You Are More Than A Type is an easy read introducing the Enneagram model and three centers of wisdom, love and power. The author details the nine unique patterns of our human experience, and offers a pathway to embrace one's wholeness and potential. I highly recommend this book to become more attuned to self and nourish your inner being.

Donna Di Casparro

Author, Publisher, Enneagram Student

This book is not like any other Enneagram book on the market. Hendrix brings a new perspective to our understanding of the Enneagram. Based on her own life experience, Hendrix examines how each of us embodies all types of the Enneagram, not one. She also focuses on and gives exercises to help us embody the essence of each Enneagram. This book is a practical guide to making the Enneagram part of your everyday living.

Heather Hobbs

Author, Educator, Enneagram Student

Tammy Hendrix's book, You are More Than a Type, serves as a return to the wonder-filled beginnings of the Enneagram, while breathing life and vitality into the reader. It will become clear through the pages of this book that you are holding up a mirror, witnessing clearly your beautiful complexity. This book provides embodied practices, stories, and prompts to identify and name the nourishment that is within you. The Essence tradition brings clarity that rejuvenates the Enneagram and can provide the liberating reminder that we are fully alive.

Andrew Florence

Director of Experiential Learning, Certified Enneagram of Essence Practitioner

I appreciate how personal this book is for the reader as we relate to Tammy's own experiences and search for the energetics of each type within ourselves (rather than outside of ourselves). As someone who's studied the enneagram in depth, I think Tammy does an amazing job offering a foundational understanding of the types, the centers, and the energetic direction of each type, which provides a solid basis for a deeper dive into understanding and identifying the essence of each type within ourselves. This book is a must read for new and experienced enneagram enthusiasts alike!

Laura Torres, LPC

Holistic Psychotherapist, Enneagram Practitioner in the Embodiment Tradition

As I read through each chapter I found myself enthralled by the clear and concise manner in which this complex subject was presented. The suggested practices and meditations gave me the opportunity to discover and experience the wonderful essence of each type in my own being. I especially enjoyed the authentic way in which the author shared her own personal experience of awareness and transformation from the personality to the essence of each type within her. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a clear and uplifting path towards personal fulfillment in life.

Joanna R Kidder

Certified Enneagram of Essence Practitioner

Whether you consider yourself an Enneagram Novice or Ace, Tammy Hendrix will put the whole colorful world of Enneagram in your hands … head, heart and gut. Walk with this author down a nurturing path to discover your own personal enneagram destination. This beautifully written guide takes you from lost to found in an easy-to-read and relatable way. Tammy not only educates her reader, she shares the stories of others and exposes her own soul with her brushes with each Enneagram point. You will feel confident expressing your true calling and will understand why you do the things you do. You will learn to recognize each type readily, and be able to decipher the why behind the behavior in others. The guided meditations and reflections are both luxurious and relaxing. I didn’t want them to end! Indulge yourself – you won’t be sorry!

Jean Shrimp

I’ve been studying the enneagram for over a decade and I can honestly say this is the only book I’ve read that so thoughtfully delves into what it actually feels like to be each type. As someone who has known my primary type for a long time, I loved the expansive experience of being encouraged to see something of myself in each of the types.

The author is knowledgeable, wise, and compassionate. Her deep understanding of the enneagram (and essence!) is evident on every page. As I read, I was gently and lovingly guided through the enneagram, on a journey to appreciate the essence of each type and to become more whole myself. This book is a great read for all levels of enneagram knowledge, from beginner to seasoned student.

Emily Gambrel, LCSW

Clinical Psychotherapist, Certified Enneagram of Essence Practitioner

This book is such a gift, and I am so excited that the enneagram world now has this great resource! I have been a student of the enneagram for some time now and have found it to be a helpful tool for self-reflection, but Tammy's focus on the essence of each type as a portal to healing and a gateway back to our truest self opened up a new world of possibilities for me in the application of the enneagram in my own life, my personal practice, and my work with others.

The book is a great resource for those just beginning their journey with the enneagram as well as for those who are already steeped in the teachings of the enneagram. A key aspect of the enneagram of essence approach is embodiment, and each chapter includes guided practices to lead the reader into a more embodied approach to feeling and understanding the types and to cultivating the nine nourishing essences. I also love how the book offers inquiries for reflection to help the reader go deeper into their exploration of each type and each essence. The inquiries engage the senses, and this somatic approach paves a path to healing that would not be possible without engaging the body and one's felt sense in the process of integration of the essences of the nine types.

While the book goes into more depth on each of the types and each essence, the nine essences can be briefly described as joy, trust, clarity, belonging, value, compassion, integrity, harmony, and empowerment. They are the unique gifts of each type as well as the qualities that can be cultivated within each of us as we embrace wholeness.

