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In this episode of Typology, I sit down with therapist and author Joe Nucci for a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation about the Enneagram, mental health, and the growing misuse of therapeutic language in our culture. Joe—an Enneagram Three—shares his own journey with the Enneagram, the hidden shame dynamics of Threes, and how public success can quietly pull us toward performance instead of integrity. Together, we explore why tools like the Enneagram work best as maps, not MRIs—helpful for self-awareness and empathy, but dangerous when they turn into rigid labels. We also dig into Joe's new book, Psycho Babble, discussing how clinical terms like narcissist, OCD, and trauma have become everyday adjectives—and what it costs us when labels replace discernment, curiosity, and real relationship. This is a grounded, honest conversation about growth, character, and what it actually means to become a healthier version of yourself—without turning self-awareness into self-avoidance. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT JOE NUCCI Joe Nucci is an expert in breaking down how people talk about mental health. He's a psychotherapist who corrects widely misused terms, adds valuable nuance and explains complex ideas in ways anyone can understand. He can take a mental health lens to any hot button issue. Anyone who listens to him will walk away knowing themselves and others a little better. Joe reached over 10 million people in his first 6 months of posting content. His book "Psychobabble" explores why mental health information is so confusing to navigate and how to more easily understand different perspectives about mental health. He also has an upcoming podcast, being produced by Luminary Podcasts, where he will take deeper dives into the different mental health topics that he explores on Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @joenuccitherapy Pscyhobabble: Viral Mental Health Myths & the Truths to Set You Free
In this week's episode, Bea and Urânio have the honor of interviewing fellow podcaster Valentine Marie, who brings in depht insights of her Enneagram professional and personal journey. In this hearwarming chat, Valentines open up about meaningful and fulfilling steps on her journey!Valentine is a writer, traveler, podcast host, and Enneagram coach based out of the Washington DC area. The Enneagram transformed her life and she is desperate to make it more accessible to all people, everywhere. She especially loves working with Enneagram newbies and skeptics so, if that's you - please reach out!Check Valentine's website: https://www.enneagramwithvalentine.comFollow Valentine on Instagram: https://instagram.com/enneagram_ishListen to her podcast: open.spotify.com/show/7iqwkejerqw5msxinwegqaLike learning about the Enneagram from Bea and Uranio? Join a community of Enneagram enthusiasts and participate in live monthly webinars and Q&As with Bea and Uranio. Sign up for a FREE trial of CP Online membership at https://learn.cpenneagram.comWant to discover which Enneagram type you could be? Visit our webpage https://enneagramcompass.com to learn about the Enneagram test they created, Enneagram Compass.Please subscribe and share this podcast with others. It will help us out a lot!Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ChestnutPaesEnneagramAcademyFollow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/cpenneagramSign up for our newsletter https://cpenneagram.com/newsletterQuestions? hello@cpenneagram.com
In this mini but important episode, Christa tackles the most common, and most painful, dynamic in marriage: the anxious-avoidant pairing. If you've ever felt like you're constantly chasing your spouse for connection while they pull away, or if you feel overwhelmed by a partner who won't give you breathing room, this episode will help you understand why these attachment styles are magnetically drawn to each other and how the pursue-withdraw cycle keeps you stuck. In this intro episode, Christa gives practical steps each partner needs to take to break the cycle and move toward earned secure attachment. The key insight: Your Enneagram type is the engine, your attachment style is the steering, understanding both is where real change begins. Whether you're anxious, avoidant, or somewhere in between, this episode gives you language for what's happening and hope that change is possible. Listen right here or watch on YouTube! Need mental health tips in this time? Sign up for the FREE EnneaSummit here! https://www.tylerzach.com/mh26/enneasummit?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tylerzach.com%2Fa%2F2148228842%2FLS2nNmzL The Enneagram and Marriage Coaching & Certification Masterclass course begins again February 12, use code COACH for discount here or at https://www.enneagramandmarriage.com/the-e-m-coaching-masterclass Find more about your type, the pod, freebies, and SO much more at our website right here! www.EnneagramandMarriage.com Love what you're learning on E + M? Make sure you leave us a podcast review so others can find us, too here! Get Christa's Best-Selling Book, The Enneagram in Marriage, here! https://a.co/d/df8SxVx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In this special curated episode, you'll hear the most impactful conversations from eight years of Everyday Better. If you're looking for a practical starting point for personal growth, this episode is your starter kit. You'll explore how to get to know yourself better through tools like the Enneagram and astrology, how to discover your purpose and passion, how to use breathwork and mental skills training to regulate stress, how to deepen your friendships and relationships, and through these practices, make meaningful change in your own life and your own corner of the world. Whenever you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or in transition, this collection is a roadmap that brings together the essential ideas, practices, and insights that define Everyday Better. For more from Leah Smart while Everyday Better is on hiatus, follow her on Substack, LinkedIn and Instagram. And if you loved the snippets in this compilation, you can find the full episodes here (in order of appearance): Carole Hopson: Second Acts: How Captain Carole Hopson Found Her ‘One True Thing' Dr. Jennifer Freed: Astrology + Psychology = A Map to Your Soul Beatrice Chestnut: The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up Dr. Michael Gervais: Rising Above Fear of Other People's Opinions JP Crimi: Can't Meditate? Try This with JP Crimi Tal Ben-Shahar: Engineering A Happier Life Michelle Thaller: Exploring the Universe: NASA's Michelle Thaller's Guide to Everyday Awe Shasta Nelson:The Anatomy of Friendship Julie and John Gottman: Making a Relationship Last
Send us a textWholehearted Storywork Part 1Pain changes you. Loss, disappointment, betrayal, or suffering can quietly shape how you see yourself, God, and the world.In this first episode of the Wholehearted Storywork series, Amy introduces the Victim role, not as an identity to reject or a mentality to shame, but as a place in the story where real pain is named and honored.This conversation explores the difference between acknowledging harm and becoming stuck in it, and how Scripture invites you into holy lament rather than denial, blame, or self-erasure.You'll explore: Why being a victim of pain is not a failure of faith.How unprocessed hurt can shape your story.The difference between telling the truth about what happened and living from a victim mentality.Why lament is a faithful and biblical response to suffering.How healing begins with paying attention, not pressure or quick resolutionThis episode is not about fixing your pain or rushing your healing. It's about creating space for honesty, compassion, and the slow work of formation.If you've been carrying a story that hurts (and aren't sure what to do with it), this conversation offers language and a way forward that doesn't bypass your humanity.Being in the Victim role doesn't mean you stay there; it simply means you're telling the truth about where you are.Healing begins when the truth is told in the presence of God's unconditional love.Support the showRESOURCES FOR YOU: Join the Waitlist for 1:1 Coaching with Amy Wicks https://www.simplywholehearted.com/callamywicks Not sure about your Enneagram Type? Start here: https://www.simplywholehearted.com/enneagramquiz Ennea-what? The Beginners Guide to the Enneagram(free course + printables)https://bit.ly/Enneagram101GuideThe Real History of the Enneagram Course(use code AMY for 40% OFF)https://bit.ly/EnneagramHistoryShould Christians Use the Enneagram? (Amy's book)https://amzn.to/3VB9PrxConnect with Amy:IGWebsite
What if the real reason marriages fail isn't a lack of connection but years of staying silent and avoiding conflict? Licensed marriage and family therapist Colette Jane Fehr joins us in an attachment-based discussion to discuss her new book The Cost of Quiet: How to Have the Hard Conversations That Create Secure, Lasting Love (releases February 3, 2026). As a Type 7, Colette shares how even optimistic, future-focused types can fall into avoidant patterns, sidestepping day-to-day disputes and brushing problems under the rug to "keep the peace." We explore how silence (as well as to damaging reactivity) often lead to emotional disconnection, self-abandonment, and essentially "quiet quitting" your marriage. Drawing from attachment science and evidence-based therapies, Colette gives us tools to approach our spouse with openness, honesty, and vulnerability. Whether you're the one staying silent or living with someone who won't speak up, this conversation will show you why a good relationship is worth fighting for—and how to start having the hard conversations that create secure, lasting love. Find The Cost of Quiet wherever books are sold starting February 3rd. Watch on YouTube! Get Colette's book here! https://a.co/d/5HMlsJh Get on her email list here! https://www.colettejanefehr.com/ Visit Colette here on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/colettejanefehr/ Need mental health tips in this time? Sign up for the FREE EnneaSummit here! https://www.tylerzach.com/mh26/enneasummit?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tylerzach.com%2Fa%2F2148228842%2FLS2nNmzL The Enneagram and Marriage Coaching & Certification Masterclass course begins again February 12, use code COACH for discount here or at https://www.enneagramandmarriage.com/the-e-m-coaching-masterclass Find more about your type, the pod, freebies, and SO much more at our website right here! www.EnneagramandMarriage.com Love what you're learning on E + M? Make sure you leave us a podcast review so others can find us, too here! Get Christa's Best-Selling Book, The Enneagram in Marriage, here! https://a.co/d/df8SxVx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What happens when Enneagram Eight energy grows up, softens its edges, and learns to lead with both strength and soul? In this episode of Typology, Ian Morgan Cron sits down with restaurateur, entrepreneur, and conscious capitalism advocate Dan Simons, co-owner of Founding Farmers, for a wide-ranging, deeply human conversation about power, protection, and what it really means to build a culture of care. Dan is brand-new to the Enneagram—and quickly discovers he's an Eight with a strong Nine wing, a compelling combination that blends moral clarity with empathy, decisiveness with nuance, and fire with calm. Together, Ian and Dan explore how Eights aren't just challengers—they're often defenders: leaders shaped by early experiences of injustice who instinctively stand up for the vulnerable. Along the way, they talk candidly about: Why anger can be a tool rather than a liability when it's consciously harnessed How leadership failures are often listening failures (and the three most powerful words a leader can say) How putting emotional well-being on equal footing with profit actually increases performance, retention, and long-term value What a healthy workplace should feel like when you walk through the door (hint: think Labrador retriever, not shark tank) This is a masterclass in evolved leadership and a hopeful vision of capitalism done with conscience. If you're a leader, an Enneagram Eight, or someone longing for work cultures that don't crush the human spirit, this conversation will leave you both challenged and encouraged—in the best possible way. Listen in and pull up a chair. There's a seat for you at this table. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Dan Simons Dan Simons is regarded as a leading voice in mission-driven business practices, known for championing people-centric culture and responsible industry standards while developing systems that deliver profitability. He and his partner, Michael Vucurevich, are Co-Owners of Founding Farmers Restaurant Group in partnership with the North Dakota Farmers Union. Their goal is to generate profits for American family farmers, earn farmers a larger share of the food dollar, and influence the sourcing decisions of suppliers and others in the hospitality industry. They operate eight sustainably run restaurants, one DC-based distillery, and a full service catering and event design company. He teaches courses at The George Washington University, hosts a podcast (Founding DC), and sits on the advisory boards of the DC chapter of Conscious Capitalism, OpenTable, and the Health Action Alliance Women's Health at Work Program. He blogs at www.DanSimonsSays.com and can be found across most social channels @DanSimonsSays. Visit https://www.dansimonssays.com/ to learn more.
