Katherine is an IEA Accredited Professional with Distinction and an IEA Board Member from 1997-1999. She is a Triple-certified Enneagram Teacher with Palmer-Daniels, Riso-Hudson, and Hurley-Donson. She has the distinction of being the only person to have attended intensives with both Oscar Ichazo and Claudio Naranjo, with Naranjo validating her 1994 qualitative research on the subtypes in 1996.  Katherine was inducted into the Marquis Who’s Who in America Biographical Registry, the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) in 2023, and awarded the Top Enneagram Coach of the Year 2023, Best Consultant of the Year for the City of Menlo Park for 2015 and 2023, and named the IAOTP Empowered Woman of the Year for 2024.

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What is Tritype®?

Is Tritype® the same as 3Types, TriCenter, Trigram, or Trifix?

The Enneagram Type vs Tritype®

Within the Enneagram system, individuals are classified into one of nine primary types, each characterized by specific traits, motivations, and fears. However, Tritype® expands upon this framework by revealing that each person not only has a core Enneagram Type but also utilizes three Enneagram Types in total. These three types are associated with the three centers of intelligence: heart (comprising types 2, 3, and 4), head (encompassing types 5, 6, and 7), and gut (encompassing types 8, 9, and 1).

In the Tritype® system, these three Enneagram Types combine dynamically, creating a unique composite personality profile. The interplay between these types defines one's worldview and the primary focus of one's attention. This innovative approach enhances the accuracy and depth of Enneagram typing, offering individuals a more nuanced understanding of their own personalities.

Discover your blind spot and experience lasting change

Learning the Enneagram Tritype® System and understanding how to apply it to your life can open the door to rapid personal and professional growth that will positively impact every area of your life.

Learning the 27 Tritype® Archetypes brings a level of specific personalization that makes this possible.

Katherine uses her 40 years of Enneagram study and 31 years of research. She has conducted 24 research studies, completed three certification programs with the original Enneagram authors, and attended week-long intensives with both Oscar Ichazo and Claudio Naranjo. As a result, she has developed a holistic, diverse, and integrated view of type.

What Tritype® Revealed

Tritype® teaches how people use all three centers of intelligence. She introduces advanced ways to work with the Enneagram and the Tritype® Archetypes. This empowers you to make more confident decisions and understand where you and others are coming from and why. You will also learn how to recognize limiting beliefs, negative emotions, and repetitive behaviors.

Once you know your Tritype®, Life Mission, Innate Strengths, Focus of Attention, and Inherent Blind Spots, you can focus on your strengths and mitigate your weaknesses.

Understanding the basic needs and concerns of the 27 Tritype® Archetypes will allow you to understand how to get the best from yourself and others.

Gaining more access to your individual path of transformation can lead you to aspects of your higher self. Discovering the archetypal qualities of the 27 Tritype® Archetypes through imagery lets you more quickly and accurately type yourself and others.

Finally, you will gain a better ability to distinguish between common Enneagram look-a-likes, which can help you avoid or clear up mistypings. Truly understanding which types you use and in the order you use them can help you understand what motivates you and others. Knowing why you think, feel, and act the way you do can radically increase your capacity for self-compassion and transformation.

Understanding your Tritype® helps you to:

• Find your Truetype™.
• Understand what motivates you and others.
• Know why you think, feel, and act as you do…
• Radically increase your capacity for self-compassion and transformation.
• Transform your relationships with others by understanding their unique personality.
• And what motivates them because you will know how to get the best from them.
• Move through your life with greater social effectiveness.
• Gain more confidence because you know where people are coming from.
• Learn the tools that will enable you to draw out the best from everyone around you.
• Expand your sense of compassion and ability to honor other’s approaches to life.
• Understand the important nuances of your natural strengths, weaknesses, and blind spots (making it easier for you to evolve, grow, and help others do the same).

More Tritype® below and on www.katherinefauvre.com/tritype/

History and Evolution of Tritype®

What is Tritype®? What is Trifix, What are Trigrams, 3Types, TriTypes, Tri Type, TriCenter, Tritype® Tristar, Personality Numbers, and More?

In Katherine's own words…Each Enneagram type is an innate, elegant defense strategy built around a corresponding set of core fears. These core fears are based on the needs and concerns of each of the nine Enneagram types.

This dynamic gives rise to a complex personality structure and defense system. This is a unique way to understand the personality, not as only a collection of traits and behaviors but as an efficient defense structure trying to manage our core fears and protect us from harm.

Of course, we can recognize in our own experience that we have more than one core fear, so relating those different flavors of fear to a powerful map like the Enneagram Tritype® Personality System is essential to truly understanding what is driving each of us at the more unconscious levels of personality..

This is when I created the Tritype® System, a map that comprehensively lays out the significant influences within our personalities. This system removes some of the mystery from why people do what they do, making it easier to understand ourselves and others better.

What you can discover with your Tritype®!

Many teachers and many teachings…including many research participants!

I have had the good fortune of learning from many great teachers -- and certified with Helen Palmer-David Daniels, Don Riso-Russ Hudson, and Kathy Hurley-Theodorre Donson, as well as being able to attend intensives with the creator of the Enneagram of Personality, Oscar Ichazo, and the creator of the Subtypes, Dr. Claudio Naranjo. I even had the honor of Naranjo validating my research findings on my 1994-1995 Instinctual Types and Subtypes Research.

I have enjoyed every training I have attended. I appreciated Ichazo's sharp mind and the way in which he created the Enneagram of Personality that we all use today, and I have great respect for Dr. Claudio Naranjo, the first to disseminate Ichazo's information on the Enneagram of Personality actively, and is the originator of the Instinctual Subtypes.  Their teachings have greatly enriched my view of the types.

Differences with those of the same type…

What is Tritype® Theory based on?

Tritype® and Instinctual Stackings are based on tens of thousands of coaching sessions, in-depth qualitative interviews, EQ surveys, and Enneacard test results; from it, I developed a body of work I called 3Types or Tritype®, with the Tricenter and Trigram symbols. I still use all the terms, including 3Types and the Tricenter and Trigram symbols. But, the overarching concept is known as Tritype®. I have also added the Tritype® Tristar symbol that shows the unfolding of the Tritypes®.

When did Tritype® emerge?

In 1985, the Enneagram primarily focused on the character traits of the nine types and how these traits could be a hindrance to becoming self-awareness interfering with spiritual growth and how the nine types can have distortions in the way they react mentally, emotionally, and viscerally. think, feel, and act and how tha tfeel (emotions-passions), think (thoughts-fixations), and Actions (actions-do or do not do), known as their passions and convictions. In January of 1994, I began my more official qualitative research on the “Internal Experiences of the Types and Subtypes.” This research was focused on learning what the types and subtypes would say about themselves.included Sentence Completion testing instruments, multiple choice test included

More specifically, it is based on the contributions of the 9 Enneagram types.

The In-depth Inquiry Process revealed distinct patterns

When I gathered data from my initial studies on “the internal experiences” of the Enneagram, the Instinctual Types, and Subtypes, I recognized a typical pattern of clients and test-takers identifying with the idealized images and core fears of three Enneagram types, not just one set of core fears.

At first, this might be explained by someone's wing types or types along the lines of connection to the primary type. But too frequently, the types were not connected by a wing or a line. Notably, these clients and participants used the idealized images, core fears, and defense strategies of three types, not just one. Types 6 or 9 might have four types, but of the four, they are always identified with a type from each center.

There is much more to say about how types 6 and 9 test in all testing instruments. It is a study within a study and why I poured so much time, energy, and money into creating a testing instrument to alert them when they should consider Type 6, Type 9, or both.

For years, these types were often mistyped as other types and reported they only really felt the full transformational changes once they were accurately typed. I call this one’s TrueType™. When someone finds their correct Enneagram Type, Tritype®, Instinctual Type, and Subtype, they have identified their “Truetype™” and can much more readily work with their core type at a much deeper level. Identifying one’s Truetype makes this possible.

