{"id":13854,"date":"2025-10-20T13:36:51","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T13:36:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/?p=13854"},"modified":"2026-04-20T08:36:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T08:36:33","slug":"and-whats-your-diagnosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/and-whats-your-diagnosis\/","title":{"rendered":"And \u2013 What\u2019s Your Diagnosis?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A client I accompanied through a personal and professional assessment struggled to say no and set boundaries. She suspected she might need psychotherapy to uncover what had gone wrong in her development. But is this difficulty \u2013 one she shares with many others \u2013 really a serious disorder that requires treatment?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Peter N\u00e4f<\/em><\/a><\/strong>
\nZurich, January 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Of course, there are degrees of such traits that do call for therapeutic support. In this case, however, her difficulty seemed to fall within the normal range, and she could have managed it well with appropriate behavioural strategies and a bit of discipline. Positive self-talk would also have helped \u2013 as by repeatedly telling herself how difficult it was, she effectively hypnotised herself and slowed her own progress (see my article \u201cSelf-hypnosis – an extensively practised art!\u201d<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The tendency to pathologise personality traits \u2013 even to label them with a diagnosis \u2013 seems increasingly common these days.<\/p>\n

Nobody is perfect<\/h5>\n

At times, I almost feel like an outsider for not having a diagnosis. And I wouldn\u2019t lack potential candidates: could my impatience and restlessness not point to ADHD? Might my reserved nature and occasional need for solitude hint at an autism spectrum disorder? Not to mention my occasionally blunt way of speaking \u2013 perhaps a subtle sign of Tourette\u2019s?<\/p>\n

Joking aside: I prefer the generous view offered by Schulz von Thun\u2019s Value Quadrant (see my article \u201cSurrounded by Idiots\u201d). Weaknesses<\/a> are often simply exaggerated forms of our strengths<\/a> \u2013 they become most visible under stress. My client\u2019s struggle to set boundaries, for example, likely stems from her strong empathy and willingness to help.<\/p>\n

When overplayed, our strengths can make us seem slightly pathological and can be exhausting \u2013 for ourselves and for others. But as long as we can regain balance \u2013 which usually happens once the pressure subsides \u2013 this is nothing more than the normal everyday madness that gives life its colour.<\/p>\n

A call for personal growth<\/h5>\n

Learning to manage our overdrawn strengths requires specific strategies \u2013 the kind I develop with my clients in coaching<\/a>. The need for coaching always arises when familiar coping mechanisms no longer work. Through coaching, clients expand their behavioural repertoire and learn to act more confidently across a wider range of situations. That process is called personality development<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Labelling behaviour as a medical condition, by contrast, carries the risk of viewing personality and conduct as fixed \u2013 and of remaining stuck in a passive mindset.<\/p>\n

Martin Seligman also encourages us to cultivate our personalities. As the founder of Positive Psychology \u2013 a field that consciously addresses mentally healthy individuals \u2013 he speaks from experience. A self-confessed \u201cgrump\u201d with pessimistic tendencies, Seligman has made peace with his nature. Through regular practice, he ensures that he remains \u2013 for himself and for others \u2013 a somewhat quirky yet pleasant companion who knows how to enjoy life.<\/p>\n

#coaching<\/a> #strengths<\/a> #personalitydevelopment<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A client I accompanied through a personal and professional assessment struggled to say no and set boundaries. She suspected she might need psychotherapy to uncover what had gone wrong in her development. But is this difficulty \u2013 one she shares with many others \u2013 really a serious disorder that requires treatment? Peter N\u00e4f Zurich, January […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13854","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-artikel-2"],"yoast_head":"\nAnd \u2013 What\u2019s Your Diagnosis? - Karrierecoaching - Peter N\u00e4f<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The pathologization of personality traits is widespread. 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