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Pet Loss and the Enneagram

You may be reading this and wonder how the Enneagram can help your pet loss grief. Or you may also be asking . . . “What is the Enneagram (any-a-gram)?

The Basics of the Enneagram

I don’t want to overwhelm you in this article about the details of the Enneagram but I do want to share with you some basics.

The Enneagram is a beautiful and ancient system of typing our personalities. It is based on nine numbers arranged in a geometric figure.

Once you know your type it can help you understand your patterns on how you interpret the world and manage your pet loss grief emotions, etc.

Understanding pet loss and the Enneagram helps you know what you need when anticipating the loss of your pet and after your beloved companion’s passing.

More About Pet Loss and the Enneagram

Since it is based on nine personality types and when you know your type—you can navigate your grief and loss journey in a more healing way.

It also helps you understand what you are going through. Just by knowing your type can give you a grounding force when experiencing all the emotions, stages, and experiences of pet loss.

This grounding can help you see the way forward. It gives you tools and shows you what you may need to fully grieve and heal.

Pet Loss and The Enneagram

As a Certified Essence of the Enneagram practitioner, I am going to share with you some ways each number deals with pet loss.

Please keep in mind . . . this is a very basic list. There is so much more that goes into reavealing your type and how it can help you during your grief and loss journey.

When I work with my animal mediumship and pet loss clients, we often go into much more detail.

The Basics of the 9-Types

Type 1—Often times will continue doing life instead of processing grief. Basically, a Type 1 might be withdrawn, moody, emotional, envious, quietly angry, and irritable while grieving.

Type 2—Wants support and approval from others as they navigate. They may feel shame, be prideful, manipulative, and martyr-ish while grieving.

Type 3—They are often times setting their grieving goals. And can express their emotions but not be overwhelmed. However, validation is needed by them while grieving.

Type 4—Often feel that something is missing in their process. They also want to fully express and feel their emotions. If they feel rejected, they can feel shameful. They can often times retreat, be moody and temperamental.

Type 5—Want a lot of clarity in their journey before making any decisions. They want to avoid excess emotions and will often times experience anxiety and fear.

Type 6—Want certainty and reassurance about the future, plans. They want loyality. They can experience anxiety and fear, self-doubt, and hyper-vigilance.

Type 7—Look for the freedom to do what they want to do, therefore will explore a range of options. In grief they can be unfocused, critical, pessimistic, and indulgent.

Type 8—Want control of themselves and/or the situation. They want to move forward in their grief. They can be controlling, intimidating, and rebellious while grieving.

Type 9—Want to consider all options before doing anything. They want to avoid conflict, yet want to be heard without conflict. Can easily be indecisive, passive aggressive, and forgetful.

As You Can See . . .

This is a very basic list. But it can help you get started learning about pet loss and the Enneagram. It can help you understand where you may orient yourself when grieving.

The Enneagram has changed many lives during the grieving process. The healing is kind, profound, and filled with valuable wisdom.

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Wendy Van de Poll, MS, CEOL is a certified pet loss grief coach, bestselling author, animal medium and communicator, and Certified Essence of Enneagram Practitioner. Through her experience and working with others she teaches folks… grief needs attention so that it can teach the profound lessons of life. You can reach Wendy by clicking here. She also has many books on Amazon to help you on your journey. Her newest is Pet Loss Poems: To Heal Your Heart and Soul. If you would like to become a Pet Loss Specialist learn more here.