The PDP Group, or Patterns of Developmental Pathways Group, was formed in 2004 with the goal of bringing the profound knowledge of the Enneagram to science through a developmental model. The group in alphabetical order includes Laura Baker, Ph.D. David Daniels, M.D., Denise Daniels, Ph.D. Jack Killen, M.D. and Daniel Siegel, M.D. Together the PDP Group spans the fields of the Enneagram, Psychology, Neuroscience, and Medicine. More specifically, the group has expertise in affective neuroscience, interpersonal neurobiology, transpersonal psychology, AI and data science, contemplative and mystical traditions, and mind-body-based practices including meditation, breath, and yoga.
Laura A. Baker, PhD, is a professor of psychology at the University of Southern California and a certified Iyengar yoga teacher (CIYT). She earned her BA in psychology from the University of Kansas and her MA and PhD from the University of Colorado, Boulder, where she specialized in behavioral genetics and quantitative psychology. Her research focuses on gene-environment interactions in human behavior, and she directs the Southern California Twin Project at USC. Dr. Baker has authored over 125 scientific articles and book chapters in behavioral genetics and has received several awards for her contributions to the field. She teaches courses in behavioral genetics, human sexuality, and contemplative neuroscience. Read more at her Amazon author page (laurabakerphd).
David N. Daniels, MD (1934–2017), was a world-renowned Enneagram teacher and therapist, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine, the lead-author of the bestselling, The Essential Enneagram: The Definitive Personality Test and Self-Discovery Guide, 2000, 2009, 2025 (25th Anniversary Edition) and of The Enneagram, Relationships and Intimacy, 2018, 2025. Together with Helen Palmer, he co-founded the Palmer Daniels Enneagram Professional Training Program now called The Narrative Enneagram (TNE) and was one of the founders of the International Enneagram Association (IEA) who led efforts to sponsor the first International Enneagram Association conference at Stanford University in 1994. His work and its continuation may be found at the drdaviddaniels website.
Denise Daniels, PhD, is a transpersonal psychologist, Enneagram consultant, and Silicon Valley startup executive. She brings her 40-year study of the Enneagram system to consulting in the empirical sciences, the mathematical and data sciences, responsible AI, and the ancient history and cosmic laws of the Enneagram. A certified teacher in The Narrative Enneagram, Daniels has taught and facilitated workshops on the Enneagram in Silicon Valley companies and Stanford University. Daniels holds degrees from the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Colorado at Boulder. She completed postdoctoral work at Stanford University Medical Center and is the author of numerous articles, book chapters, and online publications. Her contact information may be found at the drdaviddaniels website.
Jack Killen, MD, is a former deputy director at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where he spent over 30 years leading multidisciplinary clinical research programs. He received his AB from Kenyon College and his MD from Tufts University. He first encountered the Enneagram in 1996 and has since become a certified Enneagram teacher and coach. He has also completed certification by The Enneagram in Business as a trainer and coach and is a member of The Narrative Enneagram and the International Enneagram Association. Dr. Killen's work spans the intersections of science, contemplative practices, and the Enneagram.
Daniel J. Siegel, MD, is a clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA and executive director of the Mindsight Institute. Dr. Siegel has authored numerous books, including five New York Times bestsellers, and has been a leader in the fields of mindfulness, attachment, and interpersonal neurobiology. He continues to be active in psychotherapy and mental health education. He is the founding editor of the Norton Professional Books Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology, which now includes over 100 books, this book being one. Dr. Siegel continues to be active as a practicing psychotherapist harnessing the consilience of interpersonal neurobiology to apply transdisciplinary approaches in practical and innovative ways to psychotherapy.
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