3690 - Enneagram: Finding Identity and Purpose in Mid-Life and Retirement (Tony Holmes)
Course Description
Instructor: Tony Holmes
This course is a stand-alone course where topics and attendance are independent of other 2026 Enneagram courses. However, previously taking any Part 1 (offered multiple times during 2024-2026) is required before taking this course.
This class uses the Enneagram to explore one of the central questions of the second half of life: “Who am I now?” as roles and responsibilities change. We will illustrate “finding a new identity in retirement,” looking at how each type experiences role loss and role reinvention when career, parenting, or caregiving identities shift or fall away. This includes examining how type patterns can keep us “stuck” in outdated self‑images and yet also point toward a reframing to a freer, more authentic sense of self.
Drawing inspiration from Enneagram teachers/authors/trainers on purpose‑centered work and mid-life recalibration the course will help you identify what truly matters now, and how your type’s strengths can be redirected into new forms of meaning and contribution. We will discuss practical Enneagram exercises and tips for navigating midlife and retirement thresholds-letting go of narrow role identities, reconnecting with your deeper values, and crafting a personally meaningful “third act” that honors both your history and your current desires. Whether you are already retired, anticipating retirement, or simply rethinking your post mid-life direction, this class offers a structured, compassionate framework for redefining identity and purpose in the second half of life.
Bio: Tony Holmes, MA, is a Certified Enneagram professional and trainer on using the Enneagram for personal and professional success and happiness. He has done human resource consulting in Atlanta for over 25 years, while learning and applying the Enneagram to lead and develop teams and individuals. He has broad experience presenting, facilitating, and training groups of all types, and uses the Enneagram to energize and enhance teams, leaders, communication, emotional intelligence, and overall happiness. His passion includes a focus on coaching, mentoring, teaching, volunteering, and supporting individuals in pivotal stages of their lives. In addition to his Enneagram certification and experience, he has a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the University of Michigan and is an active Board Member with the Southeast USA Affiliate of the International Enneagram Association.