So, I just kept recording the patterns…

I even ran a mini-study focused on the core fears each type identified with to gather more data about the phenomena of people identifying with the core fears of three types. This was a new pattern that others had yet to notice.

I first researched the idealized images and core fears in the 1970s and 1980s when hiring, training, and managing others as an executive in the cosmetic industry. I worked with all levels and from all parts of the country. I used every typology I could find. I quickly had clusters of adjectives and expressions for each type I had noticed prior to learning about the Enneagram.

In 1985, when I found the Enneagram, I saw very similar patterns! And they turned out to be essential facets of the nine Enneagram types, not all of which were known in 1985. I also discovered that the Enneagram typology could hold all other typologies based on motivations rather than behaviors and identifications. All different personality typologies were based on behaviors and identifications.

Many students and teachers of the Enneagram discovered that people seemed to use two or even three types. This could be explained by the lead type and lines or wings to their other types. But far too many did not. So, I kept compiling and testing the data.

Teachers and enthusiasts who noticed these confusing patterns also noticed that some people were extremely hard to type because two or three types were so close. I hypothesized that Tritype® might explain this difficulty as to why some types were so hard to type and why some people strongly identify with more than one type.

Consistently Identifying with more than one type.

People identifying three sets of fears rather than just one also suggested to me that there was a reason people might identify with more than one type.

So, I began working with the interventions recommended for all three types they used, and my clients began to have faster results and more significant breakthroughs.

Katherine Fauvre added Tritype® to her work in 1994

Not overthinking it, I called this 3Types (individual types), TriCenter (the three triads), Trigrams (the Tritype Symbol with the interconnecting lines to the other types), and continued documenting my findings.

Then, in January of 1997, after teaching the Enneagram for 11 years, I attended an NCIEA morning event taught by a teacher from the Arica Institute, the spiritual school founded on the work of Enneagram pioneer Oscar Ichazo.

The instructor casually mentioned that she had recently learned about her "Trifix" and how it helped her to more fully name her gut responses but said nothing more. A few months earlier, I had just heard about this term from Jack Labanauskas and Andrea Isaacs of the Enneagram Monthly. They had recently interviewed Ichazo. In the interview, Ichazo gave Jack his Trifix and Andrea hers, but they did not know more than that…

So, after the morning class for the IEA, I approached the instructor. I shared that I had found that my clients and research participants appeared to have the idealized images, core fears, and defense strategies of three types, not just one… and that these types included a type from each center: head, heart, and gut. I called these 3Types, TriCenter, and Trigrams.

The instructor confirmed that my research findings were meaningful as Ichazo had also realized people use all three triads and have three “fixations,” the mental preoccupations and fixed beliefs of the types of the types… not just one. 

I was pleased to hear that Ichazo had also found that people used all three triads. It confirmed what my study participants Because Ichazo had not published anything until 1997

Over two years later… in 1997,
Oscar Ichazo added Trifix to the Arica Institute

We did not know about Trifix because it was not a part of Ichazo’s early teachings. He added the term Trifix in an email to Jack and Andrea of the Enneagram Monthly in 1996 when he was interviewed by the Enneagram Monthly, 26 years after his first 10-month intensive in Arica Chile, which began in 1970.

Initially, Ichazo did not clarify that the Trifix was only the “mental fixations” of the three types in the Trifix. This meant that Trifix refers to the head fixations only and that there is neither a heart or a gut fix. He focused on the fixations of the types. The name implied this, but Jack, Andrea, and others assumed it was a term that meant types. Instead, Ichazo only focused on the three fixations of the three types and why he called it Trifix.

In 2007 an Arican attended my course. Afterward, we realized this critical distinction when talking about our experiences with the Enneagram. Then, I added the term Tritype® because my research uses the whole type, including each type's head, heart, and gut type in the Tritype®, not just the three head type fixations like Ichazo. Tritype® included the whole dynamics of the types: passions, fixations, and convictions of all three types, as well as the types’ wings and lines.

We felt that the terms Trifix and Tritype® could name this distinction. From then on, I used Tritype®.

In his book The Nine Constituents, published in 2019, Ichazo finally documented five paragraphs on the concept of Trifix. However, he still never taught anything about using the head, heart, and gut fixes. Nor did he teach about the combinations in the Trifix.

My explanations of Tritype® identified the variables that occurred with the 27 Tritype® Archetypes, not Trifix. Using three co-fixations for Ichazo still meant three head fixes only. It is still noteworthy that…

Independent of one another… Katherine and Oscar Ichazo discovered people use all 3 triads

Ichazo and I both discovered that people use all three triads. However, after that, the theories are very different from one another.

Typing and Trityping®

Just as with a single Enneagram type, it is imperative to confirm one’s Tritype® based on internal motivations, idealized images, core fears, and defense strategies that one employs. Avoid basing it on identifications, behaviors, or associations.

Pay attention to the irrational fears associated with idealized images and observe which defense strategy you actually utilize. It is not determined by our actions or words or any changes we may have undergone, as those are examples of behaviors and identifications.

The Enneagram and Tritype® are rooted in the reasons behind what we do, not just the actions themselves, and in understanding the nature of our suffering at our core rather than attributing it to external sources of hurt. Instead, it's about exploring why we respond to hurt in the specific ways we do. What are we afraid of enduring if we acknowledge that we are the source of our problems?

What if someone we dislike is correct, and we are fundamentally wrong? What irrational fears do we need to confront or endure, and why? If we are denied what we believe we need to feel safe, how will we cope, and why?

Tritype® has proven to be a more complete "map" of the unconscious influences driving behavior…

The journey of making progress in life requires being able to see and identify the things that we fear, our reactivity to situations, the beliefs that reinforce our reactivity, and our understanding of why we react to people and situations the way we do.

As with the first teachings of the Enneagram of Personality in 1970, my initial 1994 qualitative research studies on the “Internal Experiences” of the types revealed key insights into the world of the types. These insights led to the discovery of the mathematical “Unfolding of 27 Tritype® Archetypes,” the three Tritype® Stackings, and the three Instinctual Stackings. These findings were so illuminating that all 24 qualitative studies are ongoing.

This first study began with 500 Enneagram-savvy participants, followed by a control group of 100 participants who were unfamiliar with the Enneagram and the Subtypes. The number of participants increased exponentially from 600 participants to thousands, then tens of thousands, and now, hundreds of thousands of international participants.

My most comprehensive testing instrument, Enneagram Tritype® Test version 8 (ETTv8), includes my latest research findings. It was introduced in 2020 and used by over 200,000 participants in less than two years. It has been continuously updated and retroactively shown in your test results.

The ETTv8 has ten testing instruments in one test and, among other features, has been specially programmed to gather the test-taker’s lexicon use, vocabulary, and ranking of the Enneacards and Enneasentences and to “detect” the important patterns used by the Enneagram types, Tritypes®, Instincts, and Subtypes.

It reveals patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving based on your choices throughout the testing process. It identifies the idealized images, core fears, and defense strategies that shed light on the more specific attention patterns, adding nuanced perspectives of the types that paved the way for the emergence of Tritype®.

It provided an incredible shortcut on the path of personal growth and taught us how to recognize the Blind Spots that are missed. Once we accurately identify our Enneagram Type, Tritype®, Instinctual Type, and Subtype Stacking Order, we have access to a detailed map that clearly lays out many of the things we need to see and work with in order to become the happiest versions of ourselves.

Of course, we can get to all of this through the In-depth Inquiry Process, but having the benefit of a map like the Enneagram and Tritype® can cut years off the process.

Once we know the Enneagram Tritype® System and learn to identify the patterns of each type accurately, we are able to quickly understand the unique drivers inside each person in your life. and why they do what they do…

Identifying one’s idealized images, core fears, and defense strategies increases empathy, compassion, and understanding…

Understanding Tritype® enables you to help others feel seen as well as know what they need, how to relate to them in the best way, and how to avoid triggering their unconscious fears and insecurities.

