The Enneagram Prison Project brings residents, board members, and donors together at San Quentin’s Chapel B to celebrate another cycle of their program. Among the guests were formerly incarcerated persons and author Russ Hudson.

After a brief opening by Susan Olesek, founder of EPP, Hudson was invited to the stage. He said that Enneagram is rooted in teaching based on the different personality traits.

“To look at the reasons why we do what we do, there’s reasons why we’ve got stuck in certain situations. There’s reasons that some of the best part of us we put on a back shelf at one point. That’s everybody, that’s everybody,” said Hudson.

Digging into the body’s inner system to discover the roots of personality types helps participants understand how their past experiences, thinking, and actions influenced prior relationships and situations. 

After Hudson finished his presentation, he had a Q&A session with residents, which gave them a chance to share comments about their transformation during the course of this program.

EPP inspires change through awareness and compassion with an efficient approach. For many years the residents have been taking advantage of what this program offers. 

Resident Misha shared his thoughts about the program with SQNews.

“EPP impacted my life as I found who I was and why I was doing things I was doing. I have learned to reflect [on] who I was and learned how to control my emotions and feelings. It has truly helped me identify me,” said Misha.

Russ Hudson is the executive director of Enneagram Personality Types, Inc. and co-founder of The Enneagram Institute. He has been co-teaching the Enneagram Professional Training Program since 1991 and is founding director and former vice-president of the International Enneagram Association.

He is also co-author of Personality Types, The Power of the Enneagram, and of Personality Types at Work. 

“It was an honor to have the inside and outside Enneagram family together for the community day, while also getting to meet the author of the Enneagram book we use. His insight was very impactful for all the residents and guests, board members and donors who support Enneagram Prison Project,” said teachers assistant and resident K. Brinckman.

To close the meeting, everyone was asked to form a large circle and each person had the opportunity to say one word to highlight their journey. The words that resonated across the room were — “hope,” “gratefulness,” “being present,” “community,” “freedom,” “family,” “connection,” “meaning,” “goodness,” just to name a few.