273 - Deborah Ooten - How to Make Sense of These Tenuous Times Using the Enneagram and Spiral Dynamics
“We sometimes have to go backward to go forward, and I think that's where we are right now, and I have hope with that.” - Deborah Ooten
Discomfort doesn’t automatically denote danger. Identifying the difference and holding those nuances takes practice. Let this episode be part of the lesson plan. Deborah Ooten, PhD., is the founder/director of the Conscious Living Center. She has her doctorate in clinical psychology, is trained as a craniosacral therapist, and is a Certified Enneagram Teacher in the Narrative Tradition. She’s also the first person to successfully merge the teachings of the Enneagram with the Spiral Dynamics evolutionary model. “When you know your Enneagram type, you know your fixation. That gives you the habits of mind, the heart, and behavior,” she explains. “The Spiral teaches us how we're thinking about what we're thinking about when we could put power, sex, money, and God at every different level of the spiral. And we're all gonna have a different conceptualization of it.”
I’m a fan of both models; my co-host Anne Remy isn’t. Friction can rub us the wrong way AND expand our capacity for complex conversations. As Anne says, it’s possible to engage with concepts that you vehemently disagree with, express concerns, explore differences, and come out the other end while still having a reasonable opinion of one another. While tangible safety issues are at play for many folks, especially in light of the election, others might still find opportunities for dialog beyond their comfort zone. Societal change is a game of inches. “In order to move forward,” says Deborah, “sometimes, we go backward, and I believe we're going backward now. I believe that we're in a de-evolutionary period.”
De-evolution has a scary ring to it. But perhaps this phase is all about building safety from within so that we can tolerate compassion for the worst among us. You’re not wrong for being irritated and even infuriated by the suggestion. “We need to keep looking at the shadows,” advises Deborah. Backing away from the dark doesn't mean there's something wrong with you. It simply means that we can build in more capacity. Guidance from the Enneagram and Spiral Dynamics might help.
These conversations can feel scary, and that's super normal. Find your first boundary and attempt to push it even a bit, where possible.
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Khaled ElSherbini - How a Scientist Interprets Ancient Wisdom Traditions for a Modern Audience
Rachel Alexandria - The Enneagram Episode
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Personality Types: Using the Enneagram for Self-Discovery
The Enneagram: Understanding Yourself and the Others in Your Life
Integral Psychology: Consciousness, Spirit, Psychology, Therapy
The Gnostic Circle: A Synthesis in the Harmonies of the Cosmos
Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man
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Deborah A. Ooten, PhD, is the founder/director of the Conscious Living Center. She has her doctorate in clinical psychology, is trained as a craniosacral therapist and is a Certified Enneagram Teacher in the Narrative Tradition. She is the founder and lead trainer of Conscious Dynamics, LLC.
Know the Numbers/Navigate the Feelings: Financial Literacy for Group Practice Owners
Join Aggie Chydzinski and Sarah Buino for an engaging and interactive online workshop designed specifically for group practice owners. Gain valuable insights into financial literacy and begin to build confidence in your business management skills. This workshop will equip you with essential tools to understand the numbers and address the emotions surrounding your business finances. Designed for group practice owners of businesses large and small.
Details: 7pm CST Live on Zoom - Third Thursday of every month! The final meetings for 2024 will be on 12/19. In January we’ll meet on 1/16.
Cost: Pay what you can. Guests who pay $17 or more will receive access to the recorded webinar. 1 CE available for social workers and counselors who attend the session live.
Save your spot here: https://bit.ly/cwhgpfinancial
The New Perimenopause: What Every Psychotherapist Should Know
Perimenopause is a natural developmental stage and yet women (and folks with uteruses) are so often caught off guard by this important (albeit bumpy) rite of passage.
Now more than ever before there are options to support women with both the mental and physical health vulnerabilities that can pop up during these years that lead up to menopause.
Join Jessica Fruchter in partnership with Head/Heart Business Therapy Friday, December 6 to discuss all things perimenopause through the lenses of mind, body and spirit.
RSVP at tinyurl.com/perimenochicago
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