Send us a textWhat story are you living right now?Not the one you wish you were in. Not the polished version you post about. The real one. The one where you feel stuck, tired, or uncertain about what comes next.In this series introduction, Amy invites you into a new way of understanding your spiritual formation journey through four key roles we all move through: the Victim, the Villain, the Hero, and the Guide.This isn't about labeling yourself or fixing what's broken. It's about recognizing where you are in your story so you can respond with wisdom instead of shame.If you've been exhausted by trying harder, spiritual intensity that burns you out, or quick fixes that don't last, this series offers something different: a slower, steadier, more compassionate path toward wholeness.Your starting point doesn't have to be your stuck point.This is just the beginning. Support the showRESOURCES FOR YOU: Join the Waitlist for 1:1 Coaching with Amy Wicks https://www.simplywholehearted.com/callamywicks Not sure about your Enneagram Type? Start here: https://www.simplywholehearted.com/enneagramquiz Ennea-what? The Beginners Guide to the Enneagram(free course + printables)https://bit.ly/Enneagram101GuideThe Real History of the Enneagram Course(use code AMY for 40% OFF)https://bit.ly/EnneagramHistoryShould Christians Use the Enneagram? (Amy's book)https://amzn.to/3VB9PrxConnect with Amy:IGWebsite
In this episode, the crew live-types our new co-host using the Enneagram and asking real questions, debating traits, and unpacking motivations in real time. Expect laughs, honest reflection, and a behind-the-scenes look at how personality shapes leadership, work, and life as a college student. Whether you're Enneagram-obsessed or just Enneagram-curious, this episode pulls back the curtain on what makes our team tick.Follow us on Instagram @themulemindset or Youtube @ucmcareerandlifedesigncenter3209 to see exclusive video content!
Many purpose-driven podcasters face the constant pressure of trying to be the "perfect host," leading to burnout and a disconnect from their audience. This frustration often stems from not understanding your internal motivations and how they influence your creative process and team dynamics. In this episode of Podcasting Unlocked, Alesia dives deep into the Enneagram with expert Sandhya Sudhakar. We explore how understanding your personality type can become your superpower, allowing you to create content with more ease, lead your team effectively, and build deeper relationships with your clients. This week, episode 260 of Podcasting Unlocked is about how the enneagram impacts podcast strategy and team dynamics!Sandhya Sudhakar is a certified coach, Enneagram practitioner, speaker, facilitator, the founder of Self At Work, and the host of the Working Your Way podcast. She takes a trauma-informed, inclusive approach to leadership development and team building, focused on showing up authentically and cultivating a sense of belonging in the workplace.In this episode of Podcasting Unlocked, Sandhya Sudhakar is sharing the importance of understanding your personal motivations and actionable steps you can take right now to tailor your podcasting strategy to your enneagram type. Sandhya and I also chat about the following: The Enneagram as a Creative Lens: Learn how each of the nine types uniquely approaches content creation and storytelling. Understanding your type allows you to double down on your natural strengths and identify the specific challenges that might be holding you back from podcasting with ease.Optimizing Team and Client Dynamics: Discover how the Enneagram can improve your communication with your production team and guests. By identifying the motivations of others, you can tailor your management style to reduce friction and foster a more collaborative environment.Moving Toward Authenticity: Sandhya explains how self-discovery leads to a career that feels genuine. Stop following "cookie-cutter" podcast strategies and start building a show that reflects your true values and personality.Self-Referencing vs. External Referencing: Shift your focus from what the "market" wants to what resonates with your internal mission. This shift is key to creating long-term, sustainable content that doesn't lead to creator fatigue.Be sure to tune in to all the episodes to receive tons of practical tips on turning your podcast listeners into leads and to hear even more about the points outlined above. Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me! And don't forget to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!Learn more about Podcasting Unlocked at https://galatimedia.com/podcasting-unlocked/ CONNECT WITH SANDHYA SUDHAKAR:LinkedInInstagramWorking Your Way podcastWebsiteCONNECT WITH ALESIA GALATI:InstagramLinkedInWork with Galati Media! Work wFree Download: 15 Ways to Improve Your Podcast Book Your Free 1:1 Consultation Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.
As we wrap up the conversation on instincts, Christa brings you a powerful episode exploring how our three instincts—self-preservation, sexual, and social—can turn dark or animal-like when we're scared, threatened, or in pain in our marriages or world, and we talk about how to slow down, stay kind stay human, godly, and loving in hard or dystopic times. Though the episode is grounded and practical, Christa addresses cognitive heuristics and mental shortcuts humans can use to dehumanize the "other" including the Halo Effect as well as examines how each instinct goes dark, self-preservation leading to hoarding, sexual instinct leading to using people, and social instinct leading to outgrouping and tribalism—and offers practical ways to stay strong in faith. Drawing on CS Lewis's wisdom that evil must be unwound bit by bit, she calls listeners to not rush the stories of pain away or abandon friends who voted differently as you fight for justice - we're one human body, and we must rise together. Watch on YouTube! Need mental health tips in this time? Sign up for the FREE EnneaSummit here! https://www.tylerzach.com/mh26/enneasummit?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tylerzach.com%2Fa%2F2148228842%2FLS2nNmzL The Enneagram and Marriage Coaching & Certification Masterclass course begins again February 12, use code COACH for discount here or at https://www.enneagramandmarriage.com/the-e-m-coaching-masterclass Find more about your type, the pod, freebies, and SO much more at our website right here! www.EnneagramandMarriage.com Love what you're learning on E + M? Make sure you leave us a podcast review so others can find us, too here! Get Christa's Best-Selling Book, The Enneagram in Marriage, here! https://a.co/d/df8SxVx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
You don't have a money problem. You have a personality blind spot.In this episode, we sit down with Douglas Lynam—former Marine, Benedictine monk of 20 years, and now financial advisor to high-performing individuals—to uncover the uncomfortable truth most financial advice avoids: your Enneagram type is quietly shaping every financial decision you make.Douglas reveals why smart, self-aware people continue to sabotage their financial growth—and how childhood “sacred wounds” become the invisible drivers behind overspending, under-earning, over-controlling, or financial avoidance.Tune in to discover:What the Enneagram isYour hidden money blind spotThe 4 pillars of financeChildhood wounds driving financial habitsEpisode Resources:Douglas Website: https://www.douglynam.com/Douglas Book: https://www.thomasnelson.com/p/taming-your-money-monster/Douglas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/douglynam/
You've noticed the signs and redefined success, the next question is simple (and loaded!): now what? In this conversation, Jen Pestikas and I share the small, intentional steps that helped us reinvent our careers without pressure or a dramatic leap. We talk about self-discovery practices, micro-experiments, grounding rituals, and learning to follow energy instead of titles. Reinvention isn't a straight line or a polished plan. It's a series of aligned steps, taken with curiosity, courage, and the right support. This final episode of the Career Reinvention series is about making that next chapter feel possible—and sustainable. Part 1: Career Reinvention Roadmap: Signs, Steps, Shifts to Your Next Season Part 2: Career Reinvention Roadmap: Redefining Success
Doug Lynam is an author, speaker, financial advisor, and business coach who helps clients align money with their deepest values and purpose. Doug's journey as a Marine, a Monk, and a Money Manager allows him a unique perspective when it comes to helping others with finances. He is the author of From Monk to Money Manager and Taming Your Money Monster: Nine Paths to Money Mastery with the Enneagram and he created a popular TEDx talk on finding purpose in wealth which has garnered over 400,000 views. Today Doug will teach us to think about our money differently and begin the journey to understaning our Enneagram and how it influences our relationship with money. Learn more about Doug at douglynam.com Contact Julie at theveterinarylifecoach.com
This episode about Enneagram 5 arrows takes us deeper into the Enneagram transformation. This is NOT a shallow episode. With the next step of arrows, you are going to see a side of yourself that is SO illuminating! Check out The Coven Try the Free Enneagram Quiz!!!! Message me on Instagram @Angie.Alchemist and ask all your Enneagram questions! OR email me at angiealchemy@gmail.com Check out more at AngieAlchemist.com Link to the episode all about stress and growth arrows #120
Send us a textYou've had insight before. The clarity, conviction, and even real momentum. And yet, somehow, it didn't last.If you've ever wondered why meaningful change feels so hard to sustain, this episode is for you.In this conversation, Amy explores why insight alone—no matter how true or powerful—rarely leads to lasting transformation. Not because you failed, but because insight was never meant to carry the full weight of change on its own.This episode gently reframes skepticism as wisdom-in-the-making and invites you to consider a different path forward & one rooted in formation rather than intensity.You'll explore:Why insight often sparks change but can't sustain itHow intensity-based growth struggles to survive real lifeWhy seasons of disappointment don't mean you're resistantThe difference between performance-driven change and formation that lastsWhat it means to stay with your story long enough for wisdom to take rootThis isn't a call to try harder or hope faster. It's an invitation to slow down, notice patterns, and consider what kind of change can actually be carried over time.If you've been protecting yourself from false hope (or wondering why past breakthroughs faded), this episode offers language, clarity, and a steadier way forward.Not through reinvention. Through spiritual formation.Support the showRESOURCES FOR YOU: Book a High-Value Clarity Call with Amy Wicks https://www.simplywholehearted.com/callamywicks Not sure about your Enneagram Type? Start here: https://www.simplywholehearted.com/enneagramquiz Wholehearted Enneagram Coachinghttps://bit.ly/SWcoachingcollectiveEnnea-what? The Beginners Guide to the Enneagram(free course + printables)https://bit.ly/Enneagram101GuideThe Real History of the Enneagram Course(use code AMY for 40% OFF)https://bit.ly/EnneagramHistoryShould Christians Use the Enneagram? (Amy's book)https://amzn.to/3VB9PrxConnect with Amy:IGWebsite
Have you ever worked for a company that tells you to bring your full self to work, celebrates authenticity and psychological safety, and then turns around and crushes you with metrics, perfectionism, and burnout? If you find yourself nodding, this episode is for you. Shaun Tinney, a speaker, performance coach, and the author of Practice Everything, joins me for a deep, honest conversation about leadership, workplace culture, and what it really means to live and work with intention. Shaun has spent years guiding individuals and teams through pivotal change across both corporate and creative environments, drawing on psychology, the Enneagram, and a whole lot of lived experience to help people navigate resistance with confidence and clarity. In this interview, Shaun shares his journey from entrepreneurship and high-impact consulting to stepping away from agency life, traveling more than 70,000 miles across the country, and eventually helping shape culture, learning, and development at goodr Sunglasses during a period of rapid growth. Shaun and I talk about the "small" stuff that ends up shaping everything: the mixed messages leaders send (often without realizing it), and the gap between what companies say they value and what actually gets rewarded day to day. This conversation is for leaders, founders, creatives, and anyone who wants to do work that matters without burning out within systems that still run on fear rather than trust. Take your time with this one, grab a notebook, and let it challenge the way you think about performance and The Ripple Effect your daily choices create. Ripple with Shaun Tinney Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shauntinney/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shauntinney/ Practice Everything: https://practiceeverything.com/ Personal Site: https://shauntinney.com/ Ripple with Steve Harper Instagram: http://instagram.com/rippleon Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rippleon X: https://twitter.com/rippleon Website: http://www.ripplecentral.com
Get access to the DIY Workshop Kit plus get the "Coworker Chemistry" add-on slide deck for free (a $95 value): Step 1: Purchase the DIY Kit: https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-workshop-kit*DO NOT add on the Coworker Chemistry yet. Check out with only the original kit.Step 2: Click here to add free access to the Coworker Chemistry slide deck using the coupon code FREEFORME (valid the whole month of February 2026). ---------------------More and more companies are interested in adding the Enneagram into their leadership and team development programs, but many aren't sure where to start, how to structure it, or how to make it work within their budget.If you can relate, I got you.You don't need a massive program or outside facilitator to get meaningful value from the Enneagram (although we're here if you prefer a guided experience!). With a simple, practical structure, you can run a meaningful team workshop internally, without overcomplicating it.Whether you're an HR partner, team leader, or internal champion, this 6-part workshop framework is here to help you get started.Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!
