Celebrating Dr. David Daniels, MD and his Vision for Peace through the Enneagram
A bridgebuilder between mainstream science and the ancient teachings of the Enneagram, David inspired a thriving worldwide movement.
PALO ALTO, CA, UNITED STATES, December 2, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Celebrating Dr. David Daniels, MD and his vision for peace through the Enneagram
A former Adjunct Clinical Professor at Stanford University Medical School and the founder of two major Enneagram organizations, Dr. David Daniels (1934-2017) served as a bridgebuilder between mainstream science and the ancient teachings of the Enneagram.
2025 marks several milestones, including the 25th anniversary of his scientifically validated Enneagram Test and updated versions of two of David’s books.
The Enneagram is a powerful tool for personal and collective transformation that maps nine different personality types rooted in psychology, spirituality, and somatics. Each of the nine types has a different pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting that arises from a deeper inner motivation and way of seeing the world.
When a colleague introduced David to Enneagram Teacher Helen Palmer in 1984, he connected the patterns he was observing in his work as a psychiatrist to the nine Enneagram types and turned his attention to establishing credibility for the Enneagram. “I remember the courage it took for my dad to leave the mainstream world of psychiatry and focus on the Enneagram. He was onto something profound,” shares daughter Denise Daniels, PhD.
Over the next decades, David continued to build credibility for the Enneagram through his work at Stanford while creating practical methods to build a more thoughtful and understanding world.
In 1988, he co-founded The Palmer-Daniels Enneagram Professional Training Program, now called The Narrative Enneagram. Developing the innovative panel method where exemplars of each type share their own experiences brings the Enneagram to life. Today they hold one of the most rigorous and highly regarded Enneagram schools in the world.
In 2000, David released the first scientifically validated "Essential Enneagram Test." Today, it remains one of the top-three tests used in university research and supports thousands of people to find their Enneagram type every year. Unique from most other tests, this paragraph-based test clusters elements of thinking, emotions, and motivation to support test takers in recognizing themselves from the inside out.
Aside from his scientific contributions, David is remembered for his ability to bring people together and his gentle kindness that would permeate a room. An Enneagram Type 6 (nicknamed the Loyal Skeptic), David brought his open-hearted receptivity to receive others as they are without judgement. “May we open our hearts to ourselves and to others,” said David, “This is my hope for a more loving, peaceful, compassionate existence for all.”
Russ Hudson, colleague of David and Co-Founding member of the International Enneagram Association recalls, “David Daniels and I shared a mission…to create an atmosphere of mutual respect, kindness, and cooperation across the whole Enneagram field. His kindness and thoughtfulness have touched so many, and his soft and understated brilliance will be an inspiration for generations to come.”
David often proclaimed after numerous years of clinical practice, that nothing came close to helping and healing people as much as the Enneagram because people could understand each other rapidly. “Dad’s life purpose was to contribute to and leave the world a better place. He worked tirelessly to awaken people to the understanding of self and others,” says Denise. “He recognized that human beings are all different, and our differences can be accepted and appreciated, rather than judged and criticized.”
If you are new to the Enneagram, the online Essential Enneagram test is a great place to start, but discovering your type is just the beginning. Explore courses at The Narrative Enneagram or read one of David’s books: "The Essential Enneagram" or "The Enneagram, Relationships, and Intimacy." David’s full biography and accomplishments are available on his website.
About The Narrative Enneagram
The Narrative Enneagram is an educational 501(c)3 nonprofit and membership organization,dedicated to transforming lives and creating a more compassionate world through an innovative curriculum based on the groundbreaking work of Helen Palmer and David Daniels, MD.`
Media Contact for The Narrative Enneagram
Denise Daniels
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650-868-3895
Denise Daniels
drdaviddaniels.com
+1 650-868-3895
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A Tribute to the Life, Career, and Enneagram Contributions of Dr. David N. Daniels, M.D.
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