The Enneagram is a map of the human personality. It’s a tool for navigating relationships. It creates language for what motivates us and helps us look at the way we look at everything else. Most importantly the enneagram is a mirror; because sometimes you need help seeing yourself.
Jeff Cook and TJ Wilson are joined by Brendan, an Enneagram Six living with chronic pancreatitis, chronic pain, PTSD, and life after a total pancreatectomy. Alongside TJ's experience with fibromyalgia, they explore how chronic illness interacts with Enneagram type, revealing why two people facing similar pain can respond in profoundly different ways. Together they discuss the invisible burden of chronic illness, the struggle to be believed by doctors and loved ones, how different personality types advocate for themselves (or don't), and why pain so often compounds our deepest patterns of fear, responsibility, identity, and control. The conversation also explores work, marriage, shame, recovery, grief, and the difficult process of accepting a "new normal" when life cannot return to what it once was. Along the way, they offer hope through meaningful connection, mindfulness, movement, and the possibility that understanding ourselves can help us navigate suffering with greater compassion. Connect with us at aroundthecircle.org #Enneagram #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #MentalHealth
"It's important that I'm not perceived as..." The answers uncover the hidden identities each type works to protect—from the Four's fear of being ordinary or misunderstood, to the Three's struggle with competence and authenticity, the Two's desire to remain indispensable and easy to love, and the One's deep concern with integrity, intention, and being seen as fundamentally good. We are wrapping up our dive into the experiences of shame for 4s, 3s, 2s, and 1s. #Enneagram #Shame #BreneBrown #SelfAwareness #PersonalGrowth
Connect with us: HERE _______ Hope. Courage. Grief. Longing. Continuing through Brené Brown's Atlas of the Heart , Jeff explores what happens when suffering changes not just how we feel, but how we imagine the future. Why does despair convince us tomorrow will look exactly like today? Why is being unseen in our suffering one of the loneliest human experiences? And why does returning to our center matter so much when life becomes disorienting? At the heart of the discussion is a simple conviction: hope is not naïve optimism. It is the fuel that gives courage something to run on—and perhaps the beginning of every meaningful recovery.
Sex is rarely just about sex. In this conversation, Jeff sits down with sexuality researcher Dr. Sam Greenberg and certified sex therapist Lyndsey Fraser to explore how the Enneagram shapes intimacy, desire, communication, and long-term relationships. Moving beyond stereotypes, they discuss why so many couples struggle with mismatched desire, why "low desire" is often something else entirely, and how each Enneagram type approaches vulnerability, attraction, and connection in distinctive ways. The episode takes a deep dive into two common pairings— Eight/Nine and Four/Six —examining the ways these couples pursue intimacy, avoid rejection, communicate desire, and unknowingly frustrate one another. Along the way, they explore the roles of trust, shame, healthy sexual development, gender expectations, instincts, and why understanding motive can transform the way partners experience one another. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all advice, this conversation argues that healthy sexuality begins with self-awareness. The Enneagram becomes more than a personality system—it becomes a language for expressing desire, understanding your partner, and discovering what intimacy actually asks of us. Connect with Sam HERE and Lyndsey HERE Comment on the episode HERE Our Prior Episdoes on Sex and Enneagram are Here and Here .