Dorothy Littell Greco, marriage ministry leader and author joins us for a powerful conversation about abandoning misogyny and misandry (disdain for all men or women) in favor of mutual flourishing in marriage, including sexual flourishing, especially since pornography use, perpetrating harm to women is rampant. Despite undeniable progress as we discover the mental loads women and men carry in the 20th and 21st centuries, misogyny and misandry are still alive in culture, often in ways more subtle and insidious than outright sexism of the past, and it shows up in marriages in ways couples don't always recognize. Statistically, misogyny especially hurts marriage intimately and sexually. In this conversation, we focus specifically on how it shows up in Christian marriages and what it costs both women and men since this is a lose-lose system where no one wins. A type 1 justice fighter with a long and successful marriage of faith and confession, Dorothy unpacks how dismantling misogyny isn't just good for women, it benefits men and marriages too, creating space for true partnership where both spouses can grow and flourish. Join us as we talk about why we need to abandon both misogyny (disdain for women) and misandry (disdain for men) in favor of a partnership that honors the image of God in both. Find Dorthy's book, "For the Love of Women: Uprooting and Healing Misogyny in America" on Amazon: https://a.co/d/55qxeyd Find Dorthy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dorothylgreco/?hl=en Find Dorthy's riveting blog: https://www.dorothygreco.com/ The Enneagram and Marriage Coaching & Certification Masterclass course begins again February 12, use code COACH for discount here or at https://www.enneagramandmarriage.com/the-e-m-coaching-masterclass Find more about your type, the pod, freebies, and SO much more at our website right here! www.EnneagramandMarriage.com Love what you're learning on E + M? Make sure you leave us a podcast review so others can find us, too here! Get Christa's Best-Selling Book, The Enneagram in Marriage, here! https://a.co/d/df8SxVx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In this episode, Jeff and Claire talk about Claire's new book "Write Iconic Characters" in which Claire uses the Enneagram to show how to write diverse characters. Claire has also been on the show in Episode 100 and Episode 229. You can find Claire's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Write-Iconic-Characters-motivations-unforgettable-ebook/dp/B0FRV351Y8/ Also check out Claire's coaching at https://www.liberatedwriter.com/claire And for more on the craft of writing, check out DialogueDoctor.com
Enneagram 2.0 on a Tuesday? You heard that right! Our hosts have some exciting news to share!In this very special episode, Urânio Paes and Beatrice Chestnut greet Nisha Advani, Enneagram coach and corporate consultant. In a heartfelt conversation, Nisha share meaningful insights on the enneagram, carreer and personal journey. Learn more about her:Born and grew up in Calcutta, India. Was middle daughter of 4 children. Went to Catholic school for 13 years and was active in many extra-curricular activities. Came alone to the USA at age 17 as a Rotary exchange student; attended senior year at a local public school, and lived with a Caucasion family for a year. Town had 5,000 people and almost everyone recognized me as "their" exchange student (my birth city had over 13 million at that time and I was a nonentity.) Came to USA to study psychology and in my path, after a few detours, found social/organizational psych which was a perfect fit. Always knew i had to be very well qualified and differentiated as in India life can be fiercely competitive and it is a numbers game as well. Got an MBA to support employability, worked in NYC for some years in corporate, got my green card through horrendous circumstances, and decided to go back to school for psych. Got married to a man who was well settled in India while I was working on my doctorate. He was very supportive of my finishing my studies. Changed my dissertation topic to do a more interesting cross-cultural study on conflict resolution and spent time in India collecting data. Was too difficult to do my research in India and eventually I returned alone to NYC. Had our first child alone while there and fortunately he got his green card soon after I graduated. Have lived in CA since graduation. Worked in OD and LD in different companies for almost 20 years and about 10 years ago started my own practice as a leadership coach and OD consultant. Volunteer in a South Asian domestic violence organization. Do mindfulness meditation and yoga a few times/weeks. Have 2 children, 1 little grandchild whom I learn from continuously including with my Enneagram lens, and am in close touch with my siblings, relatives, dear friends over the years. Grateful to be living in the Bay Area. Life is abundant!Like learning about the Enneagram from Bea and Uranio? Join a community of Enneagram enthusiasts and participate in live monthly webinars and Q&As with Bea and Uranio. Sign up for a FREE trial of CP Online membership at https://learn.cpenneagram.comWant to discover which Enneagram type you could be? Visit our webpage https://enneagramcompass.com to learn about the Enneagram test they created, Enneagram Compass.Please subscribe and share this podcast with others. It will help us out a lot!Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ChestnutPaesEnneagramAcademyFollow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/cpenneagramSign up for our newsletter https://cpenneagram.com/newsletterQuestions? hello@cpenneagram.com
Heal Trauma & Receive Blessings from Your Ancestors via Dreams. Imagine a dreamscape where you can connect with your ancestors, identify inherited patterns that cause you pain, and heal them while also gaining ancestral blessings. With this first-of-its-kind book, it's possible to do all that and more. Featuring dozens of exercises and personal stories that enhance your understanding, this book takes you on a healing journey from grief to peace and healthy connection with your departed loved ones. You can even pass healing energy to future generations.Linda Yael Schiller teaches you how to tap into the consciousness of your dreams―both in sleep and sleep-adjacent practices such as trance, meditation, and guided imagery. Whether you practice alone or with a group, this book helps you dream the world you hope for into being.Linda Yael Schiller, MSW, LICSW, (Watertown, MA) is a mind-body and spiritual psychotherapist, consultant, author, and international teacher. She is the author of Modern Dreamwork and PTSDreams. Linda facilitates group dream circles, provides individual, group and corporate consultation, and trains professionals on working with dreams. She has designed several innovative methods for dreamwork. Linda is trained in numerous mind-body methods such as EMDR, EFT, energy psychology, Enneagram, and integrated trauma treatments. In addition to her professional work with dreams, she has been involved with her own dream-sharing group for more than forty years.https://lindayaelschiller.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/earth-ancients--2790919/support.
In this episode, we give a clear, approachable overview of the Enneagram and the nine personality types, with a focus on the common stereotypes associated with each one. We walk through the core motivations, typical behaviors, and common stereotypes of each type—why Ones are seen as perfectionists, why Fives get labeled as withdrawn, why Sevens are known for always being on the move, and more.This isn't a deep dive or a typing session—it's a big-picture look at how the Enneagram framework works and how shorthand descriptions and stereotypes develop. We'll talk about what these labels get right, where they oversimplify, and how each type is more nuanced than the version that usually shows up online.If you're new to the Enneagram or just want a refresher without the fluff, this episode lays the groundwork and gives you a solid reference point for understanding all nine types.Follow us on Instagram @themulemindset or Youtube @ucmcareerlifedesigncenter3209 to see exclusive video content!
Week 3 of our January instincts series reveals the hidden fears that block intimacy for SP, SO, and SX types. Why does your SP partner hoard resources? Why does your SO spouse need constant social validation? Why does your SX partner panic when you're emotionally distant? Understanding these core fears changes everything - plus, discover how to rebuild weakened instincts instead of watching them decline. Watch here on YouTube! The Enneagram and Marriage Coaching & Certification Masterclass course begins again February 12, use code COACH for discount here or at https://www.enneagramandmarriage.com/the-e-m-coaching-masterclass Find more about your type, the pod, freebies, and SO much more at our website right here! www.EnneagramandMarriage.com Love what you're learning on E + M? Make sure you leave us a podcast review so others can find us, too here! Get Christa's Best-Selling Book, The Enneagram in Marriage, here! https://a.co/d/df8SxVx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Personality tools were meant to create clarity—not shame. So why do so many leaders leave personality conversations feeling worse? In this episode, Jenn tackles one of the most misunderstood leadership tools out there and makes a bold claim: your personality isn't the problem—misusing is. If you've ever wondered, “Is my personality the thing holding me back?”—this episode is for you. Continuing the New Year, New Opening mini-series, Jenn reframes personality awareness as a leadership skill—not a fix-yourself project. She explains how strengths get weaponized under pressure, why self-awareness without self-disclosure backfires, and how tools like the Enneagram can cultivate trust, clarity, and joy when used well. This is a shame-free, practical conversation for leaders who want to stop fighting their wiring and start leading from it. Here's What's in the Episode: 2:44 You don't need to fix yourself to be a great leader. 7:40 Strengths don't disappear with fear and pressure. But they do warp into weakness. 10:28 Personality awareness can become self-centeredness if you misuse it. 12:30 How to avoid "checkbox leadership" that oversimplifies complex people. 13:56 The three rules of the road to avoid misusing personality tools as a leader. Key Takeaway You don't need a new personality. You need awareness of how yours behaves under pressure. About the Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her book Joyosity and the Joyosity Works Playbooks offer leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results. Resources & Links: Get Joyosity and the Joyosity Works Playbook Joyosity: How to Cultivate Intense Happiness in Work & Life (Even If Things Are What They Are) Joy isn't extra. Joy is how you thrive. This book gives leaders the tools to turn exhaustion into resilience and build cultures where work is a joy, people are whole, and organizations flourish. Joyosity Works Playbook: Practical Plays and Strategies for Joy at Work and Beyond is the official companion workbook to Joyosity to help you practice joy every day. Find links to purchase at https://jennwhitmer.com/books or you may even see it in the airport this month. Free 99: Episode 120 and 122 of the Joyosity™ Podcast → The New Year Trope Leaders Keep Believing Joyosity Explorer Map → This map will guide you to understanding the deeper purpose and story you tell yourself about your work. Joy is linked to purpose and productivity increases by 20% or more when you directly link your purpose to your work. Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart → Get crystal clear on what you want, what's in the way, and how to move forward with traction. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator → Stop guessing your type. In this 1:1 session, get clarity on your motivations and blind spots. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive → A one-day transformative experience to realign with your values and build a practical plan for joyful leadership. A Party for More: Bring Jenn & the Joy to Speak → Bring the spark (not just the spark notes!) to your whole team with contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who's ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity.
What does meaningful connection look like for quiet leaders?In this episode of Strength in Numbers, Enneagram coach Jilann Carlson explores The Rhythm of Connection - the fourth rhythm in the Quiet Strength: 12 Rhythms for Rest, Reflection, and Renewal series. This episode reframes connection as something deeper than networking or visibility, focusing instead on authenticity, presence, and relational awareness.Using the Enneagram Harmony Triads, Jilann shares how different personality types naturally foster connection:How Idealist types (1, 4, 7) connect through values, creativity, and visionHow Relationist types (3, 6, 9) build trust through attentiveness, loyalty, and steadinessHow Pragmatist types (2, 5, 8) express care through action, insight, and protectionThis episode is especially for quiet leaders, thoughtful professionals, and anyone who wants to strengthen relationships without forcing extroversion or performance.You'll walk away with:A fresh perspective on connection and leadershipPractical ways to build community using your natural strengthsA simple reflection practice to deepen relational impact this weekTune in to discover how connection becomes one of the most powerful - and quiet - ways we lead.Find more here!
