What can you do when your marriage is in crisis… now? This episode is geared toward every person or couple who’s ever had a really bad day or moment in marriage or other relationships and just needs some support to help them out of a difficult spot. In this episode, Christa takes you around the Enneagram with lots of tips, bringing you warmth, soothing, and most of all, an array of clarified, simple strategies to help you find your healthy self — and your relationship again. In this episode, Chr...
Jun 28, 2023•18 min•Season 5Ep. 59
Often we can make the mistake of completely defining others with unilateral Enneagram stereotypes, further expanding our differences, leaving us not only in the box of our type, but in the shadows of relationships. In this new episode just for you, author and expert Stephanie Spencer invites us into a more adventurous yet intimate journey through our styles of interaction using the broader lens of nature metaphors by type (Did you know, for instance, 4s can be like an iceberg at times as well as...
Jun 26, 2023•41 min•Season 5Ep. 55
Adventures vary across couples and across types. But we can all agree on one thing - they're essential to a healthy marriage. Today Christa takes you on a quick but important journey across the stances in the various ways each of us brings the best and the worst into our marriage adventures. Listen in for clues for bringing the very best adventuring this season! Show notes: Get the E + M 52 Week Glow Planner with questions, themes (including adventure, goals, Enneagram types, intimacy, and so mu...
Jun 21, 2023•24 min•Season 5Ep. 54
When you're in an opposites-attract marriage, you've got to be creative to make sure you're moving together in harmony. Today we get to talk to Dove-award winning artist Paul Cardall, whose lilting songs have been downloaded billions of times and graced the stage and airwaves for two decades, even through a heart transplant, about this very thing. Paul is an Enneagram 4 (with high 3 and 8 traits) and his wife Tina has strong 1 and 5 traits. Together they bring expansiveness and a very powerful o...
Jun 19, 2023•45 min•Season 5Ep. 53
When you're upset in your relationship, do you ever villainize your spouse? You're not alone if you do, in fact, it's part of human nature to rate oneself as above average and to give oneself grace while fault-finding in one's spouse, especially in the post-honeymoon years. But you're not average, you're right about that part. You're doing your work, and today Christa walks you through doing just that as we cover every Enneagram type in marriage and the ways you can watch out for both villainizi...
Jun 14, 2023•18 min•Season 5Ep. 53
When you have family, fame, and faith, plus a Dove-award-winning musical career with millions of downloads (Sanctus Real, Matt Hammitt), life can feel a bit like coasting. Yet today, recording artist Matt Hammitt, Enneagram 9, reminds us that the space of Enneagram 9 must not only bring comfort but connection for relationships to truly thrive. In this candid interview, Matt walks us through his story of truly leading with love and outlines the radical steps he took to be in his marriage, and not...
Jun 12, 2023•32 min•Season 5Ep. 52
Do you ever notice how when your emotions get flooded, you end up finding yourself on the wrong side of regulation? Your relationships, especially those closest bonds, suffer while you put on a happy face for everyone at work and community. When this happens, you need tools, and this mini-podcast is a meditation for each of us when we hit every space on the Enneagram. This episode was created so you could truly find refreshment and a bit of rest with us if you're feeling anxious or overwhelmed i...
Jun 07, 2023•19 min•Season 5Ep. 51
How does your Enneagram personality type specifically get in the way of your deepest attachments in marriage? Without a safe language, you're probably deeply uncomfortable talking about the vulnerabilities that are preventing you from truly bonding intimately. Today we will talk from an attachments framework about each and every Enneagram type in marriage and the ways you can become closer together in this brand new episode. Christa finally shares the big E + M news also! Listen up, now for spec...
Jun 05, 2023•33 min•Season 5Ep. 41
Do you ever feel like your spouse truly misses out on what your greatest attachment needs are? You may even wonder occasionally if you're doomed as a couple for not agreeing on what secure attachment really looks and feels like. In today's mini-episode, Christa walks you through the reasons those who lead with their hearts, minds, or bodies, tend to feel differently about what secure attachment really looks like, and more, how you can begin to live life more securely together. This is an episode...
May 31, 2023•18 min•Season 5Ep. 40
As you kick back a bit from work this opening summer Monday, we hope you take some time to chill during this fun conversation together with author Kate Hallock. As you learn about Kate, her husband, and their process for undertaking the first Enneagram mystery novel, Nine Ways to Die: An Enneagram Murder Mystery, we also have a mystery to solve together right on air! Join us here to examine what type Kate and her husband are for a chance to win a copy of Kate's novel and one of our mystery dinne...
