Beyond the Type: An Enneagram-Inspired Podcast about Being Human.

Sandy Swanson, PCC, NBC-HWC, A-CFHC, Holistic Life and Leadership Coach
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Daily

Beyond the Type is an Enneagram-inspired podcast about the beautiful mess of being human, inspired by the notion that you don't need to be fixed, you need to be found. Hosted by Sandy Swanson, Certifed Life and Leadership Coach, this show explores how personality, communication, and self-awareness shape our relationships - with ourselves and with each other - for better or for worse. Who among us hasn't felt lost, confused, or unsure of who we are authentically and what we want out of life...? Whether you’re Enneagram-curious or deep into your growth journey, this podcast is your space for meaningful conversations, some frank truth-telling, and maybe a few laughs along the way. Together, we’ll unpack the patterns that hold us back, explore what makes us tick, and learn how to live with more compassion, clarity, and connection. Download my free Communication Guide here: https://www.swansoncoaching.com/communication

  1. Sep 5

    What Was Dolly Parton's Enneagram Type? (a nerdy dive into ambition, motivation, and subtypes)

    Following Dolly Parton's passing, Sandy found herself stuck on a question with no clean answer:  What was Dolly's Enneagram type? In this episode, Sandy dives down the Enneagram-nerd-rabbit-hole and makes the case for three possibilities:  Nine, Two, and Three, and ends up landing somewhere a little more useful than just a guess. Sandy brings subtype into the conversation, explaining how this can really affect how a type presents itself, and offers the names assigned to a few of the 27 subtypes (one of them is particularly fitting!). Along the way, she uses a spontaneous performance in an Irish pub to show how the same behavior can come from completely different motivations, depending on the person and the subtype underneath. Sandy explores: Why behavior alone doesn’t tell us someone’s Enneagram type  How instinctual subtype can dramatically change how a type presents What Dolly’s ambition, generosity, positivity, and public persona might suggest about Types 9, 2, and 3 Why the same behavior can come from completely different motivations How coaches can use curiosity, rather than certainty, to help clients uncover what is really driving their patterns And yes, there’s a little “cup of ambition” along the way. Whether you’re an Enneagram nerd, a coach, or simply someone trying to understand the people in your life a little better, there are useful questions underneath all of this: What if you’re wrong about what you think you know about someone? And what becomes possible when you stay curious long enough to find out...?___Lines and Arrows episode (Swimming Upstream: Using the Enneagram Lines and Arrows for Personal Growth): https://www.swansoncoaching.com/podcasts/beyond-the-type-an-enneagram-inspired-podcast-about-being-human/episodes/2149079311 Subtypes episode (Why Do I Feel Lonely When I Have Friends?):https://www.swansoncoaching.com/podcasts/beyond-the-type-an-enneagram-inspired-podcast-about-being-human/episodes/2149207913 Are you a coach looking for support? Check out my group mentor coaching program, Patterns, Presence, and the Enneagram. NBHWC and ICF approved for CEs and CCEs. The October cohort is open now. Learn more here and use the code FOUNDING to receive a discount: https://www.swansoncoaching.com/coaches-enneagram Book a Typing Interview: Curious to learn more about the Enneagram and which types you lead with?  Schedule a typing interview with Sandy here:https://www.swansoncoaching.com/typinginterview___Enneagram Institute (Don Riso and Russ Hudson):https://www.enneagraminstitute.com Book: The Complete Enneagram (Beatrice Chestnut):https://amzn.to/4xybcYr Music:  Trio II album (Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Linda Rondstadt):https://amzn.to/4h32j32 Video:  Dolly at the Irish Pub:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py1SJ39dwS4Coffee:  Cup of Ambition:https://www.cupofambition.com/___ Dolly Parton, Enneagram, Enneagram types, Enneagram Type 9, Enneagram Type 2, Enneagram Type 3, Enneagram subtypes, instinctual variants, self-preservation instinct, social instinct, sexual instinct, Claudio Naranjo, Oscar Ichazo, Beatrice Chestnut, The Complete Enneagram, behavior vs motivation, personality patterns, personal development, coaching skills, mentor coaching, Enneagram typing interview, Enneagram test mistakes, mistyping, cup of ambition, self-trust, curiosity, Beyond the Type, Sandy Swanson, SwansonCoaching, ICF certified coach, NBC-HWC health and wellness coach, life coach podcast

    What Was Dolly Parton's Enneagram Type? (a nerdy dive into ambition, motivation, and subtypes)