This episode about Enneagram 4 arrows takes us deeper into the Enneagram transformation. This is NOT a shallow episode. With the next step of arrows, you are going to see a side of yourself that is SO illuminating! Check out The Coven Try the Free Enneagram Quiz!!!! Message me on Instagram @Angie.Alchemist and ask all your Enneagram questions! OR email me at angiealchemy@gmail.com Check out more at AngieAlchemist.com Link to the episode all about stress and growth arrows #120
Send us a textMy confession and an invitation to release…As a faithful woman, you aren't burned out because you lack discipline; you're exhausted because you've been carrying a responsibility God never asked you to bear.In this episode, Amy explores the difference between responding to God and taking responsibility for outcomes and how easily faith can slip from love into pressure, control, and performance.This conversation isn't about becoming irresponsible or lowering the bar. It's about releasing the heavy yoke and rediscovering a faith formed by belovedness rather than fear.You'll explore:Why responsibility often becomes a hidden spiritual burden.How Scripture reframes obedience as response, not self-management.What Jesus meant when He said His yoke is easy and His burden is light.How fear, control, and the need for significance quietly shape our faith.Why discipline isn't rejected, but reordered around love.If faith has started to feel heavy, demanding, or joyless, this episode offers language, permission, and a better way forward.Not through striving, but through response.Support the showRESOURCES FOR YOU: Book a High-Value Clarity Call with Amy Wicks https://www.simplywholehearted.com/callamywicks Not sure about your Enneagram Type? Start here: https://www.simplywholehearted.com/enneagramquiz Wholehearted Enneagram Coachinghttps://bit.ly/SWcoachingcollectiveEnnea-what? The Beginners Guide to the Enneagram(free course + printables)https://bit.ly/Enneagram101GuideThe Real History of the Enneagram Course(use code AMY for 40% OFF)https://bit.ly/EnneagramHistoryShould Christians Use the Enneagram? (Amy's book)https://amzn.to/3VB9PrxConnect with Amy:IGWebsite
Find the FULL TRANSCRIPT and more resources for coaches at ProsperousCoach.com/370.Have you had the impulse to rescue your coaching client from themselves?No shame. Just tell yourself the truth here.It's a knee jerk desire that's belied by your· energy· words· over-delivery· attachment to outcomeI get it!You want so much to have a big impact that the basic tenets of coaching—that your client is resourceful and whole and your relationship is co-creative—are overridden.If you are guilty of jumping into fix-it mode in sessions, don't stress but DO STOP IT! Track what's driving you during coaching sessions.Right motivation is the anchor of masterful coaching.As a 2 on the Enneagram, I've had to work hard at this, my friends, and it's worth it!Allow your client to take the lead in their own transformation with a simple internal process to manage your motives, which I'll walk you through in this short episode of Prosperous Coach Podcast.I'd love to hear from you. Stay inspired and make things happen! - Rhonda Hess, Prosperous Coach Rhonda Hess helps new coaches leverage their zone of genius into a profitable coaching niche and launch with confidence. For VIP step-by-step support apply for Rhonda's VIP Coaching Business Breakthrough Program here and she'll be in touch to invite you a discovery call. Or if you're stuck on your coaching niche, grab a Nail Your Niche Strategy Session with Rhonda here.
Are you making space for grief? In this episode, I talk with Angelique Foye-Fletcher, LMFT, RPT about the quiet ache of grief and: • The many places grief shows up throughout your life • How to welcome in joy and play during times of grief • What to say and do to support others who are grieving Angelique Foye-Fletcher (she/her) is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Registered Play Therapist who helps sensitive, neurodivergent adults and caregivers heal through her four pillars of Books, Nature, Play, and Connection. An INFJ, HSP, and Enneagram 4, Angelique brings curiosity, ritual, and deep empathy into her work—often lighting incense or walking in nature as part of her own healing practice. Keep in touch with Angelique: • Website: https://foyefletchertherapy.com • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foyefletchertherapy • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@foyefletcherllc Resources Mentioned: • Joy Revenge book list: https://foyefletchertherapy.com/new-page • Parent/Caregiver Support: https://foyefletchertherapy.com/parentcaregiver-support-coaching • Reconnect + Rejuvenate Support: https://foyefletchertherapy.com/coachingtherapy-packages • Crying at H Mart by Michelle Zauner: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9781984898951Thanks for listening! You can read the full show notes and sign up for my email list to get new episode announcements and other resources at: https://www.sensitivestories.comYou can also follow "SensitiveStrengths" for behind-the-scenes content plus more educational and inspirational HSP resources: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths And for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off. If you have a moment, please rate and review the podcast, it helps Sensitive Stories reach more HSPs! This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment with a mental health or medical professional. Some links are affiliate links. You are under no obligation to purchase any book, product or service. I am not responsible for the quality or satisfaction of any purchase.
Casey and Meygan Caston, creators of the Marriage365 platform that reaches millions each week, join us as authors of the brand new book, The Marriage Habit (recommended by Dr. Gary Chapman and many others, including Christa right here)! Join us for a riveting and inspiring conversation about the ten non-negotiable habits that successful couples use to maintain and repair their relationships. After fifteen years of helping couples and working through their own deep hurt, Casey and Meygan have gained tremendous insight into the common issues couples from all walks of life face and how they choose to solve or not solve them. Drawing on user data and candid stories from couples around the world, Casey and Meygan show how we create massive results including taking a four step apology process, the sex talk, weekly regular awareness inventories to appreciate how your partner's preferences, opinions, and differences are evolving, offering unsolicited apologies that break down walls of resentment and disconnection, and removing assumptions by being clearer about the specific ways you want to be loved. Focused on action and practicality (Casey and Meygan's 7-8 pairing gifts), this couple and episode provide hope for couples in any circumstances to solve their own problems as they work to create the relationship of their dreams. Watch on YouTube! Find Casey and Meygan on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/marriage365/ Pre-order your copy of The Marriage Habit now and get $320 worth of bonuses, too! (releases Feb 3!) The Marriage Habit right here! https://a.co/d/b9ZBUjW (Get bonuses here: https://marriage365books.com/ Find Casey and Meygan's courses, app, and SO much more right here! www.Marriage365.com The Enneagram and Marriage Coaching & Certification Masterclass course begins again February 12, use code COACH for discount here or at https://www.enneagramandmarriage.com/the-e-m-coaching-masterclass Find more about your type, the pod, freebies, and SO much more at our website right here! www.EnneagramandMarriage.com Love what you're learning on E + M? Make sure you leave us a podcast review so others can find us, too here! Get Christa's Best-Selling Book, The Enneagram in Marriage, here! https://a.co/d/df8SxVx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode Description: Many authors are doing everything right—publishing consistently, running promotions, chasing algorithms, investing in tools—and still can't seem to get ahead financially. The books break even. The sales spike and disappear. The stress never really lets up. In this episode of What If? For Authors, Claire Taylor addresses a painful but essential question: What if struggling to get ahead isn't a personal failure—but the predictable result of broken systems? Using the Enneagram as a framework for liberation (not self-blame), Claire explores why productivity hacks, discipline fixes, virality, and AI tools often function as promising distractions rather than real solutions. She unpacks how dominant cultural narratives—bootstrapping, meritocracy, savior myths, and algorithmic “neutrality”—keep authors exhausted, isolated, and blaming themselves instead of questioning the systems designed to extract their time, money, and attention. This episode is not about giving up. It's about reclaiming agency, and choosing paths that reduce suffering, build solidarity, and support sustainable creative lives—on human terms. In this episode, you'll learn: Why struggling financially as an author is not a moral or personal failure How the Enneagram helps distinguish inner work from systemic harm What “promising distractions” are—and how they keep authors trapped Why algorithms, ads, and platforms are not neutral or merit-based How savior-seeking keeps people exploitable and disempowered The hidden cost of tying hope to virality, productivity, or being “chosen” How internalized cultural narratives quietly sabotage creativity and wellbeing What genuine agency, community, and non-extractive alternatives can look like Why stepping back from writing (temporarily or permanently) is not shameful Key Takeaways: You are not broken—and you were never failing Many author systems are designed to extract, not sustain Optimization does not equal liberation Hope does not come from being saved—it comes from collective agency Building community is a radical act in an extractive industry Anger can be alchemized into clarity, solidarity, and action Resources & Links: Learn more about Claire's coaching, courses, and books: liberatedwriter.com Write Iconic Characters: books2read.com/WIC Happy writing!
In this chat with Andrea Gullick gets right into the uncomfortable stuff. Loss, identity, control, and the stories we tell ourselves just to keep functioning. Andrea shared what it was like losing her husband suddenly, navigating a baby with cancer, and becoming a young widow while still trying to look like she was coping. We talked about the mask of being strong, how long you can wear it for, and what happens when it finally cracks. We dug into worry, intuition, anxiety, and the difference between sensing life versus trying to control it. How much of who we think we are is actually conditioning. And what happens when the identities you build your life around get taken away. She also walked through the tools that helped her understand her patterns instead of being run by them. Human Design, Gene Keys, and the Enneagram. Not as labels or woowoo, but as mirrors. Ways to see what drives your behaviour when you’re stressed, scared, or trying to belong. This episode isn’t about fixing anything. It’s about noticing. About what’s left when you stop running, stop performing, and actually sit with yourself. SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: www.testartfamilylawyers.com.au ANDREA GULLICK Website: andreagullick.com TIFFANEE COOK Linktree: linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode of Enneagram at Work, we are wrapping up the 9 Types Overview Series with a look at Enneagram Type 9: Striving to Feel Peaceful, one of the most quietly influential and calming energies on any team.Type 9s are often seen as easygoing or agreeable, but what I experience in leadership teams and workshops is something much more meaningful. Type 9s bring stability, empathy, and the ability to hold space for everyone, even when things feel tense or uncertain. In this episode, we'll explore together how their drive for peace shapes communication, decision-making, and leadership at work.What You'll Learn:What it really means to strive to feel peacefulWhy Type 9s are natural mediators and stabilizers on teamsHow their desire for harmony can sometimes lead to self-neglectThe Consensus-Builder leadership style and how it creates psychologically safe workplacesHow instinctual biases shape different expressions of Type 9Growth insights through Type 9's arrows to Type 3 and Type 6How to give feedback to Type 9s in ways that build confidence and voiceTry This at Work:If you're a Type 9: Speak your opinion before being asked. Your perspective matters more than you think.If you work with a Type 9: Invite their input and don't mistake silence for agreement.For Teams & Leaders:Type 9s bring calm, empathy, and steadiness to teams, especially in times of stress or change. They are often the emotional glue that holds groups together.Teams thrive when Type 9s are encouraged to take up space, voice their ideas, and step into their influence, not just keep the peace.Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!
