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Best Therapy for Your Personality Type: Find Your Perfect Mental Health Match

  • Writer: Discovery Journal
    Discovery Journal
  • Jul 23, 2023
  • 5 min read

Finding the right therapy can feel overwhelming, but what if your personality type could help guide the process? Whether you’re analytical, highly sensitive, emotionally driven, or a natural social butterfly, different therapy approaches may suit your unique strengths and challenges. In this guide, I’ll explore the best therapy for your personality type, highlight common questions like “What therapy is best for anxiety?” and “How do I know which therapy is right for me?”, and give you tools to reflect on your own needs.


Identify Your Personality Type:


One of the first steps in finding your therapy match is to understand your personality type. Personality frameworks such as the Myers-Briggs 16 Personalities test can provide insight into how you think, feel, and interact with others. With over two million people taking the test each year, it remains one of the most widely recognised methods for self-understanding.

When you know how you process emotions and react to challenges, it becomes easier to ask: “What type of therapy is best for me?” and choose an approach that aligns with your style.


This test is extensive and will give you a clearer idea of how you think and react. Once you know what kind of thinker you are and how you are likely to react to other personalities and stimuli, you can begin to think about which therapy you may relate to best.


best therapy for your personality type
Myers & Briggs Personality Types


Once you've completed your test and discovered your personality type, it can be a little overwhelming. So if you’re unsure how to put your personality insights into practice, Discovery Journal can help you process what you’ve learned and see how your personality type is playing out in real time, by showing you a pattern of behaviours and interactions in your daily life. This way, you can make sense of your emotional patterns before beginning therapy.



🧠 CBT for Analytical Types


What are analytical personality traits?

  • Logical, detail-focused, organised, patient

  • Enjoy problem-solving and structure

Best fit: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). CBT focuses on identifying and reframing negative thought patterns into healthier, more constructive ones. Its structured, step-by-step approach makes it ideal for logical thinkers who appreciate order, clear goals, and measurable progress.

Myers-Briggs Types Best Suited: INTJ, ISTJ, and INTP types often thrive with CBT. These personalities value logic, systems, and problem-solving, so they tend to engage well with CBT’s structured frameworks and practical “homework” exercises.

Mental Health Issues Supported: CBT is particularly effective for anxiety disorders, depression, OCD, and phobias. Analytical types who experience rumination or perfectionism often find CBT helps them break down overwhelming problems into manageable solutions.



🌿 Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Creative & Intuitive Types


What are creative and intuitive personality traits?

  • Abstract thinkers, imaginative, instinctual

  • Draw connections easily between thoughts and ideas

Best fit: Mindfulness-Based Therapy (including MBCT). This approach helps individuals stay present and cultivate non-judgmental awareness of thoughts and feelings. Creative types often find mindfulness grounding because it balances their active imagination with calming practices like meditation, breathwork, or yoga.

Myers-Briggs Types Best Suited: INFP, ENFP, and INFJ personalities tend to be intuitive and reflective, making them a strong fit for mindfulness-based therapies. These types benefit from slowing down and learning to observe their inner world with curiosity rather than judgment.

Mental Health Issues Supported: Mindfulness-based therapies are widely used for stress, anxiety, burnout, and relapse prevention in depression. Creative types who often get lost in thought loops or struggle with grounding benefit from practices that anchor them in the present moment.



💖 Psychodynamic Therapy for Emotionally Driven Types


What are emotionally driven personality traits?

  • Empathetic, sensitive, motivated by emotions

  • Impulsive decision-making, strong relational focus

Best fit: Psychodynamic Therapy. Psychodynamic therapy explores how past experiences and unconscious processes shape current behaviour and emotional patterns. For emotionally driven personalities, this therapy offers insight into recurring struggles and helps them understand the “why” behind their feelings.


Myers-Briggs Types Best Suited: ENFJ, ESFJ, and ENFP types may find psychodynamic therapy valuable, as they are deeply relational and emotionally attuned. These types often benefit from reflecting on past relationships and family dynamics to make sense of present-day challenges.


Mental Health Issues Supported: Particularly helpful for attachment issues, unresolved trauma, depression, and relationship difficulties. Emotionally driven types who struggle with intense feelings or cyclical patterns in relationships often benefit from the depth and exploration psychodynamic therapy provides.




🗣 Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) for Social Butterflies


What are social butterfly personality traits?

  • Outgoing, extroverted, thrive in company

  • Charismatic, approachable, and network easily


Best fit: Interpersonal Therapy (IPT). IPT focuses on communication skills and improving relationship patterns. It’s especially effective for people whose emotional well-being is closely tied to their social connections. For social butterflies, IPT helps navigate challenges in friendships, family relationships, or professional dynamics.


Myers-Briggs Types Best Suited: ENFP, ESFP, and ENTP types may resonate most with IPT, as they are highly social, thrive in group settings, and value meaningful interpersonal bonds. They may benefit from therapy that strengthens communication and boundaries.


Mental Health Issues Supported: IPT is commonly used for depression, grief, and relationship conflicts. Social butterflies may be particularly vulnerable to low mood when their social world feels unstable, and IPT can help them build resilience and healthier patterns.




🌱 Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Highly Sensitive Types


What are highly sensitive personality traits?

  • Empathetic, intuitive, loyal

  • Easily overwhelmed by emotions or environments


Best fit: Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT teaches clients to accept their emotions without judgment, build mindfulness skills, and commit to actions aligned with their values. For highly sensitive people, this approach provides both validation and practical strategies for handling overwhelming emotions.


Myers-Briggs Types Best Suited: INFJ, INFP, and ISFJ personalities often resonate with ACT. These types are highly empathetic and value-driven, so a therapy that emphasises aligning behaviour with personal meaning feels especially relevant.


Mental Health Issues Supported: ACT is highly effective for generalised anxiety disorder, depression, PTSD, and stress-related conditions. Sensitive individuals who feel emotions deeply often benefit from learning acceptance and developing strategies for resilience without suppressing their feelings.



FAQs: Finding the Best Therapy for Your Personality Type


What therapy is best for anxiety based on personality type? It depends on how you process thoughts and emotions. Analytical types often respond well to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) because it provides structured strategies for managing worry. Highly sensitive types may benefit from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) or mindfulness-based approaches, which focus on calming emotional overwhelm.


Can Myers-Briggs help me choose a therapy? Yes. While not a diagnostic tool, the Myers-Briggs 16 Personalities test can highlight your strengths and challenges. For example, logical INTJ or ISTJ types may prefer structured therapies like CBT, while intuitive INFP or INFJ types may resonate with mindfulness-based or psychodynamic approaches.


Which therapy works best for overthinkers? CBT is often recommended for overthinkers because it focuses on identifying unhelpful thought patterns and replacing them with balanced perspectives. Journaling alongside CBT can also help by externalising thoughts instead of letting them spiral internally.


What therapy is best for highly sensitive people? Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a strong option for highly sensitive individuals. ACT teaches mindfulness, acceptance of emotions, and values-based living, which helps sensitive people manage anxiety, depression, and overwhelm without shutting down their feelings.


Can I combine journaling with therapy? Absolutely. Journaling is a powerful tool to complement any therapy because it encourages self-reflection and emotional literacy. Guided tools like the Discovery Journal provide prompts that help you track emotions, notice patterns, and prepare for therapy sessions with more clarity.


Do personality types really matter in therapy? Personality types don’t dictate your therapy outcome, but they can help you identify what structure, style, or focus you might prefer. Knowing your type makes it easier to find a therapeutic approach that feels comfortable and effective for you.

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