Coaching Enneagram Type 2
Tips for Working with the Helper
Coaching Enneagram Type 2 clients, also known as “The Helper,” means partnering with people who are warm, generous, and deeply attuned to the needs of others.
Twos often bring compassion and high emotional intelligence into the coaching space, but they can also struggle with setting boundaries, voicing their own needs, and avoiding burnout from overgiving.
Whether you’re new to coaching Enneagram Type 2 clients or refining your approach, this guide will give you three key insights, three common pitfalls to avoid, and three practical tools you can use right away to help “The Helper” create balance while maintaining their natural generosity.
3 Key Coaching Insights for Enneagram Type 2 Clients
1. Their Value Isn’t Dependent on Helping
Enneagram Type 2 clients often measure their worth by how much they do for others.
Helping them see their value beyond their role as a giver is essential for lasting growth.
2. Boundaries Strengthen Relationships
While Twos may fear that setting limits will push people away, healthy boundaries actually protect their energy and make their giving more sustainable.
3. Receiving Is a Growth Edge
Encouraging them to accept help, appreciation, and care from others can feel uncomfortable initially, but it opens the door to deeper reciprocity in relationships.
3 Common Coaching Pitfalls with Enneagram Type 2
1. Over-Focusing on Their Generosity
If you only affirm their helpfulness, you may unintentionally reinforce the idea that their worth is tied to what they give.
2. Avoiding Conversations About Needs
Skipping the topic of their own needs allows self-neglect to continue unchecked. Twos often won’t bring it up unless you do.
3. Letting Sessions Center Around Other People
Twos can easily shift focus away from themselves to talk about others. While it feels natural to them, it prevents personal growth.
3 Practical Coaching Tools for Enneagram Type 2
1. The “Self-Check” Prompt
Ask, “What do you need right now that you haven’t asked for?” to bring attention back to their own well-being.
2. Role-Reversal Listening Exercise
Have them practice being on the receiving end of support or appreciation, and reflect on what emotions come up.
3. Boundary-Setting Challenge
Encourage them to say “no” to one request this week that they’d normally agree to, then process how it felt in your next session.
Quick Recap of Coaching Enneagram Type 2 Clients
Best approach:
Affirm their value beyond helping, encourage boundaries, and build comfort with receiving.Biggest challenges:
Overgiving, difficulty naming their needs, and redirecting focus away from themselves.Opener for emotional work:
Explore how saying “yes” to themselves allows them to show up for others more authentically.
Final Thoughts
Enneagram Type 2 clients bring warmth, empathy, and generosity to the coaching relationship.
When you help Twos recognize their worth apart from what they give, support them in setting boundaries, and encourage them to receive as well as give, you create space for them to thrive in all areas of life.
These tips are just a starting point; each client’s journey is unique, and deeper layers such as subtype and instinctual patterns can further refine your coaching approach.
Want more ready-to-use tools for your Enneagram coaching sessions?
Download my free guide: 120 Enneagram Reflection Prompts to Use with Clients.
These prompts are designed to help you ask better questions, spark deeper conversations, and unlock new breakthroughs in your sessions.