What happens when the worst thing you've been afraid of actually happens—and you're still standing? In this episode of Typology, I sit down with songwriter Brad Warren—an Enneagram Six, a man in long-term recovery, a husband, a father, and someone who has walked straight through unimaginable grief and come out the other side with humility, humor, and hard-won wisdom. Brad is the kind of person who tells the truth without posturing, who can laugh at himself without diminishing himself, and who understands—deeply—that fear doesn't disappear just because you name it. But naming it does change the game. We talk about the Enneagram Six's instinct to scan the horizon for danger, to rehearse conversations that never happen, and to catastrophize not because they're weak—but because they care. A lot. Brad shares how losing a child forced him to face his worst fears head-on, and how recovery, faith, and accountability helped him learn the difference between imagined catastrophe and lived reality. There's a kind of quiet courage in the way he describes trusting God—not a God who's looking to smite him, but one who's patiently inviting him to rest. Along the way, we explore humor as both a survival strategy and a spiritual practice, the surprising connection between humility and laughter, and how Sixes learn to move from fear-driven vigilance to faith-filled presence. We also touch on marriage, loyalty, religious deconstruction with gratitude instead of bitterness, and the life-saving power of people who are willing to tell you the truth when your mind is lying to you. This episode is funny, tender, honest, and deeply human. It's about fear—but it's even more about trust. And what it looks like, day by day, to choose it anyway. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Brad Warren Brad Warren is a Nashville-based songwriter and artist best known as one half of the hitmaking Warren Brothers. He has co-written major country hits recorded by Tim McGraw, Toby Keith , Keith Urban, Faith Hill , Martina McBride, Dierks Bentley, Jason Aldean and more. Brad is also the host of the Good Grief Good God podcast. He and his wife Michelle lost their oldest son Sage in 2020 and the podcast is in honor of him. Brad covers an array of other topics (recovery, God, mental and physical health, and The Music Business) as well as grief. Guests have ranged from Sheryl Crow and Amy Grant to Scott Hamilton and Charles Esten.
Jose Diaz is a licensed professional counselor who is currently navigating the process of expanding is solo practice to group. In this consulting episode, he shares his journey of establishing a successful solo practice, the factors that contributed to his decision to build a team, and highlights the challenges and successes he has encountered along the way. We delve into the importance of understanding personal roadblocks, particularly through the lens of the Enneagram, which helped Jose identify fears that have hindered his growth. The conversation emphasizes the significance of self-awareness and the need for support in navigating the complexities of running a counseling practice. Insights are shared about the practical aspects of running a practice, the hiring process, and the value of taking imperfect action.Key Takeaways:The Enneagram can be helpful in understanding the fears that prevent us from taking action.You are in control of the pace of the hiring process.You do not have to do everything on your own.You can start with part-time clinicians to ease into expansion.Relationship building is crucial for consistent referrals.Acknowledge your achievements.Jose's Links:WebsiteFacebookInstagram
In this episode, we play a Family Feud inspired game to look at how different Enneagram types show up in the workplace and in everyday life. As the game unfolds, we talk about motivation, stress, communication, and teamwork and why people can approach the same situation in very different ways. Whether you know your type or not, this episode is an easy way to think about personality, work, and collaboration in real life.Follow us on Instagram @themulemindset to see exclusive video content!!
Listening isn't just a communication skill - it's a leadership practice.In this episode of Strength in Numbers, we explore The Rhythm of Listening, part of the Quiet Strength: 12 Rhythms for Rest, Reflection, and Renewal series. Quiet leaders often lead through presence, attentiveness, and thoughtful engagement rather than volume or urgency - and listening plays a powerful role in how trust is built.Using the Enneagram's communication stances, Jilann unpacks how different personalities naturally listen - and where listening can quietly break down under pressure or good intentions.In this episode, you'll learn:How Withdrawn, Dependent/Compliant, and Assertive stances each approach listeningCommon growth edges that can limit connection without us realizing itSimple awareness shifts that help quiet leaders listen with more humility, patience, and intentionThis episode offers practical reflection and gentle practices to help you move from listening to respond… to listening to understand.Whether you lead in your workplace, your community, or your relationships, this rhythm invites you to slow down, stay present, and steward conversations well.Ready for more? Check out my website!
Have you ever felt like you're doing everything "right" in your career, but something still feels off? You're not alone. In this episode, I'm diving into one of my favorite topics — your Zone of Genius. This is where your natural strengths, passions, and most meaningful contributions come together, and discovering it can bring a whole new sense of clarity, energy, and joy to your work. I'll walk you through the four zones we typically operate in and explain why the Zone of Excellence, while often rewarding, can also leave you feeling stuck or unfulfilled. I'm also sharing real examples from physicians who found compelling new directions by leaning into their Zone of Genius. If you're at the crossroads, this episode is here to help you start moving toward more purpose and alignment in your next chapter. In this episode we're talking about: What your Zone of Genius is and how to start identifying it The common trap of staying in your Zone of Excellence Why external success doesn't always equal personal fulfillment What intrinsic rewards are and why they matter Inspiring stories from physicians who leaned into their genius A simple framework to help uncover your personality, top skills, and ideal impact Reflective questions to help you reconnect with what energizes you Links for this episode: Book recommendations: The Genius Zone: The Breakthrough Process to End Negative Thinking and Live in True Creativity by Gay Hendricks The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level―A Transformative Guide to Overcoming Fears and False Beliefs for Personal Growth and Success by Gay Hendricks Curious about your Enneagram type? The Enneagram is one of my favorite tools for helping clients better understand their strengths, motivations, and unique patterns — especially when you're exploring your Zone of Genius. I recommend the RHETI test from The Enneagram Institute. It's the most accurate version I've found and the one I use in my own coaching work. The test costs $20 and takes about 40 minutes to complete. If you're ready to gain deeper insight into what truly drives you, you can get started here: www.enneagraminstitute.com/get-started-with-enneagram-tests We're continuing our podcast-sharing contest through January!Just share the podcast with two people you haven't shared it with before, then email us: the episode(s) you shared, and the initials (or another identifier) of the two people That's it. Email team@doctorscrossing.com, and we'll send your prize. People are loving it because it's customizable and genuinely useful—this really is a contest you can't lose Thank you for listening!
Now that you know more about the Enneagram instincts and desires, and you've heard that they're even MORE important than your types, what's one way you can build a bridge in an opposites attract pairing? Today we explore exactly that - what happens when different dominant instincts collide in marriage and what can you do. What happens when Security-focused (SP) marries Intensity-focused (SX)? Or when Social-focused (SO) pairs with Security-focused (SP)? I break down all 6 possible combinations with quick fixes for each. Real couples, real solutions, simple framework you can use today. Watch on YouTube! Deeper dive with us on Apple Pod, too! Don't forget! Use the special E + M Code Marriage100 for $100 the Russ Hudson Three Instincts course here! https://russhudson.com/the-instincts-and-inner-work-building-practices-for-transforming-our-life-patterns/ Find more about your type, the pod, freebies, and SO much more at our website right here! www.EnneagramandMarriage.com Love what you're learning on E + M? Make sure you leave us a podcast review so others can find us, too here! Get Christa's Best-Selling Book, The Enneagram in Marriage, here! https://a.co/d/df8SxVx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Find out more about The Art of GrowthTake a free Enneagram Test HERE.Sign up for the “Your Enneagram Starting Point” course HERE. Get Enneagram Certified HERE.Find out more about Teams Training HERE.Order our book on the Instincts: HERESet up One-on-One coaching HERE.www.theartofgrowth.org Email us your thoughts and questions! Follow us on Instagram at ArtofGrowth for more on this subject this month and let us know what you are doing.© The Art of Growth ™ 2025Support the showhttps://www.theartofgrowth.org/
Send us a textIf faith has started to feel heavier than life-giving, you're not alone AND you're not doing it wrong.In this foundational episode, Amy defines what Wholehearted living really means and, just as importantly, what it does not mean. This conversation is for the faithful, disciplined woman who has kept showing up… but is quietly tired of spiritual intensity that burns her out instead of forming her.Wholehearted living isn't hype, it doesn't strive out of fear, and it doesn't happen from trying harder.It's a formation process that begins with belovedness, not responsibility, and unfolds slowly through perseverance, wisdom, and grace.In this episode, you'll explore:Why some “old” approaches to spiritual growth stop working over time.How Scripture names divided, weary, and broken hearts, without shame.What it means to love God with your whole heart, mind, and strength without fragmentation.Why do rhythms spiritually form you more deeply than striving or big emotional moments?How discipline can be reordered around love instead of fear or pressure.This episode lays the foundation for the podcast's themes: Enneagram, rhythms, storywork, and a slower, more intentional journey of spiritual formation throughout the year.If you've been longing for growth that doesn't exhaust you, faith that doesn't demand certainty, and transformation that honors your story, then this conversation is for you.Support the showRESOURCES FOR YOU: Book a High-Value Clarity Call with Amy Wicks https://www.simplywholehearted.com/callamywicks Not sure about your Enneagram Type? Start here: https://www.simplywholehearted.com/enneagramquiz Wholehearted Enneagram Coachinghttps://bit.ly/SWcoachingcollectiveEnnea-what? The Beginners Guide to the Enneagram(free course + printables)https://bit.ly/Enneagram101GuideThe Real History of the Enneagram Course(use code AMY for 40% OFF)https://bit.ly/EnneagramHistoryShould Christians Use the Enneagram? (Amy's book)https://amzn.to/3VB9PrxConnect with Amy:IGWebsite
The Love, Happiness and Success Podcast With Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
If you want to feel happier in your relationships, understanding Enneagram types changes everything. This growth-focused conversation dives into love, happiness, and emotional intimacy through the lens of personality. You'll learn why different Enneagram personality types experience emotions and relationships differently and how couples can grow and heal by improving communication, mindset, and self-awareness through understanding each other's Enneagram type. In this episode, I'm sharing a meaningful and wide-ranging conversation with Ian Morgan Cron, a bestselling author, psychotherapist, Enneagram teacher, and host of the Typology podcast. Together, we explore how Enneagram types shape relationship dynamics, why misunderstandings happen even in loving partnerships, and how learning each other's emotional wiring can lead to deeper connection instead of ongoing frustration. We talk about why love and attachment can feel so powerful, why it's often harder than expected to let go of unhealthy relationships, and how personality patterns influence conflict, empathy, and emotional pacing. We also dig into Enneagram and relationships, including how different Enneagram types process feelings, respond to stress, and experience intimacy in very different ways. I share personal insights about discovering my own Enneagram 7 tendencies and how that awareness changed the way I understand closeness, independence, and emotional connection in my own relationships. As you listen, I invite you to notice where you may be assuming your partner experiences the world the same way you do. Understanding Enneagram personality types isn't about labeling or fixing yourself or your partner. It's about building compassion, improving communication, and creating relationships where both people feel understood and emotionally safe. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 The Relationship Mistake That Affects All Enneagram Types 03:55 Dr. Lisa's Enneagram Shift: From Type 3 to Enneagram 7 10:15 Enneagram Testing and Why Many People Mistype 15:54 Enneagram 7 in Relationships: Emotional Pacing and Empathy 23:43 Is Love Addictive? Attachment and Codependency in Relationships 34:50 Enneagram Types and Relationships: Using Differences to Grow 39:13 Compatibility vs. Companionability in Enneagram Relationships 52:05 A Relationship Exercise to Understand Your Enneagram Dynamic If this episode helped you see your relationship patterns more clearly, or helped you understand why certain dynamics keep repeating, I'd love to offer you a thoughtful next step. You're invited to schedule a free consultation designed to help you find the right kind of support for where you are right now. By answering three quick questions, we'll thoughtfully match you with a counselor or coach who understands relationships, personality, and the kind of growth you're working toward. This is a private, secure experience and a genuine gift of support, and it only takes a couple of minutes to get started. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self
