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USES OF THE ENNEAGRAM OF PERSONALITY IN PSYCHOTHERAPY: A CONSTRUCTIVIST GROUNDED THEORY INVESTIGATION By LAUREL NESBIT A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2022

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© 2022 Laurel Nesbit

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To Lissa, who introduced me to the enneagram, and let me change my life

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4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am deeply grateful for the support and guidance I have received during this process. My husband Peter has been a source of encouragement, love, food, and financial support since I came home saying I was thinking about pursuing another degree bly lucky to have Lizzie, a sister who is smarter than I am and willing to spend thousands of hours talking about the enneagram and life. Ali has commiserated with me, encouraged me, and reminded me to take breaks occasionally. I want to thank Ricky for sh aring his talent and time to help me translate words into pictures. I want to thank my committee: Drs. Hannah Bayne, Ana Puig, Vick i Vescio, and Pengfei Zhao. I have learned so much from them about the process of becoming a scholar, and I appreciate their willingness to embrace this project. I could not have found a better cheerleader and sounding board for this research than Dr. Bayne. Dr. Zhao taught me that part of the research process was finding my own way. I also want to thank Dr. Karin Fields for sh aring my enthusiasm for the enneagram and for working hard to expand the enneagram community. healthy and grounded during this round of graduate school in a pandemic. My c lients continue to inspire and ground me. They never let me get touchstone for me throughout this journey c ommunity and my family , and for their love and support.

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5 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 4 LIST OF TABLES ................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 8 LIST OF FIGURES ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 9 LIST OF DEFINITIONS ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 10 ABSTRACT ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................ 12 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 13 Statement of the Problem ................................ ................................ ........................... 17 Research Question ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 18 Theoretical Framework: Constructivism ................................ ................................ ..... 18 Significance of the Study ................................ ................................ ............................ 20 Purpose of the Study ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 20 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ................................ ................................ .............................. 22 History ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................... 22 Overview of the Enneagram ................................ ................................ ....................... 25 Brief Descriptions of the Types ................................ ................................ ............ 26 Type nine ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 26 Type six ................................ ................................ ................................ .......... 26 Type three ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 27 Type one ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 27 Type four ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 28 Type two ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 28 Type eight ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 28 Type five ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 28 Type seven ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 29 Instinctual Drives ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 29 Centers/Triads ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 30 Wings ................................ ................................ ................................ .................... 32 Dynamic Movement ................................ ................................ ............................. 32 Personality Typing in Therapy ................................ ................................ .................... 34 Personality of the Therapist ................................ ................................ ................. 34 Personality of the Client ................................ ................................ ....................... 35 The Enneagram in Therapy ................................ ................................ ........................ 36 Intrapersonal Uses ................................ ................................ ............................... 37 In therapy ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 41

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6 Benefits and limitations ................................ ................................ ................. 43 Interpersonal Uses ................................ ................................ ............................... 44 In therapy ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 44 Benefits and limitations ................................ ................................ ................. 49 Conclusion ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 50 3 METHODOLOGY ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 51 Constructivist Grounded Theory ................................ ................................ ................. 51 Purpose and Research Question ................................ ................................ ............... 53 Participants and Sampling ................................ ................................ .......................... 53 Data Collection and Analysis ................................ ................................ ...................... 55 Subjectivity Statement ................................ ................................ ................................ 57 4 FINDINGS ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 61 Introduction ................................ ................................ ................................ ................. 61 Brief Review of Data Collection and Analysis Procedures ................................ ........ 61 Participant Profiles ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 64 Results of Interviews ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 65 A Model for How Psychotherapists Use the Enneagram in Clinical Practice ........... 65 Nine Stances ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 67 Practicing self ................................ ................................ ................................ 68 Quiet assessment ................................ ................................ .......................... 74 Using enneagram concepts ................................ ................................ ........... 78 Using ethically ................................ ................................ ................................ 84 Cultivating humility ................................ ................................ ......................... 87 Adjusting presence ................................ ................................ ........................ 90 Cultivating therapeutic skills ................................ ................................ .......... 94 Moni toring and holding ................................ ................................ .................. 98 Engaging with growth ................................ ................................ .................. 100 Triadic Arcs ................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 104 Person of the Therapist ................................ ................................ ............... 104 Informing Curiosity ................................ ................................ ....................... 105 Client Facing Practices ................................ ................................ ............... 106 Dynamism ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 107 Summary ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 112 5 DISCUSSION ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 115 Introduction ................................ ................................ ................................ ............... 115 Purpose of the Study and Review of Methodology ................................ .................. 116 Summary of Findings ................................ ................................ ................................ 117 Model Summary ................................ ................................ ................................ . 117 Nine Stances ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 117 Practicing self ................................ ................................ .............................. 117 Quiet assessment ................................ ................................ ........................ 118

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7 Introducing enneagram concepts ................................ ................................ 118 Using ethically ................................ ................................ .............................. 118 Cultivating humility ................................ ................................ ....................... 119 Adjusting presence ................................ ................................ ...................... 119 Cultivating therapeutic skills ................................ ................................ ........ 119 Moni toring and holding ................................ ................................ ................ 120 Engaging with growth ................................ ................................ .................. 120 Triadic Arcs ................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 120 Dynamism ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 121 Comparison to Existing Literature ................................ ................................ ............ 121 Implications ................................ ................................ ................................ ............... 128 Limitations and Delimitations ................................ ................................ .................... 131 Pers onal Reflection ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 133 Concluding Remarks ................................ ................................ ................................ 135 APPENDIX A PARTICIPANT RECRUITMENT EMAILS ................................ ................................ 138 B SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRE ................................ ................................ ............. 140 C INFORMED CONSENT FORM ................................ ................................ ................ 142 D INTERVIEW PROTOCOL ................................ ................................ ......................... 146 E EARLY MODEL ITERATION ................................ ................................ .................... 148 F SAMPLE CODES AND CATEGORIES ................................ ................................ .... 149 G SELECTED MEMOS ................................ ................................ ................................ 150 LIST OF REFERENCES ................................ ................................ ................................ . 155 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ................................ ................................ .............................. 163

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8 LIST OF TABLES Table page 4 1 Participant demographic information ................................ ................................ ... 113

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9 LIST OF FIGURES Figure page 1 1 The enneagram. ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 21 4 1 The counseli ng enneagram. ................................ ................................ ................. 114 5 1 The enneagram of fixations ................................ ................................ .................. 136 5 2 The enneagram of holy ideas. ................................ ................................ ............. 136 5 3 The enneagram of passions. ................................ ................................ ................ 137 5 4 The enneagram of virtues. ................................ ................................ ................... 137

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10 LIST OF DEFINITIONS Center/triad The circle in the enneagram symbol is divided into three arcs; Eight, Nine, and One; Two, Three, and Four; and Five, Six, and Seven. Each of these arcs is associated with a particular lens of perception, a part of the body, and a central emotion. Dynamic movement This term refers to the non static elements of the enneagram understanding of personality. The internal line s on the enneagram symbol represent energetic connection to the other points, and the idea that when the motivations of our core type are satisfied or challenged, we can borrow the coping skills of the two points closest to our core type. Nines will move t o Six and Three, Twos will move to Eight and Four, etc. Empathy Multidimensional construct that includes the ability to perspective take (cognitive empathy), identify emotion (affective empathy), and reflect accurate understanding (behavioral empathy). E nneagram The term refers to both the nine pointed figure made up of a circle, equilateral triangle, and incomplete hexagram. It often also refers to t he system of understanding personality that the symbol represents (also termed the enneagram of personalit y) . Enneatype One of nine personality types described by the enneagram system; fixation. Instinctual type One of three drives that influence our area of focus in life; the three types are self preservation, social, and sexual/intimate. Metacognition also includes the processes used to monitor, assess, and regulate Other compassion to alleviate it (Lazarus, 1991, in Chio et al., 2021). Self awareness Access to general and immediate knowledge of feelings, actions, and perspectives. Self compassion Multidimensional construct with three elements: being warm and understanding toward ourselves; recognizing that suffering and personal inadequacy are part of the shared human experience; and taking a balanced approach to our negative emotions so that feelings are neither suppressed nor exaggerated (Neff, 2003).

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11 Theoretical integration Combining concepts from different therapeutic approaches to produce meaningful ways to explain the dynamics or causes of problems in individual functioning (American Psychological Association [APA], n.d. a). Theoretical orientation An organized set of assumptions or preferences for given theories that provides a counselor or clinician with a conceptual framework interventions (APA, n.d. b). Wing For each type, the numbers on either side of the circle will influence the expression of the pattern (Maitri, 2000 ; Palmer, 1988; Riso & Huds on, 1996 ).

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12 Abstract of Dissertation Presented to the Graduate School of the University of Florida in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy USES OF THE ENNEAGRAM OF PERSONALITY IN PSYCHOTHERAPY: A CONSTRUCTIVIST GROUNDED THEORY INVESTIGATION By Laurel Nesbit August 2022 Chair: Hannah B. Bayne Major: Counseling and Counselor Education The enneagram of personality is a system for understanding the habitual ways of thinking, feeling , and acting in individuals. This research study used a constructivist grounded theory methodology to describe the Counseling Enneagram, a model of how psychotherapists use the enneagram of personality in clinical practice. The Counseling Enneagram has 10 components: the element of Dynamism and nine stances that describe the ways therapists engage with the enneagram of personality in counseling. The Counseling Enneagram model offers implications for future research on incorporating the enneagram into counse ling practice as a tool for therapist growth and as a framework for clinical intervention.

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13 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The enneagram is a nine pointed symbol composed of an equilateral triangle and incomplete hexagram inscribed within a circle (see Figure 1 1 ). Use of the enneagram as a tool for understanding personality has grown primarily out of oral traditions, beginning with Armenian mystic George Gurdjieff in the 1920s and 1930s, continuing with Bolivian philosopher Oscar Ichazo in the 1960s and 1970s, and Chilean psychiatrist Claudio Naranjo in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s (Bland, 2010; Palmer, 1988; Riso & Hudson, 1996). Ichazo and Naranjo developed the nine p ersonality types corresponding to the nine points of the enneagram symbol, and both founded inquiry schools that attracted modern scholars Don Riso and Russ Hudson (1996), Helen Palmer (1988), and Sandra Maitri (2000), among others. Although not exclusivel y associated with the counseling field, the enneagram of personality is intended to provide a means for increasing our self awareness and a map for personal growth (Bland, 2010). Traditionally, the enneagram of personality has been used to identify observa ble behavioral patterns and driving beliefs (conscious and unconscious), as well as to organize and develop our self understanding. It is an approach to understanding the self and others that provides avenues for increasing self awareness and self compassi on, which are both important aspects of improved counseling efficacy (Bennett Levy , 2001; Fulton & Cashwell, 2015; Pompeo & Levitt, 2014). The enneagram of personality can also be used to enhance understanding and empathy for other personality types, provi ding a deeper glimpse into the vulnerability and pain of others (Bayne et. al, 2021; Bland, 2010; Daniels et. al, 2018).

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14 The enneagram goes beyond mere personality profiles to present a complex and nuanced means of understanding internal and external exper iences, motivations, and areas of growth. This depth of understanding oneself and others suggests that it may be well suited to be incorporated into counseling, with appropriate training and empirical tiple and converging sources of evidence indicate that the person of the psychotherapist is inextricably intertwined with to the therapeutic alliance (Wampold & Imes, 2 015); therefore, it is important to develop tools that positively impact the person of the counselor. Meichenbaum and Lilienfeld counselor self limitations can be a differentiating fac tor for expert therapists. Bennett Levy (2019) includes self reflection and self awareness as contributing factors for counselor development and highlights the relevance of self awareness to managing countertransference and regulating inner reactions. Inde ed, the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics (ACA, 2014) includes several references to self awareness in sections regarding general counselor competence as well as multicultural competence and the need for continuing education. A critical skill for increasing awareness is to learn about our internal biases and beliefs, our own worldview, in part so we do not unwittingly harm our clients. Therefore, a need exists for exploring strategies and tools for fostering self awarenes s among counselors. The enneagram of personality is one such possible tool . Even cursory knowledge of the enneagram of personality has the potential to contribute to increased self awareness, empathy, resilience, and compassion, and

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15 perspective taking (Ba yne et al., 2021; Chestnut, 2013; Maitri, 2000; Matise, 2007; Palmer, 1988). Daniels et al. (2018) found that training in the enneagram of personality can result in advancement in ego development and self awareness, defined as greater access to general and perspectives. Bland (2010) describes the enneagram as a tool that can help people map and understand their personal value systems. In a case example, Bartlett (20 10 ) esh map of defensive patterns, and a foreshadowing of likely Therefore, there is some evidence that increased self understanding can also have a positive impact on clin ical practice. Developmental models of counselor development depend on the premise that greater awareness and experience lead to greater knowledge and skill, and that Levy, 2019; Stoltenberg & McNeil, 2010). This is where the enneagram may be particularly useful. Its framework is deep and adaptable; even a surface understanding of the nine basic types can be used to increase self awareness. Riso and Hudson (1996) describe nine levels of func tioning for each enneatype, present one is, the higher the level at which they operate, with less identification with the enneatype and increased awareness of how the type influ feelings, and actions. This increased distance from automatic reaction allows greater reflectivity and mindfulness in moment to moment interactions (Chestnut, 2013; Matise, 2007). Counselors at any developmental level can benefit from a tool that focuses on

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16 those underlying, often unquestioned, assumptions we all have about ourselves and the world. Training in the enneagram of personality is available through several national and international training programs, but there is no counsel or specific training program (International Enneagram, n.d. ; Narrative Enneagram, 2021). Nor is the enneagram included in Counselor Education curricula. There are several national and international organizations offering training in the enneagram system; o ne, The Narrative Enneagram, offers a certificate for practitioners, a term that includes therapists, counselors, and coaches (Narrative Enneagram, 2021). The organization was founded by Helen Palmer and David Daniels, both leading and trusted enneagram te achers and writers; however, there is no published record of how they teach counselors to incorporate it into clinical practice. Outside of training programs, there are a proliferate number of books, websites, and podcasts, as well as a burgeoning number of social media accounts that offer information and perspectives on how to use the enneagram. These resources are typically geared to the layperson rather than the professional counselor. For therapists who are interested in the enneagram as a personal and/or professional tool, guidance is needed to assure that we are operating within the limits of our competence (ACA, 2014). Therefo re, a need exists to empirically investigate the use of the enneagram of personality in clinical practice. Additionally, there are a limited number of articles and dissertations about the enneagram in counseling. Many of these present conceptual arguments and support for using the tool in therapy and only a handful examine what clinicians are doing with the

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17 enneagram in their work with clients. Among the conclusions from previous research is that there are various ways clinicians use the enneagram of perso nality as an explicit tool: teaching clients about the systems, identifying client types, and incorporating knowledge of type into the therapeutic process. There are also implicit uses, when the client may be uninterested in the enneagram or there are cont raindications that make it inadvisable to incorporate it (for example, the client is a child or has a developmental knowledge of their own type. The present study se eks to explore these various uses and collate them into a working descriptive model. There are potential implications for ethical practice and counselor development in a deeper understanding of how clinicians work with the enneagram. Statement of the Probl em The enneagram of personality has been developed for general use and is not exclusively used in counseling. As a result, there is little empirical support for incorporating it into counseling, despite the potential benefits for counselor development and client outcomes outlined above. Counselors and other mental health practitioners have adopted the system even without this support; a Google ( http://google.com ) across the country. The ACA Code of Ethics states that counselors have a responsibility to use counseling practices that are based on rigorous rese arch, practice within the important, then, to conduct empirical investigation into the use of the enneagram to reconcile this widespread adoption in counseling with good ethical practice.

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18 Research Question This inquiry seeks to explore how clinicians incorporate the enneagram into their psychotherapy practice. I seek to uncover and illumina te an existing structure rather than attempt to force any learnings into a preconceived framework. Therefore, my research question is broadly construed: How do psychotherapists use the enneagram in clinical practice? Theoretical Framework: Constructivism T his study is anchored in the theoretical perspective of constructivism. Creswell and Poth (2018) locate constructivism in an interpretative paradigm in which individuals develop subjective meanings of their experiences and negotiate these meanings socially and historically with other individuals. Constructivist ontology is relativistic and posits that we occupy multiple realities that are co constructed (Charmaz, 2014; Lincoln et al., 2018). Epistemologically, constructivism values subjectivity and asserts that findings are created through interaction and negotiation (Lincoln et al., 2018). Lincoln, Lynham, and Guba (2018) identify constructivism as an onto epistemological framework for viewing knowledge as the product of individual or collective reconstruct ions which coalesce around consensus with the aim of understanding. Research inquiries grounded in constructivism thus seek to inductively generate meaning or theory, and research questions are likewise often broad and general (Cresswell & Poth, 2018). As a result, Charmaz (2014) asserts that constructivism is aligned with research that (Lincoln et al., 2018, pp. 218) and acts as a facilitator for the reconstruction of multiple voices.

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19 The ontological and epistemological positions embedded in the enneagram system are consistent with constructivist approaches. The enneagram system conceives of the self as a set of patterns rather than a fixed state of being. In Western traditions, the personality is widely considered a contained, stable collection of enduring traits. The self of the enneagram tradition is better aligned with certain Eastern, mystic, or spiritual conceptions. Buddhism conceives of the self as annata, or n o self, in which these aggregates. If the idea of the self arises from cli nging, the implication is that we can stop clinging to one or all of these elements, and thus change the internal and external experience of the self. The enneagram of personality draws on similar ideas to offer an understanding of the self as an entity th at can be fluid and changeable in any moment. Each enneatype has its own way of perceiving and knowing. The type acts like a personal paradigm or epistemology, providing a map for external and internal ; like a dirty or clouded window, the type influences how much we can see, and how clearly we see it. Some of the enneagram literature talks about common childhood experiences that people with the same type seem to have shared (Jaxon Bear, 2001; Maitri, 20 05). This is a misunderstanding; rather than evidence that the environment creates the type, these similarities are evidence that the type prioritizes a certain kind of experience and assigns it a particular significance. Our individual pattern focuses our attention, shapes our interpretation of events, and contributes to our construction of meaning and

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20 narrative. These foundational philosophical positions that the self is created and shaped by experience, and that our experience is shaped by our enneatype are compatible with a constructivist onto epistemology. Significance of the Study Studying how psychotherapists use the enneagram in practice provides an opportunity to integrate this tool into a wider understanding of psychological and relational functio ning. Most of the published material on the enneagram, peer reviewed or not, has been conceptual, focusing on the possible applications. This study aimed to contribute to a better understanding of that application by examining how psychotherapists use the enneagram in clinical practice. This understanding could provide directions for future research that investigates using the enneagram as a tool and path for counselor development. Purpose of the Study Using a constructivist grounded theory method, the purp ose of this study was to describe an emerging model of how psychotherapists are using the enneagram of personality in clinical practice. In depth interviews were conducted with psychotherapists who have participated in formal enneagram training and who cur rently identify themselves as using the enneagram during therapy. A model based on practitioner experiences can provide a foundation for future research into ethical and effective applications of the enneagram in therapy.

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21 Figure 1 1 . The enneagram.

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22 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW This chapter focuses on a review of the literature related to the enneagram and its potential uses in counseling. A brief overview of the history of the enneagram, and a synthesis of the current system is included. This chapter includes a brief discussion of the relevance of personality typing in counseling and looks at potential intra /inter personal and implicit/explicit uses of the enneagram in counseling. History Cusak (2020) provides a descri ption of the enneagram as presented by Gurdjieff and developed by Ichazo. Gurdjieff taught a system of spiritual development based on two fundamental laws, the Law of Seven and the Law of Three, and he posited that the enneagram operated within these laws. The Law of Seven was connected to the musical octave (which actually contains nine notes, corresponding to the nine enneatypes), and Gurdjieff taught that every process has seven phases. In the Enneagram, the order of the hexagram points (One, Four, Two, Eight, Five, Seven) forms a path that Gurdjieff believed represented a natural internal circulation. Dividing one by seven results in the repeating pattern 1428571, and Gurdjieff choreographed a program of movements that trace this geometric pattern with t he intention that repetition of this dance would reveal inner truths to the dancer. Several elements in the enneagram system represent the Law of Three: the inner triangle connecting points Nine, Six, and Three; the three centers of mind, heart, and body; and the three energetic orientations. Cusak (2020) referred to as the Work, as drawing on elements from many religions, all with the goal of enabling adherents to achieve spiritual transformation and developmen t.

