Enneagram Type 9: Step 2

Enneagram Type 9 (The Peacemaker) and Step Two

For Enneagram Type 9, working Step Two in Overeaters Anonymous means acknowledging that their tendency to avoid conflict and disengage from life can’t be solved by food. Type 9s may use food to numb themselves or maintain a sense of inner peace, but Step Two asks them to trust that a Power greater than themselves can restore sanity.

1. Admit That Avoiding Conflict Can’t Be Managed Through Food:

Type 9s often use food to avoid conflict or uncomfortable feelings. Step Two requires them to admit that using food to manage their emotions or avoid discomfort has become unmanageable, and only a Higher Power can restore them to sanity.

  • Reflection question: “How have I used food to avoid difficult emotions or situations, and how has this approach led to unmanageable patterns?”

2. Recognize the Unmanageability of Numbing and Disengaging:

For Type 9s, life becomes unmanageable when their avoidance leads to disengagement and an unhealthy relationship with food. Step Two helps them see that they need to be restored by a Higher Power to re-engage with life.

  • Reflection question: “How has my tendency to avoid and numb out contributed to an unmanageable relationship with food?”

3. Acknowledge That True Peace Comes from Engagement:

Step Two asks Type 9s to acknowledge that true inner peace doesn’t come from avoiding life or using food to create a false sense of comfort. Believing in a Higher Power allows them to find real peace through engagement with their emotions and the world around them.

  • Reflection question: “What would it feel like to engage with my emotions and trust a Higher Power to bring me peace without needing to rely on food?”

4. Surrender the Fear of Discomfort or Conflict:

Type 9s often fear discomfort or conflict, and they may turn to food to escape these feelings. Step Two encourages them to surrender this fear and trust that a Higher Power will guide them through difficult emotions and situations.

  • Reflection question: “How has my fear of discomfort or conflict driven my eating behaviors, and how can I begin to surrender this fear?”

5. Trust in the OA Process and the Power of Active Participation:

For Type 9s, Step Two is about trusting the OA process and understanding that healing comes through active participation, not avoidance. By believing in a Higher Power, they can stay engaged in their recovery and find lasting peace.

  • Reflection question: “How can I trust that by staying engaged in the OA process and allowing a Higher Power to guide me, I will find the peace I’m truly seeking?”


Summary: Type 9s work Step Two by admitting that their tendency to avoid conflict and discomfort has become unmanageable. By trusting in a Higher Power, they can re-engage with life and find the peace they seek, without relying on food for comfort.