SESSION ONE

Foundations of the Enneagram in Trauma Treatment

Session one introduces learners to the foundational concepts of the Enneagram as a framework relevant to clinical practice. Through lecture and group discussion participants will explore the historical origins, structure, and contemporary application of the Enneagram in mental health settings. This session also includes an broad, introductory overview of the Enneagram personality types. 

Learning Objectives

1. Identify the origins, structure, historical and contemporary psychological applications of the Enneagram model. 

SESSION TWO

Core Motivations, Strengths, and Blind Spots

Learners will engage in an in-depth exploration of the nine Enneagram personality types including each type’s core motivations, fears, desires, strengths and blind spots. Through lecture and group discussion participants will deepen their understanding of unconscious patterns of each and how they may influence client’s behavior, capacity for self-awareness and relationships and how they may use this understanding to develop empathy and appreciation for a client’s way of being. 

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the core motivations, strengths, and blind spots associated with each of the nine Enneagram personality types.
2. Utilize an understanding of Enneagram dynamics to enhance empathy and relational effectiveness in clinical settings. 

SESSION THREE

The Enneagram & the Practitioner

Through lecture, guided self-reflection, and group discussion, participants will explore how their own Enneagram type shapes their therapeutic presence, particularly in areas such as rapport-building, countertransference, and stress management.

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze how their Enneagram type influences their professional interactions, including strengths, limitations, and relational dynamics
2. Apply strategies to manage personal biases and stress responses that may affect the therapeutic relationship.

SESSION FOUR

The Enneagram as a Tool for Healing

This session will allow participants to gain a comprehensive understanding of how the Enneagram can promote healing in various contexts, including personal growth, relationships, and professional settings. Participants will learn how each Enneagram type processes pain, reacts to stress, and seeks resolution through lecture and group discussion. Emphasis will be placed on applying Enneagram-informed strategies to promote emotional healing and trauma recovery.

Learning Objectives

1. Explain how each Enneagram type’s core fears and desires influence their healing process and response to stress.
2. Apply practical strategies for using the Enneagram to identify and navigate trauma recovery. 

SESSION FIVE

Introduction to Trauma Before Type

Through lecture and group discussion participants will explore how adaptations to trauma can mimic core personality traits, leading to mistyping and clinical misunderstanding through lecture and group discussion. Practical tools for grounding, self-regulation, and trauma-informed assessment will be introduced to support safe and effective Enneagram work.

Learning Objectives

1. Differentiate between trauma-driven adaptive behaviors, coping mechanisms and core personality traits to support more accurate client understanding.
2. Apply grounding and self-regulation techniques to help clients manage emotional responses during Enneagram exploration.

SESSION SIX

The Role of the Practitioner in Trauma Recovery

Participants will learn the foundational elements of trust-building and rapport essential to trauma recovery work for cultivating psychological safety within the therapeutic relationship through lecture and group discussion. Learners will learn how to apply the Connect 5 framework which offers actionable tools for creating and maintaining emotionally safe environments for client exploration and healing during experiential exercises.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify key strategies for establishing psychological safety, trust, and rapport in trauma-focused therapeutic work.
2. Apply the Connect 5 framework to facilitate emotionally secure conversations and promote client healing. 

SESSION SEVEN

Trauma-Informed Care & Cultural Competency

Participants will learn to integrate principles of trauma-informed care when using the Enneagram by utilizing cultural competence and humility. Through lecture, group discussion, and self reflection, learners will explore how personal, cultural, and systemic biases may impact therapeutic relationships and outcomes. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the effects of historical trauma within marginalized communities and applying inclusive, culturally responsive strategies in practice.

Learning Objectives

1. Define cultural competence and humility and explain their role in delivering inclusive, trauma-informed care when using the Enneagram.
2. Identify personal and systemic biases and apply strategies to mitigate their impact on therapeutic relationships and outcomes.

SESSION EIGHT

Significance of Practitioner Self-Care

Participants will explore the impact of vicarious trauma and secondary traumatic stress, and develop personalized self-care strategies aligned with their Enneagram type. This session provides practical tools for stress management, boundary setting, and emotional regulation through lecture, self-reflective exercise, and group discussion. 

Learning Objectives

1. Explain the importance of self-care in mitigating secondary traumatic stress and maintaining professional effectiveness. 
2. Apply self-care strategies, including stress management and boundary setting. 

SESSION NINE

Stress, Chronic Stress & Trauma

Learning will engage in an in-depth examination of the distinctions between stress, chronic stress, and trauma, and their unique impacts on mental health and functioning. Through lecture, case examples, and group discussion, participants will develop skills to assess, differentiate, and respond appropriately to each condition. Practical strategies for stress management and trauma-sensitive interventions for clinical effectiveness will be introduced. 

Learning Objectives

1. Differentiate between stress, chronic stress, and trauma, explaining their distinct impacts on mental health. 
2. Apply practical strategies for managing stress and chronic stress, and recognize when trauma-focused interventions are necessary.

