The Enneagram has been having a moment—and for good reason. It’s not just another personality test designed to tell you which type of bread you’d be in a past life (although we love a good quiz). The Enneagram digs deep. It’s a tool that helps people understand their core motivations, fears, and patterns of behavior in a way that feels surprisingly personal and, at times, a little uncanny.
In therapy, the Enneagram can become a kind of roadmap. Not a rigid one, but a dynamic guide that offers insight into how someone navigates the world emotionally, relationally, and even spiritually. It helps explain why people do what they do—not just what they do. And in a therapeutic space, that kind of self-awareness is gold.
So, what exactly is the Enneagram?
The Enneagram is a personality framework that categorizes people into nine core types, each with its own unique set of motivations, fears, and internal narratives. Unlike other personality models that tend to focus on behaviors, the Enneagram gets under the hood and looks at the “why” behind those behaviors.
For example, two people might both be high-achieving and driven. But one might be a Type 3, motivated by the desire to be seen as successful and valuable, while the other might be a Type 1, driven by a deep need to do the “right” thing and improve the world. Same behaviors, totally different engines.
Why therapists use it
In therapy, insight is often the first step toward meaningful change. The Enneagram can help clients (and therapists) gain a clearer picture of habitual patterns—especially the ones that feel frustrating or hard to break.
When a client starts to see how their core fears or desires are shaping their reactions, it becomes easier to interrupt those patterns and choose a different response. Therapy isn’t about labeling someone with a number and leaving it there—it’s about using that number as a starting point for curiosity, growth, and compassion.
And here’s where it gets even more useful: the Enneagram also highlights how each type acts when they’re doing well versus when they’re under stress. That makes it a helpful barometer. A Type 9 might notice they’re slipping into passivity or avoidance when they’re overwhelmed, while a Type 8 might see that their intensity is ramping up in ways that shut people out. The model gives clients language to understand themselves with nuance.
What it’s not
It’s important to say this upfront: the Enneagram is not a diagnosis or a therapeutic intervention on its own. It doesn’t replace therapy. It doesn’t explain everything. And it’s not meant to box anyone in. Humans are complex, and no one fits perfectly into a single category all the time.
Instead, the Enneagram is more like a mirror. It reflects back certain patterns and offers a way to explore the “why” behind our behaviors. For some people, it’s a lightbulb moment. For others, it’s a slow unfolding. Either way, it opens the door for deeper self-inquiry.
How it can show up in session
In therapy, a client’s Enneagram type might come up when working on boundaries, self-esteem, emotional regulation, or relationships. A therapist might gently notice how a client’s core fear of being unwanted (hello, Type 2) shows up in their people-pleasing patterns. Or they might explore how a client’s inner critic (often loud for Type 1s) makes it hard to rest or feel “good enough.”
It’s not about making everything fit the type—it’s about seeing what resonates and letting it guide the work. For many clients, having that framework offers validation: “Oh, I’m not broken—this is just a pattern I learned to survive.” That insight alone can be healing.
The takeaway
Using the Enneagram in therapy doesn’t mean turning sessions into number games or personality deep-dives (unless that’s your thing). It means tapping into a tool that can foster compassion, self-awareness, and growth. Whether someone sees themselves clearly in a single type or relates to several, the Enneagram offers language and structure to help make sense of the emotional terrain they’re navigating.
At its best, it helps people move from “Why do I keep doing this?” to “Ah, now I get it.” And that kind of clarity is where change begins.
