Childhood and the Enneagram : The Stories that Shape Us

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Send a textIn this episode of Childhood and the Enneagram: Stories That Shape Us, we step into the vibrant inner world of the Type Seven child—the Enthusiast, or what I often call the child who learns to stay safe by staying happy.Emerging Type Seven children are energetic, imaginative, and full of possibility. They bring light, laughter, and creativity wherever they go. Yet beneath their optimism often lives a quiet fear of being trapped in pain, boredom, or hard emotions. Their unspoken question becomes: What if slowing down hurts too much?We’ll explore how early experiences shape a Seven’s relationship with discomfort, why distraction can become a survival strategy, and how their joy can sometimes mask unprocessed sadness or fear. Using the Harmony Triad model, I’ll share how Type Seven children can learn to tolerate difficult feelings, build steadiness, and discover that joy becomes deeper—when it’s grounded.Whether you’re raising a Seven, supporting one in your work, or seeing these patterns in yourself, this episode offers understanding and hope. You’ll learn how to help a Seven slow down without feeling trapped, how to make room for all emotions—not just the happy ones—and how to remind them that they don’t have to outrun pain to be free. 

Send a textIn this episode of Childhood and the Enneagram: Stories That Shape Us, we explore the emotional landscape of the Type Six child—the Loyalist, or what I often call the watchful child who is always scanning for safety.Emerging Type Six children are deeply perceptive, loyal, and attuned to the emotional climate around them. They long for security, trust, and belonging, and often wrestle with persistent questions like: Who can I trust? and Am I safe? Beneath their questions and worries lies a brave heart trying to prepare for every possible outcome.We’ll look at how childhood experiences—especially inconsistency, unpredictability, or emotional stress—shape a Six’s inner narrative, and how their fear can sometimes be mistaken for defiance, neediness, or overthinking. Through the lens of the Harmony Triad, I’ll share how Emerging Type Six children can find grounding, confidence, and calm without losing their natural loyalty and courage.Whether you’re parenting an Emerging Six, working with one professionally, or recognizing these patterns in yourself, this episode offers clarity and compassion. You’ll learn how to create felt safety through consistency and honesty, how to support a Six without reinforcing anxiety, and how to remind them that fear doesn’t define them—courage does.

Send a textIn this episode of Childhood and the Enneagram: Stories That Shape Us, we step into the inner world of the Emerging Type Five child—the Observer, or what I often call the child who learns to stay safe by needing less.Emerging Type Five children are thoughtful, curious, and wise beyond their years. They watch closely, think deeply, and often retreat inward when the world feels overwhelming. Beneath their independence, many Fives wrestle with a quiet fear of depletion and an unspoken belief that their needs might be “too much.”We’ll explore how early childhood experiences shape a Five’s relationship with safety, energy, and connection, and how well-meaning adults can sometimes misinterpret withdrawal as self-sufficiency. Using the Harmony Triad model, I’ll share how Type Five children can learn to reconnect with their emotions and embodied strength—without losing the brilliance of their minds.Whether you’re raising an Emerging Five, teaching or counseling one, or recognizing these patterns in yourself, this episode offers language, insight, and reassurance. You’ll learn how to invite a Five into connection without overwhelm, how to affirm their inner world, and how to remind them that they don’t have to disappear to belong—they are safe to need, safe to receive, and already enough.

Send a textIn this episode of Childhood and the Enneagram: Stories That Shape Us, we step into the emotional world of the Type Four child—the Individualist, or as I like to call them, the deep-feeling child. Fours long to be seen for who they truly are and often wrestle with the haunting question: “What’s wrong with me?”We’ll explore how childhood messages shape their longing for authenticity, the gifts of their creativity and sensitivity, and the struggles they face with shame, comparison, and feeling “different.” I’ll share insights from the Harmony Triad model to show how Type Fours can find grounding in structure and joy in possibility, without losing the beauty of their emotional depth.Whether you’re raising a Four, teaching or counseling one, or recognizing Type Four traits in yourself, this episode will give you language, guidance, and hope. You’ll discover how to affirm a Four’s feelings without being swept away, and how to remind them they are not missing anything—they are already whole and deeply loved.

