Why Enneagram Subtypes Matter (Especially in Coaching)
If you’ve been using the Enneagram in your work for a while, you already know it’s more than a personality test. It’s a dynamic system that offers deep insight into motivation, fear, and growth.
But here’s the truth:
If you’re not working with subtypes, you’re only scratching the surface.
Subtypes aren’t just a niche add-on for Enneagram nerds or advanced practitioners—they are a core part of how the Enneagram actually works. And if you’re a coach or practitioner who’s serious about helping people grow, you can’t afford to overlook them.
Want to explore this important topic further? Download the free Enneagram Subtypes Cheat Sheet to expand your knowledge.
First: What Are Subtypes?
Every Enneagram type contains three distinct versions, shaped by instinctual drives:
Self-Preservation (SP): Prioritizes safety, security, and comfort
Social (SO): Focuses on connection to the group, roles, and social belonging
One-to-One/Sexual (SX): Draws energy toward intensity, intimacy, and chemistry
These instincts don’t replace the core type—they infuse it with a specific focus. That’s why two people of the same Enneagram type can look completely different.
The work of Claudio Naranjo was instrumental in bringing the instinctual subtypes to light, adding complexity and nuance to the original framework. Later, Beatrice Chestnut helped make this work more accessible to modern audiences with her book The Complete Enneagram, where she outlines all 27 subtype profiles in detail.
Why Subtypes Matter So Much in Coaching
Here’s where this gets really important: If you’re coaching someone and only using their core type as your map, you’re missing the terrain.
Subtypes give you the texture, the tone, and the actual lived experience of your client.
Let’s dig into why that matters:
1. They Explain Why People of the Same Type Can Look So Different
If you’ve ever thought, “There’s no way these two clients are the same type,” it’s probably because they’re different subtypes.
Take Enneagram Type 4 for example:
The Self-Preservation 4 often comes across as reserved, practical, and stoic—focused on emotional self-sufficiency.
The Social 4 leans into envy more outwardly, expressing their differences in group settings and longing to be seen and understood.
The Sexual 4 is dramatic and intense, often wearing their emotions on their sleeve and seeking emotional depth in relationships.
Same core fear.
Same core type.
Totally different expression.
Understanding subtypes helps you avoid generalizing your clients and instead, meet them where they actually are.
2. They Clear Up Mistyping Confusion
A huge reason people mistype themselves (or others) is because they’re using a surface-level understanding of the Enneagram—often based on behavior.
For instance, someone might say, “I’m not a 4—I don’t cry in front of people.” But that could easily be a Self-Preservation 4, who expresses their emotional intensity inwardly rather than outwardly.
Subtypes explain:
Why some 9s look driven while others fade into the background
Why some 3s seem humble while others chase the spotlight
Why your client says they resonate with two different types depending on the day
Without the language of subtypes, the Enneagram can feel confusing, flat, or even contradictory.
3. They Reveal Deep Motivations and Blind Spots
Each subtype has its own internal strategy—its own version of “what will keep me safe, loved, and in control.” These motivations run underneath the core type pattern and often override intentions.
Understanding subtypes allows you to:
Spot instinctual defenses more easily
Name your client’s primary motivators with more accuracy
Identify stuck patterns before they become roadblocks
It helps you coach to the real issue, not just what’s presenting on the surface.
4. They Support More Compassionate Coaching
When clients understand their subtype, they often say something like:
“Ohhh… that explains everything.”
Instead of feeling like they’re doing something “wrong,” they start to see their patterns as instinctual—not shameful. That shift builds self-compassion, which is the foundation for real change.
When you bring subtype awareness into coaching, you’re not just offering insight, you’re offering relief. You’re saying: You’re not broken. You’ve just been surviving in the way that made the most sense to your system.
That changes everything.
But Wait—Why Don’t More People Talk About This?
Honestly? A lot of the Enneagram content out there is watered down.
It focuses on surface traits, catchy memes, or behavior-based typing because it’s easier to digest.
But true Enneagram work isn’t about what you do.
It’s about why you do it.
And to get to the real “why,” you need the subtypes.
Many coaches skip over them because they feel confusing at first. But once you start to see the patterns, you won’t be able to unsee them.
Final Thoughts
Subtypes aren’t just an extra layer, they’re the key to understanding why your clients do what they do, how they get stuck, and what actually helps them grow.
They offer clarity in confusion, depth in discovery, and precision in transformation.
If you’re an Enneagram coach, or use the Enneagram in your work, getting familiar with subtypes will completely change how you show up for your clients. And it’ll make you a more confident, effective, and compassionate guide.
📥 Want a simple way to understand all 27 subtypes at a glance?
Download my free Enneagram Subtypes Cheat Sheet—a quick-reference guide for coaches and Enneagram professionals who want to go beyond the basics and bring more clarity and confidence into their work.
👉 Get the free cheat sheet here and start using subtypes more effectively in your sessions today.
