Nine Types of Desire: Clinical and Empirical Perspectives on Use of the Enneagram in Psychosexual Therapy

Psychosexual therapy, while effective with many clients, can be unresponsive to the diverse ways clients experience and express desire. Emerging research suggests that nine distinct patterns of sexual desire and expression exist, consistent across demographic categories and associated with each of the nine Enneagram personality types. The Enneagram of personality, a map of motivations and personality structures, can provide a framework for sex therapists to create individualized therapeutic approaches for clients. In addition, clinical observations from over a decade of practice indicate that integrating the Enneagram into sex therapy is associated with accelerated therapeutic progress, deepened intimacy, and increased compassion among clients and partners. This paper reviews the empirical and clinical evidence for use of the Enneagram within psychosexual therapy and provides a roadmap for implementing Enneagram-informed sex therapy with diverse clients.