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[INFP] What are an INFP's strengths?

TheEmeraldCanopy

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Formerly the "Do INFPs Make Good Counselors?" Thread.


Or is this more the true strong point of the NFJ?


Has anyone ever had an NFP counselor? How would a counseling experience with an NFP differ from that of one with an NFJ?


What are the strengths of an INFP?
 
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BlackCat

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A family counselor I went to is INFP. He did an excellent job.
 
G

Ginkgo

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INFP advice is "informing", while INFJ advice is "directing".

INFPs give multiple options to those they counsel, while INFJs offer the best option.

Male INFPs are overrepresented in psychologist field.

Both types usually adore the subjects of psychology and communication, as do I.

Those are the main differences that I can think of. The counseling skill of a person should not reside in their type, but within their experience and education.
 

TheEmeraldCanopy

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I'm just trying to figure out what INFPs would be most useful at in terms of contributing to society. It seems NFJs are incredible at bringing out the best in people and truly listening.


What are the strengths of the INFP?
 

Goatman455

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Well the INFPs I know have great and well formulated concepts on what is going on. They are usually positive towards others in interaction and can really get to the core of issues they choose to focus on. Sometimes they are not open enough towards other people's ideas, but I think it is all about approaching them the correct way.

Also INFPs if committed to a job can be very loyal, I also once read somewhere (I can't remember where) that they tend to be good at choosing "deputies" to cover their weaknesses.


Really I think a lot of the strengths are shared across all NFs. I don't think just NFJs are good at listening and bringing out the best in people. Counseling is a great job for INFPs. I think creative fields are good too.

The key to INFP is that they are open in a certain way with their advice towards the other person. They really can help the other person in the way they need, rather than being bossy or over aggressive with their advice. Rarely have I heard an INFP just offer up some serious advice, suggestions, or perceptions that someone didn't want to hear. I don't know if you can say the same about the ENFs.
 

SciVo

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The key to INFP is that they are open in a certain way with their advice towards the other person. They really can help the other person in the way they need, rather than being bossy or over aggressive with their advice. Rarely have I heard an INFP just offer up some serious advice, suggestions, or perceptions that someone didn't want to hear. I don't know if you can say the same about the ENFs.

I did not know better when I was immature. I carefully align my advice with what the listener can hear because the consequences of overreaching are painful to me, so I adjusted. I'm just saying because you might find the why interesting.
 

Amargith

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I would think that ENFPs would be awesome at coaching due to their boundless enthusiasm, ENFJs would be awesome at groupcounselling (family counselling), INFJs probably great at helping people achieve goals and overcoming a mental illness (shrink), addiction etc, whereass the INFP would be best at for instance grief counselling, dealing with abuse, etc as intense emotions are their field of expertise...:thinking:
 

OrangeAppled

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INFP advice is "informing", while INFJ advice is "directing".

INFPs give multiple options to those they counsel, while INFJs offer the best option.

INFJs may give the best option based on their opinion and what is considered appropriate in general.

I think that an INFP strength is offering multiple solutions, and gently guiding people in making a good decision. INFPs are referred to as "healers" and I think healing involves helping someone get over past hurt so they can move forward on their own. By presenting multiple options, a person learns to choose for themselves & it teaches them reasoning skills & how to deal with their own emotions positively.

I think all NFs may try & help people see something from a different angle in order to cope. Not to downplay INFJ strengths, but they can come off as bossier than an INFP and less compassionate to a person's feeling. An INFP is less likely to invalidate a feeling, IMO. INFJs sometimes want to jump to a solution too fast & fix everything, when often, someone just needs a listening ear because they actually know what to do, but they are immobilized by emotion. On the other hand, INFJs may be more likely to give someone the kick in the butt they need to get going.
 

Vasilisa

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Can't say on this specific career, but INFP's really seem to go to whatever lengths necessary when they find within themselves the passion ignited by knowledge that they are making a positive change for a cause. This deep devotion to a cause can surely be a strength in a counseling career. Perhaps with the disadvantaged or neglected. Just my feeling.
 

Rebe

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INFPs strengths in Psychology/Counselor

- hyper aware of tone, yours and theirs, the emotions you are feeling from your subtle change of facial expressions, energy and body positions
- is focused on the big picture
- will not point out your weaknesses if do not see it necessary, but will nonetheless keep it in mind as we guide you
- will give you time to figure it out, fish for yourself, but when sees that you won't make it there on your own, will push you harder and be more blunt, but will want you to do it yourself from the 'information' we point you toward

I personally won't make a good counselor at all because I am impatient, more concerned about philosophy than psychology, and will internalize other people's pain in an unhealthy way. I don't fit the 'Healer' idea, I am more pragmatic and self-centered in any given day. I sometimes instill my principles onto people...and am preoccupied with those principles instead of whatever they were dealing with. With my friends, I am a very good listener. It makes me feel real awkward when they get very emotional so I take the matter-of-fact, detached route in a way that I have a hard time using on myself but have no problem using with other people. I am gentle and I won't kick you when you are down but I am very honest too if I feel it is more important than just letting you vent. I give them the bottom line and re-paint the options/issues for them to give it a different angle if necessary.

