Autism & the Enneagram
I just attended a Q&A with Enneagram thought leaders Beatrice Chestnut and Uranio Paes (who I directly trained under) and the topic of Autism came up several times. There seems to be endless curiosity about how the Enneagram interfaces with Autism and other forms of neurodivergence, but not a lot of published theory on the topic. I am a mental health provider who has worked with autism for over 15 years, I am trained in the Enneagram and now help mentor other aspiring Enneagram Professionals through the CP Enneagram Academy, and I am also on the autism spectrum.
So let me start there, with the words Autism Spectrum.
What does being on the Autism Spectrum—often simplified to “the spectrum”—mean and what are the implications for the Enneagram?
There is a full Diagnostic Criteria that is available for people to look up online, but for simplicity and ease of readability I will provide a narrative definition.
Being on the spectrum means to inhabit an array of symptoms associated with Autism at varying levels of degree and challenge. Those symptoms are primarily interiority, mental fixation, and rigidity that often have secondary implications and associated symptoms of poor social integration, disconnect from the body, and difficulties identifying, expressing, and being with emotions. This then has tertiary implications in behavior which include difficulties making eye contact, selective mutism, and repetitive or self-stimulating behaviors.
This highlights the challenging parts of being Autistic, but there’s also some wonderful aspects I want to share with people who may be unfamiliar with the positive aspects of Autism. One of the most common gifts present in individuals with autism is the ability to recognize patterns easily. This can yield exceptional creativity, inventiveness, and even spiritual gifts which I hope to discuss in greater detail in a future article. But, perhaps the best part of being Autistic, or neurodivergent for that matter, is the freedom of the autistic mind to explore many topics simultaneously or a few in great depth which, when met by another person on the same wavelength, can be an exceptional bonding experience that is not often experienced or valued by neurotypical individuals.
So what does this mean for the overlap between the Enneagram and Autism?
The Enneagram identifies 9 core personality patterns which carry with them key traits, behaviors, and world views. If we were to examine which type has the most stereotypical overlap with Autism it would be type 5. Type 5s are the quintessential expression of interiority, mentalization, and rigid adherence to routines.
“So the logical conclusion is that all type 5s are autistic right?”
Wrong.
“Ok, so what you must mean is that all people with autism are type 5s?”
Wrong again.
Let me explain. Type 5 is the axis point around which the expression of autistic traits center. This does, I believe, increase the likelihood of Type 5s having autism and autistic traits, but it’s more complicated than that. If we were to break down what’s actually happening with a type 5, we see a significant imbalance in the centers of intelligence. Out of all 9 types, the type 5 is the most mental. It is also one of two types that are most disconnected from their bodies—type 5 and type 9. When there is a significant disconnect from the body and a priority for mentalization, then this is where Autistic traits show up strongest.
“Ok, so what you’re saying is Type 5s & Type 9s are more inclined to Autistic Traits because of their disconnection from the body and tendency to be more mental. Great, so then only Type 5s & 9s are likely to have Autism?”
No. As mentioned before, type 5 is the axis along which autistic traits become expressed, but that doesn’t mean they are the only ones that have autism. Any of the types that share a wing or an arrow line to type 5 also have a greater likelihood of sharing autistic traits. This includes type 4 (5 is a wing), type 6 (5 is the wing), type 7 (5 is the arrow), type 8 (5 is the arrow). Any of these types with arrows and wings that go to 5 are gravitationally pulled towards more mentalization and some levels of rigidity that go along with that.
“But wait, you also said something about type 9. How does that fit into this.”
Yes, type 9 also tends to be more mental because of their paradoxical disconnection from their body despite their location in the body center of intelligence. Like the other two types in the inner triangle (3 and 6), type 9s are the most cut off from their primary center of intelligence. As a result, a major aspect of their growth work is integrating their respective centers of intelligence. The implication this has on Autism is that when type 9s are not connected to their center of intelligence they default to the head center. They do not default to the heart center.
“So I’m lost. What does this mean about which types are most likely autistic and what can I even take away from any of this?”
The types most likely to be on the Autism Spectrum are any types that share wings and arrows with type 5 and, separately, also type 9. The loss of the body, I believe, combined with a default towards mentalization is the primary factor determining expression of autistic traits. So claiming this means we also get to take on the massive implications of this, which honestly, is pretty exciting because it means there is a growth strategy.
