​​​

You absolutely could - and many people do. But here's what you'll miss: the Enneagram isn't just a personality label, it's a developmental system. Reading about your type online tells you what your patterns are. Working with a coach shows you how those patterns operate in your real life and how to work with them effectively.

​

Online resources also can't help you when you mistype (which is common), can't answer your specific questions about how your type shows up in your unique circumstances, and can't hold up a mirror when you're in denial about your blindspots.

​

Plus, the Enneagram gets exponentially more useful when you understand the layers beyond your core type - triads, wings, instinctual variants, paths of integration and disintegration - as well as when you understand how the types interact. Most free resources only scratch the surface. Coaching gives you the complete map and teaches you how to read it. If you simply want to satisfy your own curiosity, free resources are fine. If you want to actually change patterns that have been running your life for decades, that requires something deeper.​

Therapy typically focuses on healing past wounds, processing emotions, and addressing mental health concerns. Enneagram coaching is about learning a framework for ongoing self-observation and personal development. I'm teaching you a system you can use for the rest of your life, not treating psychological issues. Many clients do both - they're complementary, not competing. To be clear, however, Enneagram coaching is NOT a substitute for seeing a licensed therapist.

No, we will spend the first 30 minutes or so determining your type. Figuring out your Enneagram type is kind of like looking in 9 different mirrors, and deciding which one you see yourself reflected in. Another metaphor that's commonly used is that it's like going to the eye doctor. The doctor flips through different lenses, asking which one helps you see better. We're trying to see which "lens," or in our case, which Enneagram type, brings you into focus.​

​

If you do know your Enneagram type already, that's great! Beginner and intermediate level Enneagram practitioners can still benefit from coaching, especially if you're revisiting it after extended time away, or have never discussed it with a coach! 

Someone not resonating with their type usually tells me that they have mistyped. Mistyping happens, especially if you took an online test while stressed, answered aspirationally, or identify strongly with your wing or stress point. Working with an Enneagram coach can help you land on your true type, which is usually a powerful experience for most people.

​

Furthermore, all psychological typologies are theoretical approximations of reality. That's why there are so many - DISC, Big Five (OCEAN), StrengthsFinder, Myers-Briggs, the list goes on. Each framework approximates a complex reality with theory, but no matter how accurate the theory is, there will be data points it does not account for. I have chosen to work with the Enneagram specifically for many reasons, but two reasons rise to the fore: people resonate powerfully with it, and it has growth and development as a built-in component.

The Enneagram symbol can be traced back to ancient religious traditions, like Sufism, the Jewish Kabbala, and first century Christian mysticism (check out Where on Earth did the Enneagram come from? by Fátima Fernández Christlieb for an in-depth look). Its modern application to personality psychology was developed by Oschar Ichazo and Dr. Claudio Naranjo in the 1960s and 70s. And while the system has esoteric origins, today it's used by therapists, business coaches, human resources departments, retreat facilitators, and anyone committed to self-awareness and personal growth. It's been used by major organizations like Genentech, Motorola, and the CIA for team development, and has been studied and developed at academic institutions like Stanford and Loyola Chicago. 

​

I see clients at Twin Sun Healthcare in Uptown, Tribe Healing Arts Community in Lakeview, and online via Zoom (see Contact Me tab for maps). I strongly recommend booking at least your first appointment in-person if you are in Chicago. Some clients switch back and forth between in-person and online depending on their schedule and availability.

My coaching is bundled in packages of 1, 3 or 6 sessions because there is a scope and a sequence to learning the Enneagram. There are certain topics we need to cover first, and certain topics we need to cover together for the sake of cohesion and coherence. My coaching curriculum is built to be delivered in these specific timeframes (1, 3 or 6 sessions).

Yes, you'll have reflection exercises, observation prompts, and sometimes simple tracking practices to deepen your awareness between sessions. This isn't homework in the traditional sense - it's about paying attention to yourself in new ways. The work you put in between our sessions is often where the biggest insights occur.

If you booked a single session but afterward discover that you'd like to continue, the amount already paid will be applied to the package you select via a manual discount. Please contact me or discuss this with me in session so that I can assist.

I will help you schedule a follow-up appointment at the end of the session or via phone/email at a later time.