Enneagram Empowerment by Laura Miltenberger

222 Pages
Publisher: DK, Alpha
Release Date: March 9, 2021

Nonfiction (Adult), Health, Mind, Body, Spirit, Self-Help, Empowerment, Personalities

The book is divided into the following parts.

Part 1: Enneagram Basics
Part 2: The Enneagram and Self-Empowerment
Part 3: The Enneagram and Relational Empowerment

In the past, I have taken personality tests but this was different. I found myself agreeing with type 7 – the explorer. As I read further, the mantras and boundaries were enlightening. I found myself within the pages of this book. If you have questions about who you are and what you need, look no further than this book.

3.5 stars = Good+

Solid introductory information - 4 pages per type, info on wings, subtypes, stances, centers. I was disappointed with the quiz. Quizzes are notoriously bad for discerning your Enneagram type. This particular one wasn't great for discerning the differences between types by motivation. I had the same score for most of the numbers. I get the goal of narrowing down to 2-3 rather than diving into all nine for newcomers, but I didn't find the quiz items to be particularly nuanced.

That said, this really shines when it comes to the Empowerment pieces - boundaries, thought patterns, self-care, etc. There are two sections - self-empowerment and relational empowerment. There are some pieces that are general for all types and others that are broken down by type. I can best speak to only a few types with which I have experience, but all of those seemed well done.

This would not replace any of my usual starting point recommendations, and I don't know that this would be a good resource for a novice. And I am not sure I personally would get enough out of the empowerment pieces to add this to my Enneagram library. BUT I could see therapists and spiritual directors (although there is no faith component to the book) who work with people of a variety of types in empowerment tasks getting a LOT out of those pieces of this resource. I will definitely recommend this one to my helping-professional friends for their work.

This is like a therapy book categorized by enneagram number. If you aren’t aware of what the enneagram is or which number you are the book starts off by introducing each enneagram number and giving a little test for you to decide which number you are. I have not done much research into enneagram before (something I’ve only recently had on my radar) because as a therapist I don’t like to put people into boxes, especially when it comes to personality. I’m a firm believer that people can change each day and interact differently in any moment. With that said, I definitely did learn enough about the enneagram from this book to now WANT to incorporate it into my therapy practice.

I see how this could be beneficial for clients to atleast know about and choose if it is a useful tool for them. Because I often thought of clients reading this book and how I wanted to say to them some of the things in this book. I would love a physical copy of this to show my clients! If a client of mine is into enneagram I am definitely going to recommend they get this book. Highly enjoyed how this book breaks down each personality and empowers them based off of the common strengths of that personality.

It also calls out the fears and sensitive issues these personality’s are likely to carry. They do not mean everyone will experience exactly what is listed, take what resignates, leave the rest. There is so much CBT and ACT going on in this book I smiled throughout the book reading it!

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Enneagram Empowerment by Laura Miltenberger is a book that teaches the reader about the enneagram and how to implement your enneagram type in your life. The book is separated into 3 sections: 1) Enneagram basics 2) Enneagram and self-empowerment and 3) the Enneagram and relational empowerment.

First off I want to say this book is stunning. The graphics are very attractive yet simple to understand that makes each page read like an infographic so you get the most information from just looking at it. The introduction doesn't that deep into Enneagram so it may be better for those who confidently know what their enneagram type is, but for newbies there is a quiz that can help you identify your type! I appreciated that in the descriptions of the types it was not as judgemental as other enneagram books. Instead the weaknesses are seen as areas of growth or obstacles rather than a personal failure.

In the section for self-empowerment there were helpful figures that outlined triggers for each type and ways to notice how you may behave when triggered. Similar to the previous section, I appreciated how the book highlights how to lean into your strengths and use them to your benefit with some reflection questions that help you consider how you use them. It was really interesting to see the common thought loops for different types and how you can combat those thoughts since the motivating fears were true to me. In the relational section I thought it was interesting how much was put into boundaries and setting realistic expectations. For example, understanding what you can control (your stuff) vs what you can't (circumstances or other people's stuff). Overall I thought this was a really interesting read with an unique approach to enneagram in your daily life!

