Diverse, Inclusive Spiritual Direction for All!
Statement on Diversity of Clientele
I provide an inclusive and welcoming environment to clients of all sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, socio-economic or educational backgrounds, racial or ethnic backgrounds, religious/spiritual affiliations or nonaffiliations. I engage in ongoing diversity education, and self-reflection to ensure that I am best able to be inclusive of all forms of diversity.
Spiritual Life Coaching, Direction, and Companionship
Spiritual Director
I am a certified (Haden Institute) Spiritual Director in the Jungian, Contemplative, Mystical, and Christian tradition. Direction is really a bit of a misnomer as a Spiritual Director doesn’t really direct anything. We are more like spiritual coaches or companions and facilitate spiritual growth for those who want to explore their faith on a deeper level.
Have you ever had a desire for something in life that you just can’t identify or put your finger on? Have you had a sense that there is something life-giving available to you, but are unsure how to find or obtain it? Are you seeking the ‘more’ to life? It can be a wonderful and exciting journey! I like to call it, ‘Facilitating the art of Spiritual Union with Reality.’
The interesting thing is that we were born in spiritual union with God, and as we mature we tend to lose that union. The logo above is called ‘Sankofa,’ and it is a symbol from Ghana. It loosely means, ‘to go back and get what was lost while continuing to move forward.’ That, I think is a great discription of what can happen with spiritual direction! Please contact me if you are interested in checking to see if spiritual direction is for you. The first session is always free as we discern whether or not we are the right fit for spiritual companioning. We can meet if you are in the Safford or Tucson area, or we can do a Zoom get together.
What is Spiritual Direction or Coaching
Spiritual Life Coaching or direction is an art form which includes Holy listening, spiritual companionship, and mutual discernment along with other elements such as the enneagram. The goals of taking part in spiritual direction include growing in your relationship with God, growing your relationship with yourself, growing your relationships with others, and spiritual healing...all adding up to a much deeper faith. This is accomplished by becoming more aware of the ways in which God reaches out to you in your every day life. We learn to listen to that still, small, voice, or the movement of God’s Spirit as we go through our day. We learn to identify and trust our own experiences of God. We learn where and how to seek God. We share life’s deeper issues, our hopes, our struggles, and our joys. We learn to include God in our difficult choices. During spiritual direction we often encounter those ah-ha moments that feel so good. There are so many diverse and varied things we can learn about ourselves and others through spiritual direction.
What Spiritual Direction is not.
Spiritual Direction is not traditional therapy or counseling, although elements of both may come into play. The spiritual director does not give answers, but facilitates the directee to find their own answers. With traditional therapy or counseling, the focus is on emotional healing or learning coping skills, and your spiritual life may or may not be a part of that process.
In spiritual direction, the focus is on understanding your true self as created in the image of God and understanding your relationship to spirit. This provides for deeper healing at the root of the issues, a deeper faith, and more meaning in life.