Developing a deep knowledge and understanding of your Enneagram Tritype® is like removing the fog of perception from your eyes, both for your own journey of personal development and with how you relate to everyone in your life.

Tritype® identifies a more specific Focus Attention

Tritype® offers an In-Depth understanding of your personality and comes alive when you apply it. By itself, Tritype® is the map, but you also need to know how to follow that map. Whether understanding yourself, breaking old patterns, or helping clients improve the quality of their lives, you need to know how to apply it to have the greatest results.

You will know how to correctly determine and work with your Tritype®, Life Mission, Innate Strengths, Focus of Attention, and Blindspot, as well as the basic needs and concerns of the 27 Tritype® combinations. You will also be able to better understand key distinctions within a type.

Does Tritype help with typing people?

Once you learn the qualities of the 27 Tritype® Archetypes, you can more accurately "type" people and know how to distinguish between common Enneagram look-a-likes to avoid common mistypings.

©1995-2024 Katherine Chernick Fauvre • All Rights Reserved

Tristar: Unfoldment of the 27 Tritypes®

In which Triad does your Tritype® reside?

What is your Tritype® meant to do in the Tristar Path of Unfoldment? Are you more inclined to Initiate and begin actions (3), Oppose and see the other side of every equation (6), or Integrate and reconcile all points of view (9)?

For the first time, Katherine is teaching the Tritype® Tristar: How to Use the Tristar as the Map to understand the Path of Unfoldment for the 27 Tritype® Archetypes. Learn More

To understand the Enneagram Tritype® Tristar symbol, one needs to know of the similarities and differences between the Enneagram system and the Tritype® Archetype system.

The Enneagram is a 9-point personality system organized within a 3x3 matrix that is inherently divisible by 3. In contrast, Tritype® extends this framework into a 27-point personality system, introducing a 3x3x3 structure within a 3x9 matrix, which also maintains a divisibility by 3.

The Enneagram symbol is represented as a circle encompassing nine equidistant points connected by intersecting lines, forming three distinct triads (a Trialectic model). This symbol is believed to capture the dynamic spiral forces at play in the universe, incorporating principles associated with the numbers one, three, seven, and nine.

The Tritype® Tristar symbol takes the form of a circular representation, featuring an arrangement of 27 triangles signifying the 27 Tritypes® organized into three triads, with each triad consisting of 9 Tritypes®. Positioned at the center of this symbolic structure is the primary 369 Tritype®, which forms intricate connections with the 258 Tritype® and the 147 Tritype®. These connections offer valuable insights into the universal aspects of the core primary 369 Tritype® and its relationship to the two “core” hexads; Tritypes® 258 and 147, revealing the sequential path of unfoldment among the 27 Tritypes®.

Oscar Ichazo’s Trialectics and the Tritype® Tristar

The Enneagram of Personality is a Trialectic system created by Oscar Ichazo in 1970. Ichazo, a Bolivian-born philosopher and spiritual teacher, is known for developing the theory of Trialectics as part of his larger system of Integral Teachings. His Trialectics is a model that can be used to see the spiraling unfolding of the 27 Tritypes® in the Tristar.

Trialectics is a philosophical framework that proposes a three-fold approach to understanding reality, which goes beyond the traditional binary logic of dialectics. Ichazo's Trialectics suggests that every phenomenon can be understood in terms of three interrelated aspects or perspectives: Initiation or Affirmation, Opposition or Negation, and Integration or Reconciliation. This process involves moving Opposing Polarities to Synthesis, which creates Trialectic Unity and a more Holistic Approach.

1. In Trialectics: Ichazo identified three fundamental aspects of reality:
   
   Affirmation: This aspect represents the positive or constructive element of a phenomenon. It encompasses qualities such as existence, being, and manifestation.
   
   Negation: This aspect represents the negative or deconstructive element of a phenomenon. It involves qualities such as non-existence, non-being, and dissolution.
   
   Reconciliation: This aspect represents the synthesis or harmonization of the first two aspects. It involves the integration of affirmation and negation into a higher unity or understanding.

2. Dynamic Interplay: Ichazo emphasizes that these three aspects are not static but dynamically interact with each other. Affirmation and negation are in constant tension, leading to a process of synthesis, reconciliation, and integration.

3. Application: Trialectics can be applied to various domains, including psychology, philosophy, spirituality, and personal development. It offers a framework for understanding complex phenomena and resolving apparent contradictions or paradoxes.

4. Integration with Other Systems: Ichazo's Trialectics is often integrated with other philosophical and psychological systems, such as Ken Wilber's Integral Theory and George Gurdjieff's Fourth Way teachings. It provides a complementary perspective that enriches these systems.

Overall, Ichazo's theory of Trialectics offers a nuanced approach to understanding reality, emphasizing the dynamic interplay of affirmation, negation, and reconciliation. It encourages practitioners to transcend binary thinking and embrace complexity and synthesis.

This Trialectic system, as represented by the Law of Three, is interpreted in various spiritual and philosophical traditions and often refers to the idea that every action has threefold consequences or aspects.

1. Affirmation, Negation, Reconciliation: This triad suggests that every action is followed by its opposite reaction but ultimately leads to a higher synthesis or resolution, reconciling the initial opposites.

2. Creation, Preservation, Destruction: This triad reflects the cycles of existence where creation leads to preservation, which eventually leads to destruction or transformation, creating space for new creation.

3. Birth, Life, Death: This triad mirrors the cycle of life, where birth initiates life, which eventually culminates in death. However, death is often seen as a transition or transformation rather than an end.

4. Thought, Word, Deed: In this triad, thought precedes action, and words often follow thoughts before actions are taken. Deeds, then, are the culmination of thoughts and words.

5. Initiation, Struggle, Attainment: This triad suggests that every endeavor begins with an initiation, followed by struggle or effort, and ultimately leads to attainment or achievement.

6. Integration, Differentiation, Harmony: This triad emphasizes the interplay between unity and diversity. Integration leads to differentiation, which, when balanced, results in harmony.

7. Ignition, Combustion, Dissipation: Analogous to the process of burning, this triad illustrates how ignition leads to combustion, which ultimately leads to the dissipation of energy.

These interpretations illustrate the Law of Three's multifaceted nature and how it can be applied across various domains, from physics and chemistry to psychology and spirituality.

Tritype® Path of Unfoldment

The Tritype® Path of Unfoldment is a structured journey within the Tristar diagram, starting with the 369 Tritype® at its core and extending outward in a systematic pattern. This pattern progresses from the most common Tritype® combinations to the least common ones, creating 27 distinct Tritype® Archetypes.

The Tristar map mirrors the three triads of the Enneagram, placing each Tritype® within the corresponding triad to which it belongs. The 369 Tritype® holds a central position and consists of the three primary numbers in the Enneagram (3, 6, 9), forming a 3x3 system that aligns with the spiritual Law of 9. This Tritype® is recognized for its universality and adaptability due to its more direct connection to all 9 types by way of its wing types in the center in which it resides in the Enneagram system.

The 369 Tritype® harmoniously interlocks with the two hexad (1428571) Tritypes®—the 147 and the 258. Together, these triads encompass all nine Enneagram numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). Remarkably, when you sum these numbers (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9), you get a total of 45. Reducing this sum to a single digit (4+5) results in 9, thereby concluding this process within the context of the 9-fold system.

The 369 Tritype® consists of the three primary types at its core, followed by the inclusion of two primary types along with one hexad type. As the path of unfoldment continues towards the outer center of the Tristar, it transitions to combinations comprising one primary type with two hexad types. Finally, the journey culminates with Tritypes®, which are composed entirely of three hexad types situated at the outermost edges of the Tristar. This intricate structure provides a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between different Tritype® combinations and their evolving relationships as they radiate outward from the core.

