Meet the 5 Temperaments 

Everyone has a unique blend of the five temperaments listed below. In temperament counseling our temperament is measured in three categories: Inclusion, Control and Affection. Our temperament score in each category provides highly personalized insight into our deepest needs and how we relate to people and the world around us.

Most people are a blend of the 5 temperaments. Variation is common as different individuals measure higher or lower in the dominance of a temperament or in a particular category. This is why temperament therapy is so unique and personalized!

 Understanding The Melancholy Temperament 

Quiet, reserved and intelligent, the Melancholy is an introvert with a clever, active mind. The Melancholy is always thinking or working on something. Sensitive, smart and creative, the melancholy craves alone time to think, create and regenerate.

 Understanding The Sanguine Temperament 

Bright, bold and bubbly, the Sanguine is the ultimate extrovert with lots of friends and big ideas. They always have a place to be. Impulsive, fun-loving and energetic, the Sanguine is happiest when they get as much love as they give.

 Understanding The Phlegmatic Temperament 

Consistently calm, cool and collected, the Phlegmatic has the ability to relate just as well to tasks as they can with people. Highly protective of their time and energy, often by using their razor wit, the phlegmatic is hardworking, cool-headed, and reliable.

 Understanding The Choleric Temperament 

Naturally born to lead the way, a Choleric is truly a force to be reckoned with. An extrovert powerhouse with big dreams, big plans and a (sometimes) a big ego, the Choleric is ambitious, motivated and unstoppable when their mind is made up.

 Understanding The Supine Temperament 

Thoughtful, giving and considerate, the Supine is always ready to help out, pitch in and serve. Always putting others before themselves, the Supine is a loyal friend, an extremely hard worker, and makes it their mission to make everyone feel special.

IMPORTANT: Please note, this is a temperament overview, absolutely not a medical diagnosis, and is not designed to be self-determined. For thorough and accurate results, and APS test is required.

 A Closer Look at the Three Areas Where Temperament Is Measured 

The APS report measures and identifies the three distinct areas of needs, personal characteristics, and motivations, including how we relate to people and the world around us.  You can have a different temperament for each of the categories below, or a combination.*

*This is not a medical diagnosis.

 Inclusion 

Your Inclusion temperament defines your need to establish and maintain a satisfactory relationships with people in the area of surface relationships, associations and socialization  including career, activities, social gatherings, and people who come in and out of your life every day. Inclusion needs can range from a desire to have involvement with many people or only a select few. Inclusion also includes the cognitive or intellectual functions  and the way you receive and process information. At your core, your Inclusion score determines your needs for your sense of significance or belonging.

 Control 

Your Control temperament is your need to establish and maintain a satisfactory relationship with people in respect to issues of control and power, as well as your ability to self-motivate. Your Control score indicates how to what degree you want to control people and situations and how much we will allow people and situations to control us. It corresponds to your will power, whether you are a leader or a team player, as well as your decision-making process and style. At your core, the temperament needs in Control  highlight your confidence and your ability to be effective, decisive, and influential.

 Affection 

Your Affection temperament is your need to establish and maintain a satisfactory relationship with others in regard to love and affection, including deep one-on-one relationships such as spouses, girlfriends or boyfriends, parents, children, and trusted friends. This area deals with deep relationships involving intimacy, vulnerability, personal feelings, and innermost desires. It indicates how much love and affection you express and how much you want to be shown. At your core, your Affection score indicate your personal sense of worthiness, including feeling lovable, valued and deserving of love.

 Understanding Enables Lasting Change 

Temperament therapy is based on the belief that you were purposefully made by God with your exact temperament, giving you a very special set of gifts, desires, talents, and struggles. Unlike tastes, moods, situations and even personalities, temperament is who we are at our core, it never changes.

Temperament determines how we interact with our environment and the people around us. Temperament also determines our perception and understanding of ourselves and of the people who love us. Often we learn or select behavior that is very different from our inborn temperament.  We call this a "mask" as it only hides the true temperament. When the "mask" is dominant, a person's temperament needs are not met, and he/she feels stress and suffers conflict.

​After 22 years of research, Drs. Richard and Phillis Arno created a system that has been proven over 95% accurate, with clients reporting higher satisfaction as compared to traditional therapy. With your personal APS report, we determine your unique, inborn temperament in three areas: inclusion, control and affection. 

As the foundation of Temperament Counseling is Christian, we believe that attempts to meet our temperament needs apart from our relationship with God creates conflict. By attempting to meet our needs apart from God's plan, we expend too much energy meeting some needs while ignoring others, creating conflict, stress, and often, unhappiness.

 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 

We also use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), or for those who prefer it, Biblical Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (BCBT) techniques. The theory of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is based on the idea that many of our difficulties stem from the way we think. Many believe that an event where something negative or hurtful affects us, causing emotional distress.

However, CBT and BCBT show us that it is not the event but a person’s belief about that event that causes the emotional disturbance. God's word says that we should bring every thought captive to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

We will help you see how the way you think affects how you feel, how you feel affects how you behave, how you behave affects how you think and feel about others and the promises of God. In short, it all begins with how we think. Proverbs 23:7 says, "For as he thinks within himself, so he is."

Working together to examine unhealthy or ungodly thought patterns that may result in unwanted behavior and consequences, we can reclaim 2 Corinthians 4:8-10, "...we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed."

