What is the Enneagram?

The Enneagram is NOT just another fad personality test. It is a personality-based system that helps us recognize and understand ourselves in deep, intuitive ways with the goal to guide us toward personal growth and the ability to thrive without shame or judgment. It helps you observe yourself more clearly and appreciate how other people may see situations differently than you do, particularly when under stress.

As a mental health professional, the Enneagram is one of my favorite things because it actually helps people. It is a diagram and model of personality that has been handed down over decades, by wise teachers, to help all of us see ourselves more clearly and stay afloat amidst life’s challenges. It is dynamic enough to call out similarities in personalities while allowing everyone to be unique and connected to their identity and culture. The Enneagram is a complex, thorough system that takes time to learn and apply. It has not overshadowed traditionally trusted methods of mental health support - it has greatly enhanced them.

Enneagram is pronounced ‘IN-E-UH-GRAM.’

We talk about the system by saying ‘the enneagram’, not ‘an enneagram.’

'Ennea' means 9 and 'gram' refers to a diagram, like the one shown. It has ancient roots, connected to many cultures and spiritual traditions, but does not belong to one religion or teacher. While it was originally made popular in the US through religious leaders, it is currently gaining more secular popularity for its positive psychological impact on human growth and mental health.

How does the Enneagram work?

Nine distinctive personalities are described in the diagram and each reflects the unique motivations behind your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Each personality type is described in much deeper ways than their superficial preferences like some other personality systems. The Enneagram reflects core fears and desires that create strengths as well as the problematic behaviors of each personality.
You are born with your number and it is the same throughout your life. We say “I am a Type 6” and do not say “I am a Type 6-2-7” or “When I’m mad, I’m a Type 9.” What makes each number dynamic is that they are connected to 4 other numbers at any time to round out your uniqueness and reflect your specific life stresses and successes. To use the Enneagram successfully, we must determine our type (not let someone else decide for us!) and then seek to understand what that type looks like on us in our unique experiences and our personal hopes and dreams.
The two lines connected to each numbered point are called Stress and Growth lines. They represent one of the dynamic ways our personality changes when we are faced with stress or the experience of being at rest/peace (i.e. not being challenged). In the Stress shift, stress can come from joyous or difficult events alike and is defined as tension in your body during a time of change or challenge. When an Enneagram Type is ‘taking on’ traits from the Type connected by one of these lines, many teachers say that we take on the healthiest traits of the Growth Type and the unhealthiest traits of the Stress Type.
Wings are the Types directly on either side of our Type and represent personality traits that we have access to at any time like carrying them around in a backpack with us each day. It is common that we have a stronger connection to one of the Wings throughout life and as we age we gain a stronger connection to both types. Types with strong wings are described as ‘Type 6 Wing 5’ or ‘6w5.’ Wings are another way that the Enneagram shows us how our personalities are dynamic.
Triads are groups of three Types that share a certain experience or perspective. There are many kinds of triads: Head/Heart/Gut Triads, Assertive/Compliant/Withdrawn Triads, Positive Outlook/Competency/Reactive Triads, and Attachment/Frustration/Rejection Triads. These are discussed in more detail within The Starter Bundle.

The Enneagram Types

Type One

Ones are driven towards perfection, excellence, intention, and a desire for things to be correct or good. They fear being wrong or bad or not being able to live according to their values. In therapy, they might often express concern about doing the process correctly and how to do it the very best way.
Type Two

Twos are primarily concerned with building and maintaining relationships because of a core fear of being unlovable and therefore abandoned. They invest in relationships by being helpful and focusing on meeting needs; everyone’s except their own. In therapy, they will likely see highs and lows in their life through their relationship experiences and struggle to focus on themselves.
Type Three

Threes are focused on achievement and being well regarded by others. Motivated by external validation and accomplishment, they are often seen as driven, high-achieving, or focused. In therapy, they may struggle to acknowledge their own emotions and be overly focused on what others think.
Type Four

Fours are connected to the emotional tone of their surroundings and often use creative expression to process their emotions. In therapy, they may be confused by their own melancholy when they are disconnected from their passion, and at other times feel enlivened by the beauty of their experiences.
Type Five

Fives are curators of their time and attention, often having many hobbies or deeply explored areas of interest and preferring to have ample time alone to regain the energy they share with others. They are perceptive and deep thinking and are less reliant on others to meet their needs. In therapy, they will have difficulty expressing emotions and recognizing the full impact of situations on themselves or others.
Type Six

Sixes are driven to achieve a sense of safety (not necessarily physical) through control and precise planning. They highly value responsibility, predictability, and building relationships. As one of the more naturally anxious numbers, sixes in therapy benefit from working on self-awareness, managing their thoughts, and creating safety in the present moment.
Type Seven

Sevens love to liven things up and are often making people laugh or cheering them on. They are hard workers, deep thinkers and focus on meeting their own needs. In therapy, they benefit from building tolerance for uncomfortable or heavy emotions in order to ground themselves to the difficulties in life and recognize that others do in fact want to meet their needs too.
Type Eight

Eights are great protectors of their tribes and are often seen advocating for the underdog or a point of view. They are unafraid of disagreements and are decisive, making them natural leaders. In therapy, they benefit from building awareness of their impact on others (particularly when they feel anger) and finding ways to enjoy rest.
Type Nine

Nines like to be easy-going and peace-making in their environments, reassuring others and open to new ideas. Since they are primarily focused on avoiding conflict, in therapy they can struggle with voicing their opinions and unique perspectives and be overlooked or feel disengaged from their life.