Think of the 369 Tritype®, which is made up of the three primary types, as the “generalist.” This is the most common and adaptable Tritype® because it has access to all nine Enneagram types via its wings. So, it is not by chance that the 369 Tritype® identifies with all nine types to some degree at first. This is because 369 Tritype® sees other points of view faster than the other Tritypes®, which is one of the reasons why it takes longer for them to accurately confirm their lead type.

In contrast, think of the 478 Tritype®, which is made up of the ending three hexad types, as the “specialist.” This is the least common Tritype®, residing on the outer points of the Tristar edge, which is the least adaptable Tritype®.

Why is the 478 Tritype® made up of the “ending” three hexad types?

The Enneagram is the 9-fold system that begins and ends with type 9. It is important to note that the Tristar symbol moves in a clockwise order, beginning and ending with type 9. This means that type 1 is the first move out of type 9 and that 8 is the last gut type before merging back to the wholeness of type 9. When organized by centers, it is much easier to see. To find the numerical significance of each type, add up the numbers, then reduce all numbers to a single digit.

The 234 is the heart center and is focused on emotions. The 234 becomes 2+3+4=9.

The 567 is the head center and is focused on thoughts. The 567 becomes 5+6+7=18 then, 1+8=9.

The 918 is the gut center and is focused on sensations. The 918 becomes 9+1+8=18 then, 1+8=9.

The centers combined equals 9. So, 9+9+9= 27. 2+7=9.

Each Tritype® thereafter adds up to one of 9 potential numbers from 1 through 9, which gives additional details about the focus of the Tritype®.

©1995-2024 Katherine Chernick Fauvre • All rights reserved 

Tritype® Research Study- IEA Journal 2012

Exploring Enneagram Tritype®: Theory and Practice

©2012 Katherine Chernick Fauvre  •  David William Fauvre. •  IEA Journal 2012
©1995-2024 Katherine Chernick Fauvre  •  Updates and Additions

Abstract

When theory building for a system like the Enneagram, it’s important to meet those theories that are both elegant and intuitive. With the breadth of fine distinctions already built into Enneagram theory, it seemed that most avenues of distinction had been fleshed out. However, upon working with a multitude of clients, a fascinating pattern emerged. Research and test results with clients revealed that people utilize one type in each center of intelligence: head (5,6,7), heart (2,3,4), and gut (8,9,1), and that these types were used in a preferred order, with one being dominant.

These Tritype®combinations also reveal specific character archetypes that enrich and enhance current Enneagram theory and provide Enneagram researchers and enthusiasts with a new typing language. Understanding the basics of Tritype®can help those working with the Enneagram (enthusiasts, clients, therapists, and coaches) communicate in a new typological language.

Aristotle suggested that true internal harmony could be achieved only when internal conditions allow each aspect of the psyche to perform what it was primitively meant to perform. The authors have found that one’s Enneagram Tritype® reveals critical aspects of the psyche and how they were meant to perform, thus allowing one to develop the self-awareness needed to create internal harmony and live a more fulfilling life. Read more here: Full Tritype® Research Article PDF

Endorsements

“Katherine’s work on the Tritype is fresh, innovative and illuminating. Even those well acquainted with the Enneagram will be surprised at the precision of this approach in identifying key features of the personality. Highly recommended!”
-Russ Hudson, 548, coauthor, ‘The Wisdom of the Enneagram’

“Katherine is an experienced, knowledgeable, and superb teacher of the Enneagram material. She works with care and compassion, sharing her extensive experience in both coaching and teaching the Enneagram. I hold her in high regard, and I support her work fully. Her interest in the internal style of type, tritype, and the connected instinctual subtype behaviors make her a leader in the field. Virtually everyone can benefit substantially from her research, classes, and workshops.”
- David Daniels, MD 621, author of Enneagram Essentials

“Katherine's Enneagram expertise and instruction on the Enneagram and Tritype increased our team's ability to relate with one another on a business level. Moreover, her teachings at the Federal Reserve Bank over the years helped me understand more about myself as a person, and I've taken her instruction with me well after I took her classes. Working with Katherine was a profound and important milestone in my life.” 
April 14, 2011, hired  Katherine more than once as a Business Consultant
Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, Expert
-Keane Li

‘Tritype® made my own coaching work so much deeper.’...said Iris, a coach, about working with the Enneagram Tritype® System. If you're a healer, therapist, life coach, leadership coach, business consultant, or spiritual director, using the Enneagram and Tritype® in your work will give you access to a level of individualized insights that can significantly accelerate your impact and return on investments with your clients.
-Iris First

When clients are accurately typed, they report significant changes in how they view themselves and others.
-Alice Knight

I have waited for years for Katherine to write more about the Enneagram. I have had sessions where I learned important distinctions, so I am looking forward to these updates. This book seems like it will have everything and then some. As a therapist, I thrive on her visuals. Clients love all of her charts and materials.
-Dora Samson

I can hardly wait to hear what Katherine says about what we don’t know about the Enneagram types, subtypes, and tritypes. She has cleared up many mistakes that caused so many to be mistyped. It was a relief to have a session with Katherine and find my correct type and tritype!
-Josh Manning

I have known Katherine’s work since the early 1980s. She is an encyclopedia of systems. She never stops researching about the Enneagram types and Tritypes. She even learns from the Enneagram Types themselves!
-Aida Morano

I work in a shelter and use the enneagram to help people understand themselves. It is so important to get the right type because I have so little time with people. I missed typing a lot of 6s correctly because they looked like other types. Now I understand what you keep saying about the core fears and defense strategies. Thank you for your work. I have everyone take your enneagram tritype test even when they already know their type.
-Memphis, Tennessee

Tritype® Special Events

What is Your Truetype™?

Truetype™ is a term coined by Katherine Chernick Fauvre in 1995 to identify the accurate types that emerge as a result of the convergence of your “True” Enneagram Type, Tritypes®, and Instinctual Stacking.

Once you have accurately determined your Truetype™, you can combine them with other personality Typologies, including your MBTI, Visual Archetype, Body Type, Lexicon use, Micro Expressions, Energetic Structures, and more.

• Learn more on YouTube.
• Take Enneagram Tritype® Test v8

Enneagram Tritype® Test v8 here
Types, Tritypes®, Subtypes, Stackings

Ten Tests in One!

The Enneagram Tritype® Test, ETTv8, is based on the collective experiences of over 300,000 test-takers, thousands of 3-hour In-depth Inquiry Process Interviews, and 24 qualitative research studies.

These extensive studies have identified special patterns that can assist those with difficulty typing. It has been programmed to track the test-taker's choices and patterns when moving through the ten testing instruments. If the test-taker has used any of the patterns used by the “hard-to-type” 6, and 9, they are sent a special notice.

Research has shown that type 6 and type 9 struggle with finding their correct type because they are innately meant to focus on their behaviors and identifications rather than their motivations. The Enneagram is the only personality typology “not” based on behaviors. So, guidance from an experienced teacher helps these types focus on their motivations rather than their identifications and behaviors during the typing process.
Enneagram Tritype® Test v8

I learned so much from Katherine when she lived in Maui. This test is wonderful for my clients. It is a part of my coaching assessment package.
-Maui

Your Enneagram Tritype Test is a game changer. I was mistyped for 15 years. I finally know that I am the intuitive, creative 6 not a 4,7
-Atlanta

Enneagram Tritype® Test v8

Tritype® Coaching

About Katherine

Katherine Chernick Fauvre, the creator of Tritype®, has been an internationally recognized Personality Expert and Transformational Coach since 1985 and has an integrated and holistic view of the Enneagram. 

