THE SOMATIC ENNEAGRAM TYPES
JOURNEY TOWARD EMBODIED TRANSFORMATION
Meet the 9 Enneagram Types
Introduction to the Enneagram Types
The Enneagram is more than just a personality test. What makes it unique is its focus on what drives us internally—our core motivations and the deeper “why” behind our behaviors. Unlike other systems that focus on outward actions, the Enneagram helps us reflect on the stories that shape our lives, offering a mirror to better understand ourselves.
At its heart, the Enneagram is a tool for self-awareness and compassionate reflection, one that connects our mind, body, and spirit. It helps us see the patterns we fall into and understand what’s motivating us beneath the surface. This personal insight leads to a more compassionate understanding of others, as we start to see their motivations with empathy rather than judgment. It’s not about labeling or typing—it’s about creating space for growth in ourselves and fostering connection with those around us.
In relationships, the Enneagram offers a shared language for naming and discussing patterns without defensiveness. It helps remove the sting of misunderstandings and opens the door to deeper communication and healing.
What sets the Enneagram apart is how it integrates mind, body, and spirit. Each type holds a unique potential for growth, often referred to as its "core essence," which ties directly to its spiritual transformation. Core essence isn’t just an idea—it’s something we can feel and live through our bodies. As we move toward this essence, our body, mind, and spirit come into alignment, creating a sense of grounded wholeness. By becoming aware of your motivations and moving toward your true self, you’ll find a deeper sense of connection, wholeness, and spiritual transformation.
This process of integration—aligning our thoughts, emotions, and the way we inhabit our bodies—leads to true transformation. As we grow, the Enneagram evolves with us, offering deeper insights and a path toward lasting change. The journey of the Enneagram invites us to reflect on what drives us, how we show up, and how we can live more in tune with our true essence. It’s not just a tool for understanding—it’s a path toward becoming the most authentic version of ourselves.
Resource Points: Wings, Lines, and Growth Paths
The Enneagram is not static—it’s dynamic. Each of the nine types is influenced by neighboring types called wings, and we all move along lines of integration and disintegration (also called growth and stress points) depending on how we respond to life's challenges.
Wings: These neighboring types influence how your core type expresses itself. For example, a Type 4 may be influenced by either Type 3 or Type 5, which adds depth and nuance to their behavior.
Lines: Each type also has lines connecting to two other types. These lines reveal how we behave when we’re thriving or when we’re under stress. In the body, this can show up as either expansion or contraction, and part of the work of the Somatic Enneagram is noticing how our body responds to these shifts.
By bringing somatic awareness to these movements, you can notice how your body carries these patterns and what signals it gives you when you’re in growth or stress.
The Three Intelligence Centers
The Psychology of The Enneagram Types
Basic Proposition: Embodied Belief Pattern
The basic proposition of each Enneagram type is an ingrained belief or assumption formed in early life that shapes how they view themselves and the world. This belief pattern manifests somatically as core body-held narratives that influence their responses to life's challenges.
Passion: Embodied Impulse
The passion of each Enneagram type is an emotional drive that manifests as a core, embodied impulse directing their behavior. It represents the automatic, deeply ingrained emotional habits that compel the type toward certain actions or reactions based on their underlying desires.
Virtue: Core Essence
The virtue of each type represents its highest potential, a core essence that emerges when the type is in a balanced and healthy state. It reflects the type’s true nature and capacity for transformation when their defenses and fixations are released.
The focus of Attention: Somatic Orientation
Each Enneagram type directs its attention toward specific stimuli, creating a habitual way of perceiving and interacting with the world. This focus is deeply connected to the body’s orientation and sensations, shaping how the type stays attuned to its environment.
Motivation: Energetic Drive
The energetic drive of each type is the underlying force that compels them toward their core desires and actions. This somatic motivation fuels their need for connection, control, security, or peace, depending on their Enneagram type.
Defense System: Defensive Patterns
Each type develops a defense system, or defense patterns, to protect its core sense of self from perceived threats or discomfort. These patterns are automatic, somatic reactions that arise in response to stress or conflict, aiming to preserve inner security.
Spirituality of the Enneagram types
The Enneagram isn’t just a map of our personality; it’s a powerful tool for spiritual growth and transformation. At its core, it invites us to embark on a journey of self-discovery, guiding us step by step toward a deeper connection with ourselves, others, and the divine. Each type reflects not only how we navigate the world but also how we can move beyond our habitual patterns toward greater freedom and presence.
A key part of this journey is becoming aware of our automatic reactivity—the ways we instinctively respond to challenges that keep us stuck. This reactivity can show up in subtle ways, like avoiding difficult conversations or overreacting to minor frustrations. As we explore these patterns, we create space for new possibilities to emerge—a deeper alignment with our inner self and a more grounded spiritual presence. It’s not about fixing ourselves but awakening to the sacredness that is already present in our everyday moments.
Spirituality through the lens of the Enneagram encourages us to integrate mind, body, and spirit, inviting us to soften the defenses that keep us disconnected. This process helps us navigate life with more openness, compassion, and authenticity. Whether you’re on a traditional faith path or exploring a more personal sense of spirituality, the Enneagram provides a way to walk through life’s complexities with more grace, intention, and less reactivity.
By bringing awareness to the moments when reactivity arises, the Enneagram serves as a guide toward deeper presence and connection. This journey offers the chance to reconnect with the sacred potential within you and bring more presence to every aspect of your life.
The Somatics of the Enneagram types
The Enneagram isn’t just a map of who we are—it’s also a reflection of how our bodies have been shaped by the stories we carry. Each type represents an embodied story, where our core patterns live in our body, deeply tied to the way we seek safety and connection. Over time, these patterns become imprinted in our nervous system, showing up in how we react to stress, navigate relationships, and protect ourselves. The body's natural responses, like holding tension or shifting our breath, reflect these type-specific patterns, offering insight into how we engage with the world.
Working with the body through somatic practices helps us recognize where these patterns live, not just in our thoughts and feelings, but as somatic responses—how we hold ourselves, where we feel tightness, or how we move through the world. As we bring awareness to these sensations, we can begin to rewire neural pathways, creating new ways of being. This process is about interrupting automatic reactions and opening up space for more conscious, embodied choices. Through somatic work, the Enneagram becomes a tool not just for understanding ourselves, but for transforming how we live in our bodies, helping us move beyond old, reactive patterns and into a more connected and authentic way of being.
Discover your
Enneagram Type
Discovering your Enneagram type can feel like a journey of self-discovery. While online quizzes and books offer helpful starting points, the most accurate way to find your type is through a more personal and in-depth exploration. The Enneagram is about understanding your core motivations and patterns, not just surface-level behaviors, which can make self-identifying tricky.
If you’re uncertain about your type or want to dive deeper, I offer a 1:1 Enneagram Typing Interview—a 50-minute session where we explore your life experiences, motivations, and patterns together. This personalized process helps you discover your type with more clarity and confidence, so you can begin the transformative work of integrating this powerful tool into your life.
Additional Enneagram Services
1:1 sessions and Couples/Partner Coaching Sessions
In-Person Sessions in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and Online
I offer individual sessions and couple/partner sessions
Corporate & Non-Profit Services
Minimum of 2-hour sessions
Individual & Team Leadership Coaching & Workshops Available
In-person and Virtual Retreats and Team Building
Panels, Workshops, and Type Cohorts
Panels are the signature tool of those certified in the Narrative Tradition. Learning takes place by facilitated conversation around various aspects of the type.
Workshops vary in time and content and will be offered ad hoc.
Type Cohorts are 4-6 weeks in length and comprise cohort members from the same type through a panel discussion.