What’s an Enneagram and How Is It Used By Therapists?
Some think that another person is like a door you can keep on knocking on, but no matter what you do, you wouldn’t be able to get in. That’s why when it comes to understanding another human being a therapist needs as many tools and helpful information available to them as possible. And an Enneagram test is definitely one of them. Let’s talk more about an Enneagram test, how it is used, and why it’s an amazing tool, for both, the therapist and individuals alike.
An Enneagram is a test that provides an accurate description of the core structures of the nine personality types. An Enneagram is like a language that needs to be learned and understood. It’s a tool that helps us get a deeper understanding of ourselves and also realize that people are unique and need to be understood on a different level than we see ourselves. It makes us more open and compassionate individuals.
In this blog post I am going to talk a little more about what an Enneagram is and what it does and how it is used by therapists. I am going to cover the fact that it isn’t just a basic personality test because it dives deeper into the complexity of a human being. I will mention that Enneagram uses 9 levels of development to help therapists get to the root of people’s ego psychology and help them work on finding a solution to various issues and to measure progress.
I will also talk about how this test can help identify various personality traits of an individual and allows the therapist to see that individual's particular motivations, fears, and strengths and help with the weaker aspects. And finally, the test might possibly help pinpoint an individual in therapy with a certain predisposition to a particular disorder and help therapists make a more accurate psychological diagnosis.
Let’s dive in folks……..
What’s an Enneagram?
It’s a test that identifies 9 personality types and by asking the right questions, pinpoints their core beliefs, strengths, weaknesses, and motivations. The test identifies 9 personality types: The Reformer, the Helper, the Achiever, the Individualist, the Investigator, the Loyalist, the Enthusiast, the Challenger, and the ninth is the Peacemaker. Each type comes with a number and it is also common to identify with a little of all personality types, but all of us have a dominant personality and that is our basic personality type. People are born with certain predetermined temperaments and prenatal factors that determine our personality type. Hence, we are born with a dominant personality type and that’s what this test helps us discover and get to the root of.
Each personality type gets divided into three centers: The Thinking Center, The Feeling Center, and the Instinctive Center. Each center consists of three personality types that have in common the assets and liabilities of that center. To be able to identify the primary styles one tends to fall on, the wings, or secondary styles that each person utilizes, as well as the style that each person integrates into or downgrades into under pressure and stress, is the primary way an Enneagram is taught. In most individuals the dominant wing is the most important, but all of us tend to operate from the second wing as well to some degree, so it is helpful to understand the other wing also. In the later part of life, a lot of individuals report a second and obvious development of their second wing. This often happens with individuals who have been doing spiritual work and psychological work.
The test later determines the levels of development of each personality type. Ranging from healthy, to normal, to unhealthy.
Then there are the wings and the directions of disintegration(stress) and direction of integration(growth) for your personality type. And then the Enneagram considers the three instincts: Self Preservation, Sexual, and Social Instinct. And we all tend to lean towards one of the three rather than the other two.
In order to fully assess one’s personality type, one must consider their basic personality type, their wings, and the direction of integration and disintegration. Considering all of these factors that play into our personality, we can make an accurate overall personality type assessment. The Enneagram consists of multiple lines that represent various things that need to be looked into and taken into account as well.
Here is an overview of what the Enneagram covers -
Your Basic Personality Type
The Centers
The Wing
The Levels of Development
Directions of Integration (Growth) and Disintegration (Stress)
The Three Instincts
Typing Yourself and Others
The Levels of Development Help Therapists get to the Root of People’s Ego Psychology and Help Them Work on Finding a Solution to Various Problems or Measure Progress.
There is an internal structure within each personality type. This structure is composed of motivations, attitudes, behaviors, and defenses formed by the nine levels of development which make up the personality type. The levels show how people change, for better or for worse, based on circumstances. The levels also account for differences between people of the same type. Therapists, then, can have a more accurate reading of the underlying issue based on the ego psychology that’s considered in Enneagram and work on addressing the problem.
The levels of development appeal to the more complex nature of a human being as by understanding the Levels for each type, one can see how all of the traits are interrelated—and how healthy traits can deteriorate into average traits and unhealthy ones. The levels that range from 1 to 9 help therapists assess whether we are in a healthy state, or closer to 1, or in an unhealthy state of mind, or at the bottom of a 9. Therapists can use this scale as a map to chart where their clients are at in their psycho-spiritual development at any given time and offer treatment and work on a plan on how to get to a higher level of development. At a higher level we are more aware, compassionate, loving, empathetic, supportive, and, as you would call it, “spiritually in tune”, with the world and ourselves.
