This podcast explores the enneagram, a newly revived yet ancient spiritual tool of personality discovery which helps you better understand yourself, others and God.
Episodes
Tuesday Oct 04, 2016
Tuesday Oct 04, 2016
Do other people see you as a winner? Are they compelled to follow you and are you excited to lead? Do you wake up with a plan for the day and a full schedule? Then there's a good chance you are a THREE.
Then there is a good chance you may be an Enneagram 3!
This week on The Road Back To You, Ian and Suzanne interview Darren Whitehead an Australian husband, father, pastor, and author living in America, who happens to be a healthy, integrated Enneagram 3.
In their conversation you will learn:
- Why it's easy for you to connect with people.
- Why it's important for you to appear successful.
- Why you control the amount of information you share with others.
- Why you want people to know about your accomplishments.
- How failure can set you free when you learn that people don't love you for your success, they simply love you.
Our hope is that all Enneagram 3's listening will begin to balance their abundant energy with a recognition of the importance of being instead of doing.
Wednesday Sep 21, 2016
Wednesday Sep 21, 2016
Over the past weeks on The Road Back To You podcast, we have discovered how the Enneagram can be a helpful tool in understanding ourselves and others.
But what happens when a married couple is the same Enneagram number? Especially when that Number is Enneagram 1 (The Perfectionist)?
Join Ian and Suzanne as they interview Christopher and Amanda Phillips, parents of two young children. Hear how they...
- Navigate their different areas of focus
- Live and die by their lists and calendars
- Deal with expressing their anger
- Cope with the "out of control" aspects of parenting
- Learn how to relax when it's time to take a break
If you struggle with resentment because you feel like you have to take the responsibility to fix everything,
If you are always struggling with perfection, but you feel it never arrives,
And, if you constantly hear voices that tell you that you could have done better,
Then sit back and listen to how this remarkable couple is learning to navigate the waters of The Perfectionist to a safe harbor of self-love and acceptance.
Tuesday Sep 13, 2016
Tuesday Sep 13, 2016
In our last program, we viewed politics and personality through the eyes of an Enneagram 4.
In this interview, Ian and Suzanne continue their exploration of the Enneagram 4 through the thoughts and stories of Don Chaffer, one of the singer/songwriters in the group Waterdeep. Also: producer, engineer, and, lately, musical theater composer/lyricist.
If you are a person who enjoys the unusual, the dramatic, and the textured side of life, then discover:
- Why you take such comfort in sad songs, movies, and stories.
- Why it's difficult for you to find your place in a room full of people.
- Why you have so many feelings in a day and it's hard to know which ones to pay attention to.
- Why you're frustrated when people misunderstand you.
- Why 4's enjoy long conversations in the Home Depot parking lot.
This episode is insightful, funny and it includes a live performance by Don of one of his original songs. You won't want to miss this one, regardless of your Enneagram number...Enjoy!
And, please join us next week as we interview caring parents of two small children who are both Enneagram 1's, as we explore the struggles and joy of sharing an Enneagram number and how it impacts their parenting.
Monday Aug 29, 2016
Monday Aug 29, 2016
Are you as anxious about the upcoming election and the polarization that has gripped our nation as we are?
Given the troubled political climate, we decided to take a hiatus from our series exploring each of the nine types to talk politics through the lens of the Enneagram.
Ian and Suzanne's guest this week is Michael Wear. An Enneagram 4, Michael directed faith outreach for President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. One of the youngest White House staffers in modern American history, he is an author and leading political strategist who examines the intersection of faith, politics and American public life. As you'll hear, "he's got game."
Questions on the show's docket this week include:
- What can we learn about politics when we look at them through the lens of the Enneagram?
- How can Americans on opposite ends of the political spectrum regain compassion for one another?
- Why is it important for voters to understand themselves in the context of the political process?
- How can we recover civility in our political discourse?
- Who says politics should give us value and affirm us?
- What harm does a "politics of pure power" do to our nation?
Listen now as we recklessly plunge into a discussion on the two things you should never discuss at the dinner table, politics and spirituality. Bon Appetit!
Tuesday Aug 23, 2016
Tuesday Aug 23, 2016
Is setting boundaries in your life a problem? Are you more comfortable giving than receiving? Do you secure a place for everyone at the table but fail to save a seat for yourself?
Then there's a good chance you're an Enneagram 2 (The Helper)!
Join Ian and Suzanne on this week's episode of The Road Back To You as they interview Hunter Mobley, Executive Pastor at Christ Church Nashville and Adjunct Professor of Law at Belmont University. Hunter is a mature Enneagram 2 who talks openly about some of these complex questions:
- Why do I think about relationships 24/7?
