The term "personality disorder" -- described in DSM-IV and DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) -- captures the chronic and rigid inflexibility of a
personality pattern. Unfortunately, this term can also have a side effect of diminishing a person's self-esteem and
creating futility about the future. Even therapists can feel pessimistic about treating personality disorders.
Compass Therapy changes this by using the term "personality patterns," thus emphasizing that rigid patterns are merely growth deficiencies that can be replaced with healthy personality growth. People are familiar with the concept of laying aside old patterns, such as eating too much or driving too fast. They quickly grasp that growth stretches into unused compass points makes their behavior more resourceful and their life happier.
Therapists can remember nine major personality patterns by their location around the
Self Compass. Each pattern is stuck on one or two compass points to the neglect of the others. Compass Therapy guides the expansion of personality into rhythmic use of all four complimentary points.
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| Personality Patterns Self Compass |
*The dependent
and histrionic patterns are located
on the Love compass point, where the dependent trend intensifies into chronic
pleasing and placating (dependent) or the melodramatic craving for attention
(histrionic). Both patterns share intense needs for approval and affection, as well as a fixated focus on others that blocks access to the
spiritual core.
*The paranoid
and antisocial patterns are stuck
on the Assertion compass point, where the aggressive trend develops into edgy
suspicion (paranoid) or impenitent exploitation (antisocial). These two
patterns frequently co-vary as personality mixtures, and share an undercurrent of hostility.
They consider others as adversaries over whom they must triumph.
* The avoidant
and schizoid patterns are located on
the Weakness compass point, where the withdrawn trend intensifies into fearful
loneliness (avoidant) or isolated detachment (schizoid). Both patterns create
flat affect, a lack of motivation in personal development, and massive
deficiencies in interpersonal skills.
* The narcissistic and compulsive patterns are lodged on the Strength compass point, where striving for
superiority pushes the controlling trend into either the grandiose entitlement
of the narcissist or the judgmental perfectionism of the compulsive. These two patterns share a common preoccupation with
issues of adequacy, power, and prestige. Both patterns are quite comfortable taking control and dictating. Both patterns share the demand for perfection, the narcissist
seeking the glory of ambition and the compulsive enforcing the status quo.
*The
borderline pattern blends elements of
the top and bottom halves of the Self Compass, flip-flopping in rapid swings
from one extreme to its opposite. A
built-in ambiguity within the pattern makes unpredictable whether the person
will come across as a “top dog” (Strength and Assertion compass points) or an
“underdog” (Love and Weakness compass points). This
oscillating fluctuation forms the “rigid fluidity” of the borderline pattern.
I've taught students at several universities how to understand and treat these personality disorders. When I first used the material found in the Diagostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, my students remained puzzled, because they could never remember what distinguished one disorder from another, let alone how to construct an effective treatment plan based on each pattern's unique needs.
However, when I started using the Compass Therapy model, based on the user-friendly model of the Self Compass, students and veteran therapists alike said they could finally locate each disorder relative to the others, and understand the rationale regarding the facilitation of therapeutic growth toward a healthy and balanced personalty.
Here's what Lallene Rector, Professor of Psychology of Religion and
Pastoral Psychotherapy, Garrett-Evangelical Seminary, Northwestern
University, writes about the Compass Therapy perspective on Personality Disorders:
"One
of the real gems in the Montgomerys’ work is a systematic analysis of 'personality patterns' following DSM descriptions of the personality
disorders. Attention is paid to the pattern’s interior, its origins,
cognitive self-talk, emotional dynamics, and impact on others, as well
as its way of relating to God."
