Discovery Counseling - Dallas Texsas

Discovery Counseling - Theraputic Approach

Discovery Counseling - Dallas Texsas - Areas of Focus

Discovery Counseling - Dallas Texsas - Myers-Briggs

Discovery Counseling - Dallas Texsas - Enneagram

Discovery Counseling - Dallas Texsas - Client Experiences

Discovery Counseling - Dallas Texsas - Choosing a Therapist

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The Enneagram

The Enneagram is the defense part of the personality. When we are born, we are fully integrated, mind, body and spirit. As children we begin to get negative messages about ourselves. These can be verbal messages or can come from abuse, family dysfunction, family roles, or unaccepted personality type. We look to our parents as God-like, needing them to survive. Therefore, if Mom says there is something wrong with us, there must be. If we do not feel loved by Dad, we must not be lovable. In order to emotionally survive, we put a part of ourselves away for protection. This protection is our defense system or Enneagram type.

We continue to use this defense system into adulthood, providing us a variety of emotional coping skills and techniques, often times living more out of the defense than the true self. The defense part of the personality becomes heightened when under periods of stress.

There are nine different Enneagram Types (Ennea originating from the Greek word for nine). There are several assessment tools in books and on the internet to determine a person’s Enneagram type, but it is best explored orally with a trained facilitator who can clarify your type. Here is a brief summary of the 9 types:

One - Core Issue Anger: Anger stuffed, perfectionist, critical, self critical, uses the word “should” often, feels anger is wrong, has found the “right” way to do everything, black and white thinking.

Two - Core Issue Identity: Gets identity through others, codependent, pleaser, anticipates the needs of others, martyr, controls through helpfulness.

Three - Core Issue Identity: Determines identity through what other people want from them, façade, fear failure, workaholics, stay constantly busy, worried about appearance, repackage themselves to fit what the other person wants them to be.

Four - Core Issue Identity: Needs to be different, self absorbed, melancholy, dramatic, has frequent mood swings, attracted to symbolism, looks for deep meaning.

Five - Core Issue Fear: Fear of emptiness, constant search for information, withdraws, soft voice, observes life rather than participating, frugal, loner, detached.　

Six - Core Issue Fear: Constantly trying to keep themselves safe, anxious, hyper-vigilant, careful, cautious, distrusts authority, loyal, filled with doubt.

Seven - Core Issue Fear: Fear of pain, eternal optimist, focus on fun, avoid emotional pain, narcissistic, does not see problems.

Eight - Core Issue Anger: Anger turned out of against, aggressive, confrontational, likes power, bucks authority, likes verbal bantering.

Nine - Core Issue Anger: Anger buried, wants peace at any cost, flat affect, laid back, avoids conflict, merges with others, escapes into sleep, passive-aggressive.