The Developmental Enneagram for Couples
Join leading expert Michelle Joy, MFT for an interactive and educational workshop designed to take your knowledge of The Enneagram to a deeper level in your work with couples. Discover a breakthrough approach for couples that leading expert Michelle Joy calls…
“The Developmental Enneagram for Couples®”
– A powerful framework that combines the Enneagram with developmental methods to help couples create deep and lasting change
Whether you have been working with couples for 0 years or for 30 years, this training program can help strengthen your therapy or coaching skills so that you can confidently take powerful leadership in your couples sessions.
Each Enneagram type leads the couple to do a “dance” together, causing them to get stuck repeating the same habits over and over. When you have a map of understanding in front of you, you can guide your couples down the path of growth, one that they are not able to see themselves.
“What a wonderful course! I was so impressed with Michelle’s skills as an Enneagram teacher/presenter and as a therapist. Absolutely one of the top Enneagram courses I have ever taken!” ~ Karen Karvonen
Michelle says, “when I first started seeing couples 20+ years ago, I wasn’t equipped. The couples’ “fight of the week” was driving our sessions, rather than my own clear blueprint as to what help that particular couple really needs. But the more I learned about the Developmental Model and the longer I studied the Enneagram, it became apparent how blending these two powerful systems was the key to helping shift couples communication issues at the root, leading couples to start saying to me, “you are our 3rd couples therapist, and you are finally helping us.”
This unique training combines developmental methods, neuroscience and the Enneagram to help couples’ relationships –a powerful combination! Couples think their problems are what their differences are, but instead the problem is how the couple navigates their differences.
Using video demonstrations, role plays, experiential exercises, small and large group discussion and handouts, we will explore the following:
Week 2: Do you feel ineffective when couples blame each other for problems, and pull you in the middle to fix their partner? In these cases, reflective listening as an intervention doesn’t work. This week you will learn how to skillfully guide couples away from blame, criticism, hostility, regressive behaviors and resentment, and toward self-accountability. We will look at the various ways that Enneagram type habits can show up in this system, and how to skillfully work with them.
Week 3: Do you feel lost when in the presence of passive or avoidant couples, when there is confusion about goals or not doing the homework? You will learn about confrontation and discover how to shift the work to the couple, with targeted inverventions where couples need it the most. We will look at the various ways that Enneagram type habits can show up in this system, and how to skillfully work with them.
Week 4: Do you feel frustrated when couples interupt eachother? Have you had couples who avoid vulnerability, freeze up in converations or strive keep peace at all costs to the detriment of their relationship? Learn a powerful, structured format designed to be an assessment tool, an intervention, managing reactivity, while helping each Enneagram type habits with the developmental assists they need. We will also discuss how Enneagram type habits can sabotage effective negotiation.
Week 5: Enneagram Types Triad 8, 9, 1. Discover the prominent defense mechanisms used by each Enneagram type, and ways to navigate them. Explore barriers that each type brings to conflict resolution and emotional intimacy, Understand how each type tries to get their needs met within the relationship, unwittingly creating communication traps they are trying to avoid, and what to help them do instead.
Week 6: Enneagram Types Triad 2, 3, 4. Discover the prominent defense mechanisms used by each Enneagram type, and ways to navigate them. Explore barriers that each type brings to conflict resolution and emotional intimacy, Understand how each type tries to get their needs met within the relationship, unwittingly creating communication traps they are trying to avoid, and what to help them do instead.
Week 7: Enneagram Types Triad 5, 6, 7. Discover the prominent defense mechanisms used by each Enneagram type, and ways to navigate them. Explore barriers that each type brings to conflict resolution and emotional intimacy, Understand how each type tries to get their needs met within the relationship, unwittingly creating communication traps they are trying to avoid, and what to help them do instead.
Week 8: Couples often have an inner conflict between making progress and regressive behaviors of their Enneagram type habits, which keeps them stuck. Learn a powerful technique based in Gestalt therapy, designed to provide powerful insights for both partners and yourself, as well as effective and fresh interventions. Help each client develop their own Enneagram type “observer” so they can be in charge of their habits, instead of being hijacked by them.
16 CE available to LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, CAMFT CE Provider Approval #65866. These 16 CEs are available for an additional $10.
“I am a much better and more capable couples therapist as a result of Michelle’s great teaching. I had a good overview when I started, but not a sense of exactly how to put it all into practice. Michelle was great at giving all of us the deeper level knowledge and skill development to practice the model well.” ~ Richard Litvak, Santa Cruz, CA
Learn specific and targeted interventions
“Michelle’s Couples & The Enneagram concepts are interesting and very useful approaches that are not common knowledge. Her methods for relationships are clear, deep, practical and to the point.” ~ Jack Labanauskas, Enneagram Monthly Magazine
It’s convenient…
Come and learn in a group setting with other practitioners who are committed to quality care through intelligent, leading edge approaches, integrating developmental, differentiation and neuro-scientific theories of change & interpersonal growth with your toughest couples – perhaps in between sessions from the comfort of your own home or office!
The best thing about this training opportunity is that it demands very little of your time, is cost-effective, yet has the power to transform your work with couples forever.
“This is the sort of stuff that you want all couples to know. Michelle’s synthesis is the best application of the Enneagram to intimate relationships that I am aware of.” ~ Rezzan Huseyin, The Practical Enneagram Podcaster
Registration Below:
“Couples Therapy & The Enneagram” presentation at the International Enneagram Conference by Michelle Joy
Date: Thursdays beginning June 6th, 2024: 6/7/24, 6/13/24, 6/20/24, 6/27/24, 7/11/24, 7/18/24, 7/25/24, 8/1/24 (RECORDINGS AVAILABLE IF YOU CAN’T ATTEND LIVE, WITH Q&A)
Time: 10 AM – 12 PM PST
Location: Zoom (join from anywhere in the world)
Cost: The same as my tri-type: $479.00
“Michelle’s workshop is practical and interesting for anyone interested in learning more about couples work with the Enneagram! The interventions were very helpful in terms of tools that can be used right away with clients in my practice.” ~ Maya Anderson, MFT
“I highly recommend this course with Michelle, who is experienced and knowledgeable. Though I am not generally a fan of online trainings, the course offered the right balance of education, Q&A, practice, and applicable tools to maintain interest. I also valued the consistency of meetings over a course of weeks, which allowed re-review of material and ability to practice what was learned between training sessions. Whether working with couples, individuals in a relationship, or family members, this course can be beneficial and applicable.” ~ Kira Olson, LMFT, LPCC
“Michelle Joy’s “Couples and the Enneagram” course provided me with extremely valuable tools to utilize when working with couples. Combining developmental concepts with practical application, this course increased both my competence and confidence with using the Enneagram with couples. Michelle’s expertise as a therapist and as an Enneagram practitioner shine through in her excellent teaching and her gentle presence. I highly recommend this fabulous course!” ~ Mary Wright, Certified Enneagram Coach
“I highly recommend Michelle’s Training Group! I learned so much and it continues to influence the way I work. I liked the lecture followed by case study videos — it made everything easy to understand and take back to the office. I recommend this class for anyone who works with couples or thinking about it. It’s well worth the investment!” ~ Kent Campbell, MFT
