ENNEAGRAM

SCHOOL OF AWAKENING

Home of the embodiment tradition

An International Enneagram Association (IEA) Accredited School

Leadership Coaching

Professional Certification

Ali McGhee, director of the Enneagram School of Awakening, wears a gray sweater holding her chest in an emotional moment, in a room with wooden trim and a window in the background.

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The Enneagram Embodied

Most Enneagram systems help you identify patterns. The Enneagram School of Awakening helps you transform them.

The Embodiment Tradition teaches that your type is not just a personality—it’s an energetic structure rooted in the body. Fixation keeps you stuck in familiar patterns. Embodiment offers a path back to Essence: the sacred, resourced self within you.

Our tradition integrates somatics, spirituality, psychology, and creative practice to guide real, lasting change—from the inside out.

“I saw the sacredness, power, and capacity of the Enneagram. I saw the truth of the system, and I understood that if it could be embodied and shared from a deep space of awareness, it could bring liberation.”

— Lissa Friedman, PhD; Founder of the Embodiment Tradition

Learn More About The Tradition

Explore The Nine Types

Type 1

Type 2

Type 3

Type 4

Type 5

Type 6

Type 7

Type 8

Type 9

Start With Our Foundational Ebook…

The Embodied Enneagram: A Creative and Somatic Path to Self-Discovery

Colorful watercolor background with a circle diagram and labeled personality archetypes, including The Perfectionist, The Helper, The Achiever, and The Individualist.

By Enneagram School of Awakening Director Dr. Ali McGhee, this is a comprehensive introduction to the Embodiment Tradition, a revolutionary teaching created by Dr. Lissa Friedman, founder of the ESOA.

Through meditations, somatic practices, teachings, and workbook-style prompts for each Enneatype, you will discover how to tap into all 9 types in yourself, resulting in greater compassion and understanding for self and others.

Get The Ebook

Valerie Wanamaker, LCSW has dark hair and light skin, smiling outdoors in a vineyard, wearing a brown blazer over a striped shirt.

Ali McGhee, director of the Enneagram School of Awakening wearing a wide-brimmed black hat and a colorful, patterned jacket, is resting her chin on her hand and smiling at the camera. She is sitting in front of a bookshelf filled with books.

Coaching for Leaders, Seekers, and Soulful Humans

Looking for personalized guidance?

We offer coaching for:

Executives and teams seeking a new approach to leadership

Creatives navigating identity and flow

Couples cultivating connection

Individuals longing to shift long-held patterns

Our coaching is deeply attuned, somatically-aware, and radically compassionate.

Meet The Faculty

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Rooted in Tradition

Founded in the lineage of Ichazo’s Arica School, the Enneagram School of Awakening brought forth the Embodiment Tradition—a revolutionary approach developed by Dr. Lissa Friedman and evolved by Tammy Hendrix, LCSW.

Today, under the direction of Ali McGhee, PhD, our school offers virtual and in-person programming to students in Asheville, NC and around the world. We honor the mystery of transformation, meeting each person with presence, insight, and care.

Read our History

A woman standing in front of a whiteboard giving a presentation with a diagram called a 'Venn diagram' and some handwritten notes on teamwork, partnerships, and self. The whiteboard also has a large drawing of a labeled enneagram.

Certification badge for International Enneagram Association, indicating the school is accredited in 2025.

Certification For Professionals

Become an Accredited Enneagram Facilitator

Whether you’re a therapist, coach, healer, educator or other helping professional using the enneagram in your work, our IEA-accredited training programs equip you to bring the Embodiment Tradition into your work.

We offer in-depth, supportive certification paths:

Level 1 (Beginners)
Level 2 (Advanced)
Apprenticeships

Each level includes immersive learning, live facilitation practice, and mentorship from seasoned faculty.

Next Level 1 Certification Begins August 2025

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Embodied Enneagram In Your Inbox

Receive reflections, resources, and updates from the Enneagram School of Awakening.

Stay connected to the work with announcements about upcoming programs, insights into the Embodiment Tradition, and practices to support your unfolding.