Enneagram

“Life lived out of ordinary awareness has the distinct impression of being a vicious circle”.
Cynthia Bourgeault, Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening.

 Most of us can relate to this quote. Indeed, we often experience a déjà vu sense about what is taking place and wonder, where is the key to understanding the dynamics of what is really going on inside of me? Why do I seem to bring the same reactions to similar situations? How can I bring more choice to my ‘one wild and precious life’?

The Enneagram is a powerful and dynamic personality system that describes nine distinct and fundamentally different habits of feeling, thinking and behaving. Each type has a coherent pattern of perceiving the world and reality, yet at the same time brings with it its own particular blindness or way of magnifying certain aspects of that reality. As Helen Palmer, one of my teachers, so often would say, There are nine realities, all correct, but each only partial, leaving us working with an incomplete deck of cards!

Knowing your Enneagram type and those of others in your life is one of the powerful keys to having choice. Learning to become aware of and relax your type’s habitual patterns and reactions allows you to relate better to others in your life, your spouse, children and co-workers with greater objectivity and compassion. Your ability to see the full picture is enhanced. With this awareness, you’re able to receive what life brings you so you can now respond, rather than react.

While I use the Enneagram as a tool in all of my coaching work, I am a Certified Enneagram Teacher in the Narrative Tradition (https://www.enneagramworldwide.com) and provide a variety of services for those who wish to work more directly with the Enneagram.

Introduction to the Enneagram

This 2-hour session covers:

  • Background and history to the Enneagram system
  • A description of the nine personality types, including strengths and blind spots
  • A general description of the strategies of each of the types
  • The universal growth process for becoming aware of how your type operates in your life
  • Guidance on discovering your own Type.

 Typing Interviews

You may be able to discover your type by reading books such as The Essential Enneagram, by David Daniels.   It is difficult to accurately discover your type by doing on-line questionnaires as we bring our type lens, including our blind spots, to the way that we interpret on-line questions, however they can be a good place to begin your inquiry.

One of the best ways to find out your type is a typing interview. This involves a 50 minute interview with me and a 40 minute follow up session in which I explain my observations and we work together on helping you arrive at your type. I also provide suggestions for self-development practices for your type.

Small Group Work

For those who already know their type and are interested in increasing their awareness of how their type is operating in their lives, I work with small groups. This is an effective safe setting for increasing your understanding of yourself and becoming more familiar with others’ types as well. At the outset the group discusses it goals and aspirations and time commitment. Sessions can be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly for a set period of time.

Private Coaching

This approach is suitable for any level of awareness of Enneagram type and is particularly effective when an individual has a specific goal in mind, be it a short-term intervention approach or longer-term growth path. The coaching program is designed to the client’s individual needs and goals.

Please contact me for a free conversation to explore if any of these services would suit you.

“I would like to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding.”
John O’Donohue