levels of maturing for type 2

non-attached altruist
1: liberation
  • loving unconditionally, humble, gracious, joyous, and generous
  • love, and embody love, without agenda
  • belief in basic goodness, without having to change things
  • let go of forced love
  • let go of self-image and belief that they are not allowed to take care of themselves.
caring person
2: psychological capacity
  • loving, empathetic and caring
  • “i am a caring and loving person”
  • emphasize loving, selflessness, concern, and kindness
  • reject care of own needs
  • basic fear: being unloved and unwanted
  • basic desire: to be loved.
nurturing helper
3: social value
  • relate to others primarily through giving and supporting
  • feel glad to be able to give, and believe that they are a good person if they are loved
  • desire: to do good things for others
  • strategy: reinforce self-image through generosity and service.
wake-up call believing that i must go out to others to win them over
effusive friend
4: imbalance (social role)
  • believe that they are without needs and always well-intentioned
  • demonstrative and well-intended
  • desire to be needed and close to others
  • social role of special friend
  • wanting to be needed and occupying the role of confidant.
possessive intimate
5: interpersonal control
  • manipulate through creating dependencies
  • pride (shadow) stems from seeing themselves as well-intentioned and showing how caring they are
  • insist on being seen as loving.
self-important "saint"
6: overcompensation
  • feel taken for granted and resentful
  • entitled overbearing, complaining, insincere
  • guilt-tripping, “no one cares about my needs”
  • desire recognition of goodness and virtue
  • undermine others through making them feel unworthy of love or attention.
red flag fear i am driving friends and loved ones away
self-deceptive manipulator
7: violation
  • blaming, guilt-tripping, manipulative
  • justifying actions as well-intentioned
  • hurtful and then try to soothe the pain they’ve caused
  • want to maintain belief that they cannot act selfishly
  • violate self-image of special friend.

adapted from Riso & Hudson: Wisdom of the Enneagram