As humans, we are complex creatures with unique personalities and behaviors. But there are patterns in our personalities that we share with others, and understanding those patterns can help us navigate our relationships and personal growth. This is where the work of Steven Kessler and his five personality patterns comes in.
Kessler is a licensed psychotherapist who has studied and worked with the ideas of Wilhelm Reich, a psychoanalyst who believed that our bodies hold emotions and that our personalities are shaped by our early life experiences. Kessler expanded on Reich’s ideas and developed the concept of the five personality patterns. These patterns of behavior that are shaped by our early experiences and can have a lasting impact on how we interact with others and experience the world.
The five personality patterns are the leaving, merging, enduring, aggressive, and rigid structures. Let’s explore each one in more detail:
