Understanding Enneagram Personality Types and Why You Should Know Yours

Enneagram personality types are part of a model of human personality typing designed to help people understand their own behaviors and motivations. It also helps them understand those of others. It addresses underlying motivations and core fears that drive behaviors.

This model consists of nine interconnected personality types, each represented by a number from 1-9. Each type has its own set of core traits, motivations, fears, and desires that determine and influence how a person perceives the world, interacts with others, and develops personal growth. These types are often grouped by three centers of origin:

• Types 8, 9, and 1: Gut-Centered (Instincts)
• Types 2, 3, and 4: Heart-Centered (Feelings)
• Types 5, 6, and 7: Head-Centered (Thinking)

What is the history of the Enneagram?

The history of this Enneagram concept is quite fascinating and spans several centuries, blending ancient wisdom with modern psychological insights.

Early 1900s

One of the earliest uses of the Enneagram symbol in the modern world was by the famed Russian mystic George Gurdjieff, who introduced the symbols but did not associate them with personality types.

1960s

A Bolivian psycho-spiritual teacher, Oscar Ichazo, primarily developed the contemporary Enneagram of Personality concept. He integrated various spiritual and psychological concepts into the Enneagram system.

1970s

A Chilean psychiatrist, Claudio Naranjo, further developed Ichazo’s work, linking the Enneagram to modern psychology and identifying the nine personality types.

Popularization 1970-90s

The enneagram personality type gained wider recognition through the work of authors and teachers like Helen Palmer, Don Riso, and Russ Hudson, who wrote extensively on the subject and developed various teaching methods.

Contemporary Use 2000s

Nowadays, the Enneagram is used in various contexts, including personal growth, spirituality, and even business management. It helps individuals understand their core motivations, fears, and behaviors.

The Enneagram continues to evolve as more people explore its depths and applications. Proponents of this model say everyone has an Enneagram type. While everyone has a dominant type, they can also exhibit traits from other types, especially what is commonly referred to as their wings. Wings are the types adjacent to their core type on the Enneagram diagram.

Why is knowing your Enneagram personality type important?

Knowing your Enneagram type can provide valuable insights into your behavior and motivations and help you grow personally and improve your relationships. Understanding your stress and growth paths can be effective in helping you recognize when you’re moving toward unhealthy behaviors and guide you toward healthier, more balanced actions.

Self-Awareness It can provide a practical roadmap for personal development and emotional resilience through self-awareness.

Identifying Patterns It can help you understand why you do what you do, providing deeper insights into your core motivations and fears.

Facilitating Personal Growth It can help you recognize recurring patterns in your behavior and thought processes. It can allow you to leverage your strengths and work on your weaknesses, promoting personal development. Each type has specific growth paths that can guide you toward becoming a more balanced and fulfilled person.

Enhancing Relationships It helps you understand your type and those of others, which can improve communication and empathy in relationships. Knowing each other’s personality type provides insights into potential sources of conflict and ways to resolve them effectively.

Professional Development In a work setting, understanding the Enneagram types of team members can improve collaboration and productivity. It can help leaders understand their leadership style and how to motivate and support their team.

Personal Emotional Intelligence It can help you recognize and manage your emotions more effectively. Overall, the Enneagram is a powerful tool for personal and interpersonal development, offering valuable insights that can lead to a more fulfilling and harmonious life.

Common Misconceptions About the Enneagram Personality System

The Enneagram is just a personality test

While it categorizes personality types, the Enneagram is more about understanding motivations and inner dynamics rather than just behaviors. The Enneagram is often seen as just another personality test.

Your Enneagram type can change

Your core Enneagram type remains the same throughout your life. However, your behaviors and levels of health within that type can change. Some people mistakenly believe that their Enneagram type can change over time.

You can be more than one type

Each person has one core type, but they can exhibit traits of other types, especially their wings (the types adjacent to their core type on the Enneagram diagram). It’s a common belief that people can have multiple Enneagram types.

The Enneagram is linked to a specific religion

The Enneagram is a tool for personal growth and self-awareness that can be used by people of any or no religious background. Some believe the Enneagram is tied to a particular religious tradition.

Traits determine your type

It’s not necessarily the traits but the underlying motivations and fears that determine your type. For instance, two people can exhibit similar behaviors for very different reasons. Some people assume that specific traits determine their Enneagram type.

Enneagram self-tests are always accurate

Many think that taking an Enneagram spot-test will definitively determine their type. Self-tests can be helpful, but they are not always accurate. It’s important to explore the core motivations and fears of each type to determine your true type with a professional helping you.

How do therapists use the Enneagram to help patients?

The Enneagram provides a practical, comprehensive framework that therapists can use to enhance their practice and support their patients’ journeys toward self-discovery and growth. Many therapists use the Enneagram as a tool to help patients gain deeper self-awareness and facilitate personal growth.

A therapist can help you figure out your Enneagram personality types through any combination of these seven methods:

• Personalized assessment by conducting in-depth interviews to explore your core motivations, fears, and desires. This personalized approach can be more accurate than online tests.
• Guided self-reflection by guiding you through self-reflection exercises, helping you to understand your behaviors and underlying motivations. This can provide deeper insights into which Enneagram type resonates with you.
• Using professional tools and resources such as detailed questionnaires and professional Enneagram training materials, which can aid in accurately identifying your type.
• Therapists can provide contextual understanding to help you see how your Enneagram type influences your interactions, relationships, and personal growth. This can be crucial for applying the Enneagram insights in your daily life.
• With ongoing support, a therapist can provide ongoing support and guidance as you explore and understand your Enneagram type, helping you to address issues at their root cause rather than just treating symptoms.
• By knowing a patient’s Enneagram type, therapists can tailor their therapeutic approach to better suit the individual’s needs and personality. This can make therapy more effective and personalized.
• The Enneagram’s focus on core fears and desires makes it a useful framework for trauma-informed therapy. It helps patients understand how their trauma has shaped their behaviors and thought patterns.

The Enneagram approach can also be integrated with other therapeutic modalities like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic therapy. For example, in CBT, understanding the core fears and desires of an Enneagram type can help modify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors more effectively.

It is important to note that while the Enneagram can be a helpful tool for self-awareness and growth, its scientific validity is still debated among experts. Therefore, it should be used as a guide rather than a definitive assessment, especially if you’re doing it on your own.

If you would like to know more about your enneagram personality type or how to apply it in specific areas of your life, this website has many resources to help you get started.

Call the number on the site to talk with a professional about your personal growth goals and overcoming certain behavioral patterns or emotional challenges you have been struggling with.