  2. Aug 29

    How Your Enneagram Type Runs Your Life: The "Job" You Never Signed Up For

    Have you ever realized you're doing a job you never actually applied for? Maybe you're the one who keeps the peace, fixes what's wrong, takes care of everyone, stays prepared, or makes sure everything gets done.  In this Enneagram episode, Sandy looks at the nine types as different "jobs," the patterns each of us can fall into without even realizing it. This episode explores: The invisible job each Enneagram type can take on, and what it's really trying to get, avoid, or protect us from What these patterns can cost us when they run on autopilot A reflection question for each type to help you notice your own pattern in real time A simple process for catching yourself in these patterns, and what support looks like to help you How to start choosing your patterns on purpose instead of running them by default Your Enneagram type doesn't have to run your life. The more clearly you can see the pattern, the more choice you have about what happens next.___ Learn more about Enneagram typing interviews here:https://www.swansoncoaching.com/typinginterview___ Enneagram, self-trust, Enneagram types, personality patterns, personal development, Enneagram typing interview, Enneagram test mistakes, mistyping, self-abandonment, boundaries, people-pleasing, autopilot behavior, empowered decision-making, reflective questions, finding your voice, coaching, ICF certified coach, NBC-HWC health and wellness coach, Sandy Swanson, Beyond the Type podcast, Enneagram Type 1, Enneagram Type 2, Enneagram Type 3, Enneagram Type 4, Enneagram Type 5, Enneagram Type 6, Enneagram Type 7, Enneagram Type 8, Enneagram Type 9, nine Enneagram types, core patterns, personal growth, life coaching, mentor coaching

    How Your Enneagram Type Runs Your Life: The "Job" You Never Signed Up For

  3. Aug 15

    How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed by Everything: What happens when you stop fighting what you’re experiencing

    You don't have to fix everything you're feeling. You just have to stop treating it like a problem. Have you ever stood in a vet's office doing math on whether you can afford this, while somewhere in the back of your mind you're also thinking about the moving boxes, the email you've been avoiding, and the bill that showed up out of nowhere? None of it is catastrophic on its own. All of it, at once, can feel like your whole life has become something you're failing to solve. In this episode, Sandy explores three ways we tend to relate to overwhelm: resistance, attachment, and presence. She unpacks the difference between saying "I am anxious" and "I'm experiencing anxiety," and why that small language shift creates real space between who you are and what you're moving through. Sandy also touches on how even relentless positive reframing (a pattern common in Enneagram Type 7 energy) can be its own form of resistance - it's just wearing a nicer outfit. In this episode: Why a pile-up of small stressors can feel like one giant, unsolvable problem The difference between resisting an experience and simply having one How attaching to a story ("I'm broke," "I'm unlucky," "I'm behind") makes it harder to let go of, even when you don't like it Why relentless positivity can be its own form of resistance A simple language shift that creates space between you and what you're experiencing If you've ever felt like everything was happening at once and had no idea where to even start, this episode offers a different question to ask instead of "how do I fix this." ___ Connect with me at SwansonCoaching.com ___ feeling overwhelmed, how to stop feeling overwhelmed, overwhelmed by everything, how to deal with everything at once, why does everything feel like too much, overwhelm and anxiety, nervous system overwhelm, coping with stress, letting go of control, presence and mindfulness, emotional resistance, this too shall pass, self-trust, Enneagram Type 7, personal development podcast, life coach podcast, holistic coaching, emotional language, nonattachment, Beyond the Type, Sandy Swanson, SwansonCoaching

    How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed by Everything: What happens when you stop fighting what you’re experiencing

  4. Aug 8

    What Is Coaching, Really? (And Is It Right for You?)

    Why good coaching isn't about giving advice or fixing you. A lot of people think coaching is about getting advice, setting goals, or having someone hold you accountable. While those things can be part of the process, real coaching goes much deeper. In this episode, Sandy explains what coaching looks like from the inside. She talks about what happens during a coaching session, why she doesn't spend time telling clients what they should do, how coaching differs from therapy and from talking with a good friend, and why self-awareness is often the starting point for lasting change. You'll also hear why Sandy describes her coaching as holistic, how she use the Enneagram as a tool for understanding patterns rather than labeling people, and what makes coaching such a powerful space for reconnecting with your own voice. In this episode, you'll learn: What really happens during a coaching session Why coaching isn't about giving advice How coaching differs from therapy and from talking with a friend What traits the most successful clients share  Sandy's favorite tools she uses in her client sessions Whether you're thinking about hiring a coach, you're simply curious about the process, or you've wondered what all the fuss is about, this conversation gives you a clearer picture of what coaching really is, and whether it might be the right next step for you. If you'd like to learn more about working with me, visit swansoncoaching.com and click the "Work With Me" button. __what is life coaching, leadership coaching, holistic coaching, communication coaching, emotional intelligence, self-awareness, personal growth, the Enneagram, coaching vs. therapy, coaching vs. counseling, coaching questions, decision-making, confidence, self-trust, mindset, behavior change, leadership development, relationships.

