In Personality & Priorities, "Impasses" are roadblocks that evolve in early childhood and impede or limit the child's social development and movement in life. Impasses develop out of a coalescence of unpleasant or painful interpersonal experiences in early life that signify non significance and non belonging to the child.

The four priorities are present in everyone's behavioral repertoire in varying degrees. However, one of the priorities is pre-eminent, and the others are subordinated to it. They help therapists understand clients quickly, and allow them to aid clients in reaching self-understanding and self-acceptance and in recognizing the price they pay for their chosen priority and behavioral strategies.

Dr. Nira Kfir, PhD is a psychotherapist and Director of Maagalim - Institute for Psychotherapy and Counseling in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Her theory of personality and priorities has developed into an innovative psychotherapeutic diagnostic system - Personality Impasse/Priority Therapy, which is used internationally.
Her theoretical model of Crisis Intervention is presented in her book, Crisis Intervention Verbatim.