Personality Compass with Dr. Shannon Sauer-Zavala

Personality Compass with Dr. Shannon Sauer-Zavala Using science-backed strategies to empower people to become the best version of themselves. Visit my website to work with me!

Dr. Shannon is mental health expert, personality scientist, and TEDx speaker who busts myth that personality is set in stone. Expert Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Specialized mental health services for anxiety, depression, and borderline personality disorder. Evidence-based therapy tailored to help clients feel better and live a more fulfilling life. Personality Coaching for Goal Achievement: Develop the traits and skills needed to reach your personal and professional goals with personalized, growth-oriented coaching. Supervision, Consultation, and Training for Mental Health Providers: Expert guidance in CBT, Unified Protocol, and BPD Compass. Training workshops available for therapists seeking advanced, evidence-based methods. Certification programs and program implementation also available.

Wishing you a warm and restful holiday from my family to yours.This time of year is always a good reminder that growth d...
12/25/2025

Wishing you a warm and restful holiday from my family to yours.

This time of year is always a good reminder that growth doesn’t always mean doing more. Sometimes it looks like slowing down, reconnecting, and making space for the people and moments that matter most.

I’m grateful for this community — for the thoughtful conversations, the curiosity about personality change, and the shared commitment to doing life with more intention.

Here’s to spending the rest of 2025 engaged in reflection, rest, and a little extra spaciousness before the ball drops.

Happy holidays 🤍

For a long time, my personality made the holidays harder than they needed to be.High neuroticism meant I worried about h...
12/24/2025

For a long time, my personality made the holidays harder than they needed to be.

High neuroticism meant I worried about how everything would go.
Rigid conscientiousness meant I felt responsible making it magical (read: perfect)
And a heavy dose of agreeableness meant I said yes when I was already depleted.

People saw me as “having it together.”
It felt like tying my worth to productivity and perfection…and it kinda sucked

The current of me doesn’t do that anymore.

I don’t stress about the perfect meal.
I skip parties without FOMO—and go without anxiety.
I let my kids decorate and create (mess and all).
I know memories aren’t made by flawless schedules or gifts.
I ask for help. I rest.

That didn’t happen by accident.

I’m a psychologist and scientist who studies intentional personality change—and I’ve lived it.

By slowly changing my behaviors, my beliefs and identity followed.

That’s how I know personality change is real—and why the holidays finally feel like they’re supposed to. 🧭✨

Ever get to January 1st and think: “Wait…did I even experience the holidays?”If your brain spends December jumping betwe...
12/18/2025

Ever get to January 1st and think: “Wait…did I even experience the holidays?”

If your brain spends December jumping between past mistakes and future worries, you’re not alone.

In my newest Psychology Today article, I’m breaking down:
✨ why certain personality traits make holiday presence harder

✨ the tiny mindfulness skills that actually work

✨ how to savor the holiday moments you want to remember

🎄 Want to feel more here this December?
👉 Read the full article — link in bio.

Holiday stress isn’t random—it’s practically a personality science case study.High agreeableness? You’re saying yes to t...
12/17/2025

Holiday stress isn’t random—it’s practically a personality science case study.

High agreeableness? You’re saying yes to things you didn’t even hear clearly.

High conscientiousness? You’re making place cards for brunch.

High neuroticism? You’re mentally rehearsing conversations before they even happen.

The trick isn’t to “relax.”

The trick is to understand the trait recipe behind your stress so you can tweak it.

✨ Want to know your mix?
Comment TEST for your free Personality Compass Assessment.

12/16/2025

Can you change your personality?

TLDR: Yes.

The key is understanding what personality actually is.

Personality isn’t a type or box.
It’s your characteristic way of thinking and behaving.

Which means it’s trainable.

In my clinical trials, we’ve seen meaningful shifts in personality traits by making small, intentional changes to thoughts and behaviors.

Not over decades.
In weeks.

If you want a step-by-step roadmap for intentional personality change, comment GROW and I’ll DM it to you.

Here’s the thing about boundaries:They’re not about keeping people out.They’re about showing people what you need so you...
12/16/2025

Here’s the thing about boundaries:

They’re not about keeping people out.

They’re about showing people what you need so your relationships can become stronger.

Without boundaries, your time, energy, and emotional bandwidth get quietly drained by other people’s expectations.

With boundaries, you get to show up calmer, clearer, and more like the person you’re working hard to become.

Want to know how your personality contributes how you set boundaries, comment TEST for your free Personality Compass Assessment.

Self awareness isn’t your problem.Translation into action is.Which pattern are you ready to actually change?If you’re lo...
12/14/2025

Self awareness isn’t your problem.
Translation into action is.

Which pattern are you ready to actually change?

If you’re looking for science, structure, and accountability to be the best version of yourself who moves confidently toward your goals….

See if The Personality Edit is right for you (🔗 in bio)

🎄✨ Your holiday joy shouldn’t depend on how many parties you can survive.If your social battery drains faster in Decembe...
12/11/2025

🎄✨ Your holiday joy shouldn’t depend on how many parties you can survive.

If your social battery drains faster in December, there’s nothing “wrong” with you — it just means your introversion–extraversion settings aren’t matching the expectations around you.

Some of us thrive with back-to-back gatherings.
Some of us hit our limit after one loud room.
Most of us are somewhere in the middle… trying to pretend we’re not.

When you understand your trait profile, you can personalize your holidays instead of performing them — and create joy that actually fits you.

Check out my new Psych Today post - link in bio

The holidays are basically Extrovert Olympics — loud, crowded, chaotic — and most of us are… not training for that.Your ...
12/10/2025

The holidays are basically Extrovert Olympics — loud, crowded, chaotic — and most of us are… not training for that.

Your personality isn’t a label (“introvert” or “extrovert”), it’s a spectrum. And the secret to enjoying the season is planning it around your actual settings, not the ones you think you “should” have.

This week’s post breaks down how to personalize your holiday joy so you don’t burn out before December 20th.

Quiet corner chats? Great. Two parties max? Perfect. Romantasy + hot chocolate? Ideal.

You don’t need a new personality for the holidays.
You just need a plan that fits the one you already have.

Comment TEST and I’ll DM you the free Personality Compass Assessment.

12/08/2025

Comment TEST to get my free Personality Compass Assessment 🧭

Here’s my hot take as a psychologist who studies intentional personality change ⬇️
There’s no perfect level of introversion or extraversion.
Only a perfect match between your traits and the life you want.

If your social battery keeps sabotaging your goals — or your “always-on” energy is accidentally stepping on others — that’s not a personality flaw.
That’s a mismatch.

The good news? Traits aren’t fixed.
You can nudge them so your personality actually supports your aspirations instead of working against them.

Want to know where your settings are right now?
Comment TEST and I’ll DM you the free Personality Compass Assessment.

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