Temperament Therapy is a form of soul care commonly used among pastors, Christian counselors, and spiritual directors. Its origins trace back to the 4th and 5th centuries BC, when the Greek philosopher Hippocrates developed his medical theory. At a time when the mysteries of human behavior were often described through the lens of earth, water, air, and fire, Hippocrates extended this elemental theory into the fields of medicine and psychology. He proposed that a person’s personality is linked to the balance of bodily fluids, or humors. According to this typology, a person’s disposition was contingent upon the dominance of one bodily fluid over another. 

 

The associated humors led to the development of four temperaments: Choleric, Melancholic, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic. In the early 1980s, Drs. Richard and Phyllis Arno compiled ongoing research that led to the addition of the fifth temperament: Supine. Historically, it was believed that each person was primarily one temperament, but with continued research by the Arnos, each person carries three distinct needs in the area of their soul: Inclusion, Control, and Affection. 

 

The soul is the part of the human structure that consists of the mind, will, and emotions. Man is a tripartite being, meaning they possess a body, a soul, and a spirit, all of which contain certain needs given by God, their Creator. Temperament therapy is also known as Creation Therapy because it focuses on the fundamental claim that all persons are made in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen. 1:26-27). Because the Lord has made each person with innate needs from the foundations of the world, temperament therapy seeks to understand the various and unique ways in which an individual was made by God and how those specific needs are being met, or not being met. Temperament Therapy, then, is a means by which mankind is given the ability to understand his or her temperament by finding a balance between body, soul, and spirit, thereby allowing them to be the best that God created them to be.

 

One guiding principle of temperament therapy is that the more a person lives outside their God-given temperament, the more stress and relationship complications they experience in their station in life. This therapeutic approach focuses not on individual behaviors, such as character, but rather on one’s soul needs. Therefore, the gap between a person’s behavior and their God-given temperament needs determines the level of stress and relational and/or inter- and intrapersonal conflict they may be experiencing. 

 

A person's inner composition comprises temperament, character, and personality. Temperament is created by God and bestowed at birth. Character is learned behavior shaped by one’s interactions with other people and the environment. An encouraging note is that, because certain behaviors are learned, they can also be unlearned, leading to a closer alignment with one’s God-given temperament. Personality, then, is self-selected, based on the “mask” a person chooses to wear to survive in any given environment. 

 

Temperament consists of three main areas: Inclusion, Control, and Affection. Inclusion concerns how a person relates socially to others and to intellectual energies. Control is a person's ability to make decisions and accept responsibility for themselves and others. Affection is the need to express and receive love, acceptance, and approval, as well as to form deep, sustaining relationships. Each category is divided into expressed needs and responsive needs. Expressed needs are those a person explicitly makes known, and responsive needs are those a person wants others to initiate on their behalf.