Send a textIn this heartfelt episode, we step into the inner world of the Enneagram Type Three child—confident, motivated, and often praised for their performance. But beneath the gold stars and success stories lies a deeper question: Am I still loved if I stop achieving?Join Susan Parker Jones, licensed therapist and author of The Wholehearted Child, as she explores how emerging Type Threes develop the belief that love must be earned through doing and impressing. Learn how to support your Three child in reconnecting with their full self—beyond the image—and find out how the Harmony Triad can help them slow down, feel their feelings, and rest in the truth: You are already enough.Whether you're parenting a Three, teaching one, or healing your own childhood narrative, this episode offers insight, encouragement, and powerful tools to shift from performance to presence.

Send a textIn this heartfelt episode, we explore the world of Enneagram Type Two—children who long to be loved and needed, and who often learn early on to earn connection through helping others. Known as the Helper, this type shines with warmth, empathy, and generosity—but underneath may carry the heavy burden of shame, believing their worth depends on what they do for others.Join Susan Parker Jones, licensed therapist and author of The Wholehearted Child, as she unpacks how the Type Two child forms their identity, how the Harmony Triad (2–5–8) can help restore balance, and what caregivers can do to nurture self-worth and healthy boundaries. You’ll leave with practical tools, compassionate insight, and real encouragement—whether you're raising a Type Two child or healing the one inside yourself.Topics Covered:The shame-based dragon Type Twos wrestle withEarly childhood messages that shape their patternsHow to support emotional honesty and boundariesHarmony triad integration (2–5–8) in parentingWhat Type Twos need to hear to feel safe and seen✨ Whether you’re a parent, educator, or therapist, this episode will help you guide your little helper toward wholeness—not just helpfulness.

Send a textIn this episode, we explore the tender heart and high standards of the Type One child—often called the Improver or Reformer. These kids are responsible, principled, and driven by a deep desire to get it right. But behind the helpfulness and maturity is often an inner critic that never quiets down.We’ll talk about how Type One children manage their anger, why they may struggle with black-and-white thinking, and how their need to be good can come at the cost of joy. You’ll learn practical strategies to help them embrace self-compassion, integrate their full Harmony Triad (1-4-7), and build a new inner narrative: “I don’t have to be perfect to be loved.”This one’s for every parent, teacher, or caregiver supporting a child who carries the quiet weight of being the good one.

Send a textIn this episode of Childhood and the Enneagram: Stories That Shape Us, we explore Type 9—the Peacemaker—and how their natural desire for peace can quietly lead them to lose touch with their own voice. Licensed therapist and Enneagram practitioner Susan Parker Jones explains how Type 9 children often learn to withdraw or merge with others to avoid conflict, and what parents can do to help them develop confidence, self-awareness, and emotional resilience. You’ll learn how the dragon of anger shows up for Type 9s, how to support their growth through the Harmony Triad, and how to gently guide them toward wholeness without sacrificing their beautiful gift of peace.Whether you're raising a Type 9 child or recognize these patterns in yourself, this conversation offers insight, encouragement, and practical tools for healing and growth.

Send a textWhat does it mean to raise—or be—a Type 8? In this episode, Susan Parker Jones dives deep into the bold, instinctive, and often misunderstood energy of the Type Eight child. Learn how to recognize emerging Eight traits, support your child’s resilience and heart space, and use the Enneagram Harmony Triad (8–2–5) to foster balance. Whether you're raising a strong-willed child or healing your own inner Eight, this episode offers practical insights and heartfelt encouragement for the journey.

Send a textIn this opening episode of Childhood and the Enneagram, licensed therapist and author Susan Parker Jones lays the foundation for the journey ahead. Discover how the Enneagram—especially through the lens of the Harmony Model—can help us understand the stories we formed in childhood and the patterns we carry into parenting, relationships, and personal growth.We’ll explore the three centers of intelligence (Head, Heart, and Body), the emotional dragons of fear, shame, and anger, and how our early coping strategies shape our reactions today. This isn’t about labeling or diagnosing—it’s about deepening compassion, expanding awareness, and beginning to heal the Inner Childhood Narrative that lives in us all.Whether you're a parent, educator, therapist, or someone curious about your own story, this episode invites you to reflect, grow, and begin the journey toward greater clarity and connection.

