Frequently Asked Questions

What is Spiritual Direction?
Who might want spiritual direction?
What prerequisites are there?
What do we do in the session?
What life experiences does spiritual direction address?
What is supervision?
What practical info would be helpful to know?

What is Spiritual Direction?

A spiritual director listens with another person for the presence of God in the other's life and prayer.

Spiritual direction begins from the perspective that God is always present in every moment and every experience. Becoming aware of the actual experience of God's presence, and responding, are central to what spiritual direction is about. A spiritual director helps a person to notice this experience and their response.

A spiritual director is a companion, hoping to provide a space of trust, freedom, and safety where a person may explore what it means to “live true” – to notice and live more from that deepest center where we are connected with God, with our true self, and with all that exists.

A typical arrangement for one-on-one spiritual direction is once a month for an hour, and often is ongoing for several years. Small group spiritual direction might be a one-year commitment to monthly, two-hour meetings.

Who might want spiritual direction?

People who desire to deepen their awareness of the holy, of “something-greater-than-ourselves,” in the midst of daily life.
People who want to grow in their spiritual life, learn new ways to pray, or be more in touch with their truest self.
People who want to make decisions in line with God's hopes for them and the world.
People whose work involves the spiritual nurture of others and who desire support and accountability as they attend to their own spiritual well-being.

What prerequisites are there?

A fruitful spiritual direction relationship does not require particular knowledge, achievements, or beliefs. It begins where you are, embracing doubts and questions and paying attention to your unique experience of God. A spiritual director (despite the name!) doesn't tell you what to do or believe but helps you become aware of your own experience of God, whatever that may be.

Many people today are searching for meaning and wholeness. Spiritual direction welcomes persons committed to a faith tradition and also those who feel “lost” or disillusioned with the religious faith of their past. What's important is a desire for a deeper connection with oneself, with God (however one understands God), and with others and the world.

I am a Christian person in the Mennonite tradition. I welcome inquiries from people of any faith tradition, from across the spectrum within faith traditions, AND from people who have given up on traditional religion or are searching for meaning in religion.

What do we do in the session?

It depends on your needs and desires! You would likely share some of what's been happening in your life. Maybe you are making an important decision, or facing a life crisis, or are bored with the everyday-ness of things. Maybe you want to see what it means to love, or want to know how God fits in with your job, or have a longing for something you can't name. Whatever, we will explore how God is present there and how you are being invited to “live true.”

We might try different ways to pray. We might explore who or what God is for you now, and what your spiritual life is inviting you to. You might want to unpack your feelings about your church, or your family, or a world problem. I try to begin wherever you are and to help you respond to your own deepest hopes for yourself and the world.

What life experiences does spiritual direction address?

All of them! God's presence can be found everywhere, and any experience of life or prayer is welcome in spiritual direction. Here are some questions that might help you identify the kinds of experiences that are especially relevant:

What experiences have helped you to see God's presence in your life?
When did you feel deeply moved by something?
Is there something distressing in your life now — a painful, sad, or wounded place that you are sharing with God, or would like to share with God?
When have you felt most alive, most in touch with love, or most true to your deepest self?
What desires do you have for your spirituality. . .for your life. . .for the world?

Being attentive to God in this way over time helps to develop a contemplative stance towards life – the capacity to be aware of God in all of life and to live from that place.

What is supervision??

Supervision is one of the ways spiritual directors have integrity in their work and hold themselves accountable professionally and personally. Supervision provides ongoing nurture, professional growth, and support to spiritual directors. I offer individual supervision for spiritual directors as well as facilitated group supervision through the Kairos School of Spiritual Formation.

What practical info would be helpful to know?

Confidentiality is important to the spiritual direction relationship.
Schedule: People usually come about once a month for an hour, but other arrangements work too.
Cost: I use a sliding scale. I want to be available to people of varying means, while still earning a living.
I usually have a no-strings-attached, no-cost first meeting. At that time we explore what spiritual direction would be like and get a feel for whether we want to meet again.
After 5 or 6 sessions, we will evaluate together how things are going and whether you are finding what you hoped for.
Spiritual direction is not the same as psychological counseling. I would be glad to say more about the differences and help you decide what is best for you.