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23 Although Gurdjieff used the enneagram as a tool for spiritual development, he did not enumerate the nine types as distinct personalities. Cusak (2020) suggests that Oscar Ichazo may have been in contact with a Work group in Argentina in the 1950s where Institute in 1968 in Chile, and later moved it to New York. At times Ichazo distanced teachers . In any case, he transformed the use of the enneagram, identifying nine personality fixation, a person can work toward s Claudio Naranjo, correlated these fixations with psychiatric and psychological Jesuit Fathe r Robert Ochs. Ochs incorporated the enneagram into American Jesuit centers, where Don Riso was introduced to the system. Palmer and Riso have both published several books on the enneagram and have founded enneagram training institutes. As Cusak (2020) tra ces how the enneagram has been used by these various figures she acknowledges the ways in which the focus and stated purpose of the system have changed. makes clear that the tool is n ot static; with each new iteration of teacher and practitioner comes new insights, reformulations, and integrations. Some of these changes are no doubt due to changes in historical and cultural trends. What began in an esoteric school accessible to a selec t few is now available to anyone with an internet connection.

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24 Publishing data is difficult to find, however, there are a few titles that seem to be regularly included on lists of recommendations. The Riso and Hudson model (1996; 1999) remains very popular. More recent books by Chestnut (2013), Heuertz (2017 & 2020), and Cron and Stabile (2016) are also popular text resources. In social media, there are several Instagram accounts that focus on the enneagram; the most popular have around 500,000 followers (Ca se, 2021 . ; Whitmoyer Ober, 2021). On YouTube (www.youtube.com) , there are a few videos that discuss the enneagram with over 1 million views; these are from show hosts with previously established followings (Marbles & Solomita, 2019; McLoughlin, 2021). Musi cal artist Sleeping At Last created an album of songs inspired by each of the nine types; the music videos for the project hover at view counts just under the 1 million mark (Sleeping At Last, 2018). Many of the more however, these numbers do provide an idea of how people, including therapists, are being exposed to and possibly learning about the enneagram. (2020) summary of the historical origins of the enneagram to exploring various representations in social media, our understanding of the enneagram of personality is still developing. The generation of well known and respected teachers has expanded to include a generation of armchair experts. This democratization of knowledge can be an efficient way to spread ideas, but it can also lead to misunderstandings reductionism, in particular and exploitation. A close look at the histor y of the Enneagram reveals its very human origins; reading about its creation and ongoing development is unnerving and reassuring. Unnerving because there is so little

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25 about it that is objectivist, and reassuring for the same reason. From a pragmatic viewp oint, we believe in ideas because they fit the evidence we have available and because they are useful. This viewpoint is compatible with constructivist theory. In part because the enneagram is an evolving tool, it is helpful to include here an overview of current understanding and conceptualization of the system, based on study and practical experience. Overview of the Enneagram The enneagram symbol consists of a circl e inscribed with an equilateral triangle and a hexagram. Where these internal lines intersect the circle, we identify nine points: the inner triangle connect s the points Nine, Six, and Three, and the hexagram connect s the numbers One, Four, Two, Eight, Fiv e, and Seven. In the enneagram of personality, e ach of the numbers represents a particular lens through which we see the world , or enneatype . Although we have elements and characteristics of all nine types (symbolized by the outer circle, which connects al l nine points) , there is one lens that is predominant; this is our core type and is stable over time (Chestnut, 2013; Jaxon Bear, 2001; Maitri, 2000; Riso & Hudson, 1996). The enneagram conceptualizes the personality as a collection of coping strategies to meet individual needs (Matise, 2007; Riso & Hudson, 1996). The collection of strategies is referred to in this document as the fixation or the pattern of the personality. awareness; the literatur our real motivations (Chestnut, 2013; Heuertz, 2017; Maitri, 2000; Palmer, 1988). Thus, learning about o ur type can increase our knowledge and awareness of the self. A brief

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26 overview of the nine core types follows. Since the intent is to provide a more general overview, descriptions of each type will be broad. Brief Descriptions of the Types This overview of types, instinctual drives, centers, wings, and movement is synthesized from Almaas ( 1998a; 1998b), Chestnut (2013), Heuertz (2017, 2020), Jaxon Bear (2001), Maitri (2000, 2005), Palmer (1988), Riso and Hudson (1996), and The patterns are discussed in the order that the dynamic energy move s through the symbol: Nine, Six, and Three on the inner triangle, then One, Four, Two, Eight, Five, and Seven on the hexagram. This dynamic movement is discussed in more detail below. Type n ine The central underlying question for this ennea type is related to existence. The energy of Nines is grounded; there is a sense of inertia about people with this pattern. The basic inner fear for this pattern is that the person is not inherently lovable, sig nificant, or worthwhile. Unconscious enactment of this fear can lead to spiritual on maintaining comfort, peace, and harmony, and this type may seem pleasant, acceptin g, and low maintenance to others. Nines avoid intense feelings, especially passive aggressive and stubborn instead of angry. At their best, they are kind, natural mediators and skilled at bringing people together. Type s ix This pattern is oriented around questions of fear, doubt, and safety/security. The energy of Sixes is intellectual, quick, and tends toward nervousness. The basic inner

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27 fear for this pattern is that they are not safe in the world, and the unconscious enactment of this fear moves the type toward vigilance and constant doubt as they try to gather knowledge and people around them in order to feel safe. There is a tendency to look for what could go wrong, which ca n sometimes appear to others as a negative skepticism. Loyalty is important to Sixes. At their best, they are confident, loyal, and warm. Type t hree This pattern is oriented around image and achievement. The energy of the Three is productive and performat ive; they can be dismissive if they believe you are of little use to them in their goals. The basic inner fear for this pattern is that they are only as good and loveable as their achievements. This drives them to stay engaged and busy, and this pattern ca n tend toward workaholism. Threes will reframe any failure into are sensitive and engaged leaders. Type o ne This pattern is oriented around a basic fear of imperfe ction and strives to earn high standards for themselves and others and can be intensely self critical. The energy of Ones is tight and controlled, and they can seem rigid, inflexible, and controlling to others. They will typically avoid expressing anger but can seethe with resentment and frustration that the world does not meet their exacting standards. At their best, Ones can access acceptance and clear discernment.

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28 Type f our This pattern is oriented around a fear of abandonment and not being fully seen. The energy of the type Four is soft and melancholy. The basic inner fear for this pattern is that they have been tragically wounded in a way that will prevent them f rom being loved and/or understood. They are creative and live fully from their emotions. At their best, Fours experience equanimity instead of envy, balancing intense emotionality with perspective. Type t wo This pattern is focused on others. The energy of the Two is seductive and nurturing. The basic fear of this pattern is that they will not be loved if they have needs; they unconsciously enact this fear by focusing their energy on helping others, to the point of martyrdom. They are often disconnected from their own emotions and needs. At their best, they are generous, empathic, and boundaried. Type e ight This pattern is oriented around concerns about justice. The underlying fear for this type is that something is wrong in the world and it is their respons ibility to correct it. This leads the pattern to look for experiences of injustice and project blame outward. seem aggressive and adversarial to others. This type of ten seeks to connect through conflict. At their best, Eights are powerful and respectful allies. Type fi ve This pattern is oriented around concerns of being enough. The basic fear is that they are too fragile to cope with the demands of the world, which can lead this type to construct careful boundaries. They are interested in the world and often become experts

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29 in their chosen field, in an effort to establish mastery and safety in at least one part of life. They are independent, intellectual, and are skilled at analysis. The energy of Fives is often small and constrained. At their best, they can be gifted leader s and teachers. Type s even This pattern is oriented around avoiding stagnation. The basic fear is that they may miss out on experience, and so they can become gluttonous for all life has to offer. The energy of Sevens is charismatic, exciting, and charming . They typically have many plans, sometimes overlaying each other. The irony is that in constant motion, Sevens can miss out on experiencing their daily life and relationships in a deeper way. At their best, they are creative and grounded. Instinctual Dri ves The enneagram system includes three instinctual drive types that influence the expression of the pattern (Chestnut, 2013; Jaxon Bear, 2001; Riso & Hudson, 1996). Drive reduction theory (Hull, 1943; Spence, 1956) is based on the principle that organisms are born with certain psychological needs and that a negative state of tension is created when these needs are not satisfied. When a need is satisfied, drive is reduced and the organism returns to a more relaxed state and/or then moves on to satisfying th e next fundamental need in the hierarchy. Applying drive reduction theory to same time, our personalities can largely determine how each person prioritizes these inst inctual needs. While every human being has all three of these instincts operating in them, we tend to be more concerned with one of these instincts than the other two. We call this instinct our dominant instinct. This tends to be our first priority the are a of life we attend to first and/or are most preoccupied with. The degree of influence of the

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30 primary instinctual type can fluctuate over time and circumstance. The three instinctual drives are self preservation, sexual/intimate, and social. The self prese rvation drive is focused on meeting basic needs; it tends to be more nervous and more rigid. The sexual, or intimate, drive is focused on one to one relationships, platonic or romantic. The social drive is focused on issues of role and belonging within a g roup. The primary instinct is an area we feel vulnerable about and so much of our energy goes into attempting to satisfy it. Depending on the type instinct combination, the drive can mitigate or reinforce the presentation of the type. For example, the foun specialness and personal tragedy. If a person with this type also has a primary social drive, this instinct reinforces the focus of the pattern, and the social Four will feel more shame and su ffering and will express more melancholy and envy. In contrast, the self preservation drive will influence the type Four pattern to be more stoic and less expressive. Centers/Triads The order of the types as presented above follow the inner lines of the e nneagram symbol, beginning with the Nine, Six, and Three points on the inner triangle, and moving through the types One, Four, Two, Eight, Five, and Seven. This order reflects the dynamic energy of the symbol, discussed below. Another way to organize and u nderstand the enneagram is through triads or centers. The circle is divided into three arcs : Eight, Nine, and One; Two, Three, and Four; and Five, Six, and Seven. The Eight Nine One triad is associated with the body or gut and with managing anger. The Two Three Four triad is associated with the heart and with managing shame. The Five Six Seven triad is associated with the mind and with managing fear (Palmer, 1988; Riso

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31 & Hudson, 1996). The association of each enneatype with one of the three centers body, he art, mind provide a different way of understanding how to work with the enneagram. Each type resides in one of the centers, which represent different modes of perceiving reality. Each center is a lens through which we take in the human experience ( Heuertz , 2017; Palmer, 1988). For the body center, intelligence is drawn from the relationship with physical sensations, gut instincts, and kinesthetic awareness. Experience is centered on overall well being. The heart center creates intelligence through relation ship, and experience is centered on connection, contact, and approval. The mind center creates intelligence through mental activity and experience is centered on observation and anticipation. In each triad, there is an avoidance or adaptive point, an inter nally focused point, and an externally focused point. The adaptive points are Nine, Six, and Three, on the inner triangle. These points attempt to avoid feeling the central emotion of their triad; so a person with the Nine pattern will generally deny exper iencing anger, the Three pattern will deny feeling shame, and the Six pattern will prevaricate about feeling fear. The inward points (One, Four, and Five) will experience the central emotion of their triad; the One will identify feelings of frustration, cr iticism, and impatience chiefly toward themselves; the Four pattern can experience intense shame; and the Five pattern attempts to contain its fear by buttressing the intellect. The externally focused points (Eight, Two, and Seven) project the triadic emot ion into the world or onto others; the Eight pattern projects blame and rage through searching for justice; the Two manages shame by being helpful to others, and the Seven pattern assuages fear through planning and enhancing the moment.

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32 Similar to the way that the individual enneatype creates constriction in worldview, we tend to over rely on the center our type is located in and neglect the others. Knowledge and awareness of how the center shapes our individual epistemology and experience can provide an a dditional layer of understanding of both our most accessible emotional reactions and which other intelligences we may be neglecting. For example, for types in the mind triad, incorporating somatic practices may be particularly difficult and particularly po werful. For types in the heart triad, a focus on distorted cognition and body center, interventions that focus on emotional and relational awareness may be helpful. Wings For each type, the numbers on either side of the circle will influence the expression of the pattern (Maitri, 2000 ; Palmer, 1988; Riso & Hudson, 1996 ). The Nine pattern will have an Eight wing or a One wing; the One a Nine wing or a Two wing, and so on. Pe ople are generally thought to have a dominant wing although they may be more balanced. If the influence of the wing is very strong, it may complicate determining a common question might be, am I a One with a Nine wing (1w9), or a Ni ne with a One wing (9w1)? Again, awareness of our tendencies can help us to grow. Dynamic Movement The inner lines in the diagram connect the patterns to one another. We typically operate from our home base pattern, the type we identify with the most. When we to our two most closely connected patterns. The Nine, Six, and Three patterns, on their

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33 inner triangle, will use strategies of the other two patterns when the norm al strategies fail. The One will move to Seven or Four; the Four to One or Two; the Two to Four or Eight; the Eight to Two or Five; the Five to Eight or Seven; the Seven to Five or One. Some of the literature describes one movement as a direction of stress and the other as a direction of growth (Jaxon Bear, 2001; Riso & Hudson, 1996); however, others discuss the possibility that we may move to either of the two closest points in health or in need (Chestnut, 2013; Maitri, 2005). For example, Riso and Hudson (1996) describe the movement from One to Seven as the direction of integration/growth and from One to Four as the direction of disintegration/stress. This implies that there is a unidirectional desirability es of the Seven in their worldview and behavior, and that the movement to Four is to be avoided, or at least approached with caution. However, the Four pattern offers depth, comfort with intensity, and access to creativity, sensitivity, and compassion all qualities that can loosen the One pattern from its fixated judgment and introduce complexity and nuance into the My current understanding is that rather than focus on moving in the direction identified as integration, our goal in wo rking with this element of the enneagram is to focus on releasing fixation at all the points; when I identify that I have moved to point Four in a state of despair or self pity, I can employ my knowledge to navigate this movement with self compassion and g race. conceptualization and provides foundational knowledge for understanding how other clinicians may discuss the system and their integration of it into therapy. It also provides a basi s for further discussion of the onto epistemology of the system, addressed in the

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34 Chapter 3 . As a way of understanding how counseling deals with the self and the personality, it may also be useful to review other models of personality typing and how they h ave been integrated into therapy. Personality Typing in Therapy Although there are not established models for incorporating the enneagram into therapy, there is an extensive history of using personality typing tools in counseling. This section will summari ze research support for incorporating personality typing into psychotherapy for both the therapist and the client. This summary looks at research on the two most widely used models of personality in counseling, the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and t he Five Factor Model (also called the Big Five). The MBTI was developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Briggs (Myers, 1962) based on extraversion introversion, sensing intuition, thinking feeling, and judgment perception. There are sixteen possible combinations of these indices, and each combination represents a different personality type. The Five Factor Model, developed by Robert McCrae and Paul Costa ( 1991), describes personality in terms of five broad factors: neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. McCrae and Costa (1991) propose that these factors represent basic tendencies of personality and developed the Revised NEO PI to measure these five traits. Personality of the Therapist Tallman and Bohart (1999) argue that the client is responsible for successful therapeutic outcomes, citing studies that show only small differences in effectiveness between experienced clinicians an d nonprofessionals in a helping role. They state that it seems to be differences in personal qualities (i.e., personality) that make some

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35 therapists more effective (1999). Research into the common factors approach also the therapist is a crucial factor in the success of 21). In a qualitative study, Sullivan et al. (2005) created a Model of Relationship Stances shared by master therapists (as identified by peer practitioners). This model id entified two domains, Safe Relationship and Challenging Relationship. Each domain contains three categories. Within the Challenging Relationship Domain, Sullivan et al. (2005), identify a category they call care. Participants spoke of recognizing, accepting, and using their emotions therapeutically; the authors summarize this as the therapis t intentionally making use of their personality (Sullivan et al., 2005). Personality of the Client McCrae and Costa (1991) offer some suggestions for counselors integrating the NEO Personality Inventory, an instrument based on the Five Factor model. One o f the benefits of the assessment and model that they identify is that it is not designed to measure psychopathology; it provides a comprehensive assessment of personality by me , p. 369). They argue that the basic function of the NEO experiential, and motivational style, and that these dimensions are always relevant to und erstanding the client. Schaub and Tokar (1999), looking for more specific application, examined the connection between client personality and client expectations for therapy. Using the Five Factor model, they suggest that the degree of neuroticism

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36 and open ness may be linked to variation in client expectations about counseling. Miller (1991) provides a review of his experience using the NEO PI or NEO FFI in therapy and discusses the clinical value of a personality taxonomy. He argues that a trait theory of p problems presented in treatment, as well formulate a practical treatment plan (Miller, 1991). Wyman (1998) presents an integrated model for using the MBTI and enneagram of personality together in psychotherapy. Her model is conceptual and informed by her experience working with both models; she identifies the MBTI part of the personality as the Core Self and the enneagram as the Defense System. She provides a matrix of co rrelations between the MBTI and enneagram traits and discusses how these inform two aspects of therapy: restoring integration of the personality and giving the client a thorough understanding of the workings of their personality (Wyman, 1998). These appli cations of personality typing tools and conceptualization models in counseling indicates that therapists and clients value the ability to understand and use the self in various ways. The enneagram offers a nuanced and non pathologizing model for understand ing the personality, and a model for using it in therapy may provide options for clinicians to leverage their use of self and improve their understanding of clients. The Enneagram in Therapy In this section I will review possible uses of the enneagram of p ersonality in therapy, drawing from relevant literature. These uses include applications focused on to the interpersonal dynamics between counselor and client. This intra /inter personal split is p erhaps more

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37 accurately a gradient. Sometimes my attention is exclusively on myself; sometimes exclusively focused on the other and often, my attention is somewhere in the middle, or shuttling back and forth. We attend within and without simultaneously. For the sake of clarity, I discuss intrapersonal and interpersonal applications as if they are discrete uses; in reality, they are likely overlapping, and the differentiation between them subtle. In addition, we can use the enneagram in implicit and explicit ways. Implicit applications are those where the counselor uses their knowledge of the enneagram to inform their intrapersonal processes of self observation, self awareness, cultivating empathy, or interpersonal processes of adjusting their behavior to impr ove attunement. Explicit applications would include cases where the counselor uses their intrapersonal awareness to shape in the moment feedback to a client, or interpersonally, where the enneagram is part of the shared content of therapy. Intrapersonal U ses The intrapersonal uses of the enneagram in counseling are those that are more directly related to the qualities and practices of therapists. These include uses that impact counselor self awareness, mindfulness, empathy, compassion, metacognition, refle xivity, and case conceptualization. There are very few studies that examine a direct relationship between knowledge of the enneagram and these qualities. These qualities and practices, to varying degrees, are associated with beneficial therapeutic outcomes and with identified qualities of master therapists. They are also often interrelated to one another. I will briefly touch on research that connects counselor self awareness and reflexivity; empathy and compassion; mindfulness and metacognition; and the pe rsonalization skills of case conceptualization with positive therapy outcomes.