    What Is Coaching, Really? (And Is It Right for You?)

  5. Aug 1

    How to Stop Overthinking

    Three practices to quiet your mind and build self-trust. Have you ever tried to think your way out of something that was never actually solvable? Maybe it's when a coworker is annoyed with you, or whether an email landed the way you meant it to, or how a future conversation is going to go..? In part two of this two-part series on overthinking, Sandy picks up where part one left off.  The first episode was about understanding why we overthink; this one is about what to actually do about it. Using a story about driving home on a dark back road (and the two hundred feet of visibility her headlights actually gave her), Sandy walks through three practices for interrupting an overthinking loop when it starts. She borrows a concept from Designing Your Life author Dave Evans to help listeners tell the difference between a solvable problem and a "gravity problem," and introduces a simple way to shrink an overwhelming decision down to its smallest next step. Sandy also explores the connection between the Enneagram's Head, Heart, and Body Centers of Intelligence, and why some emotions aren't asking to be solved at all, but simply acknowledged and felt. She also gets honest about what happens when none of it works, and why sometimes what's underneath the overthinking isn't fear at all, but grief asking to be felt instead of solved. In this episode: Why overthinking often fixates on things outside your control, and what to ask instead A simple way to shrink an overwhelming decision into its smallest next step The role of the Head, Heart, and Body Centers in keeping an overthinking loop going A grounding practice for when logic alone won't calm an overactive mind Why courage and self-trust are built gradually, one small practice at a time If you listened to part one and found yourself thinking "okay, now what do I actually do about overthinking," this episode is for you. ___ Connect with me at SwansonCoaching.com   Previous episode: Why Do I Overthink Everything?https://www.swansoncoaching.com/podcasts/beyond-the-type-an-enneagram-inspired-podcast-about-being-human/episodes/2149233557   ___ overthinking, how to stop overthinking, quiet an overthinking mind, rumination, worry, self-trust, courage, fear, Designing Your Life, Dave Evans, gravity problem, Enneagram, Enneagram Head Center, Enneagram Body Center, Centers of Intelligence, personal development podcast, life coach podcast, leadership coach, emotional reactivity, nervous system, grounding, grief, self-awareness, holistic coaching, mental spirals, decision making, Beyond the Type, Sandy Swanson, SwansonCoaching

    How to Stop Overthinking

  6. Jul 25

    Why Do I Overthink Everything?

    Fear, self-doubt, and why your mind keeps searching for certainty. Do you replay conversations long after they're over? Second-guess emails you've already sent? Lie awake at night wondering if you made the right decision? If so, you're not alone. In this episode of Beyond the Type, Sandy Swanson explores one of the most common things she hears from coaching clients: "I overthink everything." She unpacks why overthinking isn't a personality trait or a sign that something is wrong with you, the difference between rumination and worry, why the Head Center is constantly searching for certainty, and why more thinking rarely brings the peace we're looking for. You'll also learn why fear disguises itself as planning, researching, and "just thinking things through," and why building self-trust, not certainty, is what finally begins to quiet an overactive mind. In this episode: Why overthinking is a strategy, not a personality trait The difference between rumination and worry How fear fuels overthinking through the Head Center Why your mind keeps searching for certainty A simple question to ask yourself when your thoughts won't stop spinning If you've ever replayed a conversation, second-guessed a decision, or found yourself stuck in an endless loop of "what ifs," this episode is for you.___ Connect with me at SwansonCoaching.com Podcast:  How to Stop Taking Everything Personally (discussion of negativity bias):https://www.swansoncoaching.com/podcasts/beyond-the-type-an-enneagram-inspired-podcast-about-being-human/episodes/2149231647 Podcast:  Enneagram Passionshttps://www.swansoncoaching.com/podcasts/beyond-the-type-an-enneagram-inspired-podcast-about-being-human/episodes/2149131772 ___overthinking, why do I overthink everything, how to stop overthinking, rumination, worry, negativity bias, fear, self-trust, self-doubt, decision fatigue, anxiety, Enneagram, Enneagram types, Head Center, Enneagram 5, Enneagram 6, Enneagram 7, personal development podcast, life coach podcast, leadership coach, emotional reactivity, nervous system, self-awareness, holistic coaching, mental spirals, Beyond the Type, Sandy Swanson, SwansonCoaching

    Why Do I Overthink Everything?

