Take time to reflect on your spiritual life ...
Do you desire to reflect on God's presence in your life? Do you want to explore what you believe about God? Do you ever struggle to connect to God in the midst of your daily life? Do you simply want a companion in your spiritual journey?
It’s not often we are invited to personally consider the invitations of God in our lives and how we are responding … spiritual direction creates that opportunity.
In spiritual direction, a space is made for you to explore such questions as:
- When was the last time you connected with God? What was it like?
- How might God be inviting you into relationship? How are you responding to that invitation?
- When you think about God, what comes to mind? Are your impressions positive? Negative?
- In the everyday details of life, where is God for you?
---> Choose to cultivate your relationship with God. Click here to begin today.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is spiritual direction?
It surprises many people to learn that the practice and ministry of spiritual direction actually dates back many, many centuries, finding its roots in the 3rd and 4th centuries of the Christian church. At that time, certain God-fearing men and women migrated into the desert to live in solitude before God and were visited by many who sought their hard-won wisdom and insight on the spiritual life.
These individuals became known as the desert fathers and mothers of the Christian tradition, and the ministry of spiritual direction has existed in the Christian church ever since. It is also widely practiced in most faith traditions around the world.
In its essence, spiritual direction is about creating space on a regular basis to meet with a sacred companion who helps you notice God and your response to God in your daily life. It can be a place where you wrestle with core questions about God, explore what you believe about God, or experience the consolation of paying attention to God's presence in your life in an intentional way.
What is it like to meet with a spiritual director?
The word "director" can be misleading, as it implies that a spiritual director will guide and direct you in some particular direction in your spiritual life. In reality, most spiritual directors (including myself) view God as the director of the relationship and the spiritual director as more of a companion, spiritual friend, discerner, observer, and encourager along the way.
Every spiritual director brings their unique personality to the practice of this ministry, so there is no "one size fits all" expectation for what it is like to meet with a spiritual director. You will want to find a spiritual director whose personality and approach is a good fit for who you are and what you hope to receive from spiritual direction.
What is it like to meet with me as a spiritual director?
You can expect to receive from me an attentive, listening presence and caring companion in your spiritual journey. My primary role is to create space for you to notice and explore your relationship with God. I will listen, ask questions, observe connections and possibilities, invite you to go deeper, and (if you are comfortable doing so) invite you to talk to God.
To me, the relationship of primary importance during our time together is the relationship between you and God. If I offer any direction at all, it is merely by way of invitation -- inviting you to notice movements, questions, statements, and experiences and then to connect those observations to your relationship with God. The time we spend together is ultimately your time, and I am there to be present to whatever you bring to our conversations.
What kind of professional training have I received?
I completed a 3-year training program in the ministry of spiritual direction, as well as a 3-year graduate degree program in spiritual formation and leadership.
As part of my training, I completed two years as an intern spiritual director under the supervision of a skilled and experienced supervisor and met monthly with a peer supervision group. Currently, I continue to meet monthly with a peer supervision group in my local community and meet monthly with my own spiritual director to care for my own spiritual life with God.
Does someone have to be a Christian to meet with me for spiritual direction?
No. Although I come from a distinctly Christian tradition and spirituality, my spiritual direction practice is always centered on meeting each person where they are in their concept and experience of God. If you are open to exploring who God is and God's presence in your life, I would consider it a privilege to walk with you in your spiritual journey.
Can you meet with me long-distance?
Absolutely. In fact, a great deal of my work as a spiritual director has taken place long-distance with individuals who live in places as varied as California, New Mexico, Chicago, Tennessee, and even Canada and the United Kingdom. I offer long-distance sessions by phone, Skype, and e-mail. We will tailor our sessions and method of communication to what is the most natural fit for you.
How frequently would we meet?
For in-person and phone sessions, the level of frequency is flexible and depends upon what is most helpful to you. However, most people meet with their spiritual director on a monthly basis for about an hour per session.
I also offer e-mail spiritual direction on a monthly subscription basis (see below), and this takes the form of an ongoing, open-ended dialogue that is always available to you as often as you would like to connect about your spiritual journey.
How much does spiritual direction cost?
Each spiritual director sets their own fee, and fees can range anywhere from $0 to $125 per session, depending on the director. My current fee for in-person and phone sessions are $75 per session. I also offer an ongoing monthly subscription for e-mail spiritual direction, which is $50/month.
How does payment happen?
I accept payment via Paypal prior to each long-distance session and for the monthly e-mail spiritual direction subscription. When we begin working together, I will provide the Paypal payment link for your use.
How do we get started?
I'm so glad you asked! We begin with a preliminary inquiry form, which you can fill out by clicking here.