My theory is that Autism is predominantly what occurs when there is a disconnection from the body. This results in a preferred defaulting to the mental center of intelligence and a rigid resistance towards engaging outside of that primary center of intelligence. This is why the first major gateway for 5s is to become more embodied in their arrow to 8. The same is true for type 4s at 1 and 6s at 9. Type 7s eventually need to take this step in the arrow to 1, but they paradoxically need to become more interior in their mentalization first as a form of intellectual grounding. 9s first need to find themselves in their own body.
The outlier here is type 8, which is the type most typically connected to their body. So what is happening here? What I see in my practice is that type 8s with Autism grew up highly socialized and were often reprimanded for being too much in the body. As such, they learned to default to their head center and, consequently, their 5 arrow. The growth journey for a type 8 who is on the spectrum is actually to help them reclaim their right to their body center while also teaching them strategies to titrate the energy to that center rather than deny it. Titration can look like noticing their presence and impact on others and learning to modulate that through shifts in body posture and energetic stances. Something else I’ve been considering with type 8s and autism is their primary defense mechanism of denial which can result in compartmentalization. This is essentially a form of mentalization that removes embodied memory from conscious access, which creates further mind-body disconnect.
It is no mistake that one of the best strategies to reduce autistic rigidity is to encourage the client to increase their connection to the body center. Many Autism Centers promote the practice of Yoga, which is an excellent ritual for people with Autism. A common mistake parents make when encouraging activation of the body center is to think exercise. And while exercise can be a sacred entry point into the body center, it is often too intense of a start for someone with what is now being referred to as Level 2 or 3 autism. For Level 2 autism, self-directed approaches like Yoga, QiGong, Energy Work, are good starting points. For Level 3 autism, ritualized improvisational dance, water therapy, or animal therapy is likely where you want to start as they are sneakier entry points into the body that don’t encounter the common obstacles that the ego puts up.
Beyond this, I believe that the single greatest help for someone with autism is to encourage neuroplasticity. This can either be done systematically over a long period of time with implementation of various therapies and social groups or it can be done more radically with drama or play therapy, or even more radically with psychedelics. There is some promising research on the use of psychedelics to treat Autism that is very compelling and worthy of more clinical visibility including its ability to potentially reduce cognitive rigidity and social anxiety in people with Autism. Nevertheless, all of these activities help the brain open up and invite more neuropathways to be formed and used. My recommendation to those seeking help is to start with the systematic approach of therapies and social groups to increase resiliency to better navigate the benefits and challenges of the more radical approaches that are still in their research phase.
Something else I want to address is the influence of the Enneagram Instincts on this topic. Self-Preservation dominance leans towards a preference of using the head center. Social Dominance leans towards a preference of using the Heart Center. Sexual Dominance leans towards a preference of using the Body Center. So when we take this all together, the Enneagram type absolutely most likely to have challenges with neural rigidity is the SP5 who is also SX repressed. This combo of the SP instinct (preferring rigid routines, safety, and self-reliance) combined with type 5 (tendency towards mentalization, interiority, isolation, minimal risk taking) and finally the SX instinct being repressed (further disconnection from the body center of intelligence) creates a personality that is decidedly rigid, interior, and disconnected from the body. My type, SP4 with SX repressed also shows similar tendencies towards rigidity, interiority, disconnection from the body, and muted affect.
And yet, it gets even more complex than that. We also have to consider levels of development within the Enneagram. An SP5 w/ SX repressed who is at level 2 within Beatrice Chestnuts and Uranio Paes’ Levels of Awareness Model, will show markedly different expressions of the above mentioned traits. Instead, they will have begun to tame the SP instinct, moved into greater flexibility within their secondary SO instinct, and started their journey to connect with their repressed SX instinct. On top of that, they will have begun balancing the centers of intelligence required for their movement to level 2 in their awareness model.
Part of my reason for writing this article is I wanted to show how Autism is less about type and more about the mind-body disconnect, which can be present in all types, despite predominantly showing up more stereotypically in types 4,5, and 9. My second goal was to demystify Autism within the framework of the Enneagram. Finally, it was to highlight the complexity of neurodivergence so that when the topic arises in Enneagram circles, there is an awareness of the multiple dimensions that go into diagnosis, assessing severity, and determining treatment. I hope this article can be a helpful guide to both individuals with Autism and those who treat it.
Lastly, Autism is not an illness requiring a cure. It is a neurological orientation that, like personality itself, carries both gifts and limitations—and like personality, it is capable of healing, balance, and integration that opens greater adaptability, connection, and freedom. The Enneagram provides a powerful map for exactly that kind of growth.
Thank you for going on this journey with me exploring newly developed theory. If you or someone else you know is on the spectrum and may benefit from working with me, then please reach out. I’d love to provide help and guidance to anyone interested in this journey.