*While Dr. G has Achology advance training certifications in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Neuro-linguistic Programming, these techniques, if applied in session, do not constitute a medical diagnosis. Scientific principals are not applied in contradiction to God's Word.

 No Discrimination or Pressure. Ever. 

This is a safe space for everyone. Period.

I believe trust is earned and that everyone deserves to be meet with love and respect right where they are. Temperament therapy is Christian-based. The theory is rooted in Christine doctrine and the scientists that pioneered the research are Christian. However, this system is also scientifically-proven and is absolutely applicable to anyone, regardless of faith or belief system. This office will never judge or discriminate. 

How you do (or do not) express your unique temperament can be affected by your upbringing, education as well as your personal relationship with God (if applicable), your understanding of a higher power, or lack thereof.

Faith and Science Are Better Together

Yes, it is possible for science and faith to coexist. In fact, together they thrive! Temperament-based christian counseling, pioneered by the National Christian Counselors association, provides Bible-based, scientifically supported counseling techniques and highly personalized a temperament evaluation results that have been proven over 95% accurate for four decades.

As an Acupuncture Physician (a woman of science) and Pastoral Counselor (a woman of faith), I understand that our mental health struggles are often a combination of chemical imbalances and spiritual struggles. Let me make my position clear: many mental health issues stem from a chemical imbalance. If you’ve ever been told that sin or “not praying enough” is the only reason you're suffering you WON’T find that here. Can our choices affect our lives? Yes. Can our attitude and world view affect our feelings and outlook? Absolutely. Regardless, mental illness deserves the same respect as any other illness, and that's what you'll get with me. 

In my 16 years in the health care field I have heard many heartbreaking stories. Often individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, or another form of mental illness have confided in church staff, church members, or friends and family, only to be shamed, condemned, judged or ostracized.

In my practice and ministry you'll find compassion and understanding, a referral when medically necessary, and the loving but unfiltered honesty and truth.

Let's take a moment for a sensitive topic...

When Hurt Happens In a Place You Went to Heal 

As a Christian, sometimes I am saddened when individuals tell me they no longer attend worship services. Why I ask why, I often hear a familiar story. They tell me until they no longer felt welcome, understood, or accepted until they "got it together." They felt judged. Worse, they became separated from the body of Christ. This is a travesty. We must do better. (See "The Hands and Feet of Christ- Biblical Mental Health Resources below)

I am not trying to make a blanket statement about the Church or Christians. I am simply sharing my personal and professional experience. I have seen and heard too many stories of those who looked to the church, or friends and family of faith, for empathy and grace only to be told they haven't prayed enough, they're being punished for their sin, or even shunned as a result of coming forward. (Matthew 5:3-10)

According to Ed Stetzer, author of Mental Illness and The Church: New Research on Mental Health from LifeWay Research, 48% of those who identify as evangelical or fundamentalist Christians believe that illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia can overcome their conditions through Bible study and prayer alone. Is anything impossible with God? Absolutely not. But just because God can intervene or heal anyone at anytime does not mean He will. (John 16:33, Matthew 25:35-40)

I believe sufficiency in Christ and mental health care can coexist. Many deeply devoted Christian mental health experts, doctors, and researchers agree. We do not tell church members to reject insulin, heart medications, dialysis, or chemotherapy. We pray for the doctors and surgeons treating parishioners and their family members. Shouldn't mental illness and the necessity of medical intervention for some individuals receive the same support? It could be lifesaving. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC, more Americans between the ages of 15 and 34 will die from suicide this year than heart disease, cancer, and diabetes combined. This is a call to ministry.

I work with individuals as a pastoral counselor to determine how much of their struggle may be medical, and refer accordingly when necessary. However, I also work with my clients to determine what part of their struggle may be spiritual in nature and partner with them to approach these challenges biblically. I have seen great success and relief for those who have community support within the church, medical assistance, and biblical counseling.

I'm here to roll up my sleeves and be part of that change.

The Hands and Feet of Christ- Biblical Mental Health Resources 

Above I shared the reasons my clients have given me over the years for avoiding church. leaving a church, or rejecting Christianity outright. I do not believe that all churches and Christians are judgmental or somehow "failing" those with mental health struggles. I am simply sharing my experience to cast a light in a place we might shine brighter. (Matthew 5:14-16)

Many churches, pastors, small groups and individuals making mental health in the church a priority. I am proud to say I attend such a church. This is encouraging, but there is much work yet to be done. (Romans 15:7)

See my "Resources" section for more information.

 If you're ready for research-supported, faith-based counseling that will make you feel heard and supported. Let's get started.

Compassion With Christ At the Center 

Some mental illnesses are best treated with medication, like any other illness. I support that, because in many cases medication is a literal life saver. However, I also know that nothing is impossible with God. When we are able to talk  about how we feel and why we are struggling at me met with empathy and without judgement, we can being to heal. 

It is important to acknowledge that certain life choices and thinking patterns can contribute to our suffering. However, I also know that compassionate counseling—with the compassion of Christ at the center—can provide tremendous healing for the mind, body, and soul.

Together we will explore your God-given temperament, which will help identify bth your strengths and challenges. We can see which parts of your life may be out of alignment with your temperament needs and work to address them directly. No more talking in circles!