Personality Matters: An Integrated Theory of Wholeness with Dr. Dan Siegel

Can we really change our personalities? Dr. Dan Siegel says “NO” but also that nobody needs to. We can help our clients heal, grow, and unleash the fullest of their potential by helping them lean into who and what they really ARE. Crazy but true: We therapists are not taught how to work with personality in therapy. Unless you have a “personality disordered” individual (as we used to call it back in the day) we don’t tailor our interventions or our conceptualization to accommodate someone’s intrinsic way of being. Who else is ready to change this? (Lisa raises hand!) Well, help is here: In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Dan Siegel to explore his Patterns of Developmental Pathways (PDP) model: a science-based framework that weaves together neuroscience, attachment, and developmental psychology to help us understand personality more deeply and work with it more effectively. We unpack the nine core patterns, explore how to differentiate temperament from attachment conditioning, and look at how healing at the right level can help clients shift from limitation to possibility. Whether you’re new to PDP or already exploring it, this conversation will expand your clinical lens and give you tools you can use right away. I put together a companion article that expands on Dr. Dan Siegel’s Patterns of Personality model - how temperament and attachment shape who we are, the nine core patterns, and what all of this means for your work with clients. You can read it now on the Growing Self website: https://www.growingself.com/patterns-... Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Freeing Personality from the Prison of Pathology 05:51 The Nine Patterns of Personality 25:59 Emotions, Energy, and the Body’s Personality Response 35:25 Mapping Personality to Clinical Strengths 44:59 Dr. Dan Siegel’s Personal PDP Pattern 01:04:15 Flexibility and Growth Through PDP Integration If this episode lit you up, I hope you’ll check out my Free CEU Trainings for Therapists! These on-demand workshops (each worth 1–2 CEUs) are designed to support your growth—both as a clinician and as a human: https://courses.growingself.com/ceu-t... You can also stay in the loop about live CEU events, new podcast episodes, and exclusive resources by subscribing to my For Therapists newsletter. It’s the best way to get fresh ideas, practical tools, and meaningful support for the work you do: https://courses.growingself.com/ I’d love to connect with you on LinkedIn (  / drlisabobby  , where I share reflections, behind-the-scenes updates, and continue the conversations we start here. And if something from this conversation is staying with you, whether it’s showing up in your clinical work or sparking something new, I’d truly love to hear about it. This podcast is a space for us, so don’t be a stranger. Let’s talk: https://forms.gle/zLfZfPomDgtQc1Jx8 xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby P.S. This is Dr. Siegel’s second time joining me on the podcast - don’t miss Episode #39 (https://www.growingself.com/attachmen..., where we explore the foundations of attachment styles and how they connect to the PDP model. Growing Self: https://www.growingself.com/ Love, Happiness, and Success For Therapists on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Love, Happiness, and Success For Therapists on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/49LMNdM... Hey, fellow therapists! 🌟 Welcome to Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists — the podcast designed to support your growth as a clinician and as a human. I’m Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby, fellow therapist and founder of Growing Self Counseling and Coaching. Every week, we’ll dive into real-world strategies to strengthen your practice, nurture your well-being, and help you create the love, happiness, and success you deserve. We’ve chosen a profession that’s both demanding and rewarding — but therapists need support too. This show is here to give you the tools, insights, and encouragement to thrive in your work and your life. 🌱💕