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38 Pieterse et al. (2013) define self 191). Th ey propose self awareness training as a method to better identify personal reactions (i.e., countertransference) and use these reactions in the counseling relationship. Similarly, Pompeo and Levitt (2014) discuss counselor self awareness from an ethical st andpoint, arguing that self reflection can act on the counseling relationship and benefit the client. They discuss how counselor self reflection and awareness may impact decision making processes. Bennett Levy and Finlay Jones (2018) present a compelling case for incorporating self reflective pers onal practice into therapist training, connecting studies on therapist effects with characteristics of effective therapists, including self reflection and self awareness. Ridley et al. (2011) define metacognition to include knowledge (thinking about state). Metacognition is positively correlated with effective learning and developing expertise (Kelly & Donaldson, 2016 ; Ridley et al. , 2011 ). Although it is not the focu s of their paper, Ridley et al. (2011) acknowledge that as an internal process, metacognition can elude awareness; a statement that is echoed in Kelly and Donaldson (2016), who conclude that personality can constrain metacognition. This suggests that tools that help us better understand our personalities (such as the enneagram) could aid in developing

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39 metacognition and expertise. Metacognition and mindfulness are related concepts; both th allow for 7 ). The practice of mindfulness defined by Kabat Zinn (2003) as a state of consciousness that results from being aware of continuous changes in the content of conscio usness: perceptions, emotions, images, and thoughts leads to development of a metacognitive mechanism: the observing self (Jankowski & Holas, 2014). In their study of mindfulness based awareness and compassion, Fulton and Cashwell (2015) performed a regr ession analyses to examine the relationships of these constructs with counselor empathy and anxiety. They found that awareness and other compassion had a significant relationship with cognitive and affective empathy, and suggest that mindfulness training f ocused on awareness may help counselors develop perspective taking, and that compassion practices may help cultivate perspective taking and empathy in counselors. In a study of Malaysian secondary school counselors, Mustaffa et al. (2013) found a significa nt relationship between emotional intelligence (encompassing self awareness, self control, self motivation, empathy, and social skills) and personal development as well as a relationship between emotional intelligence and skills competency. Of the five dim ensions of emotional intelligence measured, empathy and social skills had the most statistically significant relationships with skills competency and personal development. Similarly, the enneagram of personality has been proposed as a tool for cultivating empathy and compassion (Bayne et al., 2021; Bland, 2010). Empathy is widely considered a core practice in counseling and is foundational to establishing

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40 rapport and maintaining connection . Empathy is a multi factor construct, involving cognitive empathy ( empathy (the ability to identify and understand emotion) (Gerdes et al., 2010). Empathy has been shown to improve the therapeutic relationship and lead to increased adherence to treatment and more accurate and culturally sensitive interventions (Bayne & Hays, 2017; Elliot t et al., 2011; Neumann et al., 2009). Perspective taking narrative interventions have positively impacted levels of empathy among undergraduates (Shaffer et al., 2019). I n the only study of a potential relationship between knowledge of the enneagram and personal development, Daniels et al., (2018) found that for participants who received at last 40 50 hours of enneagram training, there was an advancement in ego development . Ego development is a comprehensive construct that addresses character development, cognitive complexity, interpersonal style, and conscious preoccupations (Loevinger, 1967 in Daniels et al., 2018). At higher levels of ego development, the individual demo nstrates greater psychological integration, self actualization, wisdom, and access to intuition (Daniels et al., 2018). These results demonstrate promise and suggest the need for further research. tial experience of counselors in training provides a possible integration of the enneagram of personality into supervision with a focus on intrapersonal and implicit use. The author identifies that counselor in training supervision often focuses on the dis ( Bernard, 1997) conceptualization and intervention skills. The five themes that Pie r ce identifies

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41 self; worry; and loneliness suggest a need for g area of focus: personalization skills. The enneagram may provide context and support within several of these themes, particularly related to greater awareness related to countertransference and integrating their person al selves into the counseling role. In therapy In this section I will look at literature on incorporating the enneagram into therapy with a focus on the intrapersonal applications. Bartlett (2010) uses a case example to describe her use of the enneagram i n a family counseling session. Before discussing how her understanding of the various enneatypes influenced her work with the family, Bartlett states that clinical discernment and intervention are often made intuitively in the moment (2010). She also ident (p. 25) clients is a red flag that alerts her that a higher degree of self awareness and accountability is needed (Bartlett, 2010). She says: When treatment relationships are not so easy and the chemistry feels off , before the thread is lost, I have another resource me. With this awareness I can shift toward a more effective use of self. If one accepts the proposition that the relationship is a curative element in psychotherapy, knowing what type bias the therapist brings to the relationship is most valuable. (p. 28). Bartlett goes on to discuss a few specific defenses and biases of her type (One) and how knowledge of these allowed her a deeper understanding of the client interaction. Her case description is a good e xample of intrapersonal use of the enneagram in therapy focusing on therapist ennea type and associated qualities, and leveraging these to gain greater self awareness and insight. She also discusses how she used the enneagram interpersonally even without di scussing it with the family by acting in ways meant to facilitate insight and engagement with the family members.

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42 In his dissertation, Choucroun (2012) conducted a transcendental phenomenological study with couples counselors using the enneagram in practi ce. He identifies four themes; some address intrapersonal applications and some focus on interpersonal uses. Dovetailing is an intrapersonal and implicit application that addresses how the clinician integrates the enneagram into their theoretical orientati on and their clinical style. His participants describe this use of the enneagram as complementary to their ways of working and several acknowledged the spiritual and (2012) second theme, mapping, addresses using the enneagram as an assessment tool: in initial couple interviews, elements of in trapersonal use. One participant described that when clients are not their type might be, which she then allows to direct her attention and hypotheses for client conc information or reactions. Another participant (Choucron, 2012) talked about the enneagram as a kind of GPS that helps him focus on client motivations and underlying needs rather than symptoms. Several participants discussed tailoring their own communication choices to better connect with the client, based on what they believed the client type may be an intrapersonal and implicit use. The fourth subtheme reactions

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43 experience of themselves as people and as counselors. They stated that the enneagram has helped them improve their self observation, tracking countertransference, manage their feelings in session, and increased feelings of compassion toward clients. Schneider and Schaeffer (1997) explore the role of enneagram type in sex addiction and recovery. The authors conducted interviews with 18 men and 15 women who were in recovery for sex addiction; slightly less than half the sample were also in recovery from chemical dependency. The methodology of their investigation is unclear, but they state that the inte rview transcripts were evaluated to identify participant type, and participants completed a typing inventory. They report the distribution of types and discuss each how each enneatype may affect the addiction process, the effect of the fixation on the reco very process, and considerations for clinicians. The authors also state that therapist knowledge of their own enneatype could aid in the treatment process by allowing the therapist to tailor their style to the needs of particular clients. Despite limitatio (1997) article suggests one way the enneagram can be applied in therapy intrapersonal ly and implicitly . Benefits and limitations Given the benefits of increased self awareness, metacognition, and empathy to co unseling outcomes, there may be few risks to incorporating intrapersonal use of the enneagram into therapy. Limitations would include an already accepted risk of entering into a counselor role: personal growth is often uncomfortable or inconvenient. One ri sk specific to the enneagram of personality is that if a counselor interprets the typology as prescriptive or uses the type descriptions as excuses for behavior rather than opportunities for growth.

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44 Interpersonal Uses Interpersonal applications of the enn eagram in therapy encompass those uses that focus on the relationship between counselor and client. They can be implicit, where the counselor may adjust their stance to improve attunement or the working alliance, or explicit, where the enneagram is a share d topic of conversation and is used to process In therapy Matise (2007) presents an interpersonal and implicit application of the enneagram, suggesting that counselors could use different theoretical orienta tions for each enneatype (i.e., reality therapy for a type Eight client, person centered therapy for a type Four client, etc.). This approach offers a potentially well tailored and individualized experience of therapy based on client personality; however, there are some challenges to address. The client theory matching approach would require that counselors are well versed in many different theoretical orientations. This technique also seems counter to the common factors approach (Wampold & Imes, 2015), whi ch presents compelling evidence that all counseling styles garner similar outcomes . In addition, it (2007) (p. 50), although discussion of how this occurs is lacking. In the provided case example, the enneatype. In this model, the therapist may also explicitly share informatio n about the (2007) the potential situation of a client and counselor reaching different conclusions about

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45 client type; this would be of significant concern to this way of working w ith the enneagram. Choucron (2012) also identifies themes that are interpersonal and explicit. The normalizing theme involves using the enneagram as an alternative to pathologizing clients and behavior; to reframe feelings, behaviors, and interactions; an d for providing psychoeducation to clients. Participants in his study typically only taught clients about the enneagram if they expressed interest, which led to using the enneagram as a translation tool for couples to explain their different perspectives t o each other (Choucron, 2012). The encouraging progress theme addresses how the enneagram can provide a shortcut of understanding for the client and therapist, provide language for broaching and discussing sensitive topics, encourage self observation, and couples taking ownership of their relationship (Choucron, 2012). One interesting aspect of and inter personal uses of the enneagram can be. His participants described a constant shifting of attention as they gather data from their own reactions and client reactions, and letting this data the moment. In another example of interpersonal and explicit application, Matise (2019) provides a composite cas e study from his work using the enneagram with couples and families. He identifies several strengths of the system: the ease of integrating it into family systems theory; that it transcends doctrine or dogma while promoting self knowledge (what Matise refe rs to as self tendencies that may be maladaptive and hinder growth. Matise (2019) describes

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46 meeting with a couple for fi ve sessions in which he provides psychoeducation about the enneagram, asks the clients to identify their core types, offers books to read and homework aimed at helping the couple increase their awareness of how their type impacts them and their relationshi ps. He states that although he forms a hypothesis and self (2019) hypotheses about the client type correspond with their self was a mismatch. He also does not report on any intrapersonal application of the enneagram, how or if he negotiates how his core type impacts his therapeutic work. Kam (2018) discusses using the enneagram in spiritual counseling, focusing on interpersonal and explicit applications. The oral tradition in which the enneagram has been taught has often emphasized its esotericism and applic ation in spiritual development (Cusak, 2020). The enneagram has found a welcoming home with Jesuits; Father Richard Rohr is the most well known contemporary teacher in this tradition, and his Center for Action and Contemplation offers multiple books and co urses that integrate the enneagram into mystic Catholicism. Although there are no studies on the use of the enneagram in secular spiritual counseling, Kam (2018) presents an argument for combining the enneagram with divine attachment theory in pastoral cou nseling settings. Kam identifies commonalities between these systems: both frameworks assume that distorted images of oneself, others, and the Divine lead to insecurity and poor psychological health; both assume that a sense of security on a very deep leve l is an indicator of health; and both have room in their frameworks to assume that the level of health in the psyche can dynamically change over time instead of being always static ( 2018, p. 342).

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47 Kam (2018) focuses on the experiences of religious clients who were abused in childhood by their primary caregiver(s). He incorporates a discussion of the nature of trauma, attachment theory and divine attachment theory into his suggestions on how to integrate these approaches with the enneagram in therapy. These suggestions assume as well. Kam (2018) indicates that the enneagram of personality can be used to help the client develop a better relationship with God, the self, and t oward compassion and forgiveness. The applications he suggests are focused on the interpersonal, with the therapist and client sharing information about the enneagram. Although distinct from clinical applications, there is also potential for the enneagram to be incorporated into c ounseling supervision. In their phenomenological study, Perryman et al. (2018) found that incorporating the enneagram into supervision revealed five themes, including self awareness, other awareness, relationship and rapport, profe ssional identity, and role induction. The enneagram seemed to support development and deeper understanding in all these areas. The authors suggest additional research in measuring the working alliance when using the enneagram of personality and establishin g generalizability to varied cultural populations. Kern Popejoy et al. (2017) considers interpersonal and explicit uses of the enneagram for conflict resolution in the supervisory relationship. They specifically consider three types of conflict, as identified by Bernard and Goodyear (2014): conflicts resulting from mi scommunication or mismatched expectations; conflicts resulting from the supervisee development level; and conflicts resulting from interpersonal dynamics between the supervisee and supervisor. The authors reference several other studies on

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48 supervisory dyna mics (Bernard et al., 2011; Costa & McCrae, 1992 ; Schacht et al., 1989 ) to inform their assumption that using personality inventories to facilitate the supervisory relationship may be useful. They also suggest that personality traits of the supervisor may influence their in the moment decisions about supervisor role and focus within a supervision session or relationship. The authors include a conceptual case example and suggest that the enneagram of personality can help foster deeper understanding and a mor e effective supervisory relationship. Although I agree that this suggestion has value , the authors also state that the al., 2017, p. 150). As discussed elsewhere in thi s chapter, availability does not equate with effective understanding and ethical practice. The authors identify age as the only limitation of using the enneagram system. The oral tradition has also taught that the tool is cross cultural; however, these cla ims have not been evaluated through research. The authors acknowledge that the enneagram has more extensive roots and yet repeatedly conflate the Riso Hudson instrument (Riso & Hudson, 199 9 ) with the entirety of the system; this synecdoche goes unacknowled ged, and a tremendous amount of depth, richness, and complexity is lost as a result. Although the basic outlines of the enneagram system may be easy to grasp, using it in therapy with clients, or in supervision with trainees, requires a higher standard of care. A basic conceptual understanding does not meet the level of competence for practice, an ethical obligation for psychotherapists (ACA, 2014; APA, 2017; National Association of Social Workers [NASW], 2017). More research is needed to understand how cli nicians are already

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49 using the enneagram in therapy, and to provide clinicians with empirical support for this application. Benefits and limitations Most intrapersonal uses of the enneagram of personality in therapy require client knowledge of the system an d their type. The process of typing in the oral tradition has relied on a significant investment of time and energy; in clinical work, a reliable and accurate assessment would provide a shortcut, though current assessments are limited. There are several fo rmal assessments that have been evaluated for their psychometric properties. The most prominent of these are the Riso Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator (RHETI; Riso & Hudson, 1999), the Wagner Enneagram Personality Style Scales (WEPSS; Wagner, 1999), and the Essential Enneagram Test (EET; Daniels & Price, 2009). A systematic review by Hook et al. (2020) found mixed evidence of reliability and validity for the existing empirical work on the enneagram. The review found only 104 published and unpublished studies , using inclusion criteria that was quite broad. They found both the RHETI and the WEPSS to have adequate to good internal consistency, adequate test retest reliability, and some evidence of validity (Hook et al., 2020). There are also countless quizzes an d tests available on the internet which remain popular despite the absence of empirical methodologies. The most significant challenge of any objective enneatype assessment (i.e., a quiz format) is that it seeks to identify type through measuring outward be haviors and actions, but the enneagram of personality is more concerned with the motivations underlying these behaviors. In a room of nine people, each with a different enneatype, we could observe the same behavior but for nine different reasons. The relat ionship between motivation

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50 and type can be more difficult to discern, since our motivations can remain opaque to our conscious selves. Conclusion There are potentially rich benefits to incorporating the enneagram of personality into psychotherapy; however, it is important that clinicians have empirical support for this integration. The literature discussed above has proposed or studied various elements of using the enneagram in therapy, in intrapersonal and interpersonal, and implicit and explicit w ays. This study s ought to describe the practices that therapists are using to apply the enneagram, to better understand how the field is engaging with this system of understanding personality and to provide a model that can be used in future research.

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51 CHAP TER 3 METHODOLOGY In this chapter, I provide an overview of the constructivist grounded theory methodology used in the study . I reiterate the purpose of the study and the research question, and delineate participant criteria and sampling procedures, and da ta collection and analysis procedures. I have include d a subjectivity statement to acknowledge my onto epistemological assumptions and account for possible bias. Constructivist Grounded Theory I employed a constructivist grounded theory design for this p roject. Grounded theory, as formulated by Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss (1967), is a qualitative research method whose defining purpose is to construct a theory that is rooted in the data collected and analyzed (Charmaz & Thornberg, 2020). Rather than b eginning with a theory and searching for confirmation or denial in the data, grounded theory begins with the data and uses the processes of data collection and analysis to generate a theory that can explain the data. Glaser and Strauss (1967) differentiate between substantive and formal theory and propose that generating a grounded theory yields a limited substantive theory that is applicable only within the studied field. As a method, it is well suited to explore new areas of study (Bronk, 2012; Charmaz & Thornberg, 2020) and offers a useful way to study and identify explicit and implicit processes (Charmaz & Thornberg, 2020). Glaser and Strauss (1967) identified defining components of grounded theory to include: simultaneous data collection and analysis; c onstructing codes from data; using constant comparison; advancing theory development at each step of data collection and analysis; memo writing; theoretical sampling; and conducting the literature review after developing an analysis. Through this process, the researcher

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52 2014, p. 12) and blends these tenets with assumptions of social constructivism and researcher positionality. Charmaz and Thornberg (2020) discuss constructiv ist grounded theory as an appealing methodology for researchers who acknowledge multiple realities, seek diverse perspectives, and are critically engaged throughout the research process. Constructivism is a relativist ontology that argues that there are m ultiple individual realities influenced by context, identity, and experience (Mills et al., 2006a; 2006b). As a research paradigm, constructivism emphasizes the interaction and relationship between researcher and participant and the shared construction of meaning (Mills et al., 2006a). Stewart (2010) discusses the role of the constructivist researcher as a central instrument in data collection and analysis, and the relevance of researcher reflexivity to the credibility of qualitative methods and findings. Charmaz is a leading pro ponent of constructivist grounded theory and proposes that the emergent theory emphasizes interpretation and abstract understanding rather than explanation and (1967) original formulation (Charmaz, 2014; Charmaz & Thornberg, 2020). This study fit well within the constructivist framework; the participants have been engaged in using the enneagram in therapeutic practice and therefore could contribute to a co created under My familiarity with the enneagram in theory and practice allowed and encourage d the reflexivity required of constructivist rather than the more positivist grounded theory.

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53 Purpose and Research Question Using a constructivist grounded theory method, the purpose of this study was to describe an emerging model of how psychotherapists are using the enneagram of personality in clinical practice. This inquiry s ought to explore and understand how clinicians inc orporate the enneagram into their psychotherapy practice. I s ought to uncover and illuminate an existing structure rather than attempt to force any learnings into a preconceived framework. Therefore, my research question wa s broadly construed: How do psych otherapists use the enneagram or personality in clinical practice? Participants and Sampling I used purposive, snowball sampling and beg a n with contacting psychotherapists known to me who have been working with the enneagram. Prior to beginning recruitment , I identified the following elements for participant criteria. Participants should be educated in a counseling related field (counselor education, counseling psychology, or social work) with the corresponding active licensure; have been practicing for at least 1 year, preferably at least 3 years (to ensure they have a more developed professional identity and practice); have received some formal training in the enneagram (attended a training program, class, or workshop); assess themselves as being confident ly familiar with the enneagram; and incorporate the enneagram into their practice in some way (i.e., implicit or explicit, interpersonal or intrapersonal). The initial participants referred other therapists to the study. In an effort to obtain a more diver se sample, I also reach ed out to therapists who advertise themselves as using the enneagram in their work. These clinicians were found through a n internet search and I contacted them via email (Appendix A) . These participants provided diversity of the samp le in terms of

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54 training, experience, and approach. As data analysis progresse d , I considered additional theoretical sampling. In grounded theory, theoretical sampling allows the researcher to look for participants in settings that will provide additional i nformation and insight into emerging concepts in data analysis (Corbin & Strauss, 2015). Corbin and Strauss (2015) identify theoretical sampling as especially important when studying a new area, to allow the researcher to maintain openness and flexibility. Theoretical sampling defines the sample size and is closely related with saturation (Charmaz, 2014). For reference, in a review of one hundred grounded theory studies, Thomson (2011) notes that the average number of participants is 25. She argues that sat uration can be met in a variety of ways, including gathering more in depth data from a smaller number of participants, if these participants are well versed in the phenomena under study (Thomson, 2011). I therefore requested IRB approval for up to 30 parti cipants and approval for re interviewing. As data analysis unfolded, I found that saturation was reached much more quickly, rendering more focused theoretical sampling redundant, and I ceased data collection after interviewing nine participants. More detai led information about the participants is included in Chapter 4. Corbin and Strauss (2015) define saturation as the point in data collection and propose that data collection m 139) and there are no explanatory gaps. Due to the iterative nature of grounded theory, researchers can typically understand data collection to be complete when a concept is sufficiently well develop ed for the purposes of the study (Corbin & Strauss, 2015). In this case, saturation would be met when there is an adequate amount of data to explain

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55 the different aspects of how psychotherapists are using the enneagram in clinical practice. The model would be able to satisfactorily explain intra and inter personal uses, theoretical integration, self assessment regarding proficiency, and any other concepts that arise from data collection and analysis. Based on my engagement with the data, signs of saturatio n were evident by the seventh interview. I completed two additional interviews to confirm that saturation had indeed been reached. Data Collection and Analysis In grounded theory, data collection and analysis are concurrent, iterative, and emergent. The r esearcher begins coding and memo writing while data collection is ongoing , and I address these processes in this section . We must begin with data collection, however. I created a screening questionnaire for potential participants that gather ed information about their background with the enneagram (including their enneatype), years in clinical practice, and if they have received formal training in the enneagram (Appendix B). After verifying that participants met the criteria and obtaining their i nformed consent (Appendix C) , I conduct ed individual unstructured and in depth interviews with them. Although observation can be employed as a rich source of data in qualitative research, observing counseling sessions presents logistical and ethical barrie rs. I ndividual interviews provide d participants an opportunity to richly describe their inner experiences; this was particularly useful in understanding how t hey use the enneagram of personality to inform their self development and clinical practices . Part icipants engaged at a range of depths, but all of them seemed comfortable to share their experiences with the enneagram openly and transparently. According to Charmaz (2014), interviewing is considered as a series of emergent interactions between intervie wer and interviewee; the interview is a mutual exploration

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56 rather than an attempt to discover an objective reality. Therefore, I developed a working list of open ended interview questions (Appendix D ) to guide the conversation. I revised these questions as data collection and analysis progress ed , considering emerging codes and theoretical sampling (Charmaz, 2014; Corbin & Strauss, 2015). The interviews took place via HIPAA compliant Zoom software. One participant was not available to be video recorded; this audio of this interview was recorded, and the other eight interviews were audio and video recorded. To allow themes to emerge and guide revisions to interview questions, I completed initial coding of each interview prior to conducting the next interview . Charmaz (2014) provides a thorough list of guiding questions to keep in mind during initial (p.116), line by line (p. 125) and focused (p. 140 141) coding. Central to the method and the epistemology is that the coding and analysis process is guided by ma king a series of tentative, not binding decisions and that the researcher maintains a stance of curiosity and openness to the data (Charmaz, 2014: Kenny & Fourie, 2015). For initial and line by line coding, Charmaz (2014) describes flexible strategies to u se and recommends using active verbs and in vivo language where possible and appropriate. For focused coding, the level of analysis shifts to include comparing data to data, codes to codes, and looking for relationships between them (Charmaz, 2014). Initi al, line by line coding is common to all versions of grounded theory (Charmaz, 2014; Corbin & Strauss, 2015; Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Strauss & Corbin, 1998), and this is where I began. Charmaz (2014) provides flexible guidelines to coding that are designed to encourage researcher tolerance of ambiguity; the constructivist grounded theory approach is more intuitive and interpretative than using axial coding as