She is an International Enneagram Association (IEA) Accredited Professional with Distinction and a former IEA board member from 1997 to 1999. In 2023, she was inducted into the Marquis Who's Who in America Biographical Registry for her rise to prominence in multiple fields. Her progressive and innovative leadership, creative problem-solving skills, and 24 qualitative research studies, including the creation of the Enneagram Tritype® Archetypes, the Enneagram Stacking Patterns, the In-depth Inquiry Process, and her social advocacy, have made her a respected leader in the field.

Read IAOTP’s press release about Katherine, Empowered Woman of the Year 2024.

Remarkably, Katherine holds Triple Enneagram Certifications from luminaries in the field: Helen Palmer-David Daniels, Don Riso-Russ Hudson, and Kathleen Hurley-Ted Dobson, and is the only person worldwide to have attended Enneagram intensives with both Oscar Ichazo and Claudio Naranjo, with Naranjo validating her 1994-1995 research on the Instinctual Types and Subtypes.

In addition to her work with clients, she is devoted to her role as a teacher and mentor in the field of Personality Typologies, creating methodologies that focus on “Personal Empowerment.”   Her extensive work encompasses research findings from her research studies, masterclasses, books, videos, products, certification programs, and co-creating the non-profit TV Series:  “Types: Your Personality Revealed.”

Katherine has focused on teaching Personal Empowerment throughout her career, whether teaching the Enneagram to Team 5 in the boardroom at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, engaging with 14-year-old students in a private high school classroom, guiding attorneys during voir dire in a courtroom, or working with incarcerated individuals in local county jails. The one profound truth consistently resonated: that was our shared humanity. We all possess the gifts and talents of our Enneagram Types, Tritypes®, Instinctual Types, and Subtypes, and we all grapple with the struggles and strategies of our Types.

These nine personality types are not confined by borders; for example, an Enneagram type 4 is a type 4 everywhere in the world. Katherine's guiding question has always been how to promote diversity and transcend the barriers of race, creed, color, nationality, status, gender, age, and circumstances to broaden our understanding of others. Her answer lies in the concept of 'Personality Diversity' - the idea that explains why people perceive and defend their sense of reality in 9 distinct ways.

This understanding explains why individuals take certain actions and perceive events from their unique perspectives, often without realizing that others also have their own views of reality that may be very different from our own. Armed with this knowledge, we can all become more aware of these inherent perspectives, bridge the gap between our differing viewpoints, and foster more open communication. This, in turn, holds the promise of enhancing “Emotional Intelligence,” expanding our sense of compassion and creating a profound sense of “Empathetic Resonance” with all personality styles. www.katherinefauvre.com/bookasession

In-depth Inquiry Process Conversational Approach

Katherine is a master profiler. Her vast knowledge of many systems and personality typologies enables her to effortlessly track your words, expressions, phrases, tone, and body language in a way that will help you identify and work with your Enneagram Type, Tritype®, and Instinctual Stacking.

Katherine uses her In-depth Inquiry Process, a “Conversational Style Approach.” It is a special technique she created to identify your primary concerns. During your session, she uses examples, metaphors, and analogies to get around your super-ego and discover what really matters to you most. Your word choices, expressions, micro-expressions, talk style, tone, adjectives, topics, questions, explanations, and archetype. This blend of systems makes it easier to delve deeply into important responses, allowing your Type, Tritype®, Instinctual Type, and Subtype to emerge.

Her In-depth Inquiry Process helps you to discover new ways of working with old problems. She works to quickly and radically deepen your understanding of yourself and others, empowering you to develop the critical self-awareness needed to live a more fulfilling life. Learn more about Katherine's approach to coaching.

Coaching on Zoom

Discover the innate strengths and struggles you will encounter in every relationship, including but not limited to as a partner, parent, child, sibling, boss, and/or coworker.

Learn how to talk in the language of the Enneagram Types, Tritypes®, Instincts, and Subtypes. Learn how to support yourself and others using the language of the types.

Discover your innate strengths and learn to work with your type and Tritype® struggles. Discover new ways to enjoy all of your relationships; as a partner, spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, child, boss, and/or coworker.

Katherine has many areas of expertise she uses in her work as an Enneagram teacher, author, and coach. In addition to her work with the Enneagram, she also uses her knowledge of multiple systems, including the 27 Tritype® Archetypes, the 27 Instinctual Subtypes, the 4 Instinctual Stacking Patterns, the Identifications, Micro Expressions, Body Language, Behavior Analysis, NLP, Core Energetics, Dream Analysis, Visual Archetypes, Lexicon Use, Speech Patterns, Talk Style, Pacing, Reasoning Styles, MBTI®, Empathy Styles, Childhood Development, ADHD, Age Appropriateness, Trauma, Learning Styles, Conflict Management, Career Guidance, Executive Coaching, and Team Building.

"Katherine can synthesize material from a variety of sources and organize it in a way that offers cohesion and insights. She has made a point to study with everyone who has taught this topic and made powerful contributions with her own research on the inner world of the Types and Subtypes...." 
-Enneagram Monthly

Identifying and confirming your dominant Enneagram Type, Enneagram Tritype®, Enneagram Instinctual Subtype, and your Stacking is an essential part of the transformation process. Do not be discouraged if it takes time, as each step is part of the process and will give you many valuable insights.

Book your Tritype® Coaching Session

Directions

Katherine would love to support you on your journey of discovery…
She schedules appointments Monday- Friday from 12:30 pm to 7:00 pm California Time.

To book time, please include all of the following in an email to Katherine. 
Send your email to: info@katherinefauvre.com
Once Katherine has this information in a single email thread, she will email you the time that works for both of you.

• Send the receipt for your PayPal payment, indicating which session you have purchased.
• Please take the test at  https://enneagramtritypetest.com  
• Forward your live test results or your test link to info@katherinefauvre.com 
• Subject should be “Test Results (your name)”
• Please indicate how much time you would like to book and your time zone
• Send your exact availability (according to California time, using the 12-hour clock)
• Katherine will get you in as soon as possible, but a lot depends on availability
• Send her your availability for the next 3-4 weeks
• Please be aware of whether Daylight Savings Time is in effect in California

Taking the ETTv8

It's crucial to find a 30-minute period where you can take the test without any interruptions.  This will increase the accuracy of your results. Once you've completed the test, close it out so your results will be recorded and emailed to you.

Remember not to stop, save, hit backspace, leave the test, go to another screen, look up a word, copy the test or results, take screenshots, create a PDF, or take a call, as the test will time out and/or not be recorded. All choices will be available under the “Show answers" tab.

Existing Clients

If you are an existing client, you can pay for your sessions below. Be sure to select the “Existing Client” section. Click on the purple “add to cart button” below to select the number of Enneagram Tritype® Coaching Session hours you would like to purchase. You can read more about Katherine’s Tritype® coaching click here

New Clients Only

If you are a new client, choose the “New Client “ fees. Click on the purple “add to cart” button for the number of hours you wish to book.

Please Note: The 1-hour Tritype® Session is a typing session only, not an In-depth Inquiry Coaching Session. In-depth Inquiry coaching sessions need to be for 2 or more hours.

Katherine's Blog Posts

Looking for a blog on a certain type or topic? Search below for any topic that interests you. Chances are that Katherine has written a blog about it. Simply write the keywords in the search box below. Read articles about the Enneagram Types, Tritypes®, Instinctual Types, and Subtypes. Use the search block below to find it!

For example, If you want to find a blog post about Claudio Naranjo, you can just search for Naranjo and see all related articles. If you want to find a post on Type Four, type in “4” or “Four” to find those articles as well.

Free Enneagram Type and Tritype® Panels

Watch more of Katherine’s videos here! YouTube

The Shift Network

Mini Videos: Katherine Answers Common Questions

Katherine's Interviews on Soundcloud

Listen to Katherine on a variety of subjects by visiting her Soundcloud page here.

What are the Instinctual Subtypes?