May 28, 2023•32 min•Season 5Ep. 39
We each bring something valuable and beautiful to our marriages in terms of worldview but also bring an accompanying shadow to the relationship as well. Today we are talking about what each of us brings in terms of worldview to our marriage via our Enneagram type. We are also going through an exercise that gives you briefly a chance to move toward one another when you hit a roadblock in achieving your goals together. Today's show links: Check out Dr. Wyatt, PsyD relationship course starting this...
May 24, 2023•25 min•Season 5Ep. 38
Did you feel different when you fell in love? Love does indeed change our brains, and wonderfully, love can even support us with emotional bonding. However, the intensity of love can also have negative effects on the activity within the brain. Today on the podcast, we demystify the brain and practically hack our way through the best ways we can allow our thinking and activities to support us in our goals together! Join Christa with an exclusive look at how to boost your brain with healthy hacks ...
May 22, 2023•44 min•Season 5Ep. 37
In this unabashedly romantic and just-for-fun episode, Christa and Hannah curl up in the 7 space with some decaf chai and invite listeners to grab a cup and join them in another personality-type excavation! This time we invite our audience to Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan characters with us across their cinematic history of slow-burn and enemies-to-lovers tropes together. We visit the magical mutual pining in Sleepless in Seattle, revisit the modern Pride and Prejudice in You've Got Mail, and make a br...
May 17, 2023•41 min•Season 5Ep. 36
You need to know exactly what's getting in the way of the two of you in conflict, not only in terms of Enneagram type issues but also in terms of your meta-communication. In fact, if conflicts aren't addressed, they'll continue to control you from under the surface of your vices. On this brand new episode just for you, we are making the goal-getting deep and meaningful but also fun and practical with #1 rated marriage podcast experts Tony and Alisa DiLorenzo of One Extraordinary Marriage joining...
May 15, 2023•49 min•Season 5Ep. 35
Research tells us kids struggle more post-Covid with mental health issues and it's often because they have a sense of hopelessness and culture. They look to what social media tells them, largely, about who they are., and yet come up empty every time they don't measure up. Why not gift them with the best awareness of themselves and their incredibly precious gifts as they navigate these times, so they too can find balance? Christa invites you here to life-changing tips for your child as they devel...
May 10, 2023•21 min•Season 5Ep. 35
This week of Mother's Day, we work together on parenting goals as we look at the absolute best and worst researched-based practices with teens as they will influence marriage and sexual relationships with Sheila Wray Gregoire, Enneagram 8w7. We take both a microscopic and wide lens view of generational practices around sexual and faith norms across generations. From prior to Gen X to purity culture to now, there's still work to do around healthy teaching and training and we have the best tips fo...
May 08, 2023•47 min•Season 5Ep. 34
Sometimes you just need to let down and read a really good book, and today Christa is joined by her daughter Melody Hardin, Enneagram Nine, to discuss exactly that - great books for each and every personality type! Join us for this exclusive episode where we wind down after a busy spring, and prepared to launch ourselves into summer with some levity, love, and, fun literature as well! Check out Melody's book club reads on her page on the E + M website here! Wes and Christa's Book Recommendations...
May 03, 2023•32 min•Season 5Ep. 33
As we begin to refine our goals together this month, we're covering the area of sexual intimacy right off the bat with the wonderful sex educator you always wish you had, Carlie Palmer-Webb, MS! Carlie runs the popular Instagram account @theChristianSexEducator to teach people who may not have been given healthy tools about sex the chance to build beautiful intimacy together. We talk about sexual mindfulness, purity culture, low libido, differences in desire, and how we can build up sexual desir...
May 01, 2023•44 min•Season 5Ep. 32
In this "Life" series, you're getting to listen in on the relationship stories of each of the Enneagram types. It's a time for you to experience sitting with an authentic person of each personality type in a very authentic fashion as you join us for a meaningful chat as we finish our last dripping of the Enneagram type series of chats, ending with Christa's hubby Wes today, who helps us learn more about the Type 1! Christa and Wes have shared over twenty five years of growth together and so you'...
Apr 26, 2023•56 min•Season 5Ep. 31
What's preventing you from reaching your goals, from thriving personally, relationally, or at work? It's often so more than just circumstantial, but something you could actually get a handle on by increasing your emotional intelligence quotient with the Enneagram of personality, including your Enneagram instincts, defense strategies, triads, core fears, and more. Scott Allender, Enneagram 3 (3-4 pairing), is here to talk about all of this with us as you take steps to move your life, business, or...