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57 outlined by Strauss and Corbin (1998) or theoretical coding as outlined by Glaser (1978). Grounded theory includes writing numerous reflective memos throughout the data collection and analysis process to illuminate the process. I took notes during the participant interviews and wrote many memos after the interviews and during the data analysis process. I used these memos to explore and explain my evolving understanding, and as a space to consider how my own enneatype impacted my approach to the project. In addition, I engaged a research collaborator well versed in the enneagram to assist with data analy sis. We had four processing conversations, which I audio recorded, transcribed, and coded as an additional data source. I shared an early draft of the model with participants and invited them to participate in a follow up interview for member reflection as described by Tracy (2020). These interviews were recorded via audio and video, transcribed, and coded. I wrote additional memos in which I reflected on the participant feedback and deepened my understanding of the emerging model. To address preconceptions, I have include d below a statement on my positionality and experience with the enneagram. I used my knowledge of the enneagram and my own enneatype as a guide and a self check throughout the research process. Subjectivity Stateme nt There are a few core onto epistemological assumptions that inform my approach. One is that reality and meaning are relational: everything is in relationship to everything else; nothing exists in isolation. I believe humans are interdependent and interco nnected with each other and the rest of the world. Another tenet is non dualism; I

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58 tend to operate from a both/and rather than an either/or perspective. Meanings are mutually constitutive and not mutually exclusive; multiple perspectives engender multiple ways of being and knowing. A third assumption is fluidity; that we are engaged in an experiential process of constant shifting of awareness, attention, and understanding. These tenets have implications for my views on knowledge, truth, and validity. Human s generally strive toward agreement about truth. Although it is possible to disprove ideas, it is impossible to conclusively prove ideas. Therefore, knowledge is always tentative and tenuous, subject to revision. Validity is conferred by consensus and repr esents our best guesses at a given moment (Carspecken, 1996; Gadam e r, 2011/1975). The project of human science and understanding can aim for ever increasing objectivity but is unlikely to ever achieve it in full. In this research project, I have used my k nowledge of my own enneatype the O ne pattern as a hermeneutic lens that serves as both a guidepost and a self check. The O ne pattern, at lower ranges of function, can be rigid and foreclosed; its most essential pattern is to reject. Knowing this, I endea vored to constantly evaluat e my approach so that my research lens stay ed as wide open as possible, alert to potential learnings, and that I maintain ed curiosity alongside my discernment. I also use d my knowledge of the other patterns and the system as a whole to consider findings from other perspectives. I push ed myself to be careful with language; I cannot address every challenge or potential unintended interpretation, but I have endeavor ed to be th orough and thoughtful with my words and descriptions. This practice has been in support of

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59 acknowledg ing my assumptions, values, and motivations and maintain ing awareness of my non neutrality as a researcher. I began studying the enneagram of personality i n 2008; my counselor at the time introduced me to the system in a series of workshops and panels, and we subsequently often discussed my enneatype in counseling sessions. In 2013 I joined a teaching certification cohort and completed this training in Novem ber 2014. I had enrolled in my offered great potential as a counseling tool. As I began working with clients, I would employ my knowledge of the enneagram in intrapersonal and interpersonal ways, in counseling sessions and in supervision. Intrapersonally, I track my reactions to clients and investigate this countertransference through the lens of type. With clients who come to counseling with a knowledge of their ennea type, we discuss how their type influences their experience; with clients who had no knowledge or interest, as I gradually form a hypothesis of their type, I adjust my style as a way of building rapport. For example, if a client identifies as a Four, or I think they may be a type Four, I make sure to attend to validation and rapport quite thoroughly before gently challenging their perspective on something. For an Eight, however, I pull forward the more assertive and forceful aspects of myself, to provide reassur ance that I am capable of truly meeting them on their terms. No matter what adjustments I make to my style, I always monitor my internal experience to check that I remain congruent, open, curious, and grounded. If I experience any sense of disquiet or agit ation after a session or interaction, I seek consultation with another clinician well versed in the enneagram so that I can better understand my reaction and make any adjustments or corrections if needed.

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60 Given my own integration of the enneagram into my clinical practice, it was my intention and hope in this project that I stayed open to learning from other clinicians who may ha d different, and perhaps more effective, methods. There are several internal clues the enneagram provides for type Ones when we a re more fixated and more reactive. These include increased feelings of frustration, judgment, and impatience; thinking that is more black and white; and physical tightness in the body. These clues arise across settings, including research, and provide d a u seful check throughout this process to ensure I maintain ed the curiosity and openness to learning that is crucial for a constructivist grounded theory research project.

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61 CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS Introduction The intention of this study was to describe a model for how psychotherapists are using the enneagram of personality in clinical practice. This project employed a constructivist grounded theory methodology. From analyzing data from interviews, collaboration with a research partner, memo writing, and m ember reflection, I identified processes and practices that clinicians engage in when using the enneagram. This chapter presents a review of data collection and analysis procedures, participant profiles, and the model in depth. Brief Review of Data Collect ion and Analysis Procedures Data collection included interviews with nine participants, member reflecting procedures, research team interpretation and discussion, and memos. Interviews ranged from 51 to 108 minutes and averaged 72 minutes in length. Interv iews were conducted with a semi structured protocol that included pre written questions and allowed flexibility for the researcher and interviewee to pursue related ideas as they came up. Pursuant to constructivist grounded theory procedures (Charmaz, 2014 ), interview questions were adjusted during the study as data and themes began to emerge. Participant sampling was purposive. Several initial participants were known to me as counselors who use the enneagram in their clinical practice. Additional particip ants were obtained via snowball sampling from referrals from these initial interviewees. Two participants responded to cold emails; these participants were identified via an internet search and had no connection to the other participants. All the interview s were audio -

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62 recorded and eight of the nine interviews were video recorded. These recordings were transcribed in full and coded line by line. I focused on in vivo coding and identifying significant actions and processes. As I engaged with the data at this initial level, I kept a few strategies in mind, as suggested by Charmaz (2014): remain open, keep codes simple and precise, preserve and define actions, look for tacit assumptions, and e gerunds in coding was another central tenet during the coding process. Especially as the research question was directed at describing a process the how therapists are using the enneagram of personality in therapy I found focusing on using gerunds and pre serving actions particularly productive. As I performed the initial coding, I wrote memos that reflected on the research process, emerging codes and themes, and my reactions and thoughts on the codes and coding process. Following initial coding, I created several different visual displays to interact with the data. I created index cards with my initial codes on them, sorted these cards into categories, and wrote memos about the categories. As the number of codes increased with every additional interview, I eventually transitioned my data display to a digital format, using excel spreadsheets. This digital format allowed me to cut and paste codes easily into different categories and experiment with how well the initial codes related to one another. Both the an alog and digital displays were helpful in beginning to see connections between codes and possible categories. During this phase of the project, I frequently reshuffled the categories to attempt to better reflect the emerging themes and participant experien

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63 collection and ana lysis progressed. I wrote memos throughout this process, and these interactions with the data informed edits and additions to the interview questions. I was and Char maz (2014), who writes about coding in constructive grounded theory as an interactive process between the researcher and the participant. Focused coding 144). The shif t from initial to focused codes was cyclical and comparative. As I developed each iteration of the model, I returned to the initial codes sometimes rereading transcripts or relistening to the interviews to assess how well the model represented the data. Da ta analysis was iterative and I engaged in constant comparison to ensure that the emerging themes were grounded in the data and accurately and fully The research collabor ator and I met several times to discuss the interview data; these meetings were recorded and transcribed and provided an additional source of data. The research collaborator is a certified enneagram teacher with no prior training in counseling or qualitati ve research methods. She is a frequent co teacher with the researcher and has knowledge of the counseling process from the client perspective. This was an advantage in the research process as she prompted deeper inquiry into teasing out baseline counseling practices from the contributions of the enneagram to the practice of therapy. Her involvement in the analysis was a significant help in revealing preconceptions on the research question and topic. For example, she asked for clarification about ethical pra ctice in counseling, about therapist transparency and

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64 self disclosure around enneatyping, and about addressing spirituality in counseling. The discussions that ensued from these questions were helpful in explicating the implicit knowledge of the participan ts and the primary researcher. The collaborator also contributed by identifying themes and representative participant quotes during the coding process. When the model reached a coherent stage, I shared it with all the participants and invited member reflec tion (Tracy, 2020). Three of the nine participants responded to the invitation. I conducted follow up meetings with these participants in which we discussed the model. These meetings ranged from 33 to 42 minutes in length, and were recorded and transcribed . The participants agreed that the model as presented in the meetings largely captured their experience of working with the enneagram and made useful and insightful suggestions about minor changes to the language and the utility of the model. I incorporate d this feedback into the final model. Participant Profiles The demographic information for the participants is reported in Table 4 1 . All the participants identified as female and non Hispanic white or European American. The number of years in practice av eraged 15 years and ranged from seven to 35. The number of years working with the enneagram averaged 12 years and ranged from four to 25. Two participants had been working with the enneagram for a longer period of time than they had been in clinical practi ce . Three participants are licensed as Marriage and Family Therapists, five as Mental Health Counselors (specific licensure varied by state), and one as a Social Worker. All participants are currently working in private practice settings. The types of trai ning participants had sought out varied from self study correspondence courses to year long certification programs in different traditions. In

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65 terms of enneatype, four participants identified with type Four, two with type Two, two with type Six, one with t ype Three, and one with type Nine. Work history among the participants varied, but at the time of the interviews, all nine were working part or full time in private practice settings. Several were solo practitioners, some worked in a group practice, and se veral were enneagram teachers. The participants shared a generally humanistic approach to counseling. The names used for the participants are all pseudonyms. Results of Interviews Coding and analysis procedures led to the development of a theoretical mode l that describes how psychotherapists use the enneagram of personality in clinical practice. The resulting model and its components are discussed below; it represents a synthesis of the data and its main themes. Consistent with a constructivist grounded th eory approach, the model should be considered emergent; it is a starting point and a guide for further exploration rather than an objective description of best practices in using the enneagram in therapy. A Model for How Psychotherapists Use the Enneagram in Clinical Practice The model that emerged from the research process suggested ten components : nine stances from which therapists operate during the therapeutic engagement and one additional component . These components are Practicing Self, Quiet Assessment, Using Enneagram Concepts, Using Ethically, Cultivating Humility, Adjusting Presence, Cultivating Therapeutic Skills, Monitoring and Holding, Engaging With Growth, and Dynamism. Nine of these components are stances therapists take during the therapeutic engagemen t and can be grouped into three thematic triads:

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66 Person of the Therapist, which includes Practicing Self, Cultivating Therapeutic Skills, and Using Ethically; Informing Curiosity, which includes Quiet Assessment, Engaging With Growth, and Monitoring and Holding; and Client Facing Practices, which includes Using Enneagram Concepts, Adjusting Presence, and Cultivating Humility. The tenth component, Dynamism, is e mbedded in the structure of the model and in the other nine components. As these ten components and the three triads emerged, it was difficult to find a visual representation that accurately represented the links and relationships between them. To supplem ent my own drawings and efforts, I recruited the help of a graphic designer who attempted several different versions . Even with this professional contribution, it remained challenging to create a succinct and accurate representative diagram. My research co llaborator reminded me that the enneagram symbol is itself meant to be a universal map. As Gurdjieff said: Speaking in general it must be understood that the enneagram is a universal symbol. All knowledge can be included in the enneagram and with the help of the enneagram it can be interpreted. And in this connection only what a man is able to put into the enneagram does he actually know, that is, understand. What he cannot put into the enneagram he does not understand. . . . Everything can be included and read in the enneagram. A man may be quite alone in the desert and he can trace the enneagram in the sand and in it read the eternal laws of the universe. And everytime [sic] he can learn something new, something he did not know before. . . . The enneagram is the fundamental hieroglyph of a universal language which has as many different meanings as there are levels of men. (Ouspensky, 1949, p. 294). With this idea in mind, I mapped the identified themes onto the enneagram symbol. Not only did the stances fi t into the nine points, but they sorted themselves into the three triadic arcs as well. Dynamism fit into the symbol as the energizing force embedded into each stance and the interactions between them. As Gurdjieff suggested, mapping the

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67 model onto the enn eagram was effective for representing what I had already learned from the data, and a new understanding of the stances and their connections also emerged. The most accurate formal name of the enneagram used in this model would be The Enneagram of How Psyc hotherapists Use the Enneagram of Personality in Clinical Practice. For the sake of brevity, differentiation, and clarity, I will call it the Counseling Enneagram (Figure 4 1.) Nine Stances The nine stances of the counseling enneagram model emerged from t he data analysis process as a set of activities or postures that counselors engage with and in during the therapy process. Some of them focus on the person and role of the therapist; some focus on information gathering, filtering, and planning; and some fo cus on the relationship and interaction with the client or client system. I use the word stance to represent the specific posture and focus that the therapist adopts at each of the nine points. Adopting a stance may help the therapist turn their attention in a particular direction and on a particular set of experiences ; it is the embodied will of the therapist to temporarily use a specific perspective for a therapeutic purpose. I will provide thick description for each of the nine stances, beginning with th e stances on the inner triangle at Practicing Self, and then tracing the stances on the inner hexagram. A degree of overlap among the stances is inherent in using the enneagram symbol as the representation for this model and the processes it describes. In the enneagram of personality, we can see different enneatypes engage in the same behaviors but with very different underlying motivations. In this counseling enneagram, the stances do have some interconnection; what distinguishes them from one another is w hat the

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68 therapist is primarily attending to in that moment. The focus of therapist attention and intention in the moment delineates the heart of each stance. Practicing s elf This stance includes increasing self knowledge and the application of that knowle enneagram to themselves as individuals and as therapists. Participants shared about their introductions to the enneagram system and the impact the knowledge made in their lives and understanding of themselves. Having knowledge is one thing; being able to put that knowledge to effective use is a related but separate skill set. The application of enneagram related knowledge to further self se Participants discussed their experience of learning the enneagram and how they integrated it into their self concept. Sally described the appeal of the enneagram in terms of depth and freedom: It was about learning about me in a deeper way, in a more organized way, which I really loved. . . . It was so freeing to learn there is this character, more objective, and look at it, I can do more about the parts that serving me (210). Several people talked about their immediate resonance with the system, saying the information right away, because I was so into it, and wantin , 15 ). All the participants shared a degree of excitement, interest, re sonance, and passion for working with the enneagram in their personal lives.

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69 Several participants shared the ways that their enneagram informed self knowledge continues to evolve over time. Holly in particular spoke about her experience of learning the sy stem while not being sure of her own enneatype: Probably by the third workshop I attended, [I] still didn't know my type. And I'm such a self reflective person, it doesn't make sense that there's parts of myself that I just don't see. And then it was suggested to me that maybe I was a self preservation Four. . . . . I didn't know anything about subtypes up until those deeper workshops. And then once I started to learn about self pres (143). Alison, even after working with the enneagram for twenty five years, discussed learning more about her instinctual drive in recent years, saying: like I was very intimate but I was [also] very social, you know, and so I really struggled with that. And I landed on that I have been [primarily] social with a very strong intimate drive (582). Kristen described a similar expe rience, as well as her reaction: like, literally three weeks ago, and that annoyed the hell out of me that I did not know social subtype. So, which is fine, and makes a lot of sense to now like, go back through my life and see all the ways that the social theme has come up, but I just for some reason, was convinced I was a sexual subtype. (687) Similarly, Holly suggested that the learning process is rewarding and ongoing, saying ship with the enneagram is not static; engagement with self awareness is a continuous process. Participants spoke about the ways in which learning their enneagram type, instinctual drive, dominant wing, and impact of the dynamic movement allowed them to

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70 s hape their personal development and in many cases, their professional development as well. All the participants shared how the enneagram has contributed to their overall self development. Emily talked about using her knowledge to boost her metacognitive a awareness around y spoke about how her personal development contributed to her self awareness and curiosity about herself and her internal process: Also in my psychotherapy group that I was a part of, when people pointed out to me that I was being a victim, you know, which is the big thing for a Four, of course, then I could st art to see it myself. And then I started to Katherine also discussed the connection between self awareness and other awareness, owerful e went on to talk about how she had incorporated the enneagram into her own therapy, saying: I wanted to work with a Nine because I just already feel so much judgment toward myself. And I'm always kind of checking my image. And if I think somebody doesn't like what I'm saying, I change it. And I, I needed, I knew I needed somebody that would just give me so much space (617). supportive environments and practices based on t heir understanding of themselves and

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71 crucial, because I don't think that I am attuned really, naturally. I think typing myself has always striving for health, towards health, because we can be so dramatic and emotional at times. But I think knowing the Enneagram helps me stay really grounded ed an important learning for her : had to learn and this is what I teach other Twos what I had to learn was to really ground my energy in me. . . . If I ground myself in me, and then kind of just like, open that up, clear that, open that, then whatever I'm receiving, it could be clearer, cleaner (522) . knowledge of type to direct their growth i n a way that facilitates their personal and professional selves. Participants talked about how the enneagram has helped them identify and accept their strengths and challenges, with an emphasis on self compassion. Katherine discussed her strong interest in teaching and supervising counseling students in addition to her clinical practice, and said that understanding these interests in the compassion toward herself because she so I actually utilize my Three wing in order to dominant subtype is the intimate subtype. So I think being a therapist, I really thrive on those one on one connections and relationships. I've always really struggled with the macro stuff, the . . . case management, th

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72 Tiffany was particularly specific in sharing her experience of integrating her personal and professional selves through the lens of her enneatype: I think there's a strong part of the Six . . . that kind of m erges and mutates and shifts around. And so to me that's like it feels like a fear of standing on my own, and standing out. . . . So that has always been like, just letting myself be my authentic self. And sometimes that doesn't look like the environment I'm in or the other people I'm around or so, just coming into being who I am, and not always like there's such a deep reflex in me to kind of reflect and try to fit in and try to merge and try to be a part of the pack. And so I think that was part of why I needed to be a part of this alternative holistic community, so that it felt like it was almost like I couldn't do it on my own. . . . I felt like I needed the strength of a container at when I start to want to when I start to feel like I want to let some part of who's doing that, who would I maybe want to be more like. And that's a that's a part of me that wants that community for a little while to sort of give myself that strength to bring it out. And I think that's a Six like quality (144) . Participa nts talked about how the enneagram fit into their spiritual path and I don't necessarily know what all my spiritual beliefs are, but I feel like the Enneagram has kind of taken a place for what was that in my life in a way. Um, so yeah, it's not like something I feel like I have words for, but it's, it's definitely there's something to it that's been very life giving (1107). vated to hold myself accountable to being (280) it later, that kn moment of awareness. Kristen also shared how the enneagram has shifted her relationship with her spirituality, connecting her enneatype as a Three with the idea of task oriented or efficiency based spirituality , and identifying that:

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73 When I feel most connected, fulfilled, attuned, and at peace, are all times where I've slowed down, I've engaged in complete silence or solitude. I've stilled my body. And, you know, worship for me, feels like that. It's a slowing d own. It's a surrendering. It's not performance based at all. It's taking off the mask and just being very real with my vulnerability or my ache, whatever that might be. And so I would say that Enneagram fits really nicely into a personal practice with my f aith (433). The practices that the participants describe here accountability, slowing down, and surrendering are spiritual and personal. They are also important stances and practices that describe healthy counselors (Bennett Levy, 2019; Daniels et. al, 201 8). Tiffany spoke about how integrating the enneagram with her clinical practice helped her experience more authenticity and connection as a person and therapist: When I started teaching [the enneagram], then I started reworking the way I do private pract ice and bringing the stuff bringing the spirituality that was in the background more in the foreground and finding a way to articulate and describe myself as a psychospiritual therapist. So it started out really separate. And then just authentically felt l ike I needed to kind of come out of the closet, in a way, with being a spiritual person. And then, you know, share that in my practice (52) . Holly shared several spiritual experiences she had before and after learning the enneagram system. I didn't know t hat I was a Four back then. . . . But when I walked out of that was carrying around with myself as a Four being really self conscious, being painfully social, socially aware of what other people thought of me, or messing up somehow and being different, and all these painful things that I'm carrying around on me, and in me it felt like all of that dropped. experien it was just this profound love. It was just, it was like love was radiating out of me. And that every person that I saw normally, my Enneagram Four lens is kind of like, I see differences, th ere's like this hierarchy thing that there. And it felt like that completely dropped. And I was left with something else. That was pure love (540). . . . When I think about that in