SESSION TEN

Enneagram Types & Trauma

Learners will examine how Enneagram personality types and instinctual variants influence an individuals' experiences of trauma, their coping mechanisms, and their path to healing. Through lecture, case studies, and group discussion, participants will learn to identify the strengths, vulnerabilities, and instinct-driven behaviors that emerge in response to trauma across Enneagram types. 

Learning Objectives

1. Describe how each Enneagram type’s core patterns influence their response to trauma, including common strengths and vulnerabilities. 
2. Analyze how different instinctual variants impact trauma responses and coping mechanisms.

SESSION ELEVEN

Developing Adaptive Schemas within Enneagram Type

Learners will examine the relationship between the Enneagram and schema development, emphasizing the distinction between adaptive and maladaptive patterns. Through lecture and group discussion, participants will learn how each Enneagram type influences schema formation and how to reframe maladaptive beliefs using the client’s growth (integration) path. Practical strategies will be introduced to foster healthier, more resilient patterns of thinking and behavior. 

Learning Objectives

1. Differentiate between adaptive and maladaptive schemas and explain their impact on personal growth and well-being.
2. Apply Enneagram-informed strategies to reframe maladaptive schemas by using the client’s integration point to promote healthier cognitive and emotional patterns.

SESSION TWELVE

Schema Integration & Application

This experiential session will provide participants opportunities for practical application of Enneagram-informed schema work. Through role plays, group discussions, and reflection, participants will practice identifying maladaptive schemas, applying growth points for reframing, and developing adaptive patterns in simulated client scenarios. 

Learning Objectives

1. Practice applying Enneagram-based strategies to identify and reframe maladaptive schemas in client scenarios.
2. Demonstrate skill in using integration points to support the development of adaptive, growth-oriented schemas in therapeutic practice.

SESSION THIRTEEN

Trauma, Client Enneagram Type & Resilience

Using case studies, role plays, and group discussions, participants will apply practical strategies for recognizing trauma responses through the lens of Enneagram types and tailoring interventions to support individualized healing processes. Learners will be able to integrate trauma-informed principles with Enneagram insights to increase client resilience and self-awareness. 

Learning Objectives

1. Apply trauma-informed principles and Enneagram insights to foster client resilience and self-awareness in the healing process.
2. Demonstrate the ability to tailor trauma interventions to clients’ Enneagram types.

SESSION FOURTEEN

Practitioner Resilience & Self-Regulation 

This session aims to enhance therapist resilience and self-regulation by integrating Enneagram insights with practical self-care strategies. Participants will explore how to identify personal stress triggers, set healthy boundaries, and prevent burnout through personalized approaches based on their Enneagram type. Through experiential exercises, mindfulness techniques, and stress management practices, participants will leave with actionable tools to sustain their well-being while maintaining professional effectiveness.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify personal stress triggers and coping mechanisms using the Enneagram.
2. Develop personalized self-care practices to enhance resilience and prevent burnout.
3. Apply mindfulness, grounding, and boundary-setting techniques to manage stress and ensure long-term professional and personal well-being.

SESSION FIFTEEN

Resilience & Somatic Practices for Each Enneagram Type 

This session will introduce somatic practices tailored to each Enneagram type for enhancing resilience, emotional regulation, and healing. Participants will explore how type-specific patterns influence physical and emotional well-being and learn to incorporate somatic tools—such as breathwork, movement, and body awareness—into therapeutic practice. This lecture based and experiential session equips therapists with effective strategies to support clients in managing stress and building resilience through embodied practices. 

Learning Objectives

1. Apply somatic practices aligned with each Enneagram type to support stress management, resilience-building, and emotional regulation in clients.

SESSION SIXTEEN

Practitioner Resilience & Self-Regulation  

This session will provide learners with essential ethical guidelines for integrating the Enneagram into clinical practice. Through lecture and group discussion, participants will explore key ethical considerations such as confidentiality, informed consent, boundaries, and the appropriate use of Enneagram assessments. The session will also address referral best practices, equipping participants with the knowledge to ensure clients receive appropriate care when necessary, and maintain professional and ethical standards. 

Learning Objectives

1. Apply ethical principles such as confidentiality, informed consent, and boundaries when using the Enneagram in therapy.
2. Utilize referral best practices to ensure clients receive appropriate care.

INSTRUCTOR

Sharon K. Ball, LPC-MHSP 

believes human connection is the essence of existence, enhancing personal and collective growth. As an Enneagram type 3, she is driven by a love for humanity and a passion for positive change. As the founder of 9Paths, Sharon leverages genuine human connection, trauma-informed practices, the Enneagram, and inclusion to create balanced organizations. Established in 2013, 9Paths specializes in training programs for Fortune 100 companies, focusing on workplace psychological safety, racial dynamics, and trauma-informed trainings.

Sharon, a published author, speaker, and organizational trainer, advocates for mental health care and quality clinical treatment. She founded The Greystone Retreat, a counseling clinic servicing the Nashville Metro area, and believes recovery from trauma can unite and connect people, communities, and workplaces.

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Registration closes August 15, 2025

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Need special accommodations or have questions, please contact us:

615-403-8150

9paths.com

[email protected]

Nashville TN