  7. Jul 18

    How to Stop Taking Things Personally

    What your brain, your Enneagram type, and two simple practices can teach you.  Have you ever spent hours replaying a two-word email, wondering if someone is upset with you? Or convinced yourself that one awkward conversation meant you'd done something wrong? If you have, you're not alone. In this episode of Beyond the Type, Sandy Swanson explores one of the most common questions she hears in coaching sessions: why do I take everything so personally?  She unpacks why certain comments, emails, and interactions seem to lodge themselves in our minds while others pass right through, and why that has less to do with sensitivity and more to do with wiring. Using a story from a walk through nature (complete with sticky burdock burrs and a duck that inspired an unexpected lesson), you'll discover why negative experiences seem to "stick," how the stories we tell ourselves shape our relationships, and how the Enneagram influences the kinds of comments that affect each of us differently. You'll also learn two practical tools that can help you stop spiraling, create space between a situation and your interpretation of it, and train your brain to notice more of what's going right. In this episode: Why your brain is wired to notice criticism more than praise A simple practice for interrupting unhelpful thinking Why different Enneagram types take different things personally A daily habit that helps retrain your brain toward the positive How to become more like a duck... and less like a burdock burr If you've ever found yourself replaying conversations, overthinking emails, or worrying about what other people think of you, this episode is for you.___taking things personally, why do I take things personally, how to stop taking things personally, negativity bias, the story I'm making up, self-trust, Enneagram, Enneagram types, personal development podcast, life coach podcast, leadership coach, emotional reactivity, overthinking, rumination, gratitude practice, nervous system, boundaries, self-awareness, holistic coaching, Beyond the Type, Sandy Swanson, SwansonCoaching

    How to Stop Taking Things Personally

  8. Jul 11

    Why People Stop Trusting You (And How to Build It Back)

    Trust isn't built in one big moment. It's built in hundreds of small ones.Trust is the foundation of every relationship, whether it's with a partner, a friend, a client, or a coworker. And it rarely disappears in one big moment.More often, it erodes through small ones: the phone glanced at mid-conversation, the plan canceled one too many times, the reasoning that was never quite explained.Those moments add up, and they leave people wondering: Do you care about me? Do I understand your thinking? Can I count on you?In this episode, Sandy explores a powerful framework for understanding trust through the Enneagram's three Centers of Intelligence: heart, head, and gut.   She also shares: Personal stories A trust framework inspired by Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei Coaching examples for coaches to consider How each Enneagram type might unconsciously skip over trust Practical ways to strengthen trust through empathy, clear communication, and follow-through. Whether you're a coach, a leader, or simply someone who wants healthier relationships, this episode offers a practical way to recognize where trust starts to wobble and what to do about it. ___ Frances Frei's TED talk on trust:https://www.ted.com/talks/frances_frei_how_to_build_and_rebuild_trust Beyond the Type Episode on Enneagram Stances:https://www.swansoncoaching.com/podcasts/beyond-the-type-an-enneagram-inspired-podcast-about-being-human/episodes/2149067197   ___ Are you a coach looking for support?  Check out my new small-group mentor coaching program: Patterns, Presence, and the Enneagram. NBHWC approved for 9 CEs (ICF CCEs pending approval). Learn more here:https://www.swansoncoaching.com/coaches-enneagram ___trust, building trust, rebuilding trust, trust in relationships, how to trust again, trust issues, broken trust, trust and communication, trust in coaching, coaching trust, empathy, active listening, emotional intelligence, communication skills, healthy communication, relationship communication, workplace communication, leadership communication, integrity, follow through, accountability, Enneagram, Enneagram types, Enneagram centers of intelligence, heart center, head center, gut center, personal development, self awareness, relationship advice, healthy relationships, coaching skills, life coaching, leadership development, Frances Frei, three legged stool trust, communication framework, relational trust, workplace trust, trust at work.

    Why People Stop Trusting You (And How to Build It Back)
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Beyond the Type is an Enneagram-inspired podcast about the beautiful mess of being human, inspired by the notion that you don't need to be fixed, you need to be found. Hosted by Sandy Swanson, Certifed Life and Leadership Coach, this show explores how personality, communication, and self-awareness shape our relationships - with ourselves and with each other - for better or for worse. Who among us hasn't felt lost, confused, or unsure of who we are authentically and what we want out of life...? Whether you’re Enneagram-curious or deep into your growth journey, this podcast is your space for meaningful conversations, some frank truth-telling, and maybe a few laughs along the way. Together, we’ll unpack the patterns that hold us back, explore what makes us tick, and learn how to live with more compassion, clarity, and connection. Download my free Communication Guide here: https://www.swansoncoaching.com/communication

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