How I Teach the Enneagram
Every teacher brings a unique lens to their work. This article outlines the beliefs, convictions and teaching framework that shape my approach to the Enneagram of personality.
Why I’m Writing This
If you’ve spent any time exploring the Enneagram, you’ll know it's taught from many different perspectives: some approach it as a psychological model, others as a spiritual path and still others as a tool for coaching, counselling, psychotherapy, leadership, or personal growth.
Because of that diversity, I believe it's vital to be transparent about the framework from which I teach.
This article isn’t intended to persuade you that my perspective is the only valid one; it's an honest explanation of the core values and convictions that shape my teaching.
The Big Picture
Christ is my foundation. The Enneagram is a tool. Self-awareness is valuable, but not ultimate. God is the one who transforms us.
In short, I believe we're:
- Created in God’s image, as both embodied and spiritual beings.
- Shaped by life in a broken and complex world.
- Prone to disordered attachments and unconscious coping mechanisms.
- Redeemed through Christ and progressively transformed by Holy Spirit.
The Framework I Teach From
I teach the Enneagram from a Christian theological perspective that honours the Jewish roots of the Christian faith.
Alongside this, my approach is shaped by my training through Sustainable Faith, Your Enneagram Coach and CP Enneagram Academy, together with my own study, experience and reflection.
The Enneagram is not the foundation of my worldview; my Christian faith is. However, I have found the Enneagram to be an invaluable tool for understanding human personality and growth.
What I Believe About People
I believe every person is created in the image of God and therefore possesses inherent dignity, worth and purpose.
Within this framework, I understand each person to have a core Enneagram type, shaped by a unique genetic makeup, neurobiology and innate biological drives. Our personality then develops into greater complexity over time through our relationships, culture and life experiences.
In short: Creator, Nature and Nurture.
Because we live in a fallen world, our ways of coping can become disordered. The very strategies that once helped us survive can eventually limit us.
For me, one of the most valuable insights of the Enneagram is the distinction between our personality and our identity:
- Our personality describes the patterns we have developed; it does not define who we are.
- Our deepest identity is found not in our Enneagram type, but in being uniquely created and loved by God.
What I Believe the Enneagram Is
I see the Enneagram as a psycho-spiritual framework that can increase self-awareness. However, from my perspective, self-awareness is not the destination. We ultimately come to understand ourselves most truly in relationship with God. The Enneagram helps reveal the core patterns, motivations and habits that shape how we experience life and relate to others, bringing greater clarity to the ways we may need to grow, heal and surrender to God.
This can be deeply valuable within personal development, coaching, counselling and psychotherapy. For clients and practitioners alike, it can illuminate recurring struggles and patterns. From a Christian perspective, this can also support spiritual formation by highlighting areas of our lives that we can bring honestly before God, where Holy Spirit may be inviting us into ongoing transformation into the likeness of Christ.
At the same time the Enneagram has clear limits. I do not believe it's:
- An authority over our lives.
- A complete explanation of human nature.
- A substitute for Scripture, prayer, discipleship, professional therapy, or the work of Holy Spirit.
It's a tool, not a destination. Like any tool, it must be used wisely, humbly and with discernment.
Transformation Through Christ
The Christian life is about far more than self-awareness.
The Enneagram can help us recognise our patterns, but it cannot fix them. Lasting transformation is ultimately the work of God’s grace through Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit.
Christian transformation begins not with discovering ourselves, but with knowing God and discovering ourselves in relationship with Him. As we come to know whose we are, we can begin to understand more truly who we are. As we grow in Christ, we're gradually freed from automatic coping mechanisms that may no longer serve us. We become more fully the people God created us to be. From a Christian perspective, the goal is never simply to understand ourselves better; it's to become increasingly conformed to the likeness of Christ.
For me that's where the Enneagram finds its proper place: not as the source of transformation, but as a map that can help us recognise where transformation may be needed.
How This Shapes My Work
Currently, my work focuses on writing, teaching and helping individuals discover their core type through a personalised Enneagram Type Discovery Test.
Although I'm trained in Christian spiritual direction and Enneagram coaching, I'm not currently offering those specific services. Looking ahead, I'm completing my professional counselling training and plan to fully integrate counselling into my practice in the future.
Whatever my role, my intention is to approach every person with dignity, compassion and respect. While my Christian faith shapes my worldview, I warmly welcome clients from all backgrounds, beliefs and life experiences.
When I do integrate counselling and spiritual direction into my wider practice, the Enneagram will always remain an optional tool. It will only ever be used if it directly supports your unique needs and goals.
Final Thoughts
The Enneagram is a profoundly valuable tool for understanding personality, increasing self-awareness and supporting human growth. Yet the Enneagram is neither my foundation nor my identity. My foundation is Jesus Christ.
I do not expect everyone who reads my work, or works with me, to share my theological conclusions. My hope is simply that this transparency gives you a clearer understanding of my lens, allowing you to decide if my approach resonates with you.
Thank you for reading. I look forward to journeying with you exactly where you are.