Frequently Asked Questions

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 The ministry of Christian spiritual direction involves relationships between God, the person offering this ministry and the person receiving this ministry. In these Guidelines ‘director’ is used to describe the one offering the ministry and ‘directee’ for the person receiving. The terms ‘director’ and ‘directee’ have been used, while acknowledging that they are problematic. Other terms sometimes used are 'accompanier' and ‘companion’. The role of the director is to help the directee focus on their relationship with God and so enable their personal vocation (to become the person they were created to be) to grow and be better lived out through the empowering work of the Holy Spirit. The directee’s life is lived in relationship to God, creation, the world, local and faith communities. Spiritual direction seeks to enable the directee to reflect on the dynamic interaction between their experiences of prayer and life, and theology and spirituality. The director has significant potential power and responsibility which should be exercised with great care to ensure the intention of the relationship and the autonomy of the directee are not undermined. This involves care in the use of language, in the expression of moral judgements and in the handling of decision-making. The director will be offering this ministry as part of their expression of their personal vocation and within the context of their own spiritual life in relationship to their faith community and their own director. The focus of the director is primarily on the inner life of the directee, and attention to this in the context of the experience of life and spiritual activities rather than as a moral guardian or confessor. The director will seek to: listen discerningly to what is shared respond in ways that are conducive to the directee’s discernment of God in their life offer insights and perspectives that are helpful to the directee in their communication and response to God and living this out in their daily lives.

(Reproduced from the Retreat Association spiritual direction guidelines.) 

  Like counselling, therapy and coaching, spiritual direction rests on careful listening to the ‘client’. All these helping ministries place value on the confidentiality of the relationship and may lead to increased personal wellbeing and a more fruitful and productive life. What makes spiritual direction distinctive is its focus on listening and responding to the Holy Spirit. While spiritual direction may help someone come to terms with disabling low self-esteem, or help someone make a career choice, or provide a supportive space to work through how to act within a difficult relationship, none of these fruits are its primary focus. Underpinning a spiritual direction relationship is the understanding that both parties seek the same thing: namely to be open to the Spirit’s forming and guiding for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Spiritual Direction enables people to notice, hear and discern the movement of God within their daily experiences, helping them as they seek to draw closer to God and to respond to his work in their lives. The focus of the interaction is between the directee and God. Counselling, Therapy and Life Coaching enable people to work on thoughts, emotions and behaviours that impact their lives and relationships, generally in a more goal-centred and problem-solving way. The focus of the interaction is between the therapist and client.  (Reproduced from the Retreat Association spiritual direction guidelines. }

  This relationship is based upon trust and mutual respect within the awareness that both director and directee are within the gracious love of God. Common and significant areas of exploration in the relationship will include: personal experience and inner (emotional and spiritual) reactions to that experience discerning reflection on that experience, seeking to enable in the directee growing discernment of the movements and leading of God’s Spirit in their life the practice of prayer and the ongoing development of spiritual life, sources of further insights and perspectives, other ways in which their journey might be explored and supported. (Reproduced from the Retreat Association spiritual direction guidelines.)  

 The simple answer is yes. It is important to me to offer spiritual direction and pastoral supervision to everyone who asks for it, regardless of their financial situation. I realise that some  spiritual directors and pