Show Notes


Episode 59. The Temperament God Gave You w/ Art & Laraine Bennett

Episode 59. The Temperament God Gave You w/ Art & Laraine Bennett

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain."
~ 1 Corinthians 15:10

Why do I react the way that I do?
How much of my personality can I change?
How does my temperament impact my relationships, my work, and my faith?

Join Kenna and Pat as they dive into the fascinating world of temperaments with Art and Laraine Bennett, renowned authors of "The Temperament God Gave You." In this enriching episode, discover how understanding temperaments can lead to personal and spiritual growth, enhancing relationships and helping us to be more like Christ. The Bennetts explore the strengths and challenges of each temperament — choleric, sanguine, melancholic, and phlegmatic — and offer practical tools for navigating personal and interpersonal dynamics. Listen in as they discuss the importance of self-awareness, the power of community, and how temperaments can promote freedom and growth in holiness and virtue. This is a fantastic conversation that you don't want to miss.

Art Bennett has a B.A. in philosophy and an M.A. in counseling psychology from Santa Clara University. He has co-authored three books on temperament and 6 books with Laraine and is a licensed (California and Virginia) Marriage and Family Therapist with more than 35 years of clinical experience. Laraine Bennett has a B.A. in philosophy from Santa Clara University and an M.A. in philosophy from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She created the game, Know Thyself! The Game of Temperaments (Sophia Institute Press, 2022) and has written two solo books. Art and Laraine are frequent speakers on marriage and family issues, both nationally and internationally. They have four adult children and eleven grandchildren.

Show Notes

➡️ Find out your temperament! ⬅️

  • “Temperament is the science of reactions.”

    • Art Bennett

  • Understanding the four temperaments:

  • “I could easily have created men possessed of all that they should need both for body and soul, but I wish that one should have need of the other, and that they should be My ministers to administer the graces and the gifts that they have received from Me.”

    • The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena, 1370

  • Christ is the perfection of all four temperaments

  • The Choleric is the natural leader, but all four temperaments can be great leaders. The Phlegmatic is the servant leader, the Melancholic is the noble leader, and the Sanguine is the charismatic leader.

  • We tend to react in particular ways, but we’re called to choose love in all situations - knowing your temperament can help you work against your natural weaknesses.

  • Our temperaments don’t change throughout our lifetime, but we can learn to work with them to minimize our weaknesses and embrace our strengths.

  • The saints tend to not have clearly defined temperaments by the end of their lives, because they have grown in virtue and moved toward love and holiness. When the saints were children, you can see their temperaments more clearly defined - both positively and negatively.

Other books related to this episode

Challenge By Choice

First, find out your temperament. Then…

  • Phlegmatic: Lean into conflict

    • “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” ~ John 16:33

  • Melancholic: Holding onto your ideals and learning to be ok with ambiguity

  • Choleric: Practice empathy and look for opportunities to be open to others’ influence, asking for others’ advice

  • Sanguine: Go deep and discuss a problem in depth

Reflection Questions

For personal reflection or group discussion

  1. What is one specific thing that stuck with you from this conversation?

  2. What is your temperament? How does your temperament affect your reactions?

  3. How might knowing your temperament help you grow in holiness & virtue?

  4. What do you understand about the temperaments of your spouse, children, and loved ones? How does that help your relationships?

  5. What is one weakness of your temperament that you feel compelled to address?