Claudio Naranjo’s Transmission of the Subtypes

Claudio Naranjo was the individual who gathered his cohorts and organized the 10-month intensive with Oscar Ichazo that commenced on July 1, 1970, in Arica, Chile. He completed six months of the 10-month training program, in which the Enneagram played a minor role. Afterward, he returned to Berkeley, California, where he recruited fellow seekers to join his spiritual study group, "Seekers After Truth" (SAT).

He was the first to teach Ichazo's Protoanalysis concepts, although he wished to respect Ichazo's copyright and used terms in the public domain. Thus, Ichazo’s Instinctual Triads: Conservation, Relation, and Adaption became the Centers of Intelligence: Head, Heart, and Gut, and Protoanalysis became the Enneagram.

In September 1971, Naranjo initiated his own spiritual study group, Seekers After Truth (SAT), which lasted for 18 months. He required participants to sign confidentiality agreements, similar to Ichazo's request for the Arica, Chile group. However, two individuals, Kathleen Speeth of Berkeley, California (his girlfriend during the SAT groups) and a Jesuit, Fr. Robert Ochs, who taught the Enneagram at Loyola University, Chicago, broke their confidentiality agreements.

Around this time, in 1972, Naranjo ceased teaching the Enneagram in Berkeley, California, and the United States, citing multiple reasons. He disapproved of others taking credit for Ichazo's work and using it without proper attribution.

In the 1980s, Oscar Ichazo sued Robert Ochs from Loyola, Kathy Speeth, and authors Maria Beesing, Robert Nogosek, Patrick O'Leary, and Helen Palmer for copyright infringement, which was finally resolved in the early 1990s.

Since Naranjo was unaware of 3Types (Tritype®) and Trifix, these aspects were not part of his Enneagram dissemination. Nevertheless, Naranjo did introduce the Subtypes.

Naranjo Returns to Teaching the Enneagram in the US

In April 1996, Claudio once again taught the Enneagram in the US, specifically in Boulder, Colorado. His teachings on the Enneagram continued to be a part of his Seekers After Truth (SAT) Intensives.

Katherine had the privilege of attending Naranjo’s first SAT intensive in 1996 after a prolonged absence from teaching the Enneagram in the United States for nearly 24 years.

Jack Labanasukas, a co-editor with the Enneagram Monthly, informed Naranjo that Katherine would be at his intensive and wanted him to comment on her research findings on the Subtypes.

Naranjo had seen Katherine’s research on Enneastyle: The 9 Languages of Enneagram Type, which was published in the Enneagram Monthly in January and February of 1996. He was impressed with her qualitative research findings and identifications of the lexicon used by the types, which was based on the study of the “Internal Experiences” of type.

Naranjo expressed an interest in reading her findings on the Subtypes and her first books based on her research: Enneastyle: The 9 Languages of Enneagram Type” and "The Enneagram Instinctual Types and Subtypes.”

He asked her to bring a copy of her findings and books to the intensive, which she did. She presented her Instinctual Subtype research and book to Naranjo on the first day of the intensive. The following morning, he told Katherine that he had read her book the previous evening and was pleased to have his Subtypes theory validated through qualitative research.

On the first morning of the Intensive, Naranjo validated her research findings on the Subtypes and Enneastyle. She also had the opportunity to pose numerous questions to him. It is worth noting that he was remarkably open and available, willingly addressing all of her inquiries and those of others, which was greatly appreciated.

Katherine was also able to interview him about many areas of his work with the Enneagram, clearing up some facts lost or misunderstood in the dissemination of the Enneagram. He noted that her findings provided valuable insights into the 27 Subtypes, which he referred to as “archetypes.”

Katherine’s research validated his hypothesis of 27 Subtypes. He appreciated that the research confirmed his pivotal role as the Subtypes' primary teacher and creator. This was significant to him because Kathy Speeth had erroneously attributed his work to Oscar Ichazo, and Helen Palmer had not acknowledged his contribution.

Furthermore, Naranjo expressed his interest in Katherine’s findings and, contrary to his original plan, decided to incorporate the 27 Subtypes into the intensive, combining her research with his observations. He mentioned that it would be the first time he would teach all 27 Subtypes, but Katherine’s research filled in many gaps, and together, they created a more detailed view of all 27 subtypes. Upon learning this news, participants expressed a desire for copies of her book The Instinctual Types and Subtypes. Subsequently, a group visited Kinko’s to have them reproduced for the attendees

In 1994, when Katherine began her research studies, she conducted an extensive search for all available information on subtypes. She then compiled sentences, quotes, and phrases for each subtype on two 8.5x11 pages from various sources teaching about subtypes. By the time of Naranjo’s intensive in 1996, Katherine had added three more 8.5x11 pages of new material on each subtype that had emerged during her ongoing research interviews.

To validate these statements, she distributed all six pages related to their primary Enneagram type, including all three instinctual types: self-preserving, social, and sexual. I also provided pages for their three instincts concerning their wing types.

Participants were instructed to:
Read the statements for each instinctual subtype for their type and wing types.
Place a checkmark in front of the statements that are accurate.
Strike a single line through words and/or sentences that are inaccurate.
Modify statements to make them accurate, if possible.
Add important statements that are missing.
Include any comments or explanations they deemed necessary.

The initial group of 500 and then 600 research participants suggested that in rough numbers, the approximate distribution was:
200 who were aware of the subtypes. (Berkeley)
300 who were unaware of the subtypes. (Jesuit Line)
100 who were unfamiliar with both the Enneagram types and subtypes. (Control Group)

These participants had diverse demographics:
They learned the Enneagram from different teachers or teachings.
They hailed from different cultures and regions worldwide.
They represented various ages, genders, MBTI Types, and races.
They ranged in age, with the youngest participants 12 years old and the eldest 95.

The commonalities among the participants were as follows:
They made similar checkmarks for what was correct.
They employed the same or similar strikethroughs for what was not true.
They implemented similar modifications in the same or similar manner.
They added the same or similar statements or comments when necessary.

Soon after the first set of responses, Katherine asked participants to send her the words, pictures, and phrases that epitomized their type and instinct. Due to word of mouth within the Enneagram community, the number of participants rapidly doubled and then tripled. That number has grown to hundreds of thousands of participants who have taken the ETTv8 test and tens of thousands who have completed the three-hour interview, and the In-depth Inquiry Process.

An immediate and noteworthy finding was that the types supplied the same or similar words, pictures, and phrases, and they supplied the same or very similar images.

She then meticulously edited out any errors and incorporated the unexpected and compelling findings that aligned with her research findings.

Point of Interest

In 1994, only individuals connected to Claudio Naranjo, Berkeley, Kathy Speeth, Helen Palmer, and Tom Condon, or those who studied with them or were associated with these figures, were privy to the subtype archetypes.

At that time, people were taught that they possessed one of the three instincts and that they could leverage this instinct's energy to transform the passion of their Enneagram type.

It is important to clarify that Katherine’s research unveiled that instinct was more potent and influential than the ego types because they represented a more primal manifestation of the personality type. By 1996, her research on the instinctual types and 27 subtypes expanded to include three additional 8.5x11 pages of new material for each subtype.

Subsequently, participants all took notes during the intensive. At the end of the program, attendees provided Katherine with copies of their notes to incorporate into her book. This collaborative effort proved to be an enriching experience for all. Most of what is now taught was confirmed by her research. The use of three instincts in a hierarchical stacking order and the instinctual stacking as the CEO of the defense system emerged during her 1994 study.

Throughout the intensive, Katherine and Claudio discussed the Subtypes, lexicon, and image findings from her book, "Enneastyle," which explored the "internal experiences" of the type studies. They dedicated a significant amount of time to discussing her research findings during the intensive. Naranjo was pleasantly surprised by my discoveries, especially the confirmation that he was the originator of the Subtypes, not Ichazo, Speeth, Palmer, or others.

