Hello! I am Shelby, a licensed professional counselor who loves all things enneagram, and works with clients at The Works Counseling Center located in Nashville, TN.
Today, we are wrapping up our nine-part series focusing on the enneagram and how it may be used in therapy. If you are interested in reading previous blog posts on this subject or want to explore earlier numbers, please click here.
Disclaimer: This blog is not meant to be all-inclusive about this enneagram number, nor is it intended to replace or provide professional counseling services; this blog’s intended purpose is to provide informal discussion on the enneagram as it relates to professional counseling and mental health. *
Let’s begin.
The “peacemaker” is the name of the enneagram type nine. Rightfully named, the peacemaker archetype is characterized by a strong desire to promote and maintain harmony with a strong
adversity to conflicts and tension. Some famous examples of this enneagram type are: Barack Obama, Abraham Lincoln, and Ronald Reagan. Notice a pattern there?
When peacemakers are at their best, they are able to cultivate harmony in tension, and bring others together without sacrificing their own needs. They are adaptive, strong communicators, and natural teachers. At less healthy levels, someone who identifies with this enneagram type may feel overburdened with the responsibility to promote peace and may cope with this by sacrificing their own wants and needs. If an enneagram nine copes this way for too long of a period, they may eventually experience a loss of their sense of identity and have a difficult time knowing what they want. An enneagram nine may become apathetic as a result.
When an enneagram nine comes to counseling, something they may focus on in their work is waking up to their own wants and dreams, and learning their identity outside of being the one to mediate relationships. An enneagram nine can learn to balance their need for external peace without fully sacrificing their own needs. Peacemakers are adept at creating and maintaining peace, and are just as worthy of peace of mind themselves.
A message of affirmation and healing for our peacemakers: “Your wants and needs matter.” A challenge: To learn that conflict can also be a part of creating peace.
Enjoying learning about the enneagram and want to know more? Please find book suggestions and references below.
Books:
- The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery
- By Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile
- The Path Between Us: An Enneagram Journey to Healthy Relationships By Suzanne Stabile
References:
If you are interested in exploring the enneagram with professional therapy services or would like to work with a mental health professional, please contact The Works Counseling Center for more information.