How can you build iconic characters that your readers want to keep coming back to? How can you be the kind of creator that readers trust, even without social media? With Claire Taylor In the intro, Dan Brown talks writing and publishing [Tetragrammaton]; Design Rules That Make or Break a Book [Self-Publishing Advice]; Amazon's DRM change [Kindlepreneur]; Show me the money [Rachael Herron]; AI bible translation [Wycliffe, Pope Leo tweet]. Plus, Business for Authors 24 Jan webinar, and Bones of the Deep. Today's show is sponsored by Bookfunnel, the essential tool for your author business. Whether it's delivering your reader magnet, sending out advanced copies of your book, handing out ebooks at a conference, or fulfilling your digital sales to readers, BookFunnel does it all. Check it out at bookfunnel.com/thecreativepenn This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn Claire Taylor is a humour and mystery author, the owner of FFS Media, and a certified Enneagram coach. She teaches authors to write stronger stories and build sustainable careers at LiberatedWriter.com, and her book is Write Iconic Characters: Unlocking the Core Motivations that Fuel Unforgettable Stories. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights, and the full transcript is below. Show Notes Why Claire left social media and how she still markets her books and services What the Enneagram is and how core fears and desires shape character motivation Using Enneagram types (including Wednesday Addams as an example) to write iconic characters Creating rich conflict and relationships by pairing different Enneagram types on the page Coping with rapid change, AI, and fear in the author community in 2026 Building a trustworthy, human author brand through honesty, transparency, and vulnerability You can find Claire at LiberatedWriter.com, FFS.media, or on Substack as The Liberated Writer. Transcript of the interview with Claire Taylor Joanna: Claire Taylor is a humour and mystery author, the owner of FFS Media, and a certified Enneagram coach. She teaches authors to write stronger stories and build sustainable careers at LiberatedWriter.com, and her book is Write Iconic Characters: Unlocking the Core Motivations that Fuel Unforgettable Stories. So, welcome back to the show, Claire. Claire: Thank you so much for having me back. I'm excited to be here. Joanna: It's great to have you back on the show. It was March 2024 when you were last on, so almost two years now as this goes out. Give us a bit of an update. How has your writing craft and your author business changed in that time? Claire: One of the things I've been focusing on with my own fiction craft is deconstructing the rules of how a story “should” be. That's been a sort of hobby focus of mine. All the story structure books aren't law, right? That's why there are so many of them. They're all suggestions, frameworks. They're all trying to quantify humans' innate ability to understand a story. So I'm trying to remember more that I already know what a story is, deep down. My job as an author is to keep the reader's attention from start to finish and leave them feeling the way I hope they'll feel at the end. That's been my focus on the craft side. On the author business side, I've made some big shifts. I left social media earlier this year, and I've been looking more towards one-on-one coaching and networking. I did a craft-based Kickstarter, and I'd been focusing a lot on “career, career, career”—very business-minded—and now I'm creating more content again, especially around using the Enneagram for writing craft. So there's been a lot of transition since 2024 for me. Joanna: I think it's so important—and obviously we're going to get into your book in more detail—but I do think it's important for people to hear about our pivots and transitions. I haven't spoken to you for a while, but I actually started a master's degree a few months back. I'm doing a full-time master's alongside everything else I do. So I've kind of put down book writing for the moment, and I'm doing essay writing and academic writing instead. It's quite different, as you can imagine. It sounds like what you're doing is different too. One thing I know will have perked up people's ears is: “I left social media.” Tell us a bit more about that. Claire: This was a move that I could feel coming for a while. I didn't like what social media did to my attention. Even when I wasn't on it, there was almost a hangover from having been on it. My attention didn't feel as sharp and focused as it used to be, back before social media became what it is now. So I started asking myself some questions: What is lost if I leave? What is gained if I leave? And what is social media actually doing for me today? Because sometimes we hold on to what it used to do for us, and we keep trying to squeeze more and more of that out of it. But it has changed so much. There are almost no places with sufficient organic reach anymore. It's all pay-to-play, and the cost of pay-to-play keeps going up. I looked at the numbers for my business. My Kickstarter was a great place to analyse that because they track so many traffic sources so clearly. I could see exactly how much I was getting from social media when I advertised and promoted my projects there. Then I asked: can I let that go in order to get my attention back and make my life feel more settled? And I decided: yes, I can. That's worth more to me. Joanna: There are some things money can't buy. Sometimes it really isn't about the money. I like your question: what is lost and what is gained? You also said it's all pay-to-play and there's no organic reach. I do think there is some organic reach for some people who don't pay, but those people are very good at playing the game of whatever the platform wants. So, TikTok for example—you might not have to pay money yet, but you do have to play their game. You have to pay with your time instead of money. I agree with you. I don't think there's anywhere you can literally just post something and know it will reliably reach the people who follow you. Claire: Right. Exactly. TikTok currently, if you really play the game, will sometimes “pick” you, right? But that “pick me” energy is not really my jam. And we can see the trend—this “organic” thing doesn't last. It's organic for now. You can play the game for now, but TikTok would be crazy not to change things so they make more money. So eventually everything becomes pay-to-play. TikTok is fun, but for me it's addictive. I took it off my phone years ago because I would do the infinite scroll. There's so much candy there. Then I'd wake up the next morning and notice my mood just wasn't where I wanted it to be. My energy was low. I really saw a correlation between how much I scrolled and how flat I felt afterwards. So I realised: I'm not the person to pay-to-play or to play the game here. I'm not even convinced that the pay-to-play on certain social media networks is being tracked in a reliable, accountable way anymore. Who is holding them accountable for those numbers? You can sort of see correlation in your sales, but still, I just became more and more sceptical. In the end, it just wasn't for me. My life is so much better on a daily basis without it. That's definitely a decision I have not regretted for a second. Joanna: I'm sorry to keep on about this, but I think this is great because this is going out in January 2026, and there will be lots of people examining their relationship with social media. It's one of those things we all examine every year, pretty much. The other thing I'd add is that you are a very self-aware person. You spend a lot of time thinking about these things and noticing your own behaviour and energy. Stopping and thinking is such an important part of it. But let's tackle the big question: one of the reasons people don't want to come off social media is that they're afraid they don't know how else to market. How are you marketing if you're not using social media? Claire: I didn't leave social media overnight. Over time, I've been adjusting and transitioning, preparing my business and myself mentally and emotionally for probably about a year. I still market to my email list. That has always been important to my business. I've also started a Substack that fits how my brain works. Substack is interesting. Some people might consider it a form of social media—it has that new reading feed—but it feels much more like blogging to me. It's blogging where you can be discovered, which is lovely. I've been doing more long-form content there. You get access to all the emails of your subscribers, which is crucial to me. I don't want to build on something I can't take with me. So I've been doing more long-form content, and that seems to keep my core audience with me. I've got plenty of people subscribed; people continue to come back, work with me, and tell their friends. Word of mouth has always been the way my business markets best, because it's hard to describe the benefits of what I do in a quick, catchy way. It needs context. So I'm leaning even more on that. Then I'm also shifting my fiction book selling more local. Joanna: In person? Claire: Yes. In person and local. Networking and just telling more people that I'm an author. Connecting more deeply with my existing email lists and communities and selling that way. Joanna: I think at the end of the day it does come back to the email list. I think this is one of the benefits of selling direct to people through Shopify or Payhip or whatever, or locally, because you can build your email list. Every person you bring into your own ecosystem, you get their data and you can stay in touch. Whereas all the things we did for years to get people to go to Amazon, we didn't get their emails and details. It's so interesting where we are right now in the author business. Okay, we'll come back to some of these things, but let's get into the book and what you do. Obviously what underpins the book is the Enneagram. Just remind us what the Enneagram is, why you incorporate it into so much of your work, and why you find it resonates so much. Claire: The Enneagram is a framework that describes patterns of thoughts, feelings, and actions that tend to arise from nine different core motivations. Those core motivations are made up of a fear–desire pair. So, for instance, there's the fear of lacking worth and the desire to be worthy. That pair is the Type Three core motivation. If you're a Type Three, sometimes called “The Achiever,” that's your fundamental driver. What we fear and desire above all the other fears and desires determines where our attention goes. And attention is something authors benefit greatly from understanding. We have to keep people's attention, so we want to understand our own attention and how to cultivate it. The things our attention goes to build our understanding of ourselves and the world. Being intentional about that, and paying attention to what your characters pay attention to—and what your readers are paying attention to—is hugely beneficial. It can give you a real leg up. That's why I focus on the Enneagram. I find it very useful at that core level. You can build a lot of other things on top of it with your characters: their backstory, personal histories, little quirks—all of that can be built off the Enneagram foundation. Why I like the Enneagram more than other frameworks like MBTI or the Big Five is that it not only shows us how our fears are confining us—that's really what it's charting—but it also shows us a path towards liberation from those fears. That's where the Enneagram really shines: the growth path, the freedom from the confines of our own personality. It offers that to anyone who wants to study and discover it. A lot of the authors I work with say things like, “I'm just so sick of my own stuff.” And I get it. We all get sick of running into the same patterns over and over again. We can get sick of our personality! The Enneagram is a really good tool for figuring out what's going on and how to try something new, because often we can't even see that there are other options. We have this particular lens we're looking through. That's why I like to play with it, and why I find it so useful. Joanna: That's really interesting. It sounds like you have a lot of mature authors—and when I say “mature,” I mean authors with a lot of books under their belt, not necessarily age. There are different problems at different stages of the author career, and the problem you just described—“I'm getting sick of my stuff”—sounds like a mature author issue. What are some of the other issues you see in the community that are quite common amongst indie authors? Claire: One that comes up a lot, especially early on, is: “Am I doing this right?” That's a big question. People say, “I don't know if I'm doing this right. I'm going to mess it up. This person told me this was the way to do things, but I don't think I can do it this way. Am I doomed?” That's the fear. A lot of what I help people with is seeing that there isn't a single “right” way to do this. There's a way that's going to feel more aligned to you, and there are millions of ways to approach an author career because we're all constructing it as we go. You were there in the early days. We were all just making this up as we went along. Joanna: Exactly. There was a time when ebooks were PDFs, there wasn't even a Kindle, and there was no iPhone. We were literally just making it up. Claire: Right. Exactly. That spirit of “we're all making it up” is important. Some of us have come up with frameworks that work for us, and then we tell other people about them—“Here's a process; try this process”—but that doesn't mean it's the process. Understanding what motivates you—those core motivations—helps you see where you're going to bump into advice that's not right for you, and how to start making decisions that fit your attention, your life, your desires in this author role. Early on we do a lot of that work. Then there are the authors who started a while ago and have a bunch of books. They hit a point where they say, “I've changed so much since I started writing. I need to figure out how to adjust my career.” Joanna: Tell us more about that, because I think that's you and me. How do we deal with that? Claire: Well, crying helps. Joanna: That is true! There's always a bit of crying involved in reinvention. From my perspective, my brand has always been built around me. People are still here—I know some people listening who have been with the podcast since I started it in 2009—and I've always been me. Even though I've done loads of different things and changed along the way, at heart I'm still me. I'm really glad I built a personal brand around who I am, rather than around one genre or a