Tritype® and the stacking order of the types emerged in the same research study. Trialectics confirmed the 3x3x3 patterns that contributed to the significance of every important pattern in the same research. During the intensive, she also shared her discovery that the nine Enneagram types have a subtype, that is, the “stereotype,” and that the other two types are countertypes. Like Tritype®, these three subtypes are also stacked in a hierarchical order of dominance, with the personal ranking varying according to the individual.

Naranjo’s Personality Research

Claudio Naranjo was a progressive, cutting-edge Renaissance man of the 1960s. He was a pianist, an innovative psychiatrist, a medicinal researcher in the field of psychopharmacology, a personality researcher, a lifelong scholar, a prolific writer, a social activist focused on healing the world, a spiritual seeker, a successor to Fritz Pearls, and a student of Oscar Ichazo. His extensive knowledge of systems, personality, and the Enneagram was groundbreaking and deep. In the 1960s, he participated in personality research at Ohio State, Havard, Berkeley, and Santa Cruz.

Katherine said that their discussions on personality research and systems were particularly enjoyable because both were keen on studying human nature and personality systems, participated in research studies, were spiritual seekers, and shared a passion for the Enneagram. They both studied personality systems and conducted research, so their discussions and comparisons filled in gaps with the subtypes. Naranjo’s answers bridged gaps Katherine had found, and her findings filled in gaps he had, creating a very rich environment for discussing systems.

In addition, Naranjo’s early views of the 27 archetypes of the subtypes and his theory were disseminated by others, so most of Naranjo's information on the Subtypes remained largely unknown in 1996. Because the Subtypes had erroneously been attributed to Ichazo rather than Naranjo, no one seemed to know that they originated with Naranjo until her research.

This misunderstanding persisted because Naranjo had refrained from teaching the Enneagram in the US from 1972 to 1996. Therefore, his first intensive in 1996 marked a return after nearly 24 years of absence.

During this intensive, Naranjo asserted that he had conceived the concept of the Subtypes but had not yet fully defined all 27 archetypes.

When Katherine asked Naranjo whether he planned to publish a book on the Subtypes in the near future, he explained that he required more time to confirm his theories about the 27 Subtypes. Nonetheless, since he validated Katherine's research findings, he asked her to include his observations of the subtypes in her book, Enneagram Instinctual Types, and Subtypes, so that his view would be represented. She readily agreed.

Given his approval of her research findings, she drafted a paragraph encapsulating his perspective on each of the 27 Subtypes and included them in her book, "Enneagram Instinctual Types and Subtypes," to ensure his contributions were properly acknowledged.

Before publishing this information, she shared the paragraphs she had written with Naranjo for his endorsement. Once he approved them, she began teaching the Subtypes as the work of Naranjo. Additionally, she penned an article detailing her experience with Naranjo, Reflections on Type, which not only enriched her understanding of the Enneagram but also shed light on aspects he had not previously taught. Click here - Naranjo Article: Reflections on Type.

Errors in Transmission of the Enneagram

Integration-Disintegrations and Stress-Security

Inaccurate Disseminations. Why is it important?
As a lifelong scholar, I have learned that most Enneagram teachers and enthusiasts want to know when something was misattributed or misunderstood. Claudio Naranjo repeatedly stated and documented that he was misquoted in 1971 by Father Robert Ochs regarding the concepts of “integration and disintegration” and “stress and security.”

He said the types always move to "both" wing types and “both” lines of connection during integration and disintegration and “stress and security.” Rather than moving to one line in stress and another in security, the types, lines, and wings operate in concert when they are operatig at a healthy level and in concert when they are operating a lower rwer levelperhaps, at another time unhealthy. This is rather than the notion that one part of the organism operates at a level of integration and the other at a lower level.

The types, wings, and lines of connection are neutral until the personality acts in a manner that is positive or negative.  So, if the personality is positive and healthy, the types, wings, and lines are healthy, but if the personality drops down the levels and is negative, they are all considered negative. It is a system that represents the intersections of the law of 3 (369) and the law of 7 (142857) with the law of one (the circle). Research suggests that this  9-pointed Enneagram represents movement in the universe, uniting Divinity with Creation.  

In addition to stating this fact in his Seekers After Truth (SAT) groups, he also documented this fact in his book Enneatypes in Psychotherapy, published in 1994, in his 10-day intensive in Boulder, Colorado, in 1996 (which I attended), and in his SAT Intensive in Germany in 2010 which is on video and can be purchased. 

Naranjo did say that he considered this one evening in his SAT group in 1971 but immediately dismissed the notion because Oscar Ichazo's Enneagram of Personality was based on "Trialectics" rather than dialectics. 

He also stated that this misunderstanding was an unfortunate error in the dissemination of the Enneagram that went around the world and caused many people to mistype themselves and that many books continued with this misunderstanding of Oscar Ichazo's “Trialectic” system of the Enneagram of Personality. 

In 1996, when I attended Naranjo’s 10-day intensive in Boulder, I taught the Enneagram for 9 years, had three certifications and 3 research studies, and had written 2 books and did not know this important error. I did, however, notice the error when I conducted my first two qualitative research studies prior to attending Naranjo's Intensive. One study was Enneastyle: 9 Languages of the Enneagram Types, which was on the internal experience of the 9 Enneagram Types.  The other was A Study of the Enneagram Instinctual Subtypes. 

I asked Naranjo about his view of integration-disintegration and stress-security in his 1996 Intensive. I asked because over 1000 study participants identified with both the positive and negative aspects of their lines of connection. 

In addition, Oscar Ichazo never taught integration-disintegration or stress-security in this manner. 

So you need only add that when integrating, you rapidly and continuously move to the high of your type, both wings, and both lines of connection, and when disintegrating, you also rapidly and continuously move to the low side of your type, both wings, and both lines of connection. Think of it as a piston that is always in motion.

Enneagram Tritype® Test v8!

This comprehensive and in-depth Enneagram Tritype® Test is only $25.
Take the Tritype® Test

Katherine’s Enneagram Tritype® Test (ETTv8) is based on 35 years of experience, 23 of Katherine’s Research Studies on the Enneagram, Tritype®, Instinctual Types, MBTI, empathy and many other correlations. (see “Products” page and “About Katherine” pages).

The specific word choices on the Enneacards came from tens of thousands of research participants and thousands of qualitative interviews and In-depth Coaching Sessions.

How does Tritype® work?
Enneastyle: This is the open-ended testing instrument that led to all of the studies that followed and proved to accurately identify one’s self-image… and often Enneagram Type.

Make sure to answer all of the questions based on what has been true for you most of your life, most of the time… not who you could be, should be, want to be, or have become.

Enneacards: You will receive several sets of 3 Enneacards each and be asked to drag and drop the cards in the order of your first choice to your third choice.

If you notice that you have been given cards that you have already seen, it is intentional. You are being served the cards in a number of different ways. ;) The test is having you compare and contrast different Enneacards. You will, at times, see Enneacards that you have already chosen. This is to further clarify your preferences and to define how you are now and have always been in your life.

How do I type someone using the Enneagram Tritype® Test?

Many people have asked how to type someone they are no longer in contact with, like an old flame, friend, and/or a loved one who has passed away… You would be surprised at how close your answers might be. Simply retake the test and imagine that you are the person you are taking it for. What adjectives would that person use? Which cards would they choose? Take Enneagram Tritype® Test. Then see what you think!

Enneagram Tritype® Test Reviews!

Katherine, The Enneagram comes alive when you teach about what was lost in the transmission of the Enneagram.

The way you ask questions during your online panels seems to get right to the heart of the matter for each type in a way that I have not seen before.

I hope you teach more panels. One on the countertypes would be helpful since it was your inquiry process and 3-hour interviews that opened the discussion on the topic of stereotypes, archetypes, and countertypes with Naranjo. Wasn’t it then that Naranjo confirmed there could be countertypes for every type?

