Typology

Sevens are the joy bombs of the Enneagram.  The energy they give off is energetic, fun-loving and naturally cheerful. They are optimistic by nature and seize every moment of life. They live for the next adventure and are experts at reframing a negative situation to find the silver lining.  On today's episode, we jump into an energetic conversation with Enneagram Seven, Luke Norsworthy, and find out why it’s important for Sevens to enjoy life with a small spoon.

In today’s episode, Jen Hatmaker and I discuss the similarities and differences of Threes and Eights and how that manifests under the umbrella of fighting for justice and grace.  Listen as we talk about Jen’s need to stand up for various social issues, her ability to embrace confrontation for what is just, and the emotional response to doing just that.

Last week David Gungor shared his struggle in determining his type, how he embraces his “chaotic intentionality,” and what it means to need others to “get out of his face.”  Today we continue the conversation about how the Enneagram can help Enneagram Eights grow in self-awareness through spiritual practices and leaning into the people they do trust to gain true intimacy.  

Eights express their anger freely, are fueled by high levels of stimulation, and react very strongly against challenging injustices.  But what does it sound like when an Eight acknowledges their weakness or vulnerability? What does it look like when you break through that tough exterior? Listen as David Gungor shares his struggle in determining his type, how he embraces his “chaotic intentionality,” and what it means to need others to “get out of his face.”

It's extremely difficult for a Two to admit their own “neediness.” They rarely ask for help and don’t know how to receive it when it’s offered.  Instead, they focus their energy on meeting the needs of others. So for Twos to grow, they need to embrace the truth that we all have needs.  We’re all broken in some way.  And that’s okay.  Listen as Michele Cushatt talks to us about how Twos can stop seeing their wounds as a flaw but rather as portals for deeper connection for others.

This week we continue with our panel of Fours -- Sandra McCracken, Megan Miller, Matthew Perryman Jones, and Don Chaffer. Tune in as we discuss the strengths and challenges of being a Four, and stick around to the end when Ian and guests pull some guitars down from the studio walls and spontaneously break into a Dylan tune. It's pretty unforgettable.

To best illustrate the uniqueness of Fours, I brought in a panel of for this week’s show. The thing I love about panels is it's so much better for people to learn about these different types straight from the mouths of those who live in the shoes of those different styles of being in the world. Fours are the most misunderstood number on the Enneagram in general. So, tune in as Sandra McCracken, Megan Miller, Matthew Perryman Jones, and Don Chaffer join us in studio to talk about all things Four.

After a knee-jerk reaction of skepticism, Dr. Richard Beck and his wife, Jana, share how the Enneagram has had an unexpectedly profound effect on their family. In today’s show, we talk about the disjoint of how we conceive ourselves and how we behave on the ground, how personality and virtue cut across Enneagram types, and the unique contribution of the fluidity of the Enneagram.

037: Part 2 of Exploring "The Shack" with the Enneagram and author Wm Paul Young

When learning the Enneagram and figuring out your number, one thing that complicates things is trauma and the effect of trauma on personality development and theory. I always say, I think personality, just the defensive nature of the personality thickens on people with trauma. The staircase is steeper that we have to climb. Our guest in this two-part episode is not sure if he's a 9 or a 7. And so during the show, we actually get into it, we actually help Author Paul Young nail it in the second episode. 

How do Sixes achieve spiritual growth? A lot of Sixes think the answer is bravery, but there’s never enough bravery to fill the bucket of “this is a scary world and I need support.” But in today’s episode, Sarah Thebarge shares the difference between bravery and courage and how making that distinction has been helpful for her as an Enneagram Six. 

Each Enneagram type has misbeliefs and errant unconscious motivations that get us to do, think, and feel things that are not in our best interests.  The hurtful words and experiences of our past determine the record we play in our head as an adult. In her new book, How to Fix a Broken Record, Amena Brown uses music to help us recognize the negative messages that play on repeat throughout our lives.  So what's your broken record?  And how does the Enneagram help you fix it?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go on tour with a band? What's it truly like to live on a bus with 11 other people day-in and day-out?  When the road manager of Tenth Avenue North reached out to talk about how the Enneagram, and The Road Back to You in particular, has helped their band get along in tight quarters, I was excited to get them in the studio. Listen as we uncover how the Enneagram has given Tenth Avenue North a new starting place for communicating and facing conflict.

In her book, Reading People: How Seeing the World through the Lens of the Personality Changes Everything, author Anne Bogel talks about being at peace with who you are. And, who doesn't want peace with themselves, to have a sense of consonance, a sense of integration despite all of their dings and dents?  Part of the journey for Nines is learning to take action on their own behalf and invest in themselves and not feel like it's a poor investment. 

Enneagram Twos are called The Helpers.  They are loving, kind, supportive, upbeat, and—when healthy—genuinely helpful to other people.  Their underlying motivation is to feel loved and needed. But sometimes that need to be needed can lead to burn out.  This week’s panel of Twos describes what it’s like in the mind of The Helper.  Listen as Tia Coffey, Geoff Little, and singer-songwriter-author, Andrew Greer talk about finding the balance between giving enough and giving too much.