Personality Compass with Dr. Shannon Sauer-Zavala

Personality Compass with Dr. Shannon Sauer-Zavala Using science-backed strategies to empower people to become the best version of themselves. Visit my website to work with me!

Dr. Shannon is mental health expert, personality scientist, and TEDx speaker who busts myth that personality is set in stone. Expert Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Specialized mental health services for anxiety, depression, and borderline personality disorder. Evidence-based therapy tailored to help clients feel better and live a more fulfilling life. Personality Coaching for Goal Achievement

: Develop the traits and skills needed to reach your personal and professional goals with personalized, growth-oriented coaching. Supervision, Consultation, and Training for Mental Health Providers: Expert guidance in CBT, Unified Protocol, and BPD Compass. Training workshops available for therapists seeking advanced, evidence-based methods. Certification programs and program implementation also available.

I've been following Melanie for awhile and got the opportunity to meet over zoom about a year ago. Last month, I heard h...
06/22/2026

I've been following Melanie for awhile and got the opportunity to meet over zoom about a year ago. Last month, I heard her speak at a conference and was struck by the beautiful way she described emotional sensitivity - changing the narrative from "don't call me sensitive" to a superpower.

I am so honored that Melanie read an advanced copy of The BPD Compass Workbook and saw value in the skills as both a human and a clinician.

Thank you, Melanie, for reminding people that emotional intensity is not a character flaw — and that with the right tools, insight, and support, sensitivity can become a source of connection, meaning, and strength rather than shame.

If you'd like to check out BPD Compass, click this link to download a sample chapter + fillable PDFs of all the worksheets:
https://www.shannonsauerzavala.com/the-bpd-compass-workbook?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=post&utm_content=&utm_campaign=bpd-compass


compass

She had wanted to write a novel since she was a kid.She knew what mattered to her, but every week she found a reason to ...
06/22/2026

She had wanted to write a novel since she was a kid.

She knew what mattered to her, but every week she found a reason to put off writing. A busy schedule. A feeling that the work wasn't good enough.

When she came to work with me, the first thing I noticed was that this had nothing to do with purpose or passion. She had plenty of both.

What she needed was to build up the conscientiousness to actually show up for her craft consistently.

And that's a trait you can change.

In my newest article, I dig into ikigai and what positive psychology says about the gap between knowing what matters and actually living it.

If you know what you want and keep spinning your wheels anyway, this one's for you.

Comment ARTICLE and I'll send it to you.

I’m spending almost a month in Japan with my family and 15 college students for my annual study abroad course on the Sci...
06/20/2026

I’m spending almost a month in Japan with my family and 15 college students for my annual study abroad course on the Science of Happiness!

Propensity for happiness isn’t necessarily something you’re born with. It's something you can intentionally develop with practice.

We chose Japan for this trip because so many of the evidence-based happiness strategies I teach are woven into everyday life here.

🌿 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: From temple gardens to tree-lined streets, nature is part of everyday life—even in Tokyo. Research shows time in nature improves mood and reduces stress.

🍵 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: Whether it's a beautifully prepared meal, seasonal treats, or simply pausing to appreciate a view, Japanese culture often encourages slowing down long enough to experience the good moments fully.

⛩️ 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Shrines and temples are integrated into daily life, offering places for reflection, meaning-making, and connection to something larger than ourselves.

🙏 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲: Expressions of appreciation are embedded throughout everyday interactions, reminding us to notice the people and experiences that enrich our lives.

🚶 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Walking isn't something you schedule here—it's simply part of life. We’ve been getting between 15 and 20K steps per day.

❤️ 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀: Shared meals, group activities, and strong social norms around consideration for others create countless opportunities for connection. It has been amazing to see our girls quickly pick up on the social norms here related to consideration for others.

🧭 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀: Many aspects of Japanese culture reflect intentionality, craftsmanship, service, and community—powerful reminders that happiness often comes from living in alignment with what matters most.

Of course, no culture has a monopoly on happiness. But spending time here reminds me that many of the practices supported by psychological science aren't complicated.

They're often small, ordinary behaviors repeated day after day.

And maybe that's the most hopeful finding in happiness research: the things that improve our well-being are often available to us right where we are.

One of the biggest misconceptions about borderline personality disorder is that is shows up the same way in everyone wit...
06/18/2026

One of the biggest misconceptions about borderline personality disorder is that is shows up the same way in everyone with the condition.

Some people struggle with big emotions. Others have issues with trust that leads to conflict in relationships. Others shut down completely and feel empty or disconnected. Some appear highly social and impulsive. Others are quiet, withdrawn, and deeply afraid of rejection.

That’s because BPD isn’t a single “type” of person. In fact, there are 256 different ways someone can meet diagnostic criteria.

As a psychologist and BPD expert, this is one reason I get frustrated by oversimplified mental health content online. When we reduce BPD to stereotypes, people either:

• Get misdiagnosed and receive the wrong treatment, or
• Assume recovery isn’t possible because they don’t fit the “classic” picture

The good news is that modern treatment is becoming more personalized and targeted.

The BPD Compass Workbook was designed to help readers understand what is actually driving their symptoms - instead of focusing what those symptoms look like on the surface.

This way, you can focus on the skills most relevant to you instead of moving through a one-size-fits-all approach.