single topic. How about you? How do you see it? Claire: I'm the same. I just can't stick with something that doesn't feel right for me anymore. I'll start to rebel against it. There's also that “good girl” part of me that wants to do things the way they're supposed to be done and keep everybody happy. I have to keep an eye on her, because she'll default to “this is the way it should be done,” and then I end up constricted. As we advance through our careers, positioning around what motivates us and what we love, and allowing ourselves to understand that it's okay to change—even though it's painful—is crucial. It's actually destructive not to change over time. We end up forfeiting so many things that make life worth living if we don't allow ourselves to grow and change. We end up in this tiny box. People sometimes say the Enneagram is very restrictive. “It's only nine types, you're putting me in a box.” It's like: no. These are the boxes we've put ourselves in. Then we use the Enneagram to figure out how to get out of the box. As we start to see the box we've put ourselves in with our personality—“that's me, that's not me”—we realise how much movement we actually have, how many options we have, while still being ourselves. Joanna: So many options. This kind of brings us into your book, because part of the personal brand thing is being real and having different facets. Your book is Write Iconic Characters, and presumably these are characters that people want to read more about. It uses the Enneagram to construct these better characters. So first up— What's your definition of an iconic character, as opposed to any old character? And how can we use the Enneagram to construct one? Claire: An iconic character, in my imagination, is one that really sticks with us after we've finished the story. They become a reference point. We'll say, “This person is kind of like that character,” or “This situation feels like that character would handle it this way.” It could be our friends, our enemies, someone we meet on the bus—whoever it is might remind us of this character. So they really get lodged in our psyche. An iconic character feels true to some fundamental part of the human condition, even if they're not strictly human. So, all the alien romance people listening, don't worry—you're still in! These characters take on a life of their own. With an iconic character, we may hear them talking to us after the book is done, because we've tapped into that essential part of them. They can become almost archetypal—something we go back to over and over again in our minds, both as writers and as readers. Joanna: How can we use the Enneagram to construct an iconic character? I'm asking this as a discovery writer who struggles to construct anything beforehand. It's more that I write stuff and then something emerges. But I have definitely not had a hit series with an iconic character, so I'm willing to give your approach a try. Claire: It works with whatever your process is. If you're a discovery writer, start with that spark of a character in your head. If there's a character who's just a glimmer—maybe you know a few things about them—just keep writing. At some point you'll probably recognise, “Okay, it's time to go deeper in understanding this character and create a cohesive thread to pull all of this together.” That's where the Enneagram becomes useful. You can put on your armchair psychologist hat and ask: which of the nine core fears seems like it might be driving the parts of their personality that are emerging? Thankfully, we intuitively recognise the nine types. When we start gathering bits for a new character, we tend to pull from essentially the same constellation of personality, even if we don't realise it. For instance, you might say, “This character is bold and adventurous,” and that's all you know. You're probably not going to also add, “and they're incredibly shy,” because “bold and adventurous” plus “incredibly shy” doesn't really fit our intuitive understanding of people. We know that instinctively. So, you've got “bold and adventurous.” You write that to a certain point, and then you get to a place where you think, “I don't really know them deeply.” That's when you can go back to the nine core fears and start ruling some out quite quickly. In the book, I have descriptions for each of them. You can read the character descriptions, read about the motivations, and start to say, “It's definitely not these five types. I can rule those out.” If they're bold and adventurous, maybe the core fear is being trapped in deprivation and pain, or being harmed and controlled. Those correspond to Type Seven (“The Enthusiast”) and Type Eight (“The Challenger”), respectively. So you might say, “Okay, maybe they're a Seven or an Eight.” From there, if you can pin down a type, you can read more about it and get ideas. You can understand the next big decision point. If they're a Type Seven, what's going to motivate them? They'll do whatever keeps them from being trapped in pain and deprivation, and they'll be seeking satisfaction or new experiences in some way, because that's the core desire that goes with that fear. So now, you're asking: “How do I get them to get on the spaceship and leave Earth?” Well, you could offer them some adventure, because they're bold and adventurous. I have a character who's a Seven, and she gets on a spaceship and takes off because her boyfriend just proposed—and the idea of being trapped in marriage feels like: “Nope. Whatever is on this spaceship, I'm out of here.” You can play with that once you identify a type. You can go as deep with that type as you want, or you can just work with the core fear and the basic desire. There's no “better or worse”—it's whatever you feel comfortable with and whatever you need for the story. Joanna: In the book, you go into all the Enneagram types in detail, but you also have a specific example: Wednesday Addams. She's one of my favourites. People listening have either seen the current series or they have something in mind from the old-school Addams Family. Can you talk about [Wednesday Addams] as an example? Claire: Doing those deep dives was some of the most fun research for this book. I told my husband, John, “Don't bother me. I need to sit and binge-watch Wednesday again—with my notebook this time.” Online, people were guessing: “Oh, she's maybe this type, maybe that type.” As soon as I started watching properly with the Enneagram in mind, I thought: “Oh, this is a Type Eight, this is the Challenger.” One of the first things we hear from her is that she considers emotions to be weakness. Immediately, you can cross out a bunch of types from that. When we're looking at weak/strong language—that lens of “strength” versus “weakness”—we tend to look towards Eights, because they often sort the world in those terms. They're concerned about being harmed or controlled, so they feel they need to be strong and powerful. That gave me a strong hint in that direction. If we look at the inciting incident—which is a great place to identify what really triggers a character, because it has to be powerful enough to launch the story—Wednesday finds her little brother Pugsley stuffed in a locker. She says, “Who did this?” because she believes she's the only one who gets to bully him. That's a very stereotypical Type Eight thing. The unhealthy Eight can dip into being a bit of a bully because they're focused on power and power dynamics. But the Eight also says, “These are my people. I protect them. If you're one of my people, you're under my protection.” So there's that protection/control paradox. Then she goes and—spoiler—throws a bag of piranhas into the pool to attack the boys who hurt him. That's like: okay, this is probably an Eight. Then she has control wrested from her when she's sent to the new school. That's a big trigger for an Eight: to not have autonomy, to not have control. She acts out pretty much immediately, tries to push people away, and establishes dominance. One of the first things she does is challenge the popular girl to a fencing match. That's very Eight behaviour: “I'm going to go in, figure out where I sit in this power structure, and try to get into a position of power straight away.” That's how the story starts, and in the book I go into a lot more analysis. At one point she's attacked by this mysterious thing and is narrowly saved from a monster. Her reaction afterwards is: “I would have rather saved myself.” That's another strong Eight moment. The Eight does not like to be saved by anyone else. It's: “No, I wanted to be strong enough to do that.” Her story arc is also very Eight-flavoured: she starts off walled-off, “I can do it myself,” which can sometimes look like the self-sufficiency of the Five, but for her it's about always being in a power position and in control of herself. She has to learn to rely more on other people if she wants to protect the people she cares about. Protecting the innocent and protecting “her people” is a big priority for the Eight. Joanna: Let's say we've identified our main character and protagonist. One of the important things in any book, especially in a series, is conflict—both internal and external. Can we use the Enneagram to work out what would be the best other character, or characters, to give us more conflict? Claire: The character dynamics are complex, and all types are going to have both commonalities and conflict between them. That works really well for fiction. But depending on how much conflict you need, there are certain type pairings that are especially good for it. If you have a protagonist who's an Eight, they're going to generate conflict everywhere because it doesn't really bother them. They're okay wading into conflict. If you ask an Eight, “Do you like conflict?” they'll often say, “Well, sometimes it's not great,” but to everyone else it looks like they come in like a wrecking ball. The Eight tends to go for what they want. They don't see the point in waiting. They think, “I want it, I'm going to go and get it.” That makes them feel strong and powerful. So it's easy to create external and internal conflict with an Eight and other types. But the nature of the conflict is going to be different depending on who you pair them with. Let's say you have this Eight and you pair them with a Type One, “The Reformer,” whose core fear is being bad or corrupt, and who wants to be good and have integrity. The Reformer wants morality. They can get a little preachy; they can become a bit of a zealot when they're more unhealthy. A One and an Eight will have a very particular kind of conflict because the One says, “Let's do what's right,” and the Eight says, “Let's do what gets me what I want and puts me in the power position.” They may absolutely get along if they're taking on injustice. Ones and Eights will team up if they both see the same thing as unjust. They'll both take it on together. But then they may reach a point in the story where the choice is between doing the thing that is “right”—maybe self-sacrificing or moral—versus doing the thing that will exact retribution or secure a power-up. That's where the conflict between a One and an Eight shows up. You can grab any two types and they'll have unique conflict. I'm actually working on a project on Kickstarter that's all about character dynamics and relationships—Write Iconic Relationships is the next project—and I go deeper into this there. Joanna: I was wondering about that, because I did a day-thing recently with colour palettes and interior design—which is not usually my thing—so I was really challenging myself. We did this colour wheel, and they were talking about how the opposite colour on the wheel is the one that goes with it in an interesting way. I thought— Maybe there's something in the Enneagram where it's like a wheel, and the type opposite is the one that clashes or fits in a certain way. Is that a thing? Claire: There is a lot of that kind of contrast. The Enneagram is usually depicted in a circle, one through nine, and there are strong contrasts between types that are right next to each other, as well as interesting lines that connect them. For example, we've been talking about the Eight, and right next to Eight is Nine, “The Peacemaker.” Eights and Nines can look like opposites in certain ways. The Nine is conflict-avoidant, and the Eight tends to think you get what you want by pushing into conflict if necessary. Then you've got Four, “The Individualist,” which is very emotional, artistic, heart-centred, and Five, “The Investigator,” which you're familiar with—very head-centred and analytical, thinking-based. The Four and the Five can clash a bit: the head and the heart. So, yes, there are interesting contrasts right next to each other on the wheel. Each type also has its own conflict style. We're going into the weeds a bit here, but it's fascinating to play with. There's one conflict style—the avoidant conflict style, sometimes called the “positive outlook” group—and it's actually hard to get those types into an enemies-to-lovers romance because they don't really want to be enemies. That's Types Two, Seven, and Nine. So depending on the trope you're writing, some type pairings are more frictional than others. There are all these different dynamics you can explore, and I can't wait to dig into them more for everyone in the relationships book. Joanna: The Enneagram is just one of many tools people can use to figure out themselves as well as their characters. Maybe that's something people want to look at this year. You've got this book, you've got other resources that go into it, and there's also a lot of information out there if people want to explore it more deeply. Let's pull back out to the bigger picture, because as this goes out in January 2026, I think there is a real fear of change in the community right now. Is that something you've seen? What are your thoughts for authors on how they can navigate the year ahead? Claire: Yes, there has been a lot of fear. The rate of change of things online has felt very rapid. The rate of change in the broader world—politically, socially—has also felt scary to a lot of people. It can be really helpful to look at your own personal life and anchor yourself in what hasn't changed and what feels universal. From there you can start to say, “Okay, I can do this. I'm safe enough to be creative. I can find creative ways to work within this new environment.” You can choose to engage with AI. You can choose to opt out. It's totally your choice, and there is no inherent virtue in either one. I think that's important to say. Sometimes people who are anti-AI—not just uninterested but actively antagonistic—go after people who like it. And sometimes people who like AI can be antagonistic towards people who don't want to