As the director of family counseling at Daystar Counseling in Nashville, TN, David Thomas has seen some patterns develop over the years. 

“Some of the healthiest parents I have worked with over the years are parents in recovery,” says David. “Because you've done your work: those basic tenets of ‘I understand I have a struggle, I need God, I need community.’”

Those are principles that apply for everyone, whether in recovery or not, and they reflect a kind of humble acknowledgement of reality that every parent needs. 

But there’s another way into these concepts: “The other set of parents that I see are the healthiest are those who are using the Enneagram,” says David. “You're getting connected with some of those same things. Understanding, ‘Here's what the shadow side looks like, Here are my traps, Here are my vulnerabilities.”

This week, we talk to David Thomas about his own experience dealing with the Enneagram One’s inner monologue, how the shadow side comes out in parenting, and how the Enneagram can help us raise emotionally strong boys. 

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David Thomas, LMSW, is the director of family counseling at Daystar Counseling in Nashville, TN, and the coauthor of ten books, including the bestselling Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys and Are My Kids on Track? He is the co-host of the top 10 parenting podcast “Raising Boys and Girls.”

To learn more about David Thomas, follow him on Instagram, visit his website, or check out his new book, Raising Emotionally Strong Boys: Tools Your Son Can Build On for Life.