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74 times that I've meditated or done really hard things that completely challenged my fixation. It's like, after the grief and after the really hard emotions that happen, there's often this incredible lightness. So it's essence. Yeah (573). Essence is sometimes referred to in the enneagram literature as the path to freedom ( Almaas, 1998a; the directionality implicit in humanistic therapy: a direct experience of self and connection to something outside the s elf. Following the lines of dynamic movement in the enneagram, the next stance on the inner triangle is Quiet Assessment. Quiet assessment The Quiet Assessment stance describes how the enneagram of personality informs the process of identifying, filtering , and evaluating client data in counseling. Part of what participants are evaluating here is the level of client interest in and receptivity to the enneagram of personality as a counseling tool which will inform the therapist activity at the next stance, U sing Enneagram Concepts. Many participants identified that in cases of crisis, deep grief or trauma, or intense suffering, they would not explicitly introduce the enneagram to the client. This decision is informed by their observations in this Quiet Assess (Katherine, 173), (Alison, 365), (Holly, 250), (Katherine, 186), (Kristen, 274), (Rebecca, 593). All the participants agreed that if they observed these states in their clients, they would hold back on in troducing the enneagram into therapy. There was general consensus that

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75 when clients are overwhelmed and dysregulated, there is not sufficient emotional or cognitive space for curiosity or reflection that the enneagram requires and encourages. The participa nts otherwise did not identify any contraindications for incorporating the enneagram into therapy. Some participants discussed how they adapt the enneagram for use with adolescents, taking into account developmental concerns. As Alison, who advertises her self as a transpersonal counselor, described this process: They're still developing their ego structure. So it's not the same work. It's not like a forty year and, and I've been doing spiritual work, I wa adolescent] is still developing as an individual person. And they need to do that, before they can know that they're one with everything. So they need . And these are, these are the benefits of having this pattern. And these are And I don't say that to adults. No, I might say to an adult that none of it is real (755) . Holly add work to make it developmentally appropriate, I think, in a way that's digestible, but it based values card so rt activity to help adolescents start to understand themselves and increase their perspective taking without labeling them. Even if the client is not in crisis, not all clients will be interested in the enneagram, and there are other developmental conside rations. The participants (306). According to participants, the enneagram seems to be most effective with clients who are interested in self development and/or spiritual gro wth. Alison described this

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76 know themselves deeper, better. They want to grow spiritually. They want to know, in with kind of a desire for self introduces the enneagram right away. She furt her described this category of client as family of origin, or gender or sexual identity, or a career identity crisis, or anything around that, I think that's such fertile gr clients where the enneagram seemed a clearly helpful tool, participants described this (Katherine, 172), feeling it out (Rebecca, 453), (Tiffany, 596), a ( Emily, 670). None of them used a formal assessment or process, and nearly all them stated that this temperature taking was an ongoing process, that they may return to the subject of the enneagram a few times over th had changed. Participants addressed other elements related to the enneagram that they track. ray into client Alison reported that this process can speed up rapport building and the process of therapy: Even though they may be talking about behaviors that all of us have, I (146). on motivation than it is on behavior, taps into almost this more instinctual process that

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77 t impact on the therapeutic relationship and therapeutic outcomes. There are pitfalls, however; as Holly describes: There was someone that I was working with who, I, they were really into the enneagram, and they were insisting that they were a certain type. And then every time we talked about the type . . . what they were saying didn't align with the information of the type. And it was an interesting thing, because it would have been appropriate to do a challenge around some things, because there's some incongruence in between what they see about themselves and what they want to see about themselves, that kind of thing. And I consistently am playing that taking the temp erature of the room, right, because we want to probe, we want to challenge very gently. And with this particular person, it was like, if I challenge in this way using the enneagram, I feel like that might be too much or it felt like it could damage rapport . . . . Even though therapeutically [a challenge] would have been appropriate. (675) identified e and the next one on the inner triangle, Using Enneagram Concepts. The information gathered in the Quiet Assessment stance has a direct bearing on therapist action and engagement. Participants reported that they also assess client willingness to change. S everal talked about the value of clients who are interested in change and how client readiness enneagram] would be very much based on the client's self awareness or level of health. than incorporating somatic or experiential elements. Others mentioned noticing repetition of focus or theme from a client, such as Michelle:

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78 when a client i s repeating some things that just really line up with a type . . . [if] they just keep coming back to this theme. Then that's when I'll bring [the enneagram] up and ask them about if they've heard of it, or if they're interested in it (252). This practice of noticing and evaluating will naturally feed into and be fed by the active responses of the therapist at the Practicing Self stance and client responses to Using reflects th influence our actions and reactions in the therapy room. Although these three stances are mutually influencing each other, each point on the triangle represents a unique focus of th erapist attention. Using e nneagram c oncepts In the center of the Client Facing practices triad and on the right corner of the inner triangle, we find the stance Using Enneagram Concepts. This is a stance of active adapting and engaging with the enneagram s ystem and the client. There is a continuum of engagement, from translating enneagram concepts into non enneagram specific language to using the specific language of enneatype, dynamic movement, wing, essence, etc. Therapists scale this enneagram knowledge with clients, incorporating pieces or parts of the system, simplifying or expanding on concepts, and modifying and adapting the concepts. They also create new interventions or modify existing ones that use the framework and ontology of the enneagram. Throu ghout all these activities, therapists are translating from enneagram specific language to non specific language as needed and appropriate, based on their own knowledge and their observations of the client. The therapist is making active choices in this st ance about when and how to incorporate enneagram concepts into therapy; this is strongly informed by the practice

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79 of staying attuned to the client's reaction, part of the Quiet Assessment stance. The bottom line of the triangle connects these two stances. These choices are also informed by the Practicing Self stance at the top of the inner triangle; the degree of self knowledge and experience the therapist has about the enneagram will have a direct impact on their decisions about introducing it to clients. In the Using Enneagram Concepts stance, the therapist focus is on choosing the appropriate enneagram related language and intervention for the client and situation. In illustration of the connection between the Practicing Self stance and the Using Enneagra m Concepts stance, participants talked about how their own experience, knowledge, and comfort with the enneagram of personality impacted their use of the system with clients. For example, Katherine shared: I think I didn't understand early on how to nuance it as well as I do now like I if I would feel like if they don't want to use that language, then I can't use it at all, instead of realizing there are ways to incorporate it (154). eagram has made it possible to be more flexible in incorporating it into her work with clients. Other participants commented on the acceleration or power that using enneagram it directly, and use the language of the enneagram . . . it takes things so much deeper, so enneagram to a client is similar to introducing any other therapeutic intervention if a stance and Using Enneagram Concepts stance.

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80 The Using Enneagram Concepts sta nce is also connected to the Quiet Assessment stance on the inner triangle. Embedded in the process of introducing the (423). Rebecca addressed some of the challenges that can arise if the introduction or no clue what you' re saying, like, I cannot understand what you're talking it was the way I was talking about it. It was so out there for her, it was not concrete. And I e to You know, I'm an art therapist. I'm speaking metaphorically, I'm talking about energy. I'm talking about essence and fixation. . . . So I think that's still a learning process of (638). together, blending introducing concepts, receiving feedback on the ideas and the presentatio n of them, and reflecting on how her therapeutic presentation is impacting the communication. Participants differed in the presentation of how they incorporate enneagram language and concepts. For some, the enneagram is one of multiple tools or approaches that they use with clients or as a theoretical framework and they make decisions about introducing it to clients on an individual basis. Others identify themselves as enneagram therapists from the outset. As Sally described: I don't make any bones about i t. I send out the diagram, the explanation. And I also send out . . . the descriptions. . . . And I have them see if they can figure out what their type is before I see them the first time. Oh, yeah. It's gonna be with the enneagram or not at all (450).

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81 Si milarly, Emily advertises that she is an enneagram trained therapist. She stated that this practice helps clients who already have some knowledge identify that they already just therapy begins. This practice certainly limits the level of doubt around if the system would resonate for a client. Whatever degree of specific language participants use, they all shared that they use the concepts of the enneagram of personality in therapy with clients. Again, there is a continuum of introducing concepts; participants discussed how they talk about different aspects of the enneagram with clients, inclu ding the knowledge centers; instinctual type; the basic idea of personality types; the specific idea of enneagram types; and/or specific information about different types. Participants described a number of benefits to sharing these concepts, including tha t this practice allows personalization of the information; it fosters growth and self awareness in the client, it offers nuance and a depth of understanding, and it creates partnership and collaboration between the therapist and client or within a client s ystem. (692). Michelle commented on the effect that enneagram knowledge seems to have on her clie nts: something about [it] helps people just stop resisting whatever conflict, and just look at, like, what they can change and what they can't change. . . . that acceptance

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82 these reflections ar e not objective evaluations of the client experience, but it is useful to hear about the feedback that clients have shared with these participants. There is no reason to believe that clients would respond to the enneagram in fundamentally different ways th an therapists in terms of engaging it for self awareness. Sally described Then we fixation. One subtheme among participants was the level of nuance and depth of understanding that the enneagram offers. This was an element that participants universally app reciated about the system, and several talked about how this helps the one level the fixation is operating, another level is revealed. Holly echoed this notion: I always say, in self work, [the enneagram is] the gift that keeps on giving. Because there [are] so many layers to growth, to our own layering, and our own work and our own j ourneys. The Enneagram is one of the only systems I've come across that really reflects that (637). Tiffany sometimes uses this layered client knowledge of their enneatype through ystem; she also

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83 element to this process of helping a client feel a deep sense of connection that Tiffany Nearly all of the participants mentioned that the enneagram has helped them incorporate somatic elements into their therapeutic practice as a pathway to raise client awareness of the felt sense of emotions in the body. For Katherine, this grew out of learning about the three centers of intelligence and learning to value the input of the mind, heart, and body equally. Likewise, Kristen shared questions that she uses to body communicating right now? What is your heart communicating? What is your head spec ific concept of intelligence centers that can be accessed as therapeutic interventions whether or not the therapist is using enneagram specific language. Several participants spoke about the utility of enneagram concepts and language when working with couples, or with individuals experiencing conflict in their clien we have that language to talk about the enneagram and understand their interpersonal conflicts, a softening happens, and a deeper understanding of this other person, even if understand the triggered parts of us or the parts of us that get activated in a contracted she might introduce the enneagram to couples:

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84 why/how I introduce it now is letting couples know that there is this system of language that could help re ally enhance the relationship. And I might come back to some of the core components of the narrative or [the con cepts] notice, pause, and allow, or compassion and curiosity. So those are concepts that I might introduce. And if there's traction around those concepts, then I will maybe go into more of the background of the enneagram (351). Not all the participants wor k with couples, but they all spoke about the utility of the enneagram system as a way to increase client perspective taking, understanding, and compassion for others. incorporation of the enneagram related information, ideas, and language into therapy. There is a continuum of incorporation at this stance, and therapists can translate enneagram concepts into non enneagram specific language, or if the client is interested , therapists can use enneagram specific language of enneatype, wing, instinct, etc. to discuss the client experience. This stance is the last one on the inner triangle, and we will shift to the stances on the inner hexagram, beginning with Using Ethically at point One and following the lines of dynamic movement. Using e thically We will begin our tour of the inner hexagram with the stance at point One, Using Ethically. Several concepts stood out among the data: therapist competence with the enneagram, the pr work. Participants expressed ethical concerns around the idea of gatekeeping in using the enneagram as a therapeutic tool. Some focused on the challenge this may raise for ere's really no way for clients to know [the level of

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85 interpreted this lack of a national or international standard as one of the strengths of the system. Katherine acknow there's not one credentialing body. There are so many different ways to use the enneagram. It's not proprietary, so anybody can use it and quote it and it's a very 38). Kristen (902) expressed ambivalence about following strict standards in using the enneagram in therapy, emphasizing the intimate and nuanced nature of the tool. She noted the usefulness of having broad guidelines around or a textbook on theoretical uses. These concerns raised by participants reinforce the need for additional research into use of the enneagram in counseling. client autonomy. This term, one of the codes that inform the Using Ethically stance, refers to the sense expressed by participants of the ethical importance of withholding judgment and action until they felt they had sufficient rapport and/or information. Holly spoke to a potential danger in using the enneagram, acknowledging that knowing the mindfulnes s of client readiness (1093). Michelle (735) identified a different potential ethical misuse of the enneagram, to use it as a reductive diagnostic tool to use it as an explanation rather than a tool for exploration. Rebecca shared about an occasion where s f

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86 (873) with clients. Likewise, other participants pointed out how disempowering it can be for a client if the therapist seems to know more than they do about themselves and the importance of allowing the client to lead their own self exploration. Several participants stated that rather than type clients, they encourage the client to engage in self study and reflection to help them type themselves. Katherine acknowledged bein This practice of allowing is closely connected to the ethical importance of the yourself. Understand your own type first, spend some time there. . . . Because if you en your compassion and empathy for your tied this to therapist competence and t typing and what she learned about ethically typing clients as a result: [my teachers] just explored the energy I presented and know, you're kind of more like [this type], what do you think of [this type]? that was really helpful. And then every time I come up with [a response], processed that. And I felt like I'd been listened to. [They would also oesn't seem like a

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87 hea rd other teachers just do like podcasts or whatever, like, be a little more concrete about types. And I think that's I think that's unethical (856). them figure it out as much as possible and give them a little bit of a hand here and work to the capacity of allowing agenda on y our client, but really, truly honoring where they're at, in their process with knowledge of enneatype and related tendencies is a critical aspect of using the enneagram ethically with clients. This stance is connected to Engaging With Growth and Cultivating Humility. The connection with Engaging With Growth will be discussed in more depth below. When the participants talked about the ethical use of the enneagram, their statements often contained elements of both the Using Ethically stance and the Cultivating Humility stance. The two stances, however, represent distinct sets of activities and therapist focus. Where the Using Ethically stance focuses on the practical and ethical implications of practice, the focus of the Cult ivating Humility stance is on the relational dynamics and implications for therapeutic rapport. Cultivating h umility Participants used many different terms to talk about this stance. The theme that emerged was Cultivating Humility. Some of the terms and co des include the practice of sitting with uncertainty, listening with openness, a willingness to withhold judgment, as well as endeavoring to check assumptions, appreciate complexity, and to trust client self perception. Participants described that these pr actices contribute to a deeper trust

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88 and rapport with clients and connected them to both client autonomy and therapist self work. Curiosity was a common word that participants used to describe their practices in this stance. Katherine talked about returni ng to curiosity as a way to root in humility and not commented on differentiat ing between her curiosity and being therapeutically led by the (239). These practices address being able to shift away from trying to prove a clinical hypothesis of client enneatype and into a practice of tentativeness and holding loosely. Several participants addressed how the enneagram has encouraged them to adopt this st ance of Cultivating Humility. Michelle connected her self work with this intr nature of learning the system and oneself: That's something that I love, too, that my training program really stressed that some of these people have been teaching it and l earning it, knowing it for thirty five years, and they're still learning! They still they This fluidity is at odds with certainty in the therapeutic setting. As Rebecca noted: Something I'm learning for me is that even if they don't embrace it, and I think I know their type and maybe I mistype, sometimes I do. I'm trying to work with [the idea]: this pattern is one pattern. Not necessarily

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89 having more of a fluid because I don't necessarily know. . . . I am just Alison talked about he what anybody needed. That everybody's . . . journey was their own, and it wasn't wrong, The Cultivating Humility stance also includes the idea of using the en neagram to expand conceptualization of a client. Rather than using the system to delineate and limit appreciate complexity, nuance, and contradiction within clients and themselv es. Emily expansive rather than reductive perspective. In a field that is dealing with the tensions between wellness and medical models, this is an especially potent use of the enneagram. As Holly describes: I'm such a strong believer that if someone is engaged in the enneagram, and they're attached to a certain type, it doesn't matter whether that's the right type or not. They're resonating with that for a reason. (344) . . . And that's rich and valid therapeutic ground, whatever it is, and valid, whatever Tiffany (562) noted how this expansive practice impacts rapport with her clients and reported that many clients are comfortable telling her when a reflect ion, interpretation, complex client experience. The Cultivating Humility stance is preced ed on the inner hexagram by the Using Ethically stance. The most significant element the two stances have in common is using the enneagram in anti reductionistic ways. Participants agreed that using the process of

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90 typing to create an excuse or one dimensio nal explanation for client behavior was unethical and damaging to rapport. In direct opposition to this is the expansiveness and anti reductionism present in the Cultivating Humility stance. The activities of focusing on the person within a type, allowing fluidity of typing, and appreciating complexity all contribute to a stance of humble practice that allows the relationship to become more trusting and supportive for the client. The next stance on the inner hexagram is Adjusting Presence, which likewise re quires a willingness to be flexible in therapy. Adjusting p resence Participants spoke about how their knowledge of their own enneatype and the enneagram system afforded them an increased ability to shape themselves into the role of therapist. This stance d escribes work that bridges the intrapersonal and interpersonal. The activities in this stance require therapist self awareness that is responsive to the interpersonal dynamic between therapist and client. They include using the enneagram to monitor therapi st countertransference and intrapersonal monitoring for mental, emotional, and physiological cues that indicate when we are caught in the pattern of enneatype and responding automatically rather than intentionally. This stance also includes how the enneagr awareness of their presence and its impact on the therapeutic relationship, and using this knowledge and awareness to choose the most effective and appropriate version of the self to present to the client. When asked about working with clients of different enneatypes, the participants described their processes of subtle adjustment of self , it might change, like, my approach with them. Like how direct or how sugarcoating I am?

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91 have to keep a check. Like, if when I think I'm pretty good at reading people. So if I'm coming of flexibility and adjusting the on the fly is one that emerged in this category and several others. Participants discussed leveraging their self awareness and enneagram knowledge to deliberately adjust their therapeutic presence when they may be experiencing a challenging time in their day or life. Katherine discussed t conception of different aspects of her enneatype as resources she can access in different circumstances: when I'm really in a kind of a fixated social Two space , that's where one on one therapy is really hard for me because like, honing in all my energy on one person in a calm way is really difficult. I access my secondary [sexual] instinct a ton when I'm doing therapy (675). Katherine described feeling more able to focus on the one on one therapeutic this helps her relax into being more present with an individual client. Tiffany described changes in her therapeutic presence fro m the beginning of her career to the present and the role that knowing the enneagram has played in these changes: I think my type, in the beginning, influenced me by I would sort of hide my nervous I call it a nervous expression. . . . In the beginning, I would put on a mask of competence, which I think is probably the Six [pattern] leaning into the Three. So I would present myself as put together, and I would slow my speech down. I would try to be what I felt like was more classically competent looking. A nd again, just in the last 10 years or so,

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92 wanting to be more authentic and trusting that my expression it may not always fit in a box of what competence looks like, but I just wanted to be free and spontaneous and not always censoring myself. . . . So I s tarted to let myself express more naturally, and maybe talk a little bit faster. . . . Even before I became a therapist, but [especially] I felt like as a therapist, I should look like very centered and grounded and talk slowly. And so then I ll, what if I just like, let myself what would happen if I some people, at least, they can feel me and see if they resonate with me. And if they don't resonate with my natural expression, then it's not a good fit anyway (499). Other participants also acknowledged that knowing the enneagram has been helpful in assessing the goodness of fit in the therapeutic relationship and that it has depersonalized this experience for both the therapist and the client. Adjusting presence includes managing countertransference. This management requires therapists to be aware of their internal reactions and be able to identify what is s to certain judgment struggle with Fours . . . part of the problem is I keep wanting to give suggestions, and I certain body postures and certain things that I'm doing wit h my body, when my fixation these processes for her: ding ding ding, self preservation Fo that lens, to know where and when my stuff is coming up in the room. It just feels like more information and like, a map and a guide that just gives me better insight into myself and my clients (817).

