The Nine Types – in a nutshell

Type TWO – The Helper

FOCUS OF ATTENTION: the needs, feelings and desires of others

AT THEIR BEST: helpful, generous, caring, loving, attentive, warm, nurturing, adaptable

AT THEIR WORST: possessive, overly accommodating, manipulative, jealous, needy, controlling, martyr-like, overly demonstrative

TYPICAL TYPE TWO ROLES: Caregiver, Generous Host, Rescuer, Social body, Counselor, Health Worker.

Key issues for Type TWO:

Generosity and demonstrativeness: Preoccupied with the needs of others. Take pride in giving and helping. Overextend themselves for others while neglecting their own needs. Can feel that others take advantage of them.

People-pleasing and excessive flattery: Enjoy being at the service of others and meeting others’ needs. Feel compelled to offer compliments to others. Often alter how they present themselves to others.

Loss of boundaries, too much intimacy: Like to give unsolicited advice and opinion. Enjoy physical contact in social interactions. Enjoy talking about relationships and love.

Possessiveness: Often struggle with codependency while longing to be loved. Do not take no for an answer. Have a hard time expressing their own needs. Can end up manipulating others through possessiveness or jealousy.

BASIC FEAR: of not being loved, of being unworthy of love

BASIC DESIRE AND THEIR DISTORTION: Desire to feel appreciated and loved (deteriorates into the need to be needed).

LOST CHILDHOOD MESSAGE: „You are wanted”

HOW TYPE TWO MANIPULATES OTHERS: By pleasing others, desperately trying to meet their needs thus creating dependencies.

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