Dr. Thompson describing his Arsenal system for addressing stress and building resiliency..

On April 14, 2012, the Twin Cities Association for Psychological Type presented a seminar,  The Stress Effect, featuring Green Beret and noted psychological type authority, Dick Thompson.  Members of TC-APT  first encountered Dr. Thompson at the Association for Psychological Type 2011 conference where he presented, and were so impressed by his work that they arranged for him to speak locally.

Dr. Thompson’s workshop featured an array of information focusing not only on psychological type but brain functioning, especially the important decision-making functions that rely heavily on the pre-frontal cortex.  All course participants were given the opportunity to take Thompson’s Arsenal™  assessment prior to the workshop which added to the richness and value of this workshop.

The course focused on broadening our understanding of how the brain functions, especially under stress, and practical applications using this information.  Strategies centered around being aware of your own stress type, and developing ways to build resiliency.  Armed with such knowledge, one can respond to stress with clearer thinking rather than react to stress and encounter our not so desirable nor effective shadow side.

Once again, thank you Dr. Thompson for delivering an enlightening and useful workshop for our participants.

Written by:

Ann C. Holm

Author Jim Peak

TWIN CITIES APT invites you our monthly meeting on Friday, May 12, 2012 from 12-1 at Christ Presbyterian Church in Edina. Jim Peak and Elizabeth Hirsh will be discussing their newly released book Type and Reintegration. Open to the public. 

Preview from author Jim Peak: 

REINTEGRATION – Maybe you’ve heard that term in the news recently as hundreds of our Minnesota National Guardsmen are returning from their year-long deployment in Kuwait.  They’ll be returning to familiar surroundings after experiencing a year of sharp contrasts and intense emotional events.   Chances are, you may have never thought the term Reintegration could apply to you.  But, we all have taken the reintegration journey to one degree or another.  Think about it.  Remember what it was like returning home after that life-changing experience at a summer camp or religious retreat, re-acclimating when you arrived back home with parents after completing your first semester away at college, returning to work after a long illness, or putting your life back together after the loss of a close family member?  We all have faced the need to readjust and build a ‘new normal’ after encountering new or intense emotional experiences.From the simple to the serious, reintegration of any magnitude is composed of common elements that affect our mental and emotional well-being.  Each reintegration circumstance causes us to take another look at the scrambled puzzle pieces that make up our lives in an attempt reach normal or make our life-picture whole again.  As you and others around you struggle to make the pieces fit, some of the elements that you will encounter may include change, conflict, relationships, communication, decision-making, stress, self-awareness, teamwork, learning styles, or career selection.  Each of those has the potential to be a bridge, or to be a stumbling block in your journey to a new normal.The Myers-Briggs Personality Type application has a proven track record of helping individuals in each of these elements.  Type can be the personal common denominator, the roadmap, or the compass that can help you understand and navigate the wickets of your personal reintegration journey.  Every person’s journey and final destination are different, but the knowledge of Type offers a trusted tool to help you navigate through unfamiliar terrain on your pathway to successful reintegration.

Newly released Type and Reintegration book by Elizabeth Hirsh, Katherine Hirsh, and Jim Peak

Join us this month as we introduce a few facets of Reintegration, based on the “Introduction to Type and Reintegration” booklet recently published by CPP, Inc.

Submitted by Ann C. Holm

The Twin Cities Association for Psychological Type will sponsor Dick Thompson as he presents an outstanding workshop on psychological type as it relates to decision making under stress.  Dr. Thompson is the author of the book The Stress Effect:  Why Smart Leaders Make Dumb Decisions.   Dick Thompson’s unique background as a psychologist, researcher and former Green Beret commander comes together in his newest work on understanding how stress affects a leader’s decision-making ability.

This workshop will add the dynamics of psychological type and will focus on these core learning objectives: 1. How can we  build resilience? 2. How can leaders recognize signs of stress? 3. How does stress impact decision making? 4. How can the len of psychological type impact stress and decision making? 5.  How can psychological type be applied to improve decision making strategies?

Register now so you can proceed to the online Arsenal Assessment Tool* , an integral part of the workshop package.

(Note if you are a member of TC-APT or a partner organization, you may use the discount code TCAPTapril-discount.  If you are not a member, please  JOIN TC-APT  NOW and receive the discount.)

*The ARSENAL™ Individual Assessment presents a summary of each of the seven best practice areas that most influence your ability to combat the negative effects of stress and your current level of performance in each area. The Full Report includes a Developmental Plan Outline that you can use to help you begin working on these areas immediately.

Dick Thompson’s unique background as a psychologist, researcher and former Green Beret commander comes together in his newest work on understanding how stress affects a leader’s decision-making ability.  This workshop will add the dynamics of psychological type and will focus on these core learning objectives:

1. How can we  build resilience?

2. How can leaders recognize signs of stress?

3. How does stress impact decision making?

4. How can the len of psychological type impact stress and decision making?

5.  How can psychological type be applied to improve decision making strategies?

We invite you to join us on April 14, 2012 for this dynamic workshop.  For more information and to REGISTER, click here!

(Note if you are a member of TC-APT or a partner organization, you may use the discount code TCAPTapril-discount.  If you are not a member, please  JOIN TC-APT  NOW and receive the discount.)

Questions:  TwinCitiesAPT@Gmail.com

Written by Ann C. Holm/ www.annholm.net/

For example, an exaggerated use of dominant introverted intuition (INFJ, INTJ) is likely to manifest in the individual coming up with an an all-encompassing theory that explains everything coupled with an insistence that this theory is the only correct one.  When in the inferior function, the tendency is to focus on irrelevant details or overindulge in sensory pleasures with little discernment.  Kummerow shared several real life examples of stress reactions for each type.  Her father, who happens to have preferences for INTJ, checks his blood pressure every ten minutes when he is under stress.

Usually the way out of a stress reaction (also known as the grip) is to focus on using the auxiliary or tertiary functions for each personality type.  The theory behind this strategy is that the dominant function, which is usually an individual’s “go to” strength is operating in an exaggerated form.  The inferior function, the least developed and used function is also gone awry.  The other two functions may be less affected and can therefore be called upon to restore balance to the personality.

The presentation closed with recommendations on how to ameliorate your personal stress reactions and what to do when someone you know is having a stress reaction.   One example is to know when you are beginning to fall into caricature or grip-like behaviors.  Take a break and calmly analyze the situation.

If someone else is having a stress reaction, reasoning with them is probably more of an irritant than a anything else.   Humor isn’t likely to help until the crisis has passed.  Suggest a break but let the individual work it out.  It is through this process that personal insight is gained which is truly the silver lining when the dark clouds of stress have passed.

Written by:  Ann Holm (TC-APT member/www.annholm.net/)

On this site, you will find information about monthly meetings, workshops, and webinars.   Not only that, you will find easy links to other type related sites such as the Association of Psychological Type International and The Center for Applications of Psychological Type (CAPT.org).   We also invite you to read our blog which will be rolled out soon.

Did you know that the Twin Cities is  frequently a host site to obtain the  MBTI certification?  In 2012, there will be MBTI certification workshops in May, August and December.  Did you know that many of the prolific authors in the type community live in the Twin Cities and are active members of TC-APT?   If you have an interest in psychological type, you have come to the right place.

TC- APT has been active since 1982.    After 30 years of service, we figured it was time for a face lift.  We have further enhanced our presence by linking to the social media sites  Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.   Please follow us to stay up to date as we continue to craft our online presence to serve you in the best way possible.  Welcome!