Join our weekly Reading Room discussions and workshops at : www.aroundthecircle.org Why are contradictory emotions so uncomfortable—and why might they actually be signs of growth? In this Reading Room episode, Jeff explores Chapter 5 of Brené Brown's Atlas of the Heart through the lens of the Enneagram. From bittersweetness and nostalgia to cognitive dissonance and paradox, the conversation examines why mature people learn to hold tension rather than rush toward certainty. Drawing on philosophy, psychology, and the Enneagram, this episode explores intellectual humility, reflection versus rumination, and the surprising wisdom found in ambiguity. #Enneagram #BreneBrown #AtlasOfTheHeart #PersonalGrowth #SelfAwareness
Connect with us : HERE Shame is often less about what we've done and more about who we fear others think we are. Drawing from Brené Brown's, we explore a simple but revealing prompt: "It's important that I'm not perceived as..." The answers expose the identities each Enneagram type works hardest to protect—and the hidden assumptions that quietly shape our relationships, reactions, and sense of self. Focusing on Types Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, and Five, the conversation examines how unwanted identities trigger shame, why our blind spots are often invisible to us, and how growth begins not by defending ourselves, but by accepting the parts of ourselves we'd rather deny. Join us to talk more about Dr. Brown's Book : HERE
Two return guests! Today, I chat with Remy and BJ, two long-time friends who have helped each other heal from past hurts and traumas. We chat about what it means to be a friend, and how 4s and 2s can have a mutually beneficial relationship due to their stress & security lines. Find BJ's initial episode here Find Remy's episodes here: Part 1 , Part 2 Cohort Applications are now LIVE!!!!! Find the application and a list of FAQs on my website Follow me on Instagram for updates and more class opportunities
Join the Reading Room: HERE Around the Circle members are invited to our live Tuesday evening discussions as we work through books that deepen our understanding of the Enneagram and the inner life. ___ What happens when we stop trying to have all the answers? In this episode of Reading Room , Jeff Cook continues through Chapter Four of Brené Brown's Atlas of the Heart , exploring the emotions that arise when life stretches beyond our understanding: awe, wonder, confusion, curiosity, interest, and surprise . The conversation examines why awe reconnects us to the natural world, why confusion may be one of the most important conditions for learning, and why curiosity is not simply a feeling but perhaps one of the great human virtues. Along the way, Jeff reflects on philosophy, science, education, weight training, Einstein, Oppenheimer, and the Enneagram to ask a deeper question: What if growth begins not with better answers, but with better questions? This episode also marks a personal shift. After years of teaching, writing, and producing content built around providing answers, Jeff shares why he believes the next season of his work will be centered on curiosity, conversation, and learning alongside others rather than speaking from certainty. Join us as we continue working through Chapter 4 of Atlas of the Heart and consider what it means to become people who embrace wonder, welcome confusion, and cultivate the courage to remain curious.
Become a Member : HERE Sign up for Second Saturday : HERE How do Threes, Sixes, and Nines build relationships—and why do they sometimes suddenly detach from them? In this month's Second Saturday workshop, members of the Around the Circle community explore the unique relational strategies of the Enneagram's attachment types. Together we discuss how Threes create environments of success and affirmation, Sixes cultivate safety and trust, and Nines foster peace and understanding—not only for others, but as a way of experiencing those same realities themselves. The conversation then turns toward the more difficult questions: What leads these types to "cut and run"? How do failure, uncertainty, dismissal, validation, trust, agency, and emotional discomfort shape their relationships? Along the way, participants share remarkably honest personal stories about conflict, belonging, detachment, repair, and growth. One of the richest conversations we've had in this series, this discussion offers a thoughtful look at the ways attachment types connect, disconnect, and learn to stay present when relationships become difficult.
We continue our journey into different types of relationships with a SIBLING podcast today. Lindsay and Leah are two sisters who also work together, and we talk about the type of trust that they have built with each other in doing so. We also get into the core differences between 1 & 6 with an interesting discussion on what it means to want autonomy and the differences in how we trust ourselves. Find Leah and Lindsay's counseling work on their Instagram , website , or Facebook ALSO - the cohort application is still open! Visit my website for FAQs or to apply Message me on Instagram with any questions, and follow me to get updated info on future classes and cohorts!
What does the real work of the Enneagram look like for Type Twos? In this episode of Inside Story , Kristin sits down with coach Candice Michelle for a rich conversation about shame, pride, anxiety, and the lifelong practice of self-awareness. Along the way, they explore why Twos often struggle to receive help, how TV characters can illuminate our personality patterns, and why doing "the work" isn't about becoming perfect—it's about learning new practices that help us stay connected to ourselves. From Ted Lasso and The Office to conversations about emotional ownership, chronic pain, relationships, and the stories we tell ourselves, this episode is an honest look at what growth really feels like. Whether you're a Two or simply trying to understand the people you love, you'll find practical insight, laughter, and plenty of moments that invite deeper reflection. You can connect with Candice Michelle here: https://www.instagram.com/candicemichelleenneagram/
In celebration of the nation's 250th Anniversary, we do a deep dive into one of our favorite movies highlighting the best of America : Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln." This is the full 7 hour discussion. If you prefer to listen to it in parts go to : THE MOVIE TYPING PODCAST
Big things are happening!!! I'm so excited to announce the launch of my new cohort program in Cincinnati. Joey Schewee and I will be working together to teach a dedicated group of people all about the Enneagram and how to apply it to your life. We will also be joined by Andrew Kohr, a dear friend of mine who is well-versed in the intersection between Enneagram and story work. Applications are now live on my website. Cohort dates (2027): January 29-30 April 16-17 September 24-25 November 12-13 Apply Now Message me on Instagram with any questions or send me an email at katie@9fold.life
Subscribe. iTunes | Youtube | Spotify What four films best capture the story of America? In this Fourth of July edition of Sacred Frames , Jeff Cook, Sean Palmer, and Mike Yager each build their own cinematic "Mount Rushmore," selecting four films they believe reveal the promises, contradictions, triumphs, and tragedies that have shaped the American experiment. From Far and Away , Do the Right Thing , Wall Street , and The Right Stuff to Lincoln , Killers of the Flower Moon , Saving Private Ryan , Malcolm X , and beyond, the conversation explores immigration, race, capitalism, war, religion, identity, and the enduring tension between America's highest ideals and its deepest failures. Rather than asking which films are the greatest, this episode asks a different question: Which stories help us understand who America has been—and who it might still become?
