Psychologists here?

I sought out laboratory psychology specifically because I couldn't shut off my empathy. Before I made the switch away from clinical stuff, I started out saying I wouldn't work with the developmentally disabled (particularly children), then I said I wouldn't work with children at all. Then it was no one with trauma disorders, then schizophrenia, and so on. I eventually realized that I just didn't want to work with the mentally ill, and that I had no interest in the more designer-oriented psychology. You know, the rich people who want an "analyst" because they read about it in Salinger or something.

That was my journey. It hurt too much to learn about and work with disordered populations. Plus I realized that wearing my heart on my sleeve, operating from feelings and human connection, and generally wallowing in my personality type was stifling my growth. That's why I ended up in laboratory psychology and neuroscience. It has forced me to exercise the skills and intelligence domains that are less natural for me: statistics, analysis, solitary writing, and so on. People who are MBTI enthusiasts usually can't guess my type, but as soon as I tell them, they say "oh of course!" It's just that I've worked very hard to nurture things that aren't natural to ENFP -- emotional objectivity (in working with others), focus on a single task (in working alone), and general stability. Of course, I'm still an ENFP, so those who know me well aren't at all surprised to learn my type. It's just not like i wear a nametag with my type on it (unlike some of my INTJ coworkers).

By the way, some of the best clinicians I studied with (we were all in one grad program, so they were friends and colleagues of mine) were INTJs. Absolutely amazing clinicians -- really saw to the heart of things, willing to be completely honest with people, but without an ounce of cruelty or malice. One guy in particular was amazing in his skill at getting total strangers to open up to him, and they'd always leave the conversation with this sense of purpose and wellbeing ... I envy that fella. He had charisma like an ENFP, but follow-through and focus like an INTJ.

/r/ENFP Thread