Many thanks to the publisher DK Alpha and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Super useful book!
I've always been curious about what my personality type was.. but I never looked too far into it.
This book allowed me to do it.. and you know what? A lot of things about me make more sense now!

Was fascinating. I’ve read a lot of books about this topic but this one was more thought out and the design and fonts used were appealing too. Great book.

I've done various Enneagram tests with explanations before. I found this one to be accurate and very insightful. I very much enjoyed the deepdive into the various areas of the Enneagram and how it affects all areas of life. It provides great tips on boundaries, of emotions that may come up for each type, of how to relate to other types, and just general information that provides insight to all areas of the enneagram. I'd very much recommend this for those who are newer to the enneagram and want to learn more about it. I found the language to be easy to understand and easily digestible.

Thank you for a great publication!

Interesting book. There was a lot of basic information regarding the enneagram. There was some information I knew already and several things I didn’t. A quick read, but not as deep as I thought it might be.

I've been reading a few books on Enneagrams lately, because I do see that certain people can be "typecast". I often dislike the use of the terms "Type A"or "B"personalities.

In ENNEAGRAM EMPOWERMENT, by Laura Mittenberger, I discovered that I am a mixture of types and sub-types. I guffawed when I did the simple test in this book and discovered my "type and wings." I don't mind being a "warrior"(8) with artistic tendencies (4) who is a bit of a scatterbrained enthusiast (7). 8's are also supposed to be leaders, but I have tried like heck to be more democratic and inclusive in my life. Yes, I can be a bossy boots and yes, pushy is a word that has been aimed at me more than once.

The author does caution you to be gentle on yourself when you read up about your personality traits and pitfalls. The truth can hurt, but what I really liked about this book is that the author gives you coping mechanisms and learning strategies. There are eye-opening revelations and soothing affirmations that will help each personality trait overcome, or capitalize on, their traits in order to lead a happier, more balanced life. The advice sprinkled throughout this book was totally sensible and I could see myself dialing myself down a notch or two whenever I saw myself exhibiting some of my more dominant or abrasive character traits.

I am definitely rereading this guide book. There is lots of balm for the soul: your personality type is not your prison. You can overcome or work with your Enneagram descriptor and evolve into a happier, healthier you! I'm rating this one a 5 out of 5, because no one will leave this guide book without at least one positive thought! My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Enneagram Empowerment is a great starting point for anyone interested in learning more about enneagrams! The book is a quick read with beautiful graphics and design. Each enneagram type is covered in a few pages (~4 pages) with information on motivations, stresses, fears, obstacles, wings and growth for each type. After, the author dives into stress, values, empowered thinking, and self care. Overall, I think the book is well done, but very short and lacking information on figuring out your type. The author relies on a quiz, which is very basic and does not focus on "motivations". I would recommend this as a supplemental guide for those who want to learn more about their types.


Thank you to DK and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy to review!

I’ve heard a lot about Enneagrams but I don’t know much about it. It was shocking to see so much about my personality to be in this book. I found this book to be super helpful on what this is all about and where I fall.

If you are new to Enneagrams this is a fantastic starting point since it helped me so much.

I love this book! I'm very into the enneagram (type 5 here) and as a 5, I always want to get more information and insight into a topic. This book was very creatively designed and executed, I loved the format and almost felt like I was going into a journey when reading it.

Last year I discovered the enneagram which at first sounded very astrology-like and wasn't appealing to me. But after some work, I have become very interested in it and have been reading most of the books I can get my hands on.

It is often eerily accurate and quite interesting. This book was no exception. It is a great starting point if you don't know much about it (though I wouldn't recommend going by the quickie quiz it has in the book. I'd recommend you find several online tests, read heavily and then figure out your type. To be fair, the author recommends reading each type thoroughly, too.)

