Personality is defined as the relatively stable and consistent way in which we experience, think, and behave, influencing how we perceive ourselves and others. It includes both innate aspects—such as temperament—and acquired ones, which are shaped through the quality of early relationships and experiences.
Temperament refers to biologically determined predispositions of the brain and nervous system that influence the way and intensity with which we respond to environmental stimuli. Personality develops upon this biological foundation and reflects the dynamic interaction between nature and experience.
Although personality tends to be stable, it is not unchangeable over time. Contemporary psychological and neuroscientific research demonstrates that brain neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to form new synapses and functional patterns—allows for the evolution and modification of our habitual ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving throughout the lifespan (Doidge, 2007; Siegel, 2012; Schore, 2019).
In psychotherapy, particularly within relational and humanistic approaches (such as Gestalt therapy), early experiences and relational patterns that have shaped the way we relate to others and to ourselves are explored. Through the therapeutic relationship, individuals learn to recognize and tolerate difficult emotions, develop greater awareness of their reactions, and work on alternative ways of responding.
This process of self-observation and emotional regulation activates mechanisms of learning and neuroplasticity, leading to genuine change at neurobiological, emotional, and relational levels. Thus, personality does not “change” in a radical sense, but rather evolves—acquiring greater flexibility, awareness, and authenticity.
Personal growth, therefore, is not an isolated individual process but a relational and experiential one. Within safe and supportive relationships—such as those formed in psychotherapy—we can cultivate new ways of being, demonstrating that yes, personality can change.
“Where attention goes, neural firing flows, and where neural firing flows, neural connections grow.” Daniel J. SiegelReferences:
- Cloninger, C. R. (2004). Feeling Good: The Science of Well-Being. Oxford University Press.
- Doidge, N. (2007). The Brain That Changes Itself. Viking.
- Fonagy, P., Gergely, G., Jurist, E. L., & Target, M. (2002). Affect Regulation, Mentalization, and the Development of the Self. Other Press.
- McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T. (2008). The Five-Factor Theory of Personality. In O. P. John, R. W. Robins, & L. A. Pervin (Eds.), Handbook of Personality (3rd ed., pp. 159–181). Guilford Press.
- Schore, A. N. (2019). Right Brain Psychotherapy. Norton.
- Siegel, D. J. (2012). The Developing Mind (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
- Wampold, B. E., & Imel, Z. E. (2015). The Great Psychotherapy Debate (2nd ed.). Routledge.
