5 Things to Consider When Seeking An Enneagram Therapist
Finding a therapist is tricky. Or, rather, it can be. If 2020 has given us a gift, it has been the normalization and heightened conversation around mental health wrapped up in one whacky bow. Sure, physical health has been at the forefront of every news channel, commercial, blog post, and email. I’ve been grateful for the inextricable link those sources have made between our bodies and emotions.
I’ve also been pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming number of online inquiries I’ve received from those seeking out therapists who use the Enneagram in their work with clients. As someone who knew about the Enneagram before I went to grad school to become a therapist, I’m passionate about honoring the system—using it with the care and respect with which it was meant to be handled. In my mind, it is the most powerful spiritual and psychological tool we have access to. To reduce it to a personality test that stays on the surface of type is such a shame! It’s like ordering chicken tenders to-go at a 5-star Michelin restaurant.
In light of this, I wanted to put a quick little cheat sheet together. Something you can tuck away in your back pocket if you think you might be in the market for a therapist. With the holidays approaching and our sideways world kicking up all kinds of emotions, it might just come in handy. Here are my top 5 tips for finding an Enneagram therapist:
Holding Space: Whereas formal Enneagram training and certifications are ideal, I believe having a therapist who is an expert in holding space for you and your story is more important than touting a ton of knowledge on the topic. After all, that is hopefully what we will get better and better at while using the Enneagram: creating more space to observe ourselves and surroundings so we can respond rather than react. The best therapists are the best space holders.
Type Structure: Find someone who understands and appreciates type structure, or the deeper parts of what it means to be your type, rather than someone who stays on the surface of personality traits. The Enneagram is all about the deeper motivation rather than mere behaviors and tendencies. Transformation comes when we seek healing and change from the root.
Somatic: The Enneagram is a holistic program covering Mind-Body-Heart. It’s one of the reasons I love it so much. Each type has a somatic profile that is so important to the makeup of type structure. I believe having a therapist that really gets the importance of somatic work within the Enneagram construct is amazing and worth searching for. The body is a storehouse of information as it pertains to our healing and self-understanding.
Contemplative practice: Much of Enneagram application is built on contemplative practice. Not only is it key to find someone who can support you in building this out through meditation, yoga, or other forms of mindfulness, look for a therapist who has a strong practice of their own.
Narrative: Bringing our personal narratives into any type of psychotherapy is necessary. Finding someone who appreciates type through a narrative lens is so powerful as well. We understand type in order to identify the parts of our story that are stuck and need editing. I believe we are all constantly writing and re-writing our stories. The Enneagram undoubtedly supports this process.
Alright friends! I hope this was helpful. If you get stuck along the way, you know where to find me!
Love & Grace,
Katie