Michael Alcee, PhD – Understanding the Nature of Introversion

by Nina from MindGourmet

“Introverts unite! Occasionally. In small groups. For limited periods of time.”

These are the words Michael used to advertise a new university students’ group. Despite the comments of his colleagues to the contrary, many students showed up and the group became one of the most popular one he’d ever run.

As a psychologist, Michael had seen that many of the students who came to him for help didn’t know they were introverts. They were built differently than they perceived society would expect them to be. “Once they know how they are all things started to open up – and this is what inspired me to try out this group,” shares Michael.

Anxiety, depression, relationship issues – that’s the effect, not the cause!

It’s easy for introverts to fall under the therapeutic radar. They frequently come to Michael with anxiety, depression and relationship difficulties.

Michael says, for introverts these symptoms are actually the effect of not knowing how to live by the strengths of their introverted nature. They get anxious and depressed as a result of trying everything to be as outgoing and extroverted as they can be. It’s not an innate anxiety or depression that causes their problems.

Getting enough recharging time is essential

“Introverts are very deep thinkers with rich inner lives who are just waiting to share that with others who want to swim in those waters together,” says Michael. Introverts are taking in so much and they’re trying to figure out what to do with all of this information. Still waters run deep and introverts know how to swim in those deep waters.

This results in the need for recharging time – similar to a cell phone with many apps running at the same time: the battery gets drained faster. Introverts charge from the inside out. They need to steep in their imagination, go out for a walk, create something, or have a deep conversation with one person or a small group.

Michael and I talked about so much more!

Enjoy our interview!

Michael shares about his work as a university psychologist and how he came to realize many students aren’t “problematic“ just introverted (02:35)

It’s easy for introverts to fall under the therapeutic radar with symptoms of anxiety and depression and relationship difficulties. In many cases they’re treated for their symptoms but without shedding light on their introverted nature. How Michael is helping introverts find and take their place (04:50)

Who and what introverts are (06:20)

What introverts need to know about themselves so that they can thrive (07:40)

How introverts can learn to appreciate their own way of being which often, to them, appears to be so incompatible with the demands of a seemingly extroverted world (10:40)