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93 Alison, who is a certified enneagram teacher, shared that in her workshops, she incorporates some of these elements in her training. She described that after didactic teaching about a specific enneatype, the group will engage in a discussion of processing questions such for you? What happens inside you around people like that? And what do they need? useful for therapists inter ested in attending to the relational dynamics between different enneatype patterns, and how their enneatypes may be activated by the types of others. Participants talked about how their enneatype shapes their focus in therapy and how this can aid or inhibi t the counseling process. Sally acknowledged that as a Four, looking for a relationship that can tolerate deep intensity of emotion. Holly, who also has the Four patter n, highlighted the potential downside of this depth, reporting that her t cultivate intentionality in her assessments and the questions she asks clients, particularly those in crisis. The stance of Adjusting Presence includes managing countertransf erence, maintaining awareness of internal cues, cultivating methods for drawing on different therapeutic work and relationship. The focus of this stance is leveraging the self to create an optimal relational presence. The next stance on the inner hexagram is

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94 Cultivating Therapeutic Skills, which focuses on therapist self evaluation of competence and skill; effective use of the enneagram as a diagnostic tool, and integrating the enn eagram with therapist theoretical orientation. Cultivating t herapeutic s kills While the Adjusting Presence stance encompasses activities counselors engage in to use their self awareness to emphasize or de emphasize certain aspects of self within the therap eutic role, the Cultivating Therapeutic Skills stance describes the processes that therapists engage in to deepen their learning around using the enneagram. This stance includes therapist self evaluation of competence and skill; effective use of the enneag ram as a diagnostic tool; seeking supervision or consultation and the role of belonging to an enneagram community; and integrating the enneagram with therapist theoretical orientation. In terms of therapist self evaluation of competence and skill, partici pants spoke of the increased self compassion and objectivity that the enneagram has allowed them to access. The system has been helpful in their ability to see their strengths and challenges in therapy as gifts and limitations of type rather than as indivi dual achievements or flaws. Michelle shared that in her experience as a type Six, she has been able to reframe what a beginning therapist could easily label as a liability personal anxiety and experience of intrusive thoughts as a tool for cultivating deep er empathy and an increased ability to help her clients. As she says, that stuff does not scare me. . . . having that experience is helpful for people who maybe never have had intrusive thoughts [before]. And I can just really normalize it for them and be

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95 This type of reframing is indicative of the way the enneagram can foster self compassion and greater objectivity within the therapist, and have a direct impact on the ility to create and maintain rapport with a client. Similarly, Sally reported that her knowledge of her type Four and the movement to type Two has helped her conscious of not res the movement] helped me to be aware of my own red flags, like, what are red flags for me. And then I could o about how knowledge of the enneagram has helped them build confidence in working with populations they had previously experienced as difficult. Michelle disclosed that she had previously wo enneagram, I didn't know how to approach Eights at the time, because I just felt she is aware of her growing co nfidence and comfort in incorporating the enneagram into her professional repertoire. Participants discussed other ways in which they have observed their enneatype at work in their therapy practice. Michelle and Tiffany, both Sixes, identified the tendenc y of this type to ask questions and gather a lot of information as a strength in this Six ish curiosity effectively has been a process:

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96 I've learned how to discern when the curiosity is really going to help open something, open some thing up for someone, or help them dive deeper into something. And then sometimes, that curious kind of energy is not actually the most appropriate, or the most helpful thing for them. Then it's it's more of, like, keeping a grounded space, or having it's more of just sort of rooting down (545). Rebecca shared a challenge associated with her Nine type: I think the assumption I have that other people think the way I do, or integrate things the way I do it can really get really lost on me that, I don't know, that I'm always coming across the way I think I am. Because it all just makes that's probably something to still learn. Like, I'm wondering . . . if my Yeah, so the pros and cons I think that the tangential way I talk and that the way everything can like synthesize, and I can see all these sides like, that's, that's great. Um, but then I think I definitely am not a fit for a lot of people because of that. It's too it's too amorphous (656). These are individual examples that speak to the particular gifts and challenges that each enneatype can offer in a therapeutic role, and the importance of therapist self awarene ss in making the most of these qualities. Rebecca highlighted the importance of an enneagram community, describing inquiry and study, the teacher, and then the cohort, the unity of like minded peers . . . that's huge for me, because that's just as important as my own self and Michelle shared that their enneagram training program, a year long course in the embodiment tradition, frequently functioned as p eer consultation or supervision and that having these connections in their community helped to make referrals and consultation a more comfortable process. Katherine, whose training was in the narrative tradition, shared a similar experience, and that this function of the group learning environment boosted her clinical competence and confidence that she was using the enneagram

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97 ethically (302). Tiffany echoed this idea, describing that clinicians in her learning cohort would use the enneagram lens for case co nceptualization and consultation. She also spoke to the role of learning by thing, because there's some awesome clinicians that come through. And so it's kind of owner of a group private practice, deliberately incorporates the enneagram into supervision and group consultation as a lens for case conceptualization and to prompt self about creating an environment where someone has the capacity to grow and foster self contributes to the ethical and effective use of the enneagram, as well as a place to explore the integration of the approach. Since the enneagram is not currently taught in counseling training programs, the participants all engaged in a process of integrating the enneagram system into their therapeutic theoretical ori entations. There was a range of theoretical orientations present among the participants, including transpersonal and psychospiritual counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, Gestalt, Internal Family Systems or intrapsychic work, attachment, narrative and postmodern approaches, solution focused therapy, systems theory or structural family theory, art therapy, trauma informed, ACT, strengths based counseling, and person centered approaches. Participants engaged in this integration work on their own and in th eir learning communities. All of the participants described themselves as eclectic and generally humanistic in their approach to people and clients.

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98 shared specific ways that they integrate the different theories. Sally provided an example of integrating Gestalt theory with the enneagram: [you can hear] somebody caught between two parts. And if yo u really listen to it carefully, you can almost pick out the Seven that's gone to One, or it's a Four that's gone to Two, or whatever. And so we can make that empty chair over there is the Two, you know, and . . . then the part that's sitting here is the i now I want you, from this part that understands what's going on with that (823). None of the participants identified any concerns or challenges regarding this process of theoretical integration. They also all mentioned that their styles have evolved over the years and they expect this to continue. Katherine addressed both of these issues, acknowledging that the enneagram fi that her training in the narrative tradition dovetailed nicely with her use of narrative therapy, and appreciating the focus in her training community in continued exploration. The Cultivating Therapeutic Skills stances describes ways that therapists use the enneagram to inform and reflect on their counseling skills; connect with an enneagram learning community; and integrate the enneagram framework with their theoretical orientations and interventions. Whi le using the enneagram in these activities, therapists are collecting information about their client and client responses. The next stance on the inner hexagram, Monitoring and Holding, focuses on this process of data collection and evaluation in counselin g through the lens of the enneagram. Monitoring and h olding The Monitoring and Holding stance describes how therapists observe and track the energy and responses of a client. Some of the codes that contributed to this stance

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99 are: holding tensions; getting a sense of people; tracking energy; attuning to embodiment; allowing fluidity; and tracking what resona tes. Participants spoke about this stance as particularly informative for the process of typing a client but also helpful even when the type was unclear. The specific activities of therapists in this stance are varied. Alison stated she . . [picking up] pace of speech and picking up on preoccupation, and where is the energy and at way they walk, you know but not everyone's that obvious. But there are some sometimes, there's someone who's just so obviou sly their type, just by the way they're standing. Or just the energy that I feel with them in the room, you know I have certain reactions to certain types. And I think it just helps me pick up on their type more quickly (179). Participants mentioned attend ing to pace, preoccupation, client movement and posture, resonance of different topics, and energy. Tiffany described tracking the energetic but then it's also like some thing maybe beyond the physical that you learn how to like, embodiment tradition, which emphasizes this role and attunement to the energetic qualities of the different enneatyp es. Even those trained in other traditions, however, emphasized how helpful the energetic and somatic aspects of the enneagram can be. Another significant activity at this stance is asking questions and gathering information that may shed light on a clien clearest answer to a question, but on letting the question be a doorway to open new

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100 avenues for the client. If their response also happens to add supportive data to our hypothesis of their type, that is a bonu s rather than the intent. This approach requires therapists to hold and manage competing tensions of inviting versus confronting. Holly provided an example: of challenge, even if t hey're telling me they're okay with it, I might be picking up on something else. Like, I did a little tiny challenge, and [they] got really defensive. And this is too vulnerable. And we need to get a little more comfort at this smaller level of vulnerabili asking for this big level (697). The focus here is on the therapist awareness of creating and holding a space that allows for exploration and curiosity, and on respecting all the communication we receive from a client, just not on ly their verbal statements. Katherine described this process as a noticing and holding. She said: sometimes you just receive something and you just kind of hold it away. You just find a little spot for it in your brain, and you put it there because it's no t time yet for you to reflect it back to them. But you need to hold it, it's information (525). move to the next stance, Engaging With Growth. Engaging w ith g rowth Our tour of the inner hexagram ends with the Engaging With Growth stance. This stance encompasses therapist activities of integrating the enneagram with client goals, orienting to growth, and hypothesizing and experimenting. This is a stance of collaboration a nd joint effort between the client and counselor. The focus of the with the process of therapy.

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101 heoretical orientations discussed in the Cultivating Therapeutic Skills stance, all of the participants identified that the enneagram offers a path to greater self understanding. There was a range of integration with spiritual belief and practice among the participants; a few stated that they only use the enneagram in a secular context and the others talked about integrating the enneagram with spiritual but not religious approach, as well as the challenges that can be involved with this integration. Even as a secular tool, participants talked about how the enneagram functions to (Michelle, 544). Several participants talked about the spiritual roots of the enneagram and how they u nderstand using it in service of spiritual growth during the counseling process. They described how they have translated some of the spiritual ideas into non talke d about this translation: about thinking, feeling and behaving. And you know, if people have no spiritual inclination, maybe [they are] agnostic or atheist or whatever, then i t's just a cognitive behavioral tool, okay? And if they are spiritual and more Eastern . . . we can we can apply it to the whole karmic thing. If they're Christian I was a Christian for thirty nine years, I was an elder in the Presbyterian Church. I was gu ng ho. Until I wasn't. And so I can certainly talk that language (614). Holly described this translation with less focus on the specific language and more focus on the process: helping my clients tune into what alignment actually feels like to them and wh at centeredness feels like to them. . . . I've had clients that use the Enneagram [as a way of getting] closer to God. And that's the word that they're using for it. And there, we incorporate that into therapy in a big way of [exploring how they] use the E nneagram as a way to help increase their spiritual capacity or help increase their groundedness. In my opinion, the

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102 spiritual part of it feels to me this substantial self honoring, and this substantial ability to care for yourself and love yourself, and th e increased light that exists in all of us (512). the enneagra m with spirituality can be challenging. One reported working with clients whose relative rigidity around religion made it impossible to integrate the enneagram into their therapy work; she also voiced concerns about the potential for the enneagram path to growth to be used as a way to blame or shame a client or within a client system. All the participants reported that whatever their personal understanding of spirituality, n line with the Using Ethically stance and the Quiet Assessment stance that are connected points to the Engaging with Growth stance. Whether participants operated from a secular or spiritual foundation, all of them discussed using the enneagram to connect with the goals and growth that their clients we still do a lot of really meaningful work, and I'm still incorporating it in ways that really client is uninterested in the system. Holly agreed, saying: And so I might kind of start to get an idea of what a person's type is. And, and it doesn't matter whether I'm right or wrong, because the therapy part of it feels very similar. I'm still tuning into their emotions and still reflecting,

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103 I'm still following them significantly, but I it's more like c uriosity. . . . I start forming my clinical questions and probing around the pattern (305). This curiosity and probing was a common theme for all the participants at this stance . They talked about using the enneagram as ground for forming hypotheses about symptoms or challenges , as a focusing lens to encourage deeper exploration of some aspect of the client experience, and to help clients create more conscious choice around their behaviors and responses. Alison stated: once you know what [the clien person see how to move through that. Whether they do or not is another story, but you know, you can support them and hold space for them, and help them know what they're going to have to face and what the fears might be in untying that knot. The Engaging With Growth stance unites curiosity with using the enneagram to orient to client growth and integrate it with client goals. Although we moved through the stances on the inner hexagram beginning with Using Ethica lly and ending with Engaging With Growth, the nature of the model is such that we could begin anywhere. The lines of connection are there to represent the interconnectedness of these stances, and the shuttling that therapists do between them. Each stance h as a singular focus a set of activities or practices that shape it but therapists can engage in all the stances during a given therapy session. Some stances may be easier and some more difficult for a counselor, depending on their level of experience in pr actice and with the enneagram. Our engagement at any stance will also be influenced by our shifts in personal or professional circumstances, shifts in mood or affect, interactions between the counselor and client, and external events in our communities or world. These influences are captured in the Dynamism element of the model, discussed below.

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104 Triadic Arcs The nine stances represented in the counseling enneagram can be grouped into triadic arcs termed Person of the Therapist, Informing Curiosity, and Client Facing Practices. Each arc contains three stances which reflect different aspects of the theme of the arc. The arcs loosely map onto the intelligence centers in the enneagram of personality but are not intended to be analogues of thes e centers. The intelligence centers body, heart, and mind are a lens through which we filter our human experience ( Heuertz, 2017 ; Palmer, 1988); knowledge and awareness of how our dominant center shapes our perceptions can elucidate our self understanding. The triadic arcs of the counseling enneagram are explained briefly below. Person of the Therapist The Person of the Therapist triadic arc is at the top of the diagram and includes the stances Practicing Self at point Nine, Cultivating Therapeutic Skills a t point Eight, and Using Ethically at point One. This triad encompasses the various ways therapists use the enneagram as a tool for their own personal growth as well as to inform their understanding of clients and appropriate ways of working with client sy stems. Person of the Therapist was a code and then a category that emerged quite early in the data analysis process, but as data collection and analysis progressed, it became clear that the various activities that fit under the theme were too varied and th ere were too many of them for the category to be considered as a single stance in the model. As my interaction with the data deepened and the counseling enneagram emerged, the Person of the Therapist category split into different stances which were refined and renamed. I let the Person of the Therapist label drop for the time being. However, once the nine stances were clearly identified and arranged on the counseling enneagram, I could see

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105 that the three stances at points Nine, Eight, and One all represented different aspects of this theme. At point Nine, Practicing Self is an adaptive process; we shift between increasing self awareness and using this knowledge to shape our behavior. At point Eight, we develop and evaluate the deployment of therapeutic skills. At point One, we navigate ethical practice, considering our own level of knowledge, traini ng, and competence as well as client applicability, appropriateness, and interest. In all three stances, self awareness , self reflection , and self evaluation are important; it is the placement of our focus that differentiates the activities in them. In Pra cticing Self, our focus is deepening our awareness and knowledge of our own personality and enneatype. In Cultivating Therapeutic skills, we turn our focus to our professional skills, considering how our enneatype impacts our learning process and skill dep loyment. In the Using Ethically stance , the focus is on ensuring our competence and adherence to ethical guidelines. Informing Curiosity The Informing Curiosity triadic arc is composed of the three points and stances on the lower left corner of the diagra m. The stances in this arc are Quiet Assessment at point Six, Engaging With Growth at point Seven, and Monitoring and Holding at point Five. These stances are activities that inform clinical direction and decisions that we may or may not transparently shar e with a client. Curiosity was an early code, and participants talked extensively throughout the interviews about how the enneagram informed their curiosity about themselves and clients. Similarly to the Person of the Therapist triad, the code was so ubiqu itous in the data that it was impossible for it to be confined to a single stance in the model. As the stances emerged, I was able to see that

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106 these three stances all focused on different aspects of curiosity and how therapists use it in their practice wit h the enneagram of personality. Participants talked about the processes of evaluating, sorting this noticed information into coherent assessments of readiness, health, and openness, and about how they use this information to inform the goals and direction of therapy. The Quiet Assessment stance, therapist curiosity is focused on data collection: evaluating client health, receptivity, developmental level, any barriers to treatment or engagement in the therapeutic process, and openness to the enneagram of pe rsonality. In the Engaging With Growth Stance, curiosity informs how the therapist uses their knowledge of client type to hypothesize about ways to appropriately incorporate spirituality and to connect with the goals of the client. In the Monitoring and Ho lding stance, curiosity is a tool for potentially conflicting information without committing to a single diagnosis or belief about the client. Client Facing Practices This tr iadic arc is composed of the three points and stances on the lower right corner of the diagram. The stances included are Using Enneagram Concepts at point Three, Adjusting Presence at point Two, and Cultivating Humility at point Four. These stances address how therapists engage relationally with clients and what they do intrapersonally and interpersonally to create rapport, build trust, and introduce enneagram concepts and/or language to clients. The theme Client Facing Practices emerged in the data a bit later than the other Facing

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107 nine stances onto the enneagram structure helped clarify this arc . The stances at points Three, Two, and Four all address aspects of direct engagement with clients. In the Using Enneagram Concepts stance, focus is on the active adaptation of the enneagram resence stance, therapists focus on shaping their presentation to manage countertransference and best attune to the client. Focus in the Cultivating Humility stance is on withholding judgment and assumptions , building trust and appreciating client self per ception and complexity. All three stances in this triad are influenced by the concept of adapting therapist behavior in service of the therapeutic relationship. Dynamism From the first interview, there were certain aspects of their work that participants struggled to articulate with the same level of clarity and specificity that they accessed when discussing other processes. Among other topics, p articipants spoke about sensing and responding to energies, being attuned to subtle shifts in client behavior, a nd using intuition to guide their clinical judgment with a broad acceptance that they did not necessarily need to closely examine these processes to expose or understand their inner workings. Even with a good amount of probing in the interviews and an exte nsive amount of analysis in the research process, there remained a quality of participant experience of using the enneagram in therapy that was impossible to fit into a cleanly edged category. Rather than attempt to trim the data to fit, I let it alone whi le continuing to work on understanding and describing the nine stances and then the triadic arcs. Once the counseling enneagram took shape, it was clearer that these processes were what I am calling Dynamism: the fluid and enlivening force that is embedded the geometry of the enneagram symbol and in each of the nine stances.

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108 The enneagram is perpetual motion . . . The enneagram is a schematic diagram of perpetual motion, that is, of a machine of eternal movement. . . . In order to understand the enneagram it must be thought of as in motion, as moving. A motionless enneagram is a dead symbol; the living symbol is in motion (in Oupensky, 1949, p. 294). els the static entity; a flowing river of change, not a block of solid material; a continually (Rogers, 1995, p. 122). The enneagram draws some of its potency from its ability to adapt, to be in motion, as this allows it to mirror and describe the fluidity of the human experience. Both the enneagram of personality and the counseling enneagram accoun t for this fluidity; indeed, without it they can easily become reductive and lose relevance. My research in cellular biology, the substance that holds a cell together and is responsible for all living processes in that cell. It is the term for the viscous fluid that allows the structure to hold a meaningful shape and is a fundamental unit of biological life ( Biology Online, n.d.). This is an apt metaphor, as Dynamism refers to the energy that keeps the enneagram in motion. The enneagram already accounts for motion within its structure and its representation of process, so why identify Dynamism as a separate component? Once of the g oals of constructivist grounded theory is to explicate the implicit (Charmaz & Thornberg, 2020) . Rather than allowing the intangible processes of working with the enneagram of personality in therapy to remain mysterious, it is important to the methodology and to the model that Dynamism is identified as a component.

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109 This component describes the intangible aspects of working with people and the enneagram. Some of the coding categories that informed this theme were: awareness of relational dynamics; cultivati ng sensitivity; using the enneagram to access different aspects of the self; being attuned to changes in the experience of connection; and awareness of the influence of enneatype on the therapist and client in terms of their presence, presentation, preoccu pation, and responses. Dynamism is represented in the diagram by the outer circle and the inner lines of the triangle and the hexagram. In a static diagram, it is critical to keep in mind that the two dimensional lines represent the movement of energy thro ugh the shapes; the enneagram in all its variations is a map of dynamic processes. None of the activities at the individual points are truly individual. Each point is informed by its neighbors on the outer circle (wings) and the rest of the points through the inner lines. The enneagram crackles with energy and motion. This quality makes it more engaging and relevant, and more difficult to grasp. As one of the Nonetheless, I w ill include a few representative examples of how Dynamism operates for participants and in the model. Participants talked about elements of dynamism in terms of their interactions with clients and the roles that their respective enneatypes can play in thes e interactions. challenge for me because it feels like there's such a strength of them wanting to tweak the cognitive f olks have a harder time with me. Yeah. And this is where I think the Nine is helpful with [knowing] my type is that because as I've somatically, and Sixes and Sevens and Fives really don't like that. But

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110 they really benefit from it! So once I can get a rapport, if I can instill enough trust and have like, some of my, like, hospital ly background like leading the way, then it's, it's gonna work out okay. (676) understanding of interactions with clients, and how it can enhance therapist self awareness and practice. Similarly, Kristen discussed being challenged by qualities of different enneatypes, saying: I think the component with Ones and Eights and Sevens has a lot to do with pace, energy, and control. All types that have a quick pace, have really quick response times. And I'm not always that. I'm not quick with my response times, I'm not punny, I'm not witty, I'm not fast paced. So when I am quick, it's often because I've mastered a situation and I know what hat to wear in that situation. But it's not coming from the heart. It's very just patterned. And so those people put me back in my type structure, they put me back into a place where I feel like I shouldn't say they do it, but they prompt that essence (573). These participants describe the challenge of managing personal reactivity to different types of clients. Others spoke about the ways in which enneatypes can enhance a sense of connection or rapport. phob ic elements of her type Six in order to meet the energy of the client. Kristen talked about the feeling of personal reward of working with other type Threes and the moment of recognition that occurs when they realize the dependence of their worth on their effort. Holly spoke about a difficult to pin down element of connection with her clients: there is like a type of connection that happens, where and I wouldn't even call rapport, it feels, it feels so much deeper than that. It's like, it's like survivor r ecognizing survivor. And that happens in lots of different [circumstances] (721). . . . And even though they don't know that [we share a similar experience], there's a type of connection that I will feel with my client, because it's almost as a counselor,

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111 the emotional attunement that happens. There's something there that I don't even know exactly what to call it. And that can happen with the Enneagr am, too, especially if I'm working with someone who's the same Kristen also addressed managing these experiences of deep resonance with clients: My personal experience does lend me to be pretty compassionate and not I've gone through that too. And I, you know, I can connect with you. And I don't need to know that you've gone through that. They just need what you're feeling inside. They just need that brought into the space so that Participants also spoke a bout how changes in their inner circumstances can impact the experience of therapy. This process is perhaps most closely related to the Adjusting Presence stance and also the Building Therapeutic Skills stance but is present in all the stances identified i enneagram is a great equalizer in that way. We all have our stuff. We're all bringing our (489). Participants addressed how th ey experience the dynamic movement of their enneatype and how it shows up in their practice of therapy. Holly shared that although it can be difficult to identify her movement (as a Four, to points One and Two), she often has been much harder to identify. I think because I have been living so much out of Two it's definitely le illustrates the connection between therapist self

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112 All the participants spoke to the evolving nature of working with the enneagram of personality, acknowledging the ways it impacts their personal and professional selves. Many of them also referenced ways in which their understanding of the enneagram system has shifted and expanded over time. Kristen, whose group practice includes coache s, shared that they have developed new language about the dynamic movement that has shifted them away from the integration/disintegration binary to a more flexible way of understanding how people use the energies and strategies of their nearest points. One participant shared that during her time working with the enneagram, her understanding of the system and of herself had constantly deepened. This aspect of working with the system reflects the history and ongoing evolution of the enneagram as discussed in C hapter 2 . Summary This chapter provided a review of data collection and analysis procedures and verification procedures , participant profiles, and a thorough description of the counseling enneagram model. The counseling enneagram model includes ten compo nents: nine stances , which are organized into three triadic arcs , and the element of D ynamism . Each component of the model was presented with support from participant quotes. In C hapter 5 I will discuss the limitations and implications of this research stu dy.