The Test Helps Identify Various Personality Traits of an Individual and Allows the Therapist to See that Individuals Particular Motivations, Fears, and Strengths and Help with the Weaker Aspects.
Once the individual identifies his or her personality type by taking the test, then the therapist and that individual can talk about the problem areas of their type and how that individual sees those problems play out in their work relationships, romantic relationships, and in their identity. This can help them understand their core-beliefs and motivations and set particular personal goals that they want to reach in therapy.
When the client acts out in type-related ways, the therapist can reference that individual's type. For example, a type 9 specific problem might be being avoidant by zoning out and relaxing. So the therapist might ask why they are trying to avoid it by doing so. Or for a type 1 they can ask if that is their inner critic saying this, as type ones tend to struggle with negative-self-talk and harsh criticism of themselves. Or the therapist might focus on type 2’s issue and ask them if they are taking on what’s not theirs to take on.
The therapist can also capitalize on the clients strengths. For example, on the innovation and creative mind of the 5, the drive of the 3, and self-confidence of the 8.
At the end of the day, the Enneagram test is just another tool to help you and your therapist come to a deeper understanding of you and your strengths and weaknesses and your motivations and address the problem with a greater impact.
The Test Might Possibly Pinpoint an Individual in Therapy with a Specific Type of Personality to a Certain Predisposition to a Particular Disorder and Help Therapists Better Diagnose that Particular Patient.
Scientists are discovering very interesting links and connections between personality types and disorders by looking at individuals' DNA. And that’s super exciting as what gets measured and possibly predicted can also be managed. Therapists can look at a certain personality type and become more aware of their clients, weak areas and predispositions towards a specific disorder. The test will obviously not be a solemn tool, but it can be a useful tool to take advantage of and work with and prescribe a more accurate psychological diagnosis.
Let me just give you a couple of examples -
According to Psychology Today, one study found gene 5-HTTLPR may have a small influence on the trait of anxiety. The Enneagram type most noted for anxiety is type Six, the Questioner.
Even stuttering is linked to the serotonin transporter gene polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) and the trait anxiety. 15% of children from 4 to 6 stutter and 1 to 2% of adults stutter. Let me guess that the Enneagram types that stutter the most are the 5-Observer and the 6-Questioner.
The American Psychiatric Association can easily compare personality disorders to the nine healthy personality types represented in the Enneagram. For example -
Type 1 when healthy is idealistic, helpful, organized, and wants to do things correctly. The pathological side of this personality type can get obsessive-compulsive.
Type 2 when healthy is giving, in tune with others, and is considerate of other people's feelings. When this personality type is under stress and becomes unhealthy it can get manipulative and histrionic.
Type 3 when healthy is confident of one's abilities, hard-working, and driven. The pathological side or when carried to an extreme this personality type can become grandiose and narcissistic.
Type 4 is introspective and carrying. But when carried to an extreme can become depressive.
Type 5 is innovative, independent, and analytical. But when carried to an extreme or in times of high pressure can become isolated and avoidant.
Type 6 is observant, concerned with safety, and careful. Carried to an extreme this personality type can become paranoid and anxious.
Type 7 can be fun-loving, optimistic, and enthusiastic. But the opposite spectrum of this personality is becoming manic.
Type 8 is a great leader, likes to take control, and speak their minds. Carried to an extreme this personality type can become violent.
Type 9 seeks peace and wants to maintain harmony. Carried to an extreme it can get too passive and dissociate from situations.
This is just an example of possible connections to specific disorders and some personality disorders are not linked to any single one, like schizophrenia, while others to more than one type. That’s why a therapist will not entirely rely on an Enneagram test and will simply use it as a good starting point to work from.
In Conclusion
Enneagram test is an amazing tool that takes the complexity and dynamic nature of the human being into account. It can be a great reference point for both, therapists and individuals alike, into a deeper understanding of themselves or of their patients. The levels of development that the Enneagram considers help therapists get to the root of people’s ego psychology and provide a map to use when assessing personal/spiritual growth and progress. The test also provides the therapist with a clearer understanding of their client and lists things such as: their motivation, fears, development, weaknesses, and strengths. And last, the test might be a helpful tool to use in diagnosing certain personality types with psychological disorders that correlate to their specific personality type.