Resource of the Month – December 2011

If there is one thing I hoard, it is books on the Enneagram. I have read a lot of books on the topic. The Enneagram is a personality typing system that suggests 9 different programs that individuals adopt. I use the Enneagram in treatment with many clients and find it to be an extremely useful tool for personal development.

I’m recommending David Daniels’ and Virginia Price’s book, The Essential Enneagram: The Definitive Personality Test and Self-Discovery Guide for anyone who wants an introduction to the Enneagram. This 90-something page book is very accessible and has a pretty good tool at the beginning to help readers begin to discern their type. I have used this book for a couple of training events and I have been pleased with the introduction it has given participants. The descriptions are short enough not to overwhelm and varied enough to be accessible to someone looking at the Enneagram system for the first time. I particularly like the category Price and Daniels developed for each type called “I put my energy into”…As I read this small section for each personality type, I can clearly see myself in my own type and see others in theirs. Check it out and see what you think!

In addition to having descriptions of each type, in section 2 of the book, called “What to do when you have discovered your type”, Daniels and Price give practical ideas for growth and integration for each type. This is great because I am all about moving towards integration once the discovery of type is made. Every person has room to grow and has something to learn. Section 2 gives structure to how you might reflect each day on your type’s emotional snares and then offers a healthy framework for considering a different path.

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