Enneagram

The Enneagram is a synthesis of ancient wisdom traditions that we use as a tool to help us grow and change.

Enneagram helps us see beyond what IS and embrace what we can become. Unlike other personality assessments - Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, StrengthsFinder, to name a few - Enneagram isn’t owned by any one person or corporation and has evolved and changed over time. The symbol and concept predates our modern culture - first Enneagram symbols were discovered on cavern walls as far back as 2500 BCE, and have roots in sacred geometry of ancient Greece and Pythagoras. Scholars brought it to the Western world in the early 20th century, synthesizing ancient symbols and concepts with modern philosophy and psychology.

“Ennea” means “nine,” and “gram” means “written symbol,” so there you have it. Enneagram.

The symbol itself has nine points. Everyone fits into one of these points - personality types. It’s important to know that everyone has ALL the types - but we also have a dominant type that forms early on in our lives and doesn’t change over time. People grow and change, and the way your personality is expressed may change, but the framework is static.

You might also notice that the numbers are connected, some more than others. Good catch! In addition to a personality type, we also have a wing, a triad, an instinct, a body center, and growth and stress directions. It’s a deceptively nuanced approach to self-understanding.

How can it help me?

Do you ever feel like you’re running on autopilot - no matter what you do, it seems like you can’t change behaviors or patterns. Maybe you have a theoretical understanding of yourself but blind spots remain. Enneagram teaches through psychology, spirituality, and somatics, and gets underneath our automatic patterns to understand the why and the how.

• Psychology helps us name and understand our patterns

• Spirituality helps us see the possibilities beyond our single story

• Somatics invites us to be present in our bodies so that we can interrupt the patterns that live in our cells/neural pathways

I first became interested in Enneagram during a chaotic time in my life as a way to understand what was happening and why I might be responding the way I was. It helped me see beyond blindspots and understand the subtle motivations running in the background of my system.

What if I don’t want to be put in a box?

That’s fine! The Enneagram is a fluid, working model. In fact, no assessment can tell you which number you are. It’s only a guide on your life’s path, and up to you to explore and determine where you best fit.

Another way to think about it: instead of being limited by the number, identifying your number can help you see your personality - the cluster of thoughts, behaviors, and emotions that form to create your life and experience - more clearly. Most people land in once place, whether it’s a big home or a small cabin, and take comfort in the refuge provided. We even decorate it and invite guests to visit. Our “personality home” provides refuge and safety, and understanding it can bring expansion and clarity in the choices we have as a result.

What does it look like to work with the Enneagram and you?

It really depends on your goals, and why you’re coming in. With a shorter term approach, we’ll first work on determining your personality type, spending some time understanding each type, ruling them in and out, and landing on your one dominant type. After exploring your type, your specific goals will determine where we’ll go next. It’s helpful for most people to have a broad understanding of their type, wing, body center, and direction of growth & stress. I’d recommend 6-8 sessions to get a full understanding of your type and how it shows up in your life. This may be enough, or you may decide to explore deeper aspects like your triad and instinct.

I also like to weave Enneagram into deeper work, and have seen it be especially helpful in moving through stuck places. Sometimes our defenses are so entrenched, and have been around so long, they feel like they ARE us rather than a PART of us (a defense.) Using Enneagram to identify the common defenses of your type can be freeing as we realize we’re not alone (sixes tend to catastrophize vs. I’m just a terrible worrier!)

Workshops & Lectures

I love teaching Enneagram interactively to groups large and small, and talking about its gifts and benefits. I can also help you at work if you’re wanting to connect your team to this concept.