- When is my giving to others altruistic and when is it manipulative?
- How can I learn to do that which is mine to do?
- Why do I spend so much time getting people to love me?
Their discussion will help you understand how to look inward with kindness and ask, "What needs the most attention in my life right now."
For any listener who struggles with the constant need to feel valued and loved, Hunter is a terrific example of one who shares your pain and utilizes the Enneagram as a tool to find the path to a life that is balanced and productive.
NEXT WEEK! Join us as we take a break going through the numbers of the Enneagram and feature a very special episode on Politics and Personality. Our guest is Michael Wear, one of the youngest White House staffers in modern American History, who directed faith outreach for President Obama's historic 2012 re-election campaign.
Tuesday Aug 16, 2016
Tuesday Aug 16, 2016
Have you ever felt like the wheels have fallen off the train of your life? How did you respond? Did you get angry, cower in a corner in the fetal position and suck your thumb, or did you get up and blaze a new trail?
On this week's episode of The Road Back To You, we welcome author, blogger, speaker, and Enneagram 6 (The Loyalist) Sarah Thebarge who when faced with a seemingly insurmountable crisis, pressed against her fear to embrace a new adventure.
Ian, Suzanne and Sarah discuss practical ways you can:
- Overcome your tendency to doubt yourself
- Understand and manage your anxiety
- Begin the journey of finding your voice
- Find courage and faith when it doesn't come naturally to you
Sarah is a remarkable person with an inspiring story you won't want to miss. So let’s hear it for all those folks who overcome fear and courageously step into their future, particularly if they’re Enneagram 6’s!
P.S. Don't forget to listen to The Liturgist podcast on August 23 when Michale Gungor and Science Mike explore the Enneagram with Ian and Suzanne. Also, spend a day with Ian and Suzanne learning more about the Enneagram click here for more information!
Monday Aug 08, 2016
Monday Aug 08, 2016
Has anyone ever described you as an "information junkie" or as a loner? Do you believe "thoughts" are more reliable than "feelings?" Are you more comfortable observing rather than participating in life?
If so, you might be an Enneagram 5 (The Investigator)!
This week celebrated singer-songwriter, author, a member of the musical collective Gungor, and co-host of The Liturgists Podcast Michael Gungor takes Ian and Suzanne on a rare private tour through the labyrinth-like mind of an Enneagram 5 (The Investigator).
Listen as Michael explains:
- How Enneagram 5’s can't survive without setting aside time to be alone and refill.
- How 5's are often quite cynical, though they may not always express it.
- How 5's are so invested in their thoughts that they feel hurt when people disagree with them.
- How 5's don’t enjoy being the center of attention (no small challenge for a performer!)
- The joys of being the most observant number on the Enneagram.
If you think and see the world differently than others and sometimes worry you don’t have the inner resources to meet the demands of work and relationship (or know someone who does!), then this episode is for you! Even if you're not a 5 you'll enjoy listening to Michael describe how learning the Enneagram has helped him find his place in the world.
Wednesday Jul 27, 2016
Wednesday Jul 27, 2016
Do you insist on spontaneity? Are you an eternal optimist? Are you alway thinking and planning your next great adventure? If so, you might be an Enneagram 7 (a.k.a. The Enthusiast).
Today Ian and Suzanne interview Shauna Niequist, bestselling author, speaker, blogger, mother, wife, and a poster child for 7's on the Enneagram! Join them as they discuss:
- How not to wear out those around you with your excessiveness and effusive spirit
- How to slow down and focus enough to communicate at the level of the heart.
- How to turn exuberance into a tool for encouragement
- How to give yourself permission not to be a "desert monk."
How to grow up and stop taking pride in saying, "I was taken home in a shopping cart last night!"
Discover how the Enneagram helped Shauna's marriage, her relationship with her children, and how when her 7 personality is healthy it turns into a desire to provide a safe, warm, hospitable, and happy place for everyone in her life.
Monday Jul 25, 2016
Monday Jul 25, 2016
- Assert and express yourself with confidence.
- Be who you are rather than "merge" with the crowd.
- Identify and overcome your blind spots.
- See life through the eyes of others
- Learn how healthy conflict produces intimacy
Tuesday Jul 19, 2016
Tuesday Jul 19, 2016
In Episode Four, Ian and Suzanne welcome pastor and bestselling author Nadia Bolz-Weber back to the show. Join this dangerous trio as they talk about:
- The Enneagram and recovery
- Dealing with "your stuff"
- The importance of practicing self-compassion
- How the Enneagram helps Nadia pastor her church
- Movies, songs, and hymn choices for different Enneagram numbers.
This episode is chock full of laughs and wisdom, so we hope you'll come along for the ride!