use it. But actually, you get to choose what you're comfortable with. One of the things I see emerging for authors in 2026, regardless of what tools you're using or how you feel about them, is this question of trustworthiness. I think there's a big need for that. With the increased number of images and videos that are AI-generated—which a lot of people who've been on the internet for a while can still recognise as AI and say, “Yeah, that's AI”—but that may not be obvious for long. Right now some of us can tell, but a lot of people can't, and that's only going to get murkier. There's a rising mistrust of our own senses online lately. We're starting to wonder, “Can I believe what I'm seeing and hearing?” And I think that sense of mistrust will increase. As an author in that environment, it's really worth focusing on: how do I build trust with my readers? That doesn't mean you never use AI. It might simply mean you disclose, to whatever extent feels right for you, how you use it. There are things like authenticity, honesty, vulnerability, humility, integrity, transparency, reliability—all of those are ingredients in this recipe of trustworthiness that we need to look at for ourselves. If there's one piece of hard inner work authors can do for 2026, I think it's asking: “Where have I not been trustworthy to my readers?” Then taking that hard, sometimes painful look at what comes up, and asking how you can adjust. What do you need to change? What new practices do you need to create that will increase trustworthiness? I really think that's the thing that's starting to erode online. If you can work on it now, you can hold onto your readers through whatever comes next. Joanna: What's one concrete thing people could do in that direction [to increase trustworthiness]? Claire: I would say disclosing if you use AI is a really good start—or at least disclosing how you use it specifically. I know that can lead to drama when you do it because people have strong opinions, but trustworthiness comes at the cost of courage and honesty. Transparency is another ingredient we could all use more of. If transparency around AI is a hard “absolutely not” for you—if you're thinking, “Nope, Claire, you can get lost with that”—then authenticity is another route. Let your messy self be visible, because people still want some human in the mix. Being authentically messy and vulnerable with your audience helps. If you can't be reliable and put the book out on time, at least share what's going on in your life. Staying connected in that way builds trust. Readers will think, “Okay, I see why you didn't hit that deadline.” But if you're always promising books—“It's going to be out on this day,” and then, “Oh, I had to push it back,” and that happens again and again—that does erode the trustworthiness of your brand. So, looking at those things and asking, “How am I cultivating trust, and how am I breaking it?” is hard work. There are definitely ways I look at my own business and think, “That's not a very trustworthy thing I'm doing.” Then I need to sit down, get real with myself, and see how I can improve that. Joanna: Always improving is good. Coming back to the personal brand piece, and to being vulnerable and putting ourselves out there: you and I have both got used to that over years of doing it and practising. There are people listening who have never put their photo online, or their voice online, or done a video. They might not use their photo on the back of their book or on their website. They might use an avatar. They might use a pen name. They might be afraid of having anything about themselves online. That's where I think there is a concern, because as much as I love a lot of the AI stuff, I don't love the idea of everything being hidden behind anonymous pen names and faceless brands. As you said, being vulnerable in some way and being recognisably human really matters. I'd say: double down on being human. I think that's really important. Do you have any words of courage for people who feel, “I just can't. I don't want to put myself out there”? Claire: There are definitely legitimate reasons some people wouldn't want to be visible. There are safety reasons, cultural reasons, family reasons—all sorts of factors. There are also a lot of authors who simply haven't practised the muscle of vulnerability. You build that muscle a little bit at a time. It does open you up to criticism, and some people are just not at a phase of life where they can cope with that. That's okay. If fear is the main reason—if you're hiding because you're scared of being judged—I do encourage you to step out, gently. This may be my personal soapbox, but I don't think life is meant to be spent hiding. Things may happen. Not everyone will like you. That's part of being alive. When you invite in hiding, it doesn't just stay in one corner. That constricted feeling tends to spread into other areas of your life. A lot of the time, people I work with don't want to disclose their pen names because they're worried their parents won't approve, and then we have to unpack that. You don't have to do what your parents want you to do. You're an adult now, right? If the issue is, “They'll cut me out of the will,” we can talk about that too. That's a deeper, more practical conversation. But if it's just that they won't approve, you have more freedom than you think. You also don't have to plaster your picture everywhere. Even if you're not comfortable showing your face, you can still communicate who you are and what matters to you in other ways—through your stories, through your email list, through how you talk to readers. Let your authentic self be expressed in some way. It's scary, but the reward is freedom. Joanna: Absolutely. Lots to explore in 2026. Tell people where they can find you and your books and everything you do online. Claire: LiberatedWriter.com is where all of my stuff lives, except my fiction, which I don't think people here are necessarily as interested in. If you do want to find my fiction, FFS Media is where that lives. Then I'm on Substack as well. I write long pieces there. If you want to subscribe, it's The Liberated Writer on Substack. Joanna: Brilliant. Well, thanks so much for your time, Claire. That was great. Claire: Thanks so much for having me.The post Leaving Social Media, Writing Iconic Characters, and Building Trust With Claire Taylor first appeared on The Creative Penn.
Find out more about The Art of GrowthTake a free Enneagram Test HERE.Sign up for the “Your Enneagram Starting Point” course HERE. Get Enneagram Certified HERE.Find out more about Teams Training HERE.Order our book on the Instincts: HERESet up One-on-One coaching HERE.www.theartofgrowth.org Email us your thoughts and questions! Follow us on Instagram at ArtofGrowth for more on this subject this month and let us know what you are doing.© The Art of Growth ™ 2025Support the showhttps://www.theartofgrowth.org/
As we shift into this new year with intention, best-selling author and influencer Hannah Brencher, Type 4, author of The Unplugged Hours: Cultivating a Life of Presence in a Digitally Connected World, joins us for a conversation about building healthy tech habits in marriage and family life. Featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and more with a reach of 200K+, Hannah brings beautiful creative ways to unplug that cover all three instincts: self-preservation (creating time for health and rest), sexual (more presence in your marriage), and social (intentional with people, not just scrolling). As a Type 4 who needs depth, authenticity, and space for creativity, Hannah shares her end-of-day phone ritual where she turns her phone down, uses a brick phone of sorts, how she helps her type 2 hubby with his phone, and fascinatingly relies on yellow legal pads to inspire analog creativity instead of defaulting to screens. She and Christa explore how to navigate tech boundaries in marriage without conflict, too. Hannah also shares how she's thinking about tech habits for her family and building boundaries while her kids are young and most impressionable with habits. This conversation is full of practical wisdom, gentle encouragement, and honest reflection on how to reclaim presence in a digitally connected world with intention, too. Watch on YouTube! Find Hannah's work at HannahBrencher.com Follow Hannah at Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hannahbrencher/?hl=en Find Hannah's book, The Unplugged Hours here! https://a.co/d/fmw0XqV Other E + M News: Don't forget! Use the special E + M Code Marriage100 for $100 the Russ Hudson Three Instincts course here! https://russhudson.com/the-instincts-and-inner-work-building-practices-for-transforming-our-life-patterns/ Find more about your type, the pod, freebies, and SO much more at our website right here! www.EnneagramandMarriage.com Love what you're learning on E + M? Make sure you leave us a podcast review so others can find us, too here! Get Christa's Best-Selling Book, The Enneagram in Marriage, here! https://a.co/d/df8SxVx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Send us a textWhen the future feels foggy, and the next step isn't clear, what does it look like to move forward with wisdom, not just grit and tenacity?In this final episode of the Wholehearted Rhythms mini-series, Amy shares a grounded reflection on discernment, drawn from James 1, personal story, and the wholehearted lens of spiritual formation. Rather than forcing answers, this conversation invites you to listen, reflect, and receive wisdom that often comes in the waiting, not before you come to a tidy ending.You'll explore:How Scripture reframes wisdom as something formed through perseverance.Why wise discernment often happens in the company of trusted guides and story witnesses.The role your personal story plays in helping you notice God's movement.How this posture of listening prepares the way for Wholehearted Storywork in the year ahead.You'll also receive a simple 3-question wisdom practice to help you start your next chapter, not with striving, but with ease.Because even when the plan isn't obvious, wisdom is still being offered.Grab your gift for the new year: The Wholehearted Abundance Journalhttps://www.simplywholehearted.com/thejourneytowholeheartedabundanceSupport the showRESOURCES FOR YOU: Book a High-Value Clarity Call with Amy Wicks https://www.simplywholehearted.com/callamywicks Not sure about your Enneagram Type? Start here: https://www.simplywholehearted.com/enneagramquiz Wholehearted Enneagram Coachinghttps://bit.ly/SWcoachingcollectiveEnnea-what? The Beginners Guide to the Enneagram(free course + printables)https://bit.ly/Enneagram101GuideThe Real History of the Enneagram Course(use code AMY for 40% OFF)https://bit.ly/EnneagramHistoryShould Christians Use the Enneagram? (Amy's book)https://amzn.to/3VB9PrxConnect with Amy:IGWebsite
What happens when the need to appear competent becomes the very thing that disconnects us from others—and from ourselves? In this deeply honest and surprisingly funny conversation, Ian welcomes author, speaker, and Enneagram Three, Steve Cuss for a wide-ranging dialogue on anxiety, performance, false self, and the quiet freedom that comes with becoming more human-sized. Drawing from Steve's experience as a hospital chaplain, pastor, and leadership consultant, they explore why our most polished coping strategies often come from fear, how predictable patterns keep us stuck, and why anxiety is so contagious in families, churches, and organizations. Along the way, they unpack the Enneagram Three's drive to succeed, the exhaustion of self-presentation, the difference between ambition and authenticity, and why true maturity looks a lot like being relaxed—no masks required. Expect stories, laughs, hard-earned wisdom, and a refreshing reminder that you don't have to win the room to belong in it. If your nervous system needs a deep breath and your soul could use some permission to stand down from proving itself, this episode is for you. About Steve Cuss Steve Cuss, M.Div. is a pastor, former chaplain, and founder of Capable Life, which helps people lower internal and relational anxiety in the workplace and homeplace. Steve is a Spiritual Care Professional in the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, holding 1600 hours of supervised ministry in CPE and a Masters degree focusing on Family Systems Theory and Theology. Steve, his wife, Lisa, and their two sons and a daughter live in Erie, Colorado. Connect with Steve at: Website: https://capablelife.com and https://stevecusswords.com Soul Care Intensives: https://capablelife.com/pages/intensives Podcast: Being Human with Steve Cuss Instagram | X
What if your most meaningful work begins after you stop striving to prove yourself? In this warm, wide-ranging conversation, I sit down with old friend, songwriter, filmmaker, and Enneagram Two Andrew Greer for a heartful exploration of loneliness, love, boundaries, creativity, and what it really means to live a good life. Andrew opens up about the hidden sadness behind the Enneagram Two's gift for connection—the ache that often fuels the desire to help, anticipate, and care for others. Together, we unpack how pride, control, and fear of being a burden can quietly shape relationships, and how learning to receive may be the most courageous spiritual practice of all. We also dive into Andrew's new book, More Than a President, and explore Jimmy Carter as a quintessential Enneagram One—principled, disciplined, justice-driven, and far more impactful after the presidency than during it. This episode is a meditation on personality, vocation, and maturity—on shifting focus from résumé to soul, from achievement to love, from striving to rest. It's thoughtful, funny, deeply human, and quietly challenging. Pull up a chair. This one stays with you. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Andrew Greer Author, musician, and filmmaker, Andrew Greer has published three books, released multiple chart-topping recordings, and directed the PBS documentary Plainspoken, a film inspired by the lives of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter and their neighbors in Plains, Georgia. A Texas native, and longtime Nashvillian, Greer now makes his home in Plains. Website: https://www.andrew-greer.com/ New Book: http://sundayswithjimmycarter.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewbgreer/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agreermusic
Dr. Jennifer Freed, psychological astrologer, sits down with Enneagram coach Courtney Smith for a 2026 forecast focused on fire energy, disruption, and growth. Together, they explore what that means across the zodiac and how each Enneagram type can work with what's coming. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices