes the world.
🔹 Neuroscience: The Brain Behind the Type
Emerging research shows that different personality traits align with different brain regions and neurological patterns. For example:
- Introverts tend to have a more active prefrontal cortex — the area responsible for deep thinking and self-reflection — which explains their need for quiet recharge time.
- Feelers (F) may show more activity in brain areas related to empathy and emotional processing, like the insula or anterior cingulate cortex.
- Intuitives (N) often engage more with the default mode network — the brain’s “imagination and future thinking” system.
Understanding these patterns helps us move from judgment to compassion. People aren’t difficult — they’re wired differently.
🔹 From HR to Healing
In my therapy practice, I now blend this psychological insight with trauma-informed neuroscience to help clients:
✔ Understand why they react the way they do
✔ Build better relationships (personal and professional)
✔ Identify core strengths they may have overlooked
✔ Communicate in a way that feels natural and authentic
✔ Rewire patterns that no longer serve them
The goal isn’t to label — it’s to illuminate. To help people become more of who they truly are, not who they were told to be.
🔹 Why This Matters in Everyday Life
Whether you’re navigating relationships, raising children, leading a team, or healing from past trauma, understanding personality types can give you a compassionate framework for human behavior.
It teaches us that:
🌟 Not everyone processes emotions the same way.
🌟 Some people need structure, others thrive in spontaneity.
🌟 Empathy isn’t “soft” — it’s neurologically powerful.
🌟 Communication isn’t one-size-fits-all.
🌟 Healing must be tailored to the individual brain and personality.
As someone trained in both human resources and trauma therapy, I’ve seen how transformational it is when people are seen, heard, and supported for who they are — not who the world expects them to be.
Let’s keep learning, listening, and honouring the beautiful complexity of the human mind. 🧠💛
#PersonalityTypes #MBTIinTherapy #NeuroscienceOfPersonality #EmotionalIntelligence #TraumaInformedCare #TherapistTools #HRtoHealing #PsychologicalSafety #AuthenticConnections
— Linda C J Turner
Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment
