I'm glad you asked...

While spiritual direction may be a new term to you, it is not new to the worldwide Christian church. In the 4th and 5th centuries, thousands of Christians came to the desert fathers and mothers for spiritual direction, and we can still benefit from many of their writings during this time. During the Reformation, some of our most famous reformers such as Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli and Jean Calvin refer in their writings to meetings with their own spiritual directors and to themselves giving spiritual direction to others. The majority of spiritual directors today, though, will have received certification through a two to three year program of study.

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A spiritual director is a trained listener, often referred to as a holy or sacred companion, who helps you discern God's voice and learn to recognize where He is active. I am assisting you in attuning your heart to God and deepening your relationship with Him. I think Thomas Merton said it best when he stated, "The whole purpose of spiritual direction is to penetrate beneath the surface of a man's life, to get behind the façade of conventional gestures and attitudes which he presents to the world, and to bring out his inner spiritual freedom, his inmost truth, which is what we call the likeness of Christ in his soul (Spiritual Direction and Meditation, p.16, Liturgical Press).” 

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People might seek a spiritual director to gain guidance and support in exploring their relationship with God, deepening their spiritual life, navigating difficult decisions or times of doubt, and to receive a safe space to openly discuss their spiritual experiences and challenges without judgement, allowing them to discern God's presence and will in their lives; essentially, to work on personal spiritual growth and development with a dedicated guide. 

Spiritual direction is not counseling. I will not diagnose or provide any form of psychological or medical treatment.  Spiritual Direction should not be used in lieu of counseling, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, mental health care, or substance abuse treatment.  Where counseling is problem-centric (one comes to counseling because of trauma or a crisis); spiritual direction is God-centric (one comes because they are longing to connect to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit). It is a practice based on prayer and led from prayer. Generally, spiritual direction sessions include quiet reflection, listening, silence (at times, extended), prayer, exploring contemplative practices, and other forms of soul work that aim to deepen one’s relationship with God.

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"You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water."

Psalm 63:1

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Are you hungry to know God? Is your soul yearning to connect to God in a deeper way? I'd love to talk to you about it! You can reach out to make an appointment with me through the Interfaith Counseling Center website.

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https://interfaithcounselingcenter.org/therapists/

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