I think anyone could be a great counselor if the passion/desire is there.
 

Amargith

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INFPs are mostly known for the 'Healer' thing, but what about their other strenghts?
The artistic side, for instance. How many different ways does it manifest, and in what way does an INFP differ from the ISFP artist for instance?
 

Poki

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NFPs are specialists. It seems like they learn best from the master/apprentice style of teaching. They are a type who will quickly pass the masters ability and have to move onto a new one to expand their knowledge and ability. The NFP I know best in regard to strengths can learn very quickly and has several "masters" and will leverage this to surpass the abilities by combining what they have learned and essentially merging all these techniques together.

Possibly an ISFP artist will look both inside and the world around them more to create art, where as an INFP artist will expand when they become an artist, they see past the world around them. All NFPs I know have a huge desire to grow and continue to expand as a person through learning from others, picking other people brain in the areas they are interested in. I only know 2 SFPs in real life though and not to the extent where I have much experience in who they are.
 

CrystalViolet

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I'm trying to think of the differences between me and my best friend (who is ISFP). He seems to take inspiration from outside of himself, from tactile sensations, textures, visual cues. He very much likes his enviroment to be comfy and pleasing to the eye, and his art very much reflects that aspect of him, where as my art seems to be dredged up from with in my self and compared to his creative process, mine seems to be a bit more painful, and soul wrenching. My enviroment seems much more spartan compared to his too. I can be the very definition of the tortured artist, where his art has more of a sensual aspect to it. I know I seem to be dealing in classic stereotypes, but the differences are obvious between us, on an artistic comparison. He is also driven by the need to create where as I'm more driven by the need for self expression.
 
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musicnerd93

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INFPs are mostly known for the 'Healer' thing, but what about their other strenghts?
The artistic side, for instance. How many different ways does it manifest, and in what way does an INFP differ from the ISFP artist for instance?

Even if we can't project it onto paper or any other artistic medium, we see the world in a unique perspective, have a great appreciation for all types of art, especially the really crazy experimental stuff that nobody has done before. We see life as art, and that everyone is an artist in his or her own right.

ISFP's are also imaginative like so, but probably dig deeper into the meaning or the facts of their work. I don't know, ISFP's and INFP's aren't really that different apart from just one letter...
 

Poki

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I'm trying to think of the differences between me and my best friend (who is ISFP). He seems to take inspiration from outside of himself, from tactile sensations, textures, visual cues. He very much likes his enviroment to be comfy and pleasing to the eye, and his art very much reflects that aspect of him, where as my art seems to be dredged up from with in my self and compared to his creative process, mine seems to be a bit more painful, and soul wrenching. My enviroment seems much more spartan compared to his too. I can be the very definition of the tortured artist, where his art has more of a sensual aspect to it. I know I seem to be dealing in classic stereotypes, but the differences are obvious between us, on an artistic comparison. He is also driven by the need to create where as I'm more driven by the need for self expression.

This comes across like something that is painful and sould wrenching comes more from within then what is comforting and pleasing. To some types it seems like harder work to dredge up the good and pleasurable from within as sometimes its more painful then the soul wrenching.
 

OrangeAppled

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I think another obvious strength that INFPs often possess is writing. I write some crap poetry and short stories here & there, but I have also written articles for magazines & done quite a bit of copy writing for ads (one of those unexpected things you end up doing in print design).

I consider myself a bit of a visual artist, being a graphic designer, having some sketching ability, dabbling in painting, and generally having an eye for aesthetics in my everyday life (dress, decorating, etc). If I think I have undeveloped talent & could be a much better designer, but I need to apply myself more, especially in the hands-on aspects. I'm idea focused and can lose interest before even beginning a project. Basically, I am lazy!

I'd say that's a big difference between me and the ISFP artists I know. They enjoy the process itself and are more inclined to dive into it. They just do stuff for fun, but I need a reason. I create things with some idea in mind, even if it's just a vague feeling,; starting the physical creation of an idea takes a lot of motivation (that I often do not have). I find when I am actually doing it, I enjoy it a lot though.

Some other differences between ISFPs' art & mine may be that I tend to be more conceptual, and the ISFPs will be a bit more literal. For instance, my ISFP step-dad has better technical skill than I do, but he tends to take ideas from things he has seen & adds his spin on it. I have more original ideas, so much so that he has tried to "steal" from me (actually he asked, and I said "no" - haha). Strangely enough, I have more elegant, refined taste than most ISFPs I know; although, that could just be because I am a woman and they are mostly men.
 

CrystalViolet

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This comes across like something that is painful and sould wrenching comes more from within then what is comforting and pleasing. To some types it seems like harder work to dredge up the good and pleasurable from within as sometimes its more painful then the soul wrenching.
It was a personal comparison. I'm a much darker person than my ISFP friend in natural disposition, and yes, I'm some what more self-reflective. I'm in no way suggesting he's shallower. I wouldn't be his friend other wise. I'm just saying from my point of view, he gains much more inspiration from his surroundings, but I can see that maybe that's what I was untentionally implying, as I tend deal with thought processes, evoking emotion, and more conceptual art. I'm much more in my head. My friend is much more into invoking the senses, recreating memories, and generally making the experience pleasurable.
 
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