I attended your early training in the 1980s, which included the importance of stacking orders for every aspect of Enneagram. I hope you remember me. I am the sx/so 784 that came to all of your classes in the 1980s and 1990s.
- San Mateo, CA

Our online study group all took a drive with your fantastic enneagram tritype test version 7. We all found our tritypes, including two members that previously hadn’t been able to settle into a type. They both received the special note in their test results that you mentioned on Reddit. They got different results but the same note. After talking about it they both could finally relax into being the 6. What a difference it has made for them and the whole group too!
-Colorado

What a relief to finally know my Enneagram Type, Tritype, and Instinctual Type Stacking! Retake v8, Katherine’s new test. I am the 649.
-Denmark

The most accurate enneagram tritype test is at https://enneagramtritypetest.com.
-Korea

Enneagram Tritype Test V8 has it all: enneagram type, instinctual subtype, tritype, and even proper handouts-everything a coach would want.
-Belgium

Wow, Katherine, this is the best Enneagram Test out there!
-Huntington Beach

You did it again. The Enneagram Tritype Test is by far the most accurate test!
-San Jose, California.

The Enneagram Tritype Test is the most comprehensive Enneagram test available. It is filled with information that is easy for clients and advanced for the coach.
-Orange, CA

Enneagram Tritype Test rocks!
-South Africa

Your Enneagram Tritype Test is unsurpassed. Enneagram 6s now have a test that lets them know they test like a 6. What a breakthrough!
-Berkeley, CA

Enneagram Tritype Test v6 is so organized, accurate, and informative. -A type 1 in
-Washington

This test is brilliant: https://enneagramtritypetest.com.
-London

The Enneagram Tritype Test just keeps getting better. Thanks, Katherine, for all of your hard work.
-Colorado

I attended Katherine’s presentations and regularly watch her talks on YouTube whenever I can. I think Her Enneagram Tritype Test is fabulous, fun, and accurate. Far less work with amazing results.
-Israel

I learned so much from Katherine when she lived in Maui. This test is wonderful for my clients. www.katherinefauvre.com. It is a part of my coaching assessment package.
-Maui

The Enneagram Tritype Test is hands down the best test out there! V5, v6, v7, and v8. I have taken them all!
-Los Angeles

I love all of the new features in the Enneagram Tritype Test. If only I had this test 15 years ago.
-Berkeley

I follow all of Katherine’s work and am never disappointed. Her https://enneagramtritypetest.com is really good. Take it so we can talk about it.
-Portugal

Yep, https://enneagramtritypetest.com is the best Enneagram Tritype test from the creator of Tritype.
-US

As always, Katherine is innovative, progressive, and accurate, so her new test is too. Check out https://enneagramtritypetest.com and www.katherinefauvre.com
-San Francisco

I have seen you many times on YouTube. So, just for fun, I took your Enneagram Tritype Test. I learned the Enneagram in 2008 but I wasn’t sure about my Tritypes. 12 years later, I finally found my Tritype with your test. I am having a wonderful time learning about my 4 in my Tritype. You have spoken about the hidden sadness in the 478 tritype. Well, I am here to tell you it is true. I am the sad sexual 748 you have mentioned in videos, My sadness doesn’t have to be a secret anymore. As you often say, we are just wired that way. I am so grateful for your inspired and caring work.
-Pennsylvania

All of my clients and friends have typed accurately with the Enneagram Tritype Test. If there are any doubts, we know to check to see if type 6 and/or type 9 are in the Tritype. With this approach, my clients are open to being their truetype. Thanks again, Katherine.
-Texas

I took Katherine’s earlier test when she taught in Italy a few years ago. It was the best Enneagram test I had taken. But her https://enneagramtritypetest.com is even better. I have had everyone take it. It is so much fun to share it with friends.
-Italy

You have the only enneagram test that identifies the Enneatype 6. I refer everyone to your link: https://enneagramtritype test.com
-Chicago

Helping sixes know they are sixes takes years off of their search for their correct Enneagram type. I recommend your Enneagram Tritype Test to everyone.
-Florida

I work in a shelter and use the enneagram to help people understand themselves. It is so important to get the right type because I have so little time with people. I missed typing a lot of 6s correctly because they looked like other types. Now I understand what you keep saying about the core fears and defense strategies. Thank you for your work. I have everyone take your enneagram tritype test even when they already know their type.
-Memphis, Tennessee

Catalina, https://enneagramtritypetest.com es Magnifico! Gracias!
-Mexico

Ya gotta luv, luv, luv Katherine Chernick Fauvre’s new Enneagram tritype test v8 at https://enneagramtritypetest.com. And her website, www.katherinefauvre.com, is packed with free information on the Enneagram.
-New York

The most accurate Enneagram test is at https://enneagramtritypetest.com
-Korea

I gulped when the Enneagram Tritype Test results said that I had the pattern of Enneagram type 6. I reexamined my life and found that it is true. I don’t have long explanations about why I am an unusual 3 or a 4. No more gulping, I immediately made friends with my anxiety and felt more chilled out.
-San Diego

I am not the anxious 358. This excellent test noted a special pattern. https://enneagramtritypetest.com. I am the self-preserving 631. Want to talk about it?
-Costa Rica

I was shocked when Katherine Fauvre’s Enneagram Tritype Test pegged me as a 6. I wanted it to be wrong. Two days later, it was a relief. I feel more like myself than ever before.
-UK

It is clear that Katherine Fauvre really cares about people and helps them accurately type. So I took her test at https://enneagramtritypetest.com, and it was dead on!
-Wyoming

We all took the https://enneagramtritypetest.com and were surprised that a test could identify the 6s. Bravo Katherine!
-Spain

Katherine Fauvre’s Enneagram Tritype Test is remarkably accurate! She really is a true personality expert. When I think I have learned everything about the Enneagram, she teaches us something new and goes deeper.
-North Carolina

Thanks Katherine, I love working with your Enneagram Tritype Test.
-New York

Watched Katherine Fauvre’s free Q&A in June. OMG, I get it now. My sister and I are both 6s with different Tritypes, constantly doing the devil’s advocate, point, counter-point thing and driving one another crazy. Go here to take her test --> https://enneagramtritypetest.com.
-Forever Changed in Arizona

No way! I took the https://enneagramtritypetest.com last week, and discovered that I am a type 649!!! I thought I was a 4 for 11 years (but did doubt it at times). In her virtual Q&As, Katherine Fauvre discussed how emotionally complex the 6s are and why they think they are 4s.
-Idaho

Wanting certainty about my enneagram type is finally over.
-New Type in New Mexico!

Katrines Enneagram Tritype Test is dope!
-Compton

Katherine Fauvre’s https://enneagramtritypetest.com is magnificent. Both clients and friends like it. It is accurate, too, which reduces my stress.
-Spain

I saw Katherine for the first time at an Enneagram Conference in Australia and have followed her work ever since. It is always interesting to learn what the types feel at their core and why.
-Australia

I have had several sessions with Katherine. Her new test at https://enneagramtritypetest.com is just so easy and accurate. You can also get her test with many links to her website, www.katherinefauvre.com. I am still learning what it all means by watching her Q&As on YouTube.
-Canada

The v8 Tritype test is a proper test. It is organized and accurate. It uses picture cards, multiple-choice questions, and open-ended questions. https://enneagramtritypetest.com
-Germany

We all love your new test at https://enneagramtritypetest.com. Our study group is having so many insights and breakthroughs.
-Tampa

You have really changed the course of the enneagram, Katherine. Your deep understanding of what goes on in the hearts and minds of the types is jaw-dropping. Your test at https://enneagramtritypetest.com is a true reflection of what you have learned.
-Nevada

The best test is Katherine’s Enneagram Tritype Test. It has everything, not just your type.
-Canada

Katherine, you did it again. It is the best Enneagram Test, Tritype Test, and Instinctual Subtypes Test!
-Orange, CA