The book provides tangible steps on how to reawaken, embrace, and embody our core essence as well as the good medicine of all nine essences. In my work as a therapist, a common thread that weaves through the work I do with clients is that of helping people reconnect with a sense of belonging, empowerment, worthiness - all of the things we get cut off from as we are socialized in our culture and experience wounding in the form of small or large traumas.

What a gift it is to be told that those qualities exist within each of us, that they never left, and that we can find our way back to them. This book provides a beautiful roadmap for reconnecting with the nourishment of the nine essences.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is curious about the enneagram or who wants to deepen their work with the enneagram and tap into more wholeness. This book is worth a read or listen. You won't be disappointed!

Ann Crews, LCSW

Holistic Clinical Psychotherapist, Certified Enneagram of Essence Practitioner

When first introduced to the Enneagram years ago, I was constantly frustrated by the sense that I was being pigeon-holed into a particular personality type - and that there were some serious flaws in my personality that needed to be fixed. Hendrix’s new book begins by noting this challenge and offers the reader gentle guidance and “nourishment” for shifting perspectives and habits. Rather than feeling frustrated as I had previously, I felt a sigh of relief - a gentle opening. As she notes, “...the real magic often lies in these small shifts. These tiny adjustments lead to profound internal transformations, echoing through our nervous system and reshaping our neural pathways.” Sounds good, doesn’t it!

Throughout the book, Hendrix helps you bring into focus what these small shifts feel like in your body and offers guidance for honing in on those feelings, or essence. As you become more attuned to what the essence feels like, you can call it up more frequently when you find yourself falling back into unhelpful patterns. Essence feels grounded, empowering, and vibrant. It's good for our emotional health as well as our physical health and relationships.

In each chapter, the author bravely shares her own story to illustrate the personality traits that masked her true essence. By sharing her stories, Hendrix helps the reader feel more comfortable acknowledging their own traits that may be getting in their way and that we’re not alone on this journey.

In her layout of the book, Hendrix has provided an extremely useful resource for working with the ideas presented. In addition to the personal stories, the book offers simple tips for implementing change as well as guided meditations and other concrete methods for grounding the feelings of essence in your body. Hendrix also provides guidance for using the book in different ways whether you have a lot of time or only a few minutes a week. In each chapter, the author provides the reader with genuine encouragement - that change is not difficult, but instead feels empowering.

I also appreciate how Hendrix’s approach can be used to understand others better, even those who may have habits that drive us crazy. Throughout the book, Hendrix shows how, by recognizing a personality trait in an individual, we can go deeper and understand the essence of this behavior and allow it to shine. By seeing the essence (the person), rather than the personality trait (the behavior), we will have much more appreciation for others and the journey we are all on.

Lynn Niederlitz, MEd

Educational Consultant

The author's approach is refreshingly holistic, offering a comprehensive overview that encompasses the Enneagram's history, her personal journey of discovery, and practical tools that guide readers toward a heightened awareness of their Essence with “a path of nourishment” and a suggested “path of abstinence” for each of the Nine Types. What sets this book apart is its ability to unravel the intricacies of not just one's single, dominant Enneagram type but the entire Nine Enneagram system within oneself, fostering a profound understanding of the multifaceted, universal nature within all of us. The author says, “We are not just one point on the Enneagram star, We are the whole circle around it.”

Throughout the narrative, I found myself resonating with each Enneagram Essence, recognizing aspects of myself that had previously eluded my awareness. The author's adept storytelling and relatable anecdotes made the exploration of these diverse Essences both engaging and enlightening.

One of the book's strengths lies in the accessibility of its suggested tools. The step-by-step guidance, rooted in tangible experiences such as tuning into the five senses, breath work, movement, aromatherapy, meditation, visualization, journaling, and body scanning, ensures that readers can easily incorporate these practices into their lives. This hands-on approach not only demystifies the Enneagram of Essence but also empowers individuals to actively engage with their personal growth or healing journey.

The positive tone woven throughout the book adds to its appeal, making it a valuable resource for both Enneagram enthusiasts and those new to the system. Rather than dwelling on limitations, the narrative focuses on the boundless potential for self-discovery and growth that the Enneagram offers. I found it to be a commendable addition to the literature on the Enneagram that I will come back to many times over. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or a newcomer, this book invites you to embark on a journey of self-exploration, offering profound insights and practical tools to deepen your understanding of the Enneagram. It stands out as a unique and uplifting guide, shedding light on the timeless wisdom of this mysterious, ancient tool in a way that is both enriching and transformative.

Rachel Morgan, LCMHC

Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Certified Art Therapist, Enneagram Practitioner in the Embodiment Tradition