Apr 24, 2023•48 min•Season 5Ep. 30
How can those who struggle with sobriety create mindfulness around alcohol, especially since the struggle affects all of us culturally as the leading substance issue today? Join us today for a compassionate and thoughtful conversation with author, sobriety coach, and spiritual director Erin Jean Warde, Enneagram 6. Erin shares practical ways we can honor one another's experiences more gracefully and allows for rich conversations as we walk towards virtue together individually, in relationships, ...
Apr 19, 2023•52 min•Season 5Ep. 29
So many individuals and couples depend on faith for life's sustenance as well as a purposeful call together in relationships, and yet many times there are often so many faith or cultural disillusionments that send us far away from the rhythms of life wrapped up with God and communities of faith, especially at this precarious moment in culture wars. Prolific author Sara Billups, Enneagram 4 (4-5 pairing) invites us into a deep and curious dive into the past as well as movements for going forward ...
Apr 17, 2023•47 min•Season 5Ep. 28
In this "Life" series, you don't just get to hear about relationships with each of the Enneagram types but for you to experience sitting with an authentic and open person of each personality type in a very down-to-earth fashion, too. Join us for another fascinating chat as we continue to drip out an Enneagram series with this week's guest Kirsten Barker, who is not only an E + M Certified Coach, but also a 2 who has been doing her work for a long time! Kirsten is also a wife, mom, and an Enneagr...
Apr 12, 2023•57 min•Season 5Ep. 27
Grief hits us all at times - as a world, as a community, and yes, even as leaders, helpers, pastors, parents, or spouses. When grief and the ensuing life-changing rhythms and questions move us to new spaces that our friends, families, and often spouses, cannot fully navigate, what can do we do? And when faith questions arise, where can we go? In other words, you must give your loss and sadness a healthy space to process so you can both honor your story as well as emerge when the time is right fo...
Apr 10, 2023•39 min•Season 5Ep. 26
In this "Life" series, you're doing more than learning about relationships with each of the Enneagram types but it's a time for you to experience sitting with an authentic and real person of each personality type in a very real fashion, too. Join us for an authentic chat as we continue to drip out an Enneagram series of chats with each type with Christa's sister Abbie today, who is an SX 3! Abigail is the COO of the Detroit Area Agency on Aging, a mom of five children, and a full-on go-getting 3...
Apr 05, 2023•45 min•Season 5Ep. 25
Whenever we approach spiritual growth, we look for roots in hurt or pain. Where have we gone off track with God and how does this distance or these wounds affect our relationships? In this new series on digging deep for faith individually and/or as couples, we ask hard questions - questions everyone has asked at some point but may not always feel are heard. Today we welcome powerful speaker, writer, and influencer at Proverbs 31 Ministries, author Kia Stephens as we discuss one of the key questi...
Apr 03, 2023•54 min•Season 5Ep. 24
In this "Life" series, you get to experience sitting with an authentic and real person of each personality type in a very relaxed fashion, too. Join us for a restful and fun chat as we continue to drip out an Enneagram series of chats with each type with some added extras! Today we are interviewing Jentry Courter, Enneagram 4 and ICU Nurse. Jentry curates restful rhythms for not only Fours but brings her caring wisdom to offer sleep tips for individuals of each Enneagram type as well. In this de...
Mar 29, 2023•54 min•Season 5Ep. 23
Whether you're hypervigilant or you tend to become withdrawn in the aftermath of trauma, there are certain costs to being strong - we were made well and we can live in survival mode for a long time. However, walking to freedom and safety on the other side is not only the goal, but it's accessible and present. Today we are grateful to have acclaimed trauma specialist and author Aundi Kolber, LMHC of Try Softer sharing her brand new book, Strong Like Water as we learn the way to more fluidly and s...
Mar 27, 2023•54 min•Season 5Ep. 22
In this "Life" series, you don't just get to hear about relationships with each of the Enneagram types but for you to experience sitting with an authentic and real person of each personality type in a very real fashion, too. Join us for a truly treasured deep chat as we continue to drip out an Enneagram series of chats with each type! Today we are interviewing Jennifer Passmore, school principal, pastor's wife, and mom of four adult children, Enneagram Five. Jennifer's not only a Five but she's ...
Mar 22, 2023•58 min•Season 5Ep. 21
When we don’t have a healthy foundation or direction for exploring conflict well together, things tend to fall apart and keep falling apart - conflict management is essential as we have been discussing all month. Today on this deeper dive into conflict, we are joined by author Jackie Brewster as she walks us through her practical, hands-on brand new 7-week workbook on using extremely practical and organized Enneagram tools and tips to help you grow personally and heal these threads of discord be...
Mar 20, 2023•40 min•Season 5Ep. 20
