The Enneatype 2: The helper.
The primary motivation for Enneatype Two is to give and receive love. Type Two’s are the nurturers of the Enneagram and are emotionally expressive and outwardly kind. This personality is the most focused on human relationships of all the types.
In the levels of development, an integrated (healthy) type Two is loving and passionate, sincere in their giving, and respectful of boundaries. They are the most selfless of all enneatypes and type Twos bring a special interpersonal touch to everything they do. For example they are the best gift givers- always thoughtful and on time. A healthy type Two integrates toward the qualities of a healthy Four and becomes more introspective and authentic in their behavior.
Average Two’s tend to be rescuers. They can be intrusive and offer advice when it is not solicited. They become so entranced by their own good intentions, that they can overlook the fact that their assistance may not be wanted and this causes problems in interpersonal relationships.
When Two’s disintegrate they take on the negative qualities of type Eights- which means they go from being nurturing to being very aggressive and lashing out. It can be a shocking transition but it does not occur in a vacuum. When Two’s become self aware they are able to catch themselves mid spiral and prevent the ‘Tasmanian devil’ effect that is the hallmark of a fully disintegrated type Two.
Two’s can stay healthy by doing an honest check of their intentions. Are you helping without strings, or is there a back door motive to your giving? When Two’s really evolve into their best selves, they are selfless- the true Mother Teresa’s of the Enneagram.
Fred Rogers (“Mr. Rogers”), Princess Diana, Mother Teresa, Bill Cosby ,Tammy Faye Bakker, Child psychologist T. Berry Brazelton, Doris Day, Self-help author Barbarade Angelis, Celine Dion, Farrah Fawcett, Suze Orman, Dolly Parton, Family therapist Virginia Satir, , Richard Simmons, Danielle Steel, Sally Struthers, Ivana Trump, Desmond Tutu.