Are you crazy? Adler didn’t even like
typologies. He argued for the uniqueness of each person — that’s
why he called his approach: Individual Psychology. Yes, but
he had a rudimentary typology which included three of the
Enneagram styles. Also, his notion of style of life fits very well
with Enneagram lifestyles. And his application of Vaihinger’s
philosophy of “acting as if ” is a useful tool for expanding one’s
Enneagram paradigm. Not to mention Adler’s ideas about
fictional final goals and earliest childhood memories give insights
into the origins and outcomes of one’s Enneagram style. Plus his
ideas about the creative self and social interest are also relevant.
And what about birth order? Does that have anything to do with
Enneagram type? Through input, personal reflection, typealike
sharing, and feedback to the large group, we’ll look at the
relevance of Adler’s psychology for the Enneagram.
Jerry Wagner, Ph.D. is the author of the Enneagram Spectrum
of Personality Styles: an Introductory Guide; the Wagner
Enneagram Personality Style Scales (WEPSS); and Two Windows |