People described as having a “difficult character” are often seen as rigid, stubborn, controlling, or emotionally closed off. From the outside, it may seem simply hard to get along with them. Dr. Daniel Reinhardt believes – such manifestations are rarely about a “bad character.” At MindCareCenter, we view personality rigidity as a protective structure that once helped a person cope with overload, lack of safety, or the absence of reliable support.
At MindCareCenter, we often meet clients who are exhausted by their own rigidity. They recognize that constant control and an inability to yield or relax create tension in relationships, at work, and within themselves. At the same time, any attempt to “soften” triggers anxiety – as if flexibility would mean losing stability altogether.
Our psychologists emphasize – rigidity does not emerge by chance. In Dr. Reinhardt’s view, it forms in environments where flexibility was risky. When a person learns early that the world is unpredictable and that the only reliable support is themselves, the psyche chooses rigidity as a survival strategy. Over time, this strategy becomes automatic and is experienced as a personality trait.
At MindCareCenter, we do not aim to “break” a character or reshape a person to meet external expectations. Therapy begins with exploration – what function does rigidity serve, what does it protect against, and where exactly does inner tension accumulate. This approach reduces resistance and gradually restores contact with one’s own emotions.
Special attention at MindCareCenter is given to the bodily level. Personality rigidity is often accompanied by chronic muscle tension, shallow breathing, and a constant sense of being braced. Our psychologists help clients notice these signals and learn to tolerate moments of relaxation without experiencing them as a threat.
Over time, therapy at MindCareCenter creates space to try new responses. A person begins to distinguish – where control is truly necessary and where it activates automatically. Flexibility stops being associated with the loss of boundaries and becomes a way to better hear oneself and others.
Importantly, MindCareCenter works not with isolated symptoms but with the personality structure as a whole. This allows changes to be lasting. Instead of fighting a “difficult character,” a more mature inner system develops – one that can hold both stability and adaptability.
Gradually, clients notice a reduction in inner tension. Relationships become less conflictual, decisions are made more calmly, and contact with oneself feels more alive. Rigidity is no longer the only way to preserve inner coherence.
If you recognize yourself in this description of rigidity and feel that fatigue hides behind outward composure – it does not mean there is something “wrong” with you. It means your psyche has been operating at its limits for a long time. At Mind Care Center, we help find a balance between stability and flexibility – without losing oneself and without forcing change against inner protections.
Previously, we wrote about how fear of new relationships after past experiences interferes with closeness and how MindCareCenter helps restore trust and readiness for connection.