It has a quick (4-page) overview of each type and then a section for self-empowerment (self-compassion, responding to stress, living strengths, empowered thinking, and more) and then relational empowerment (setting boundaries, centers of wisdom, etc.) Each section is short and quick but there was still quite a bunch of food for thought.

If you're new to the enneagram, you will enjoy this book. If you're not new, you'll still like the empowerment focus.

with gratitude to DK and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I've read many books about the enneagram, and I appreciate that this book weaves in some therapy techniques appropriate for each type to help you become an even better version of yourself. It is accessible and appropriate for those who are new to the enneagram. I like that it covers subtypes, stances, and centers of wisdom, which are often missing from entry level enneagram books. Lastly, the layout is colorful and lovely.

Enneagram Empowerment is the perfect starter guide for an introduction into what Enneagrams are and how learning about them can help you better connect with yourself and the world around you.

I loved learning more about my type which is a 9w1. I did love the inclusion of subtypes. I had never heard of those before and it was interesting to read!!

Though seeing as I have read a lot about enneagrams, for me there wasn't much new information, it was short and sweet - absolutely valuable for someone diving into the enneagrams for the first time. A great coffee table read to enjoy and start a discussion!


Fav. Quote:
"The goal of the enneagram is to help you find acceptance for who you are and freedom to become much more."

This book gave a nice overview of the enneagram types, but I expected a more detailed explanation than the book provides. In particular, I expected the quiz to determine one’s type to be the heart of the book, but the test was brief—I anticipated a more in-depth exploration a la Briggs-Meyers. This was a quick and interesting read, but not a book I’d revisit as a reference.

I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEE this book so much I recently got into reading about Enneagram's and it's so incredibly interesting and spot on for my type I feel the book is beautiful inside how it's presented I am so happy with it and would purchase a copy of this book.

This was incredibly interesting, while I have done many personality based tests this book gave me different insight towards how to approach different things and combat things like negative self talk.

While a lot of these tips are something that would be learned in therapy for many people. I think this could be incredibly beneficial for so many.

If you're curious what this Enneagram thing you hear about on Twitter is?
This book will help you learn about it, while also making it fun and self-informative.

Enneagram Empowerment (Discover Your Personality Type and Unlock Your Potential) by Laura Miltenberger
Publisher: DK
Genre: Health, Mind & Body | Self-Help
Release Date: March 9, 2021

Enneagram Empowerment by Laura Miltenberger is a great resource for learning more about the enneagram and how it works in your life.

The book is broken into three parts: Enneagram Basics, The Enneagram and Self-Empowerment, and The Enneagram and Relational Empowerment.

Part one provides a great explanation of how what is the enneagram, the nine types, stress and security types (I find these fascinating), wings and hoe to use the enneagram for empowerment. There is also a quiz that is very easy to take. At first I was shocked by my results, but then I took a step back and recognized that the season I am currently in had shifted some of my priorities, which has shifted my mindset. The descriptions of each of the enneagram types are easy to understand.

Part two and three go into depth of how to use the enneagram to help you and your relationships. By understanding how you react to situations and what you and your partner need, you can use these tools to grow together.

I will definitely be picking up a hardcopy of this book so I can re-read it, highlight and take all the notes. If you are curious about enneagram, you should get this book. It is an incredible resource with valuable information!
I'm so grateful to Laura Miltenberger, DK, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Solid book analyzing the various points of the enneagram, while presenting the information within gorgeously. The color and layout were splendid. The only thing the book was lacking is sadly a rather major point, a more in depth test. Given the deep dives on the various types that the author takes, the test to find out where you fit through the rest of the book feels short and flimsy compared to some I've seen elsewhere. Thankfully this is easily remedied with a search, but it's a step that should feel necessary.