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113 Table 4 1. Participant demographic information Participant Number of Years in Practice Number of Years Using the Enneagram State and Licensure Type Enneatype Katherine 10 4 FL, LMHC 2 Sally 35 25 CA, LMFT 4 Tiffany 15 20+ NC, LCSW 6 Alison 35 25 NC, LCMHC & FL, LMHC 2 Michelle 7.5 4 NC, LCMHC 6 Rebecca 12 5 NC, LCMHC 9 Holly 7 17 OR, LPC 4 Emily 9.5 8 NC, LCMHC 4 Kristen 8 6 MD, LCMFT 3

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114 Figure 4 1. The counseling enneagram.

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115 CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION Introduction This inquiry was designed to explore how psychotherapists incorporate the enneagram of personality into their clinical work, and describe a model for this usage. The enneagram of personality was initially developed as a tool for spiritual growth and awaken ing (Cusak, 2020; Oupensky, 1949) and has more recently become a popular tool in the counseling field. However, the empirical data on incorporating into counseling is sparce. Counselors have an ethical responsibility to use counseling practices that are ba sed on rigorous research, practice within the boundaries of our competence, and in and adoption of the enneagram with good ethical practice and provide guidance to the field, it is important to conduct empirical investigation into existing practices. Given the lack of existing empirical research, my research question was broadly fram ed: How do psychotherapists use the enneagram in clinical practice? I was interested in illuminating an existing structure rather than attempting to force any learnings into a preconceived framework. Constructivist grounded theory offered a methodology wit h the flexibility and openness of approach that best fit the research question, the ontology of the enneagram system itself, and my own beliefs about research and the creation of knowledge. Studying how psychotherapists use the enneagram in practice provi des an opportunity to integrate this tool into a wider understanding of psychological and relational functioning. Most of the published material on the enneagram, peer reviewed

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116 or not, has been conceptual, focusing on the possible applications. This study contributes to a better understanding of that application by examining how psychotherapists use the enneagram in clinical practice. This understanding could provide directions for future research that investigates using the enneagram as a tool and path for purpose and methodology, a brief summary of the model, a comparison of the findings to existing literature, and a discussion of the implications and limitations of the model. I also provide a personal reflection on the role and subjectivity of the researcher. Purpose of the Study and Review of Methodology Using a constructivist grounded theory method, the purpose of this study was to discover and describe an emerging model of how psyc hotherapists are using the enneagram of personality in clinical practice. Purposive, snowball sampling was employed to obtain participants who met identified criteria. In depth interviews were conducted with psychotherapists who have participated in formal enneagram training and who currently identify themselves as using the enneagram during therapy. This model, based on practitioner experiences, can provide a foundation for future research into ethical and effective applications of the enneagram in therapy . Data collection and analysis were performed concurrently and iteratively. I engaged in initial coding and multiple rounds of focused coding, and wrote reflective memos throughout this process. I engaged my research collaborator in discussion and reflecti on on the themes and processes that emerged from the data. I created multiple iterations of visual representations of the data, including index cards, excel spreadsheets, hand drawings, and different computer drawings. Trustworthiness strategies included e xtensive reflective memo writing, using constant comparison,

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117 engaging a research collaborator, and member reflection. These processes culminated in the current model as presented. Summary of Findings Model Summary This research project resulted in a model, the counseling enneagram, that personality in clinical practice. These components are Dynamism , Practicing Self , Monitoring and Holding , Using Enneagram Concepts , Using Ethica lly , Cultivating Humility , Adjusting Presence , Cultivating Therapeutic Skills , Quiet Assessment , and Engaging With Growth. Dynamism is an umbrella element that runs through the nine other components. The remaining nine components are stances that are grouped into three triadic arcs: Person of the Therapist, Informing Curiosity, and Client Facing Practices. I will brie fly review the stances, the triadic arcs, and Dynamism. Nine Stances Each of the nine stances encompasses a set of activities or postures that counselors engage with and in during the therapy process. Some of them focus on the person and role of the thera pist; some focus on information gathering, filtering, and planning; and some focus on the relationship and interaction with the client or client system. Each stance has a specific focus of therapist engagement with the enneagram of personality in clinical practice. Practicing self The Practicing Self stance at point Nine describes ways in which the enneagram of personality impacts therapist self awareness and personal practice, the ways that this awareness changes over time, how this knowledge has helped th em in their personal

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118 development and growth, how the enneagram of personality interacts with their personal accountability, understanding their strengths and challenges as individuals and piritual practice. Quiet a ssessment At point Six, the Quiet Assessment stance describes how the enneagram of data. Therapists evaluate client receptivity, develop mental concerns that may require adaptation, and readiness for change. They also use this stance to glean information about client motivation or aspects of enneatype. Introducing enneagram concepts In the Introducing Enneagram Concepts stance at point Three , therapists actively adapt the enneagram of personality and engage it with clients. There is a continuum of specificity in this stance: at one end, therapists can translate enneagram related concepts into non enneagram specific language; at the other, therapists and clients use enneagram specific language and concepts to frame and explore the client experience. Therapists can also use parts of the enneagram of personality system without introducing the entire thing; for example, talking abou t the instinctual drives or the intelligence centers but not discussing enneatype. Engaged in this stance, therapists use the enneagram of personality to design new interventions. Using ethically At point One on the inner hexagram, the Using Ethically stan ce describes how therapists incorporate the enneagram of personality into ethical practice. Since there is a paucity of research and no single credentialing body for clients to use in evaluating therapists, it is important for therapists to ensure they are practicing within the limits of

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119 their competency. At this stance, therapists engage in self reflection and evaluation to ensure ethical practice, they continually engage the enneagram in their own self work, and they hold the enneagram loosely in order to defer to client autonomy and self determination. Cultivating h umility At point Four, the Cultivating Humility stance describes therapist practices that contribute to building trust and rapport with clients through withholding judgment, sitting with uncer tainty and not knowing, leaning into complexity, and prioritizing client self perception of enneatype. Adjusting presence The next stance on the inner hexagram is Adjusting Presence , at point Two . This stance describes how therapists use their knowledge o f the enneagram to subtly shift their self presentation in counseling. This can be led by a shift in inner circumstances has on a given day or in response to client pres entation or perceived enneatype. At this stance, therapists actively use their knowledge of enneatype to manage countertransference and potential blind spots in the therapeutic relationship. Cultivating therapeutic skills The Cultivating Therapeutic Skill s stance at point Eight describes processes that therapists engage in to deepen their learning in using the enneagram of personality. These processes include self evaluation of competence and skill, the role of belonging to an enneagram learning community and seeking supervision or consultation, integrating the enneagram of personality with therapist theoretical orientation, and effective use of the enneagram as a diagnostic framework.

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120 Monitoring and h olding At point Five, the Monitoring and Holding stance describes how therapists observe and track the energy and responses of a client. Therapists attend to pace, client movement and posture, preoccupation, energy, and client responses to interventions. This stance provides a great deal of data in terms of de termining client enneatype. In this stance, therapists maintain awareness of creating and holding a space that allows for exploration and curiosity with gathering data. Engaging with growth The last stance on the inner hexagram, Engaging With Growth , at po int Seven, describes how therapists integrate the enneagram of personality with client goals and desired growth and the process of hypothesizing or experimenting during therapy. Therapist understanding and integrating of client spirituality is an important activity at this stance. Triadic Arcs The triadic arcs in the counseling enneagram loosely correspond with the intelligence centers in the enneagram of personality. The Person of the Therapist triad addresses the ways of therapist being: how their indivi dual self engages with the enneagram of personality for self work, how that self work impacts their therapeutic self, how therapists engage in an enneagram learning community and continued education, how therapists assess and understand their skills throug h an enneagram lens, and how therapists use the enneagram of personality in ethical ways. The Informing Curiosity triad address ways of thinking: how the enneagram of personality contributes to the therapist processes of gathering and sorting information f rom and about the client, how therapists use the enneagram of personality to filter this information and evaluate

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121 different aspects of the client system, and how the enneagram of personality shapes therapist engagement with therapeutic goals and client gro wth. Client Facing Practices, the final triad, addresses ways of doing: how therapists engage with clients, the degree and decisions therapists make around introducing enneagram language or concepts, how therapists use the enneagram of personality to shape and adjust their therapeutic presence, and how therapist knowledge of the enneagram of personality assists them in cultivating humility and openness with clients and themselves. Dynamism This component describes the intangible aspects of working with peop le and the enneagram. This element is represented in the diagram by the outer circle and the inner lines of the triangle and the hexagram; these two dimensional lines represent the movement of energy through the shapes. The counseling enneagram model, like any enneagram, is a map of dynamic processes. In terms of therapist process, Dynamism attempts to account for the constant shifts in internal and external circumstances, including the interplay of counselor and client enneatypes, how therapists access dif ferent parts of their enneatype in different circumstances or settings, the evolution in understanding of the enneagram of personality, changes in mood or inner resources, and the impact of world events. Comparison to Existing Literature The results of thi s study do not contradict any existing empirical literature on the enneagram. The model describes how the participants use the enneagram of personality in their clinical practice, and the results are largely complementary to the existing literature, while also filling a gap in knowledge regarding how the enneagram is currently used in practice.

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122 One of the selection criteria for participation in the study was a history of personal and professional use of the enneagram. Although the participants emphasized d ifferent aspects of the system in the interviews, all of them displayed a depth of knowledge and intimate familiarity with the enneagram. Participants referenced the lineage or traditions that they have been trained in. These were varied and included the n arrative tradition, the embodiment tradition, as part of a spiritual path integrated with Eastern religions and philosophies, and ongoing self study and consultation. Participants acknowledged the impact of their learning communities and discussed that as their understanding of the enneagram system deepens, they are changing the way they apply it and teach it. Several also discussed how their understanding of their enneatype has deepened and expanded as they engage in self reflection and self study and with their learning communities. This ongoing evolution dovetails with the historical evolution of the enneagram presented in C hapter 2 and complements a core element of the system: a willingness to not know with finality. The complexity and the popularity of the enneagram system creates the possibility for a very low bar for entry, so to speak. People, including psychotherapists, can understand the system at much different levels of knowledge, from the most cursory to extremely intimately. How we use the tool, and how effectively, will inevitably be tied to our level of understanding. My review of the enneagram literature presented in C hapter 2 did not include a discussion of the enneagram essences or the Hornevian Groups. These enneagram concepts both came up in the interviews and in this section, I will provide a brief overview of these concepts to help anchor some of the findings and participant quotes within existing conceptual literature.

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123 The concept of essence as related to the enneagram is inextricable from the (Cusak, 2020; Maitri, 2005) developed it was based on the idea that there is an enneagram of fixations (Figure 5 1) and a corresponding enneagram of holy ideas (Figu re 5 2). Ichazo and Naranjo (Maitri, 2005; Naranjo, 1990) framed our human condition as living in a state of fixation, in which we are identified with our personality and consider the filter of our enneatype as the correct and true view of experience. When This terminology has fallen out of favor over time and we most often refer to the enneatypes by numb er alone, or by the labels developed by Riso and Hudson (1996; types are a limited version of the self. As we grow in self observation and knowledge, we can shift from a state of fixation to a state of embodying the corresponding holy idea. Another way of expressing this shift is that on our spiritual path, we journey from ego to growth base d on the hope that we can develop our connection with the essences of the enneagram and thereby transcend our ego fixation. Maitri (2005) significantly developed the enneagrams of passions (Figure 5 3) and virtues (Figure 5 4). She describes the passions as ego driven emotional states (Maitri, 2005) and presents them as the underlying emotional patterns that drive the behavior of the nine types. In contrast, the virtues arise to replace the passions as we develop. She argues that the virtues are a part of our natural development and that as

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124 we explore the ways the passions show up in our lives, we will experience more of the virtues as well. Almaas (1998a; 1998b) described the enneagram essences as nine facets of a unified Being. I will not provide an in de pth discussion of the nine enneagram essences, but they are (Almaas, 1998 a , Luckovich, 2020): Type 9: Harmony Type 6: Truth Type 3: Value/Worthiness Type 1: Integrity Type 4: Depth Type 2: Love Type 8: Power Type 5: Discovery Type 7: Freedom unfixated enneatypes. For these teachers, the enneagram is not meant to be a mere descriptive tool that identifies your personality type. Using these concepts of passion and virtue, ego and essence, can allow you to loosen the limitations of your individual ego. From a spiritual perspective, these practices can assist you on the road to enlightenment. If I can clearly see the outline and impact of my pattern on my experience, I can more easily not engage in the fixation. If the enneatype is a filter for our experience, our most fixated self is unknowingly wearing a pair of cloudy contact lenses. As we grow and explore our fixation with depth, compassion, and nua nce, we can start to know the contact lens is there and consider how it is impacting our vision. Perhaps we can take them out for a moment now and then. We may replace the e able to clean these up a bit and see more clearly. This concept can be useful to therapists operating from a humanistic ontology even if they do not address spirituality

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125 in counseling, as evidenced by the participants who spoke about the enneagram of per sonality as a secular tool for liberation, greater freedom, and agency. The filter of enneatype narrows our understanding of ourselves and others, and even if clients are not pursuing spiritual growth or enlightenment, they can benefit from more awareness of how their egoic filter impacts their experience. There are many potential ways to interact with the enneagram points. The Hornevian Groups (Heuertz, 2017) and several other triadic groupings are derived from the work of Karen Horney on the three neurot ic trends of moving toward people (Compliants: types One, Two, and Six), moving away from people (Withdrawns: types Four, Five, and Nine), and moving against people (Assertives: types Three, Seven, and Eight). This concept has been integrated into the enne agram of personality in multiple variations. Heu er (Daniels, n.d.), termed the Relationists (types Two, Five, and Eight), the Pragmatists (types Three, Six, and Nine), and the Idealists ( types One, Four, and Seven). Riso and Hudson (2000) developed groups they termed the Dominant Affect Groups, which focus on how the types in them are informed by our earliest caretaking relationships. They term these the Rejection Types (Two, Five, and Eig ht), the Attachment Types (Three, Six, and Nine), and the Frustration Types (One, Four, and Seven). Heuertz (2017) combines these Harmony Triads and Dominant Affect Groups and uses them to inform type specific recommendations for contemplative spiritual pr actices. There are other possible ways to group the nine types into triads; these are among the most prominent in the literature.

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126 Teachers and scholars have grouped the nine points of the enneagram into many different triads, including the Hornevian Group s, the Dominant Affect Groups, and others. Using the structure of the enneagram symbol to examine relationships and connections between the nine points is a well established practice in conceptual understanding of the system. The triadic arcs as described in the counseling enneagram model are an extension and evolution of this practice. The participants spoke to the utility of use the enneagram of personality to deepen their knowledge of their personality styles, and also provided examples of how clients ha d seemed to benefit from knowing the enneagram and their enneatype. Participant experiences and the counseling enneagram model support literature addressing the role and importance of counselor self awareness (Pieterse et al., 2013; Pompeo & Levitt, 2014), self reflective personal practices for counselors (Bennet Levy & Finlay Jones, 2018), developing metacognition, expertise, and the observing self (Jankowski & Holas, 2014; Kabat Zinn, 2003; Kelly & Donaldson, 2016; Norman, 201 7 ; Ridley et al., 2011). The personality, and so does not engage deeply with literature about client personality traits and expectations for or experience in therapy; however, it does not contradict this literature ( Miller, 1 991; Schaub & Tokar, 1999). Conceptual literature has suggested that the enneagram of personality could support the development of empathy and compassion (Bayne et al., 2021; Bland, 2010). Empathy has been shown to improve the therapeutic relationship, an d perspective taking interventions have positively impacted empathy levels in undergraduates (Bayne & Hays, 2017; Ellio t t et al., 2011; Gerdes et al., 2010; Neumann et al., 2009; Shaffer et

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127 al., 2019). Empathy is not directly addressed in the counseling en neagram model, but it is closely connected to the stances and to Dynamism, which accounts for the recursive feedback cycle between therapist and client. The counseling enneagram model also does not directly engage the relationship between practitioner ego development and knowledge of the enneagram (Daniels et al., 2018) but assessment of therapist engagement with the nine stances, particularly those in the Person of the Therapist triad, could more directly address this relationship. The model supports exis ting literature on the use of personality typing in therapy for both the therapist and the client, and for using the enneagram in therapy . Although the model does not bifurcate therapist activities as intra and interpersonal, it does address the shifts th at occur during a therapeutic encounter between therapist self awareness and awareness of the client. The Practicing Self, Quiet Assessment, Using Ethically, Cultivating Humility, and Monitoring and Holding categories are skills with a more intrapersonal f ocus; the Introducing Enneagram Concepts, Adjusting Presence, Deploying Therapist Skills, and Engaging With Growth have a more interpersonal focus. Practicing Self and Usi ng Ethically stances, as well as Deploying Therapist Skills and dovetailing, which aligns with Building & Deploying Therapist Skills, as both focus on the integration of the e His mapping category overlaps with the Quiet Assessment stance and the Cultivating Humility stance, and his assessing the clinician's reactions subtheme overlaps with the Practicing Self stance. His normalizing theme involves using the enneagram to de -

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128 pathologize clients and provide psychoeducation to clients, and connects to the Monitoring and Holding stance and the Using Enneagram Concepts stance. Perhaps the most direct overlap between model is in his encouraging progress theme and the Engaging With Growth stance. His participants described a constant shifting of attention between their inner experience and client reactions, which is comp atible with the element of Dynamism described in the counseling enneagram. it does not directly challenge it. Although Matise (2007) presents a conceptual application of using t he enneagram in therapy through matching client enneatype to a particular style of therapy, participants in the present study did not speak to this sort of use. Several, but not all, of the participants, discussed the spiritual uses of the enneagram of per sonality in counseling, something addressed by Kam (2018). Similarly, several of the participants talked about using the enneagram in supervision; their data does not explicitly support or contradict the conceptual applications presented by Perryman et al. (2018) and Kern Popejoy et al. (2017). It is important to note use of the enneagram of personality in supervision was not a specific research question for this study; the topic came up as participants shared about their overall experience using the enneag ram. Implications A strength of the enneagram and of the model is that it is evolving and iterative. In this regard it fits well with the constructivist methodology of the study. As our culture changes and our scientific knowledge grows over time, the enne agram allows the knowledge represented and contained in the enneagram to grow and change , in

