What is the Enneagram?
The Enneagram is a powerful tool for understanding yourself, the box you’re in, and pathways to help you get out of that box and find enhanced freedom for yourself and in your relationships!
All of us have unconscious habits of thinking, feeling, and doing that are getting in the way of our personal and spiritual growth. Becoming aware of those inner motivations and messages can lessen our suffering and set us free to be who God created us to be. This self-awareness can make day-to-day life and relationships a LOT less frustrating!
We will learn to see ourselves as we are: reflections of the divine… creatures of habit… children of God….
We offer a variety of classes on the Enneagram, some in person, some online. Stay tuned to this space for upcoming offerings.
Join the Mailing List
If you’d like to hear about upcoming Enneagram learning opportunities, sign up for our email list.
Quick Links
- Stand-Alone class: Stances
- Introduction to the Enneagram (4 sessions)
- Resources for Enneagram Beginners
- Our Enneagram Teaching Team
Stand-Alone Classes
TOPIC CHANGE: Stances*
Wednesday, July 31
7-8:30pm
Online on Zoom
*This is a TOPIC CHANGE – we were originally going to do Conflict Styles; we’ll do that this fall.
Each Enneagram type uses certain strategies to get their core needs for autonomy, attention, or security met – we call these the Stances or Social Styles. Types 3/7/8 INITIATE to get their needs met. Types 1/2/6 COOPERATE to get their needs met. Types 4/5/9 WITHDRAW to get their needs met. We’ll flesh all this out and have time for conversation.
If you’re not sure of your core type yet, this class could help you figure it out – all welcome.
We’ll post a link to the Zoom here a day or two beforehand, and we’ll email the link to everyone who’s signed up.
We invite contributions in any amount toward the Adult Discipleship ministry at Hilliard UMC. Your generosity helps us continue to offer classes such as this, and we’re humbled by and grateful for your donations.
Introduction to the Enneagram
4 Sessions
We’ll probably offer this again Fall 2024
The Enneagram is a powerful tool for understanding yourself, the box you’re in, and pathways to help you get out of that box and find enhanced freedom for yourself and in your relationships.
In this 4-sessions class, we’ll explore the 9 Enneagram types and help you begin the process of discerning your core type, and we’ll teach you some foundational practices to develop your self-awareness. We have seen knowledge of the Enneagram make a HUGE difference in people’s lives and relationships, contributing deeply to inner growth, so we encourage you to consider signing up!
It can take a while to land on your core type, and we find that it tends to be more effective to do that introductory learning and self-exploration over several sessions.
Suggested donation: $25-$50 to support the Enneagram teaching ministry (pay what you can; contributions of any amount welcome). We never want the cost of a class or materials to prevent your participation, so if you don’t have money this time, it’s on us, with joy. And if you’d like to contribute a few extra dollars toward someone else’s class experience, we’d be honored by your donation. Click or tap the button below, use the ADULT DISCIPLESHIP fund, and select “Enneagram class.”
Facilitators: Beth Palmer (Director of Adult Discipleship), Julie Johnson, and Lora McConnell, our Enneagram teaching team.
Endorsements from our January/February 2023 online class:
- “15 out of 10! I loved the class and would love to attend an advanced class. Also, I would love to discuss offering this to my team. Thank you for this ministry!” -Amy P.
- “Exceeded expectations! Beth and Aimee are fantastic instructors. They made each person feel valued and welcomed, which opened the door for better discussions and questions. Their passion for the subject matter is wonderful, and their generosity in sharing was so appreciated. Thanks for the time well spent!” – Coleen M.
- “This was a fantastic class! I learned so much and found both facilitators to be so knowledgeable and generous with their time and explanations. I have already recommended the class to a friend in one of my small groups.” – Wendy B.
New to the Enneagram?
Not sure of your Number yet?
One-on-one Typing Conversations
We offer one-on-one typing conversations. Contact Beth Palmer, Director of Adult Discipleship, to schedule with any member of the teaching team. Suggested donation $50-$100 (pay what you can).
The Enneagram typing session with Beth Palmer was extremely beneficial to my Enneagram journey, and I would highly recommend Beth as a facilitator to anyone who is looking to learn more about the Enneagram.
Bethani A., Spring 2021
Resources for Beginners
There’s a lot of Enneagram information out there these days, and that can be overwhelming for those new to its wisdom! Here are some recommendations and resources for learning about the Enneagram and discerning your type. Reach out to Beth Palmer, Director of Adult Discipleship, with your questions.
- The Enneagram Institute is an excellent resource. Their “Learn” section is full of important, well-respected teaching.
- The Road Back to You, by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile, is a good introduction. It’s easy to read and full of good stories, and it tends to be pretty helpful in type identification for beginners. We have a couple of copies in the church office ($20); contact Beth Palmer to arrange pick up.
- Fr. Richard Rohr’s Center for Action and Contemplation has a good introduction.
- Anything by Russ Hudson! Check out his Enneagram teachings on his website (russhudson.com) and on YouTube; search for him as a guest on various podcasts; read his books. We especially recommend his series of stand-alone webinars in collaboration with The Awakened Company, especially episode numbers 3 (“How Do I Find My Enneagram Type”), 2 (“The Original and Core Teachings of the Enneagram”), and 4 (“Strengths and Weaknesses of the Enneagram Types”) ($25-$35 each on demand).
- While we don’t recommend Enneagram tests in general, as they’re often inaccurate, here’s a simple one that might help point you in the right direction. Your self-observations are a far better indicator of your type. Think about what you were like in your teens and twenties; this is when the Ego Personality is generally most obvious.
Recommended podcasts (start with the first episodes):
- The Enneagram Journey, by Suzanne Stabile.
- Enneagram 2.0, by Beatrice Chestnut and Uranio Paes.
- Typology, by Ian Morgan Cron.
About the Enneagram Teaching Team
Julie Johnson, Lora McConnell, and Beth Palmer have significant training on the Enneagram, including classes with and books by Russ Hudson, Bea Chestnut, Belinda Gore, Lisa Bueche, Connie Frecker, the Enneagram Institute, the Enneagram Institute of Ohio, and the International Enneagram Association. Beth Palmer, M.Div., Director of Adult Discipleship for Hilliard UMC, and Julie Johnson are certified as Applied Enneagram Professionals through the Enneagram Institute of Ohio (including 56 hours of coursework), and Lora’s working on her certification.
Support the Enneagram Teaching Ministry
Want to help support this teaching ministry with a financial contribution to the church? You can give from your phone using our Vanco Mobile app or online through our giving platform, Vanco (click or tap the button below, use the ADULT DISCIPLESHIP fund, and select “Enneagram class”).
We also never want the cost of a book or class to keep you from participating, so please sign up whether you can contribute financially or not! Pay what you want, if you can, and otherwise it’s on us, happily! And if you’d like to pay it forward and contribute a few extra dollars toward someone else’s class or book, we receive all contributions with gratitude. Thank you!
Staff Contact
Beth Palmer, Director of Adult Discipleship
bpalmer@hilliardumc.org
614.876.2403 (church office)