Send a textIn this heartfelt episode of Childhood and the Enneagram, Susan Parker Jones invites you to look beneath the surface of children’s behavior and discover what’s really going on inside.Whether it’s a tantrum, defiance, or withdrawal, every behavior carries a story — and a need. Drawing from trauma-informed strategies like Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and real-life examples, Susan explores how we can move from correction to connection.You’ll learn the importance of nervous system safety, emotional regulation, and why “acting out” is often just a child’s way of saying, I don’t have the words yet.Plus, a powerful reflection on your own childhood behaviors — and how offering your inner child curiosity instead of criticism can begin the healing process.This episode is a must-listen for parents, teachers, therapists, and anyone who’s ever wondered, What’s really going on here?Because when we stay curious about the story underneath the behavior, we offer something more than discipline — we offer dignity, safety, and connection.

Send a textFrom the moment we’re born, we’re wired for connection — but what happens when our early experiences disrupt that connection?In this episode of Childhood and the Enneagram, licensed therapist and author Susan Parker Jones unpacks how attachment theory and the Inner Childhood Narrative (ICN) intertwine, shaping how we view ourselves, others, and the world.Drawing from her book The Wholehearted Child, Susan walks through the six early risk factors that impact secure attachment, the four major attachment styles, and how each may show up across the Enneagram types using the Harmony model.Whether you're a parent, educator, or someone doing the brave work of healing your own story, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and reflection — plus questions to help you uncover the deeper patterns at play in your relationships.Tune in to begin understanding the story behind your story — and take your next step toward healing, growth, and secure connection.

Send a textWhat if your strongest emotional reactions, your relationship patterns, and even your inner voice weren’t random — but rooted in childhood?In this episode of Childhood and the Enneagram, Susan Parker Jones guides us into a deeper understanding of the Inner Childhood Narrative (ICN) — the unconscious story we write in childhood about who we are, how safe we are, and whether we can count on others.You’ll explore how these narratives shape emotional reactions, self-talk, and relationship dynamics — and how the Enneagram’s three stances (Dependent, Withdrawn, and Assertive) reveal the hidden strategies we develop to feel safe and seen.Whether you’re a parent wanting to model emotional safety, a professional working with children, or someone doing the brave work of healing your own story, this episode offers compassionate insights, practical reflection questions, and a pathway toward greater self-understanding.Because when we name the story beneath the reaction, we begin to write a new one — with clarity, connection, and self-compassion.

Send a textIn honor of Mother’s Day, I’m sharing a heartfelt reading of the Introduction to my book, The Wholehearted Child — a celebration of all who nurture, guide, and help heal the next generation.Whether you are parenting children, nurturing students, supporting clients, or tending to the younger parts of yourself, this episode is a reminder that your presence matters more than perfection.This is a gift of encouragement for every mother, teacher, therapist, and nurturer doing the quiet, courageous work of love.May you hear in these words a reflection of your worth, your impact, and the beauty of your journey toward wholehearted living.

Send a textEvery child is asking: Do I matter? Am I safe? Do you see me?In this episode of Childhood and the Enneagram, licensed therapist and author Susan Parker Jones invites you to look beneath your words — and discover the powerful role they play in shaping a child’s inner world.You’ll learn how a child’s Inner Childhood Narrative (ICN) is formed through the micro-messages embedded in everyday conversations, and how the Enneagram helps us understand the emotional blueprints children carry.Through powerful stories, research-based insights, and practical strategies, you’ll explore:The connection between attachment and emotional scriptingThree common parenting phrases that shape how kids see themselvesHow your own ICN may be influencing the way you respond to childrenWhat to say instead — and why presence matters more than perfectionWhether you're a parent, educator, therapist, or someone working to heal your own story, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and concrete tools to build emotional security — one conversation at a time.