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129 keeping with it s origin and history (Cusak, 2020; Oupensky, 1949). On an individual level, as our self awareness grows , this growth is matched by an expansion of nuance and complexity offered in the enneagram. Within this context, the counseling enneagram model has implications for counselor development and for future research. The counseling enneagram model can help cou nselors identify their strengths and challenges in clinical practice. Looking at the nine stances and their triads, a use support in Cultivating Therapeutic Skill s and act accordingly to find supervision or consultation. The model could be used for self assessment, in individual supervision, or in group supervision to help therapists in training identify strengths and weaknesses in their practice with the enneagram of personality. For example, a trainee who is an enneatype Six may have a difficult time with moving out of the Monitoring and Holding stance and into action at the Engaging with Growth Stance. Knowledge of their own enneatype and knowledge of the Counsel ing Enneagram model may help the Six trainee to embrace their sense of courage and move out of information gathering and into a more active stance. This use of the Counseling Enneagram would support the trainee develop personalization skills as outlined in The counseling enneagram offers counseling training programs a possible way to integrate the enneagram of personality into their curriculum. The ontology of the enneagram of personality that the self is a fluid collecti on of patterns of feeling, thought, and behavior is particularly compatible with humanistic/existential and transpersonal approaches to counseling. Discussion of the enneagram could be included in a class on Counseling Theories. As the participants in thi s study discussed,

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130 the enneagram of personality is compatible with a wide range of counseling theories and interventions. A class on the enneagram of personality and the Counseling Enneagram would allow counseling students to begin working with both tools on personal and professional levels, including helping them integrate use of the enneagram with their theoretical orientation. The results of this study and the Counseling Enneagram model answer the research question of how psychotherapists use the enneag ram of personality in clinical practice. I view this iteration of the model as a beginning, and I am excited about the possibilities that it creates for future research, whether that focuses on application for counselors in training, deepening understandin g of the relationships between the nine stances and/or the triadic arcs, or developing other enneagrams that focus on the client experience or other aspects of therapy. I am particularly interested in assessing the counselors and clients with more diverse life and professional experiences and identities. The enneagram community has for years claimed that the enneagram of personality is equally applicable to people of all cultures, and this is an area that urgently re quires empirical study. Another area of possible research would be to develop assessment strategies for each of the nine stances, and investigate whether there is an optimal position in them from which to practice. The participants all shared that client rapport seemed improved and client outcomes were achieved faster when the clients were also engaged with using the enneagram and therapy. The participants suggested that helping clients embrace the enneagram of personality could have positive impacts on th eir therapeutic experience. This suggests an exciting avenue for future research. How do we measure or gauge

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131 client resonance with the tool? How can we increase client resonance with the tool? How can we gauge the impact of using the enneagram in therapy o n client outcomes? These are potential research questions for further qualitative study. One question I returned to many times during this study was how the enneatype of the therapist may impact their approach to therapy and/or the enneagram. It would be i nteresting to explore if there is any correlation between therapist type and theoretical orientation. One barrier to efficient study of some of these questions is the lack of an assessment tool with a high level of validity and reliability. Ascertaining ou r type and/or sometimes money. There are some recent developments in this area; Beatrice Chestnut, Uranio Paes, and Fergus Sullivan (Chestnut Paes Enneagram Academy, 2 022) have developed the Chestnut Paes Sullivan Enneagram Compass, which they describe as having strong psychometrics, although there is not yet published data to review. Continued research into more accurate and accessible assessments would be an enormous benefit to the enneagram and allow for more widespread adaptation of the tool. Limitations and Delimitations The constructivist grounded theory methodology was appropriate for this research project, as it is well suited for new areas of study and for examining implicit and explicit processes (Bronk, 2012; Charmaz & Thornberg, 2020). The participants had been using the enneagram of personality in psychotherapy for some time, and thus their experience of using the exceeds research establishing enneagram practice. Due to this, this model represents current usage rather than a prescription for use. It describes

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132 what is happening; it does not make an argument for effectiveness or best practice. Further research is required to evaluate these questions. Addit ionally, participants only represented five of the nine enneatypes. Attempts to diversify the participant pool were unsuccessful, given the challenges of the COVID the rapists with other enneatypes would have different practices, insights, and ways of using the enneagram that are not represented in this study. Further, participants shared broad aspects of their identities including race, gender identity, and work environ ment. Given the homogeneity among the participants, and the similarities between the participants, the researcher, and the research collaborator, it would be beneficial to the model to recruit a larger and more diverse sample in terms of enneatype, race an d ethnicity, cultural background, and client population and work setting to continue to flesh out understanding of the counseling enneagram. Similarly to the enneagram of personality, the counseling enneagram is complex and nuanced. It will also be most a ccessible for therapists who already have a working knowledge of the enneagram of personality. This underscores the importance receiving of adequate training and engaging in a high level of self reflection. Having a model that can be shared and explored in counseling training programs would provide therapists a place to begin this process. This model includes therapist self awareness and the interaction of therapist and client types. One limitation is the potential mistyping of oneself. With no reliable ty ping instrument, the study is reliant on the accuracy of the self sense of what is happening in the therapeutic relationship is one sided and research

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133 has consistently demonstrated that there is a discrepancy between counse lor and client experience of a session or intervention (Bryan et. al, 2004; Norcross, 2010 ). In addition, usefulness or impact on clients. Personal Reflection The e nneagram of personality has been an incredible tool of transformation in my life and I am grateful for the support of my committee in pursuing research on integrating it into psychotherapy. The research process was daunting at times, but the generosity and enthusiasm of my participants was a reliable source of motivation to carry on. I used the memo writing process to process my reactions to the interviews both in terms of content and the interpersonal interactions. At the end of more than a few interviews, I wrote about feeling moved and inspired by the depth of knowledge, compassion, and wisdom that the participants shared without hesitation. I did also have a few moments of confusion or frustration when I experienced an interview as lacking an element of connection or depth, and the memos and process conversations with my research collaborator were a helpful place to explore and reflect on these reactions, and minimize data. I was especially watchful of my process when I felt critical or frustrated with an interview, the data analysis process, or myself for a type One, these feelings can presage rigidity or foreclosure, both threats to credible research. Over my time working wi th the enneagram of personality, I have developed tools to move through these reactions: I write, I go for a walk, I talk it out, and then I revisit the impetus for the frustration. These tools served me well during this research project to protect my own engagement with the participants and data, and to ensure a trustworthy process.

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134 I was also aware of my biases as a clinical practitioner, and did my best to my own use of the enneagram in therapy. Here my research collaborator was invaluable, as she did not have any preconceived notions about how enneagrammatic therapy should or could be. Her repeated interrogation of assumptions related to therapeutic practice help ed me tease apart my embedded beliefs from those of my participants, and clarify the specific elements that the enneagram added to their clinical practice. In most of the interviews I felt deeply impressed by the thoughtfulness and clarity that the partici pants brought to their use of the enneagram . There were interviews where I felt disappointed, either in my skills as an interviewer, or in the interviewee and I tried to remain neutral about the relative value of the data from these interactions; that is, not overvaluing the data from interviewees I felt more personally aligned with and discounting the data from interviewees I felt less aligned with. Here again, the use of a research collaborator and the memo writing process were helpful. Writing about my reactions is an effective tool for me to deactivate my judgment, and the collaborator reviewed the transcripts and engaged with the data from a neutral position, not knowing anything about my personal reactions or feelings. Our processing conversations and my writing practice both contributed to the trustworthiness and credibility of the process. The nine stances in this model do not wholly overlay with the nine personality types described by the enneagram of personality. My knowledge of the enneatypes and the movement of energy in the enneagram of personality was certainly present as I mapped this model; however, I did not alter the stances to reflect the enneatypes that share their point on the diagram. My knowledge and intuition do suggest to me that

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135 the re are interesting and worthwhile parallels to be explored, but that this is an area of exploration for another project and another time. More than a few times during my doctoral studies, I heard that by the time my dissertation was complete, I would be s ick of my topic. I am relieved and pleased to say that this did not happen. I remain as enamored of the enneagram today as I have ever been, and if anything, my thinking about how it can be useful to counselors and clients has become both more creative and more rigorous. My participants generously shared their insights and innovations around using the enneagram in therapy, and taught me new ideas, techniques , and interventions with which to practice. Examples include and Kristen As a researcher I am interested in grounding these interventions in evidence, and as a clinician I am excited to try out incorporat ing them into my work. Concluding Remarks The purpose of this study was to d escribe a model for psychotherapist use of the enneagram of personality in clinical practice. Using a constructivist grounded theory methodology, a model of the counseling enneagram emerged; this model describes ten components of therapist engagement with the enneagram of personality in counseling. It aligns with existing research on the enneagram of personality and offers potential direction for counselors interested in practicing with the enneagram as well as additional research.

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136 Figure 5 1. The ennea gram of fixations Figure 5 2. The enneagram of holy ideas.

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137 Figure 5 3. The enneagram of passions. Figure 5 4. The enneagram of virtues.

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138 APPENDIX A PARTICIPANT RECRUITMENT EMAILS Dear ____: My name is Laurel Nesbit, and I am a doctoral candidate in the Counseling and Counselor Education program at the University of Florida. I am inviting your participation Personality in Psychotherapy: A Constructivist goal of the study is to gain a better understanding of how the enneagram is being and can be used in psychotherapy. I am looking for participants that meet the following criteria: · Licensed in a counseling related field (counseling, psychology, or social work) · In practice a minimum of one year, preferrable for at least three years · Have received some training in the enneagram · Incorporate the enneagram into their practice The process will include completing a brief screening to determine eligibility, a consent form, and participation in an interview via Zoom. The interview should take 60 90 minutes. A follow up interview may take place on a case by case basis. Participation is completely voluntar y, and you may withdraw from the study at any time. This study has been approved by the University of Florida Institutional Review Board (IRB #202101667 ). You can indicate your interest and willingness to participate by completing this screening question naire: https://bit.ly/enneagramscreening or by contacting me. You can reach me via email at lnesbit@ufl. edu or call 352 262 2052. With sincere thanks, Laurel Laurel Nesbit, M.Ed., Ed.S. Licensed Mental Health Counselor (MH 15828) Instructor EDF 3110 | Human Growth and Development Doctoral Candidate | Counselor Education College of Education | University of Florida lnesbit@ufl.edu pronouns: she/her

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139 Follow up email: Dear ____: Enneagram of Personality in Psychotherapy: A Constructivist Grounded Th eory I am reaching out to invite you to participate in a follow up interview. The follow up interview will take place via HIPAA compliant Zoom and be recorded. It should take no more than 45 60 minutes. Participation is completely voluntary, and you may withdraw from the study at any time. This study has been approved by the University of Florida Institutional Review Board (IRB #202101667 ). Please contact me via replying to this email You can reach me via email at lnesb it@ufl.edu or call 352 262 2052. Thank you, Laurel Laurel Nesbit, M.Ed., Ed.S. Licensed Mental Health Counselor (MH 15828) Instructor EDF 3110 | Human Growth and Development Doctoral Candidate | Counselor Education College of Education | University of Florida lnesbit@ufl.edu pronouns: she/her .

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140 APPENDIX B SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRE Asterisk (*) indicates a required question. *Name: [text box entry] Pronouns: [text box entry] *Email address: [text box entry] *Phone number: [text box entry] *Licensure: [text box entry] *Location of practice: [text box entry] *Years in practice: [text box entry] Gender identity [radial buttons] male female trans nonbinary/gender expansive other Please specify [text box entry] Racial identity [radial buttons] White/European American Black/African American Asian Pacific Islander Native/American Indian Multiracial other Please spec ify [text box entry] Ethnicity [radial buttons] Hispanic Non Hispanic *How long have you been studying or practicing with the enneagram? [text box entry] *Have you had any formal training in the enneagram (i.e., attended a workshop, lecture, panel series, etc.)? [radial buttons] Yes No If yes, please briefly describe the type of training. [text box entry]

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141 *Would you say that you use the enneagram in your therapy work with clients? [radial buttons] Yes No *Are you willing and able to participate in at least one interview about your use of the enneagram in your therapy work with clients? The interview will be scheduled at a time of mutual convenience, will be conducted via HIPAA compliant Zoom, and will be recorded. The interview will b e between 90 120 minutes. The researcher may also request a follow up interview of no longer than 45 60 minutes. [radial buttons] Yes No What is your enneatype? [text box entry] Thank you for your participation in this screening questionnaire. The PI for this study, Laurel Nesbit, will be in touch. You can reach her at lnesbit@ufl.edu or 352 262 2052 with any questions.

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142 APPENDIX C INFORMED CONSENT FORM Research Participant Informed Consent Form Please read this document carefully before you decide to participate in this research study. Your participa tion is voluntary, and you can decline to participate or withdraw consent at any time, with no consequences. Study Title: Uses of the Enneagram of Personality in Psychotherapy: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Investigation Person(s) conducting the resea rch: PI: Laurel Nesbit, LMHC, Doctoral Candidate in Counseling and Counselor Education, School of Human Development and Organizational Studies, College of Education, University of Florida, lnesbit@ufl.edu, 352 262 2052 Supervised by: Dr. Hannah Bayne, LPC (VA), LMHC (FL), Assistant Professor, Counseling and Counselor Education, School of Human Development and Organizational Studies, College of Education, University of Florida, hbayne@coe.ufl.edu, 352 273 4311 Purpose of the research study: The purpose of the study is to describe a model of how psychotherapists use the enneagram of personality in therapy with clients. What you will be asked to do in the study:

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143 Participation in this study includes two interviews of 60 120 minutes per interview. T he interview topic is how you use the enneagram in therapy. These interviews will be scheduled at a time of mutual convenience, will take place via Zoom software or equivalent, and will be recorded. Time required: Each interview will last 1 2 hours for a total of 2 4 hours to participate in the study. They may be scheduled several weeks apart, at times of mutual convenience. Risks and benefits: There are no more than minimal risks to your participation. There are no direct benefits of participation for you. Confidentiality: Only the researchers will have access to the information we collect online. There is a minimal risk that security of any online data may be breached, but since no identifying information will be collected, and the o nline host (Qualtrics) uses encryption and other forms of protections, it is unlikely that a security breach of the online data will result in any adverse consequence for you. Interviews will be conducted via Zoom software or equivalent. Recordings and tra nscripts will be encrypted and stored on a password protected device. The PI, supervisor, and an external auditor are the only people who will have access to the

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144 recordings and transcripts. Although your demographic information may be included in the writt en findings, an alias will be used and your identity will be protected. Compensation: No compensation is available for participation in this study. May the researcher(s) benefit from the research? We may benefit professionally if the results of the study are presented at meetings or in scientific journals. Withdrawal from the study: You are free to withdraw your consent and to stop participating in this study at any time answer . If you withdraw, will your information be used or discarded? If you withdraw, your information will not be used, and will be discarded. Can the researcher(s) withdraw you from the study? If so, on what basis? The researcher may withdraw you from the stud y if you are unable to meet the participation criteria. If you wish to discuss the information above or any discomforts you may experience, please ask questions now or contact one of the research team members listed at the top of this form.

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145 If you have an y questions regarding your rights as a research subject, please contact the Institutional Review Board (IRB02) office (University of Florida; PO Box 100173; Gainesville, FL 32610; (352) 392 0433 or irb2@ufl.edu.) Agreement: IRB Project #: 202101667

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146 APPENDIX D INTERVIEW PROTOCOL Research question: How do psychotherapists use the enneagram of personality in clinical practice? Training and experience: Please tell me a bit about how you learned about the enneagram. On the screening questionnaire, you shared [xxx] about t training experience? How did you assess yourself as being ready to use the enneagram in therapy? Use in therapy: Can you tell me a bit abou t how you integrate the enneagram with your theoretical orientation? Did you get any training in using the enneagram in your psychotherapy practice? Can you share with me how you use the enneagram with clients? How do you decide whether to introduce it to a client? Do you use the enneagram with clients more in certain topic areas than others? Are there occasions where you would not use the enneagram? How do you make these judgments and decisions? Are there guidelines that you use? What are they? In wh at ways does your knowledge of the enneagram impact your presence in therapy?

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147 Additional questions: What are your thoughts on ethical practice regarding the enneagram? How do you incorporate the spiritual elements of the enneagram for yourself or for clie nts?

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148 APPENDIX E EARLY MODEL ITERATION

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149 APPENDIX F S AMPLE CODES AND CATEGORIES

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150 APPENDIX G SELECTED MEMOS September 2021 I feel inspired by how [the interviewee] talks about her experience with the enneagram sure and clear without any arrogance. I wonder ho w the interactions of our types affected the interview. I felt hyper conscious of my one ness and where I might be being too rigid or narrowly focused. When she talked about the difficulty she sometimes feels with ones who want her to be less of herself, I So much of what she talked about resonated with my own work curiosity, spirituality, nuance, transparency, and the somatic integration. Funny that our core types are so different and the way we w ork has so much in common. December 2021 which process or my own thoughts. I journaled a bout a few themes that stood out in my memory of the interviews: with sub themes around personal and professional relationship here), openness to uncertainty that allows learning, encourages teaching & sharing;

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151 r esonance / : self recognition in the enneagram , self acceptance over time , pa ssion, love, appreciation, enthusiasm, value ethical practice respect for client autonomy : exploring , approaching with humility, acceptance, nonjudgment spirituality : seems to be a split here some therapists do not incorporate it in that way why? why not? what else is going on? structure of the enneagram : incorporating wings, instincts framework : case conceptualization self awareness : self knowledge/insight/objectivity , self acceptance , authenticity , freedom/openness After writing down these remembered them es, I read through the transcripts of the first two interviews and made about 100 codes on index cards. I flipped through the stack a few times but wanted to let the codes marinate a bit as I considered how best to approach the categorization. December, 2 021 Beginning to sort. I took my stack of cards and spread them out on the living room floor. I wanted to see them all at once as I looked for themes or groups. I started moving cards around, trying to put like with like that I put together, I noticed that there were a lot of words describing emotion, and put them in the same place. I moved cards around, added cards and found a couple doubles, suggesting these are either really important or my memory is going. As I starte d sifting

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152 As the codes began to gather, some of the groupings were much smaller or larger than others. One group was rea lly a pair: levels/layers of depth + degree of and both hinted at a layer or level of complexity in the therapist, the client, and the ways in which the enneagram is bei ng used. Another smallish grouping contained evolution, journey, liberation, exploring, and freedom. These codes all suggest a sense of growth, expansion of the self, and an unfolding process. There was another pair of codes, brought together because the y answered the were identity work + relational dynamics. Codes for wing, dynamic movement, instinct, and framework all describe some aspect of the structure of the enneagram. awareness, self knowledge, self disclosure, and self acceptance. All inner processes that occur during working with the enneagram. I soon rearranged the cards into more precise categories or feeli ng/thinking/doing (actions or processes in therapy). But for now they all seemed to describe some way of being in therapy, and that was enough to get them all in one group. Another group suggested qualities of the therapeutic relationship: goodness of fit , trust, depth, rapport, connection, authenticity, and respect.

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153 There were four codes client autonomy, agency, empowering, and choice that I put together as they suggested the importance of power (I could have added that one here as well) in the therapeut ic relationship. Another group of codes described the ways in which therapists use the enneagram: in the background, framework, tool, theory integration, filter, diagnostic tool. There were three cards together collaborate, community, together emphasizin g the collaborative aspects of the enneagram or of using it in therapy. Following this initial grouping process, I sat back and began to look at which categories were useful, which could be broken apart or recombined. I asked myself, they des descriptive names for my tentative categories. January, 2022 I have not been feeling all that confident or comfortable with my second order codes. It is hard to see how they will begin to come together and form a coherent model. Following the initial coding of the first four interviews and the focused coding, I re r ead the transcripts and added more codes. I ended up with about 100 more codes, and sat down to shuffle and resort everything. as considering such processes as directing attention and focus, decision making, and using the enneagram as background information. Even as informative and clear as my participants have been, it

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154 felt to me that there were so many embedded assumptions in ou r language, and I wanted to focus on clarity, on drawing out these assumptions to explicate them. A conversation with Ali about what therapists are doing, moment to moment, in therapy, was helpful in remembering how complicated this work and role can be, a nd spurred me to think about sorting my codes around the category of therapist activity.

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163 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Laurel Nesbit graduated the University of Florida with a B achelor of Arts degree in English in 2002. After working in the printing industry for ten years, she returned to UF to earn concurrent Master of Education and Education Specialist degrees in m ental h ealth c ounseling in 2015 . During that time, Laurel pursued and earned certification as an e nneagram t eacher in the embodiment tradition from the Enneagram School of Awakening in 2014. She worked at the Alachua County Crisis Center and the University of Florida C ounseling and Wellness Center and became a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in 2018 . Laurel returned to UF to earn her Doctor of Philosophy degree in c ounseling and c ounselor e ducation in 2022 . She also operates a private practice, Nesbit Counseling and Consulting, LLC, where she offers individual and group counseling , supervision to r egistered i nterns in m ental h ealth c ounseling, and workshop and consulting services on the enneagram of personality. Laurel has been a volunteer with the Alachua Count y Crisis Center since 201 1 , primarily as a member of the training team. She has been on the Board of Directors for Alachua Conservation Trust since 20 10 and currently serv es as Board President.