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. 4d ago

    4 Ways the Enneagram Can Help You Have a More Balanced Life (...and better relationships/communication too)

    Have you ever felt fine one moment, and then the next moment something throws you completely off balance? Life is like that.  And the Enneagram can be an excellent framework for regaining balance. In this episode, Sandy uses a hiking trail (and one spectacularly ungraceful cat) to explore what balance looks like through the lens of the Enneagram. Rather than treating balance as a fixed state you finally arrive at, Sandy reframes it as a series of small, constant adjustments. She also walks you through four aspects of the Enneagram that can help you see where those adjustments are needed most. This episode explores: Why balance isn't the absence of movement, and what that reframe means for how we use the Enneagram day-to-day Centers of Intelligence and Stance: how we take in the world, and how we move through it to get our needs met Harmonic Groups: the three different ways we respond when things get difficult, including a true story about a hiking accident on a Colorado 14er Instincts: where our attention and energy naturally go, and how self-preservation, social, and sexual instincts shape each Enneagram type Why trying to be balanced all the time isn't actually the goal (and what is) Balance is never about standing still. It's about knowing how to adjust, one small shift at a time.Sign up to be the first to know about new episodes, articles, programs, and offers:https://www.swansoncoaching.com/ ___ Podcast on pressure and balance: When Self-Improvement Becomes Another Way to Fail: Finding the balance between challenging yourself and giving yourself some gracehttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/when-self-improvement-becomes-another-way-to-fail-finding/id1822403955?i=1000791758415 Podcast on Dolly Parton:  What was Dolly Parton's Enneagram Type?  (a nerdy dive into ambition, motivation, and subtypes)https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-was-dolly-partons-enneagram-type-a-nerdy-dive/id1822403955?i=1000788012166 Podcast on Stance: Why You Talk Too Much, Withdraw, or Bulldoze Peoplehttps://www.swansoncoaching.com/podcasts/beyond-the-type-an-enneagram-inspired-podcast-about-being-human/episodes/2149067197 ___Enneagram, centers of intelligence, stance, harmonic groups, instincts, self preservation, social, sexual, one to one, subtypes, personal growth, self awareness, nervous system regulation, 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, holistic coaching emotional balance

  2. Sep 26

    When Self-Improvement Becomes Another Way to Fail: Finding the balance between challenging yourself and giving yourself some grace

    Have you ever tried to relax, meditate, or simply enjoy a walk outside, and ended up feeling like you failed at it? In this episode, Sandy explores the pressure to optimize even our rest:  to meditate without a single wandering thought, to be fully present in nature without a trace of distraction, to regulate every emotion before it shows up. Using a story from a recent hike (and a chatty bird that refused to cooperate with a bird ID app) alongside an experience gleaned from a circus high-wire act, she gets into what it actually means to find balance, and why trying to be perfectly balanced can become its own kind of pressure. In this episode: Why turning self-improvement into a standard to meet often backfires The difference between challenging yourself and punishing yourself What a circus performer falling off a high wire has to do with self-improvement How the Enneagram's stances and centers of intelligence point toward balance rather than perfection A simple shift for giving yourself grace when you notice you're distracted, curious, or simply being human If you've ever felt like you were failing at relaxing, or failing at growth itself, this episode offers a different way to think about what balance actually requires. Connect with me:https://www.swansoncoaching.com/  ___self-improvement pressure, when self-improvement becomes too much, personal growth burnout, pressure to optimize yourself, mindfulness pressure, how to stop overthinking meditation, wellness culture pressure, balance not perfection, self-acceptance, grace vs discipline, presence and distraction, overthinking, comparison and self-judgment, Enneagram stances, Enneagram centers of intelligence, head heart gut balance, Enneagram, personal development podcast, life coach podcast, holistic coaching, nervous system, self-compassion, emotional regulation, meditation struggles, being present in nature, Beyond the Type, Sandy Swanson, SwansonCoaching

  3. Sep 19

    The Comparison Trap: The trouble with measuring your life against someone else’s

    You know that feeling when you're scrolling on social media, and you see a former classmate who just bought a lake house, and you think, "Why isn't my life like that?" Or you're up for a promotion at work, you look around and decide everyone else is more qualified, so what's the point? In this episode of Beyond the Type, Sandy explores comparison, using a "mirror and window" metaphor to unpack why we measure ourselves against everyone else's life instead of our own. Drawing on Leon Festinger's social comparison theory, Sandy looks at why the comparisons that hit hardest are the ones closest to us (and how social media has widened what "close" even means - yes, I'm talking about those influencers and people you follow and see every day in your feed!). Sandy also brings in the Enneagram, focusing on Type 4's relationship to envy, and closes with a somatic exercise she uses with her clients to help listeners feel the difference between comparison and its opposite:  Presence, enoughness, and abundance. This episode explores: The mirror and window metaphor, and why the window is so much easier to look at Leon Festinger's social comparison theory, and why the comparisons closest to us affect us most How online relationships (with influencers, creators, even TV characters) can make a stranger feel as close as someone in your own life Why Type 4 energy, and its passion of envy, has comparison built into its wiring A somatic exercise to help you feel the shift from comparison and scarcity into presence and abundance Comparison isn't something to eliminate. It's something to notice, and you get to choose which one you're looking at:  the window, or your own mirror.  ___ Beyond the Type episode on Enneagram Passions:https://www.swansoncoaching.com/podcasts/beyond-the-type-an-enneagram-inspired-podcast-about-being-human/episodes/2149131772 ___comparison, social comparison theory, why do I compare myself, comparing yourself to others, envy, Enneagram Type 4, Enneagram passions, self-trust, abundance mindset, scarcity mindset, social media comparison, parasocial relationships, influencers and self-esteem, Leon Festinger, somatic exercise, nervous system, self-worth, personal development podcast, life coach podcast, holistic coaching, Enneagram, emotional awareness, self-awareness, Sandy Swanson, Beyond the Type

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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.

  8. 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

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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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