People with BPD are not all the same.
And treatment shouldn’t be either.

Download a sample chapter + fillable PDFs of all the worksheets: https://www.shannonsauerzavala.com/the-bpd-compass-workbook?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=post&utm_content=&utm_campaign=bpd-compass

What happens after the study ends?Too often, promising treatments remain trapped behind journal paywalls, conference pre...
06/16/2026

What happens after the study ends?

Too often, promising treatments remain trapped behind journal paywalls, conference presentations, and academic jargon. Researchers publish findings, other researchers read them, and the people who could benefit most never hear about them.

That's why I'm so committed to training clinicians in real-world settings in my interventions.

Over the past six years, my team and I have worked to develop and test a streamlined, evidence-based treatment for borderline personality disorder that targets the underlying personality dimensions driving symptoms.

We've been committed not just to creating a treatment that works, but to making it accessible.

That's why I'm excited to be offering a BPD Compass Introductory Webinar on July 31, where I'll walk through the model, the treatment approach, and how clinicians can begin applying these ideas in practice.

And then, on August 1, The BPD Compass Workbook will be available from most booksellers.

I hope you'll consider joining me for these exciting milestones.

Comment COMPASS to preorder the workbook!

Comment WEBINAR to learn more & register for the clinician workshop!
(pro tip, if you pre-order the workbook first, you'll get a discount code for 50% off the webinar registration)

This summer I'm teaching my Science of Happiness course in Okinawa, one of the world's Blue Zones.Okinawa is one of thos...
06/16/2026

This summer I'm teaching my Science of Happiness course in Okinawa, one of the world's Blue Zones.

Okinawa is one of those rare places where people consistently live longer, healthier, and happier lives than almost anywhere else on Earth.

As someone who studies the science behind that for a living, I couldn't pass up the chance to see it up close.

What's striking is how closely daily life there maps onto what positive psychology research has been saying for decades: a clear sense of purpose, close-knit relationships, movement that feels enjoyable rather than obligatory, and actually slowing down to appreciate the small things.

None of it requires a flight to Japan.

In this week's article, I share four Okinawa-inspired practices worth borrowing, whether you're starting from scratch or just looking to build more genuine happiness into your day.

Comment ARTICLE and I'll send it to you.

I learned everything I know about treatment outcome research from Dr. David Barlow when I was his postdoc (and early car...
06/15/2026

I learned everything I know about treatment outcome research from Dr. David Barlow when I was his postdoc (and early career faculty member) in his lab at Boston University.

And now Dr. Barlow has written a lovely endorsement of BPD Compass, our personalized treatment for borderline personality disorder.

People with BPD make up 10-12% of outpatient psychiatric populations, so we created BPD Compass with generalist clinicians in mind.

There simply aren't enough specialists to meet the demand, and not all people with BPD need the intensive intensive that require costly training.

BPD Compass is an evidence-based treatment for BPD was designed to be easy to pick up and delivery.

Download a free sample chapter and check out the fillable worksheets right here:
https://www.shannonsauerzavala.com/the-bpd-compass-workbook?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=post&utm_content=&utm_campaign=bpd-compass

06/12/2026

I was one of those kids teachers described as “not living up to her potential,” which is a nice way of saying “she doesn’t work that hard.”

It wasn’t until I took an intro to Psychology course in college that I finally found something that made me willing to tolerate effort. I took more psych classes, excelled, and really started to picture myself becoming a psychologist.

The problem was that my personality hadn’t totally caught up with that dream. In my other classes, I was still phoning it in. Then, my Junior year, my advisor sat me down and told me there was no way I was getting into a psych graduate program with my GPA.

So I bought my first planner. I started studying earlier. I turned things in on time. And every little success reinforced the idea that maybe I actually *was* the kind of person who could do this.

Years later, as a researcher studying personality change, I realized I had unknowingly applied the exact strategies I now teach in the treatments. I’m so glad I didn’t count myself out just because discipline didn’t come naturally to me - and now I help other people shape the traits they need for success too.

06/10/2026

Imagine logging off at 5pm with energy left for dinner with friends, bedtime stories with your kids, or even (gasp) a hobby that’s just for fun.

✨ A career where you’re known for your impact—not just your availability

✨ A life where saying no feels confident, not guilt-ridden

✨ Success that feels lighter, more intentional, and fully yours

This isn’t a fantasy—it’s what happens when you shift out of reactivity and into intentional choice.

The difference isn’t another productivity hack, another planner, or “just pushing through.”

It’s literally shifting the personality traits that keep you stuck in this loop. It’s lowering your perfectionism (too high conscientiousness) and people pleasing (too high agreeableness).

I’ve been testing strategies to intentionally shift the traits that no longer serve us in clinical trials for the past decade. Here are the steps:

✔ Clarify what matters most & what’s getting in the way

✔ Cultivate the traits that allow you to live without guilt or second-guessing

✔ Consolidate—A new normal, a life that looks good and feels good

It’s the evidence-based method I’ve used myself (and with countless clients) to help high-achieving women stop burning out and start building sustainable success.

💙 Comment RESET and I’ll DM you more info on how I help women like you (and me) grow the traits that can build a life that feels as good as it looks on paper.

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