In this week's Reading Room, we dive into Chapter 3 of Brené Brown's Atlas of the Heart : "The Places We Go When Things Don't Go as Planned." Jeff explores boredom, disappointment, regret, discouragement, resignation, and frustration through the lens of the Enneagram, asking what these emotions reveal about desire, courage, vulnerability, and the stories we tell ourselves. Why does disappointment occupy so much of our emotional lives? What does it mean to name what we truly want? And how can regret become a path toward wisdom instead of shame? Join us Tuesday : HERE
Parents of neurodivergent children often carry questions, grief, hope, and a fierce love all at once. In this conversation with Christina Young, creator of The Autistic Enneagram and mother of three autistic children, we explore autism, parenting, the Enneagram, and what it looks like to create environments where children can truly flourish—not by changing who they are, but by understanding them more deeply. Connect with Christina on Instagram : HERE Or at her website : HERE The video of this episode is up at www.aroundthecircle.org
We're traveling to Alaska this week! Braden & Lydia walk us through their relationship as a young 3 & 9; we chat about performance, rest, & meeting each other in the middle. A quick disclaimer for this video - we had some audio issues around the 15 minute mark. They resolve themselves in ~5 minutes but Braden's comments were so good that I didn't want to cut them out! You might also notice some fluctuations in volume across the recording because of this. Also - tune in next week for a big SURPRISE!!!!!!!! Follow me on Instagram to keep up to date with new episodes and happenings
JOIN US ON TUESDAYS : HERE In this week’s Reading Room, Jeff explores Brené Brown’s discussion of comparison and the surprising emotions that can grow from it: admiration, reverence, envy, jealousy, resentment, schadenfreude, and freudenfreude. Along the way, he reflects on why some comparisons inspire growth while others expose our wounds, how resentment may be rooted in hidden envy and unmet needs, and why celebrating the success of others might be one of the deepest forms of connection available to us. From Enneagram insights to questions of justice, self-worth, and belonging, we're invited to pay closer attention to what our emotions are trying to teach us.
What happens when an Enneagram Eight is also autistic, non-binary, and willing to speak candidly about their inner world? For Jeff’s 50th, he sits down with his oldest, Augie Cook, for a discussion about identity, neurodivergence, gender, family, and the Enneagram. Together they explore what it feels like to move through the world as an autistic person, how sensory processing shapes daily life, why so many assumptions about Eights miss the mark, and how understanding motives can deepen relationships. The conversation also explores the overlap between autism and online communities, the experience of being non-binary, the challenges autistic adults face around work and belonging, and the importance of allowing people the freedom to understand and express themselves on their own terms.
In this episode, we continue our exploration of the spaces between the Enneagram types by examining the shared ground between Eights and Nines, and between Nines and Ones. While these pairings can appear very different on the surface, they often share deeper motivations, struggles, and strengths that reveal the logic of the Enneagram symbol itself. Jeff and Katie discuss themes like guardedness, resistance, agency, self-control, confidence, team dynamics, conflict avoidance, and the unique relationship these body types have with anger. Along the way, they explore why Eights and Nines can seem so stubborn, why Nines often act with quiet certainty after long periods of reflection, and how Ones and Nines both wrestle with what is happening inside of themselves before it reaches the outside world. The conversation also highlights the gifts these types bring to relationships, teams, and communities: stability, consensus-building, thoughtfulness, and a desire to create environments where people can thrive together. Whether you're an Eight, Nine, One, or simply curious about the dynamics between these types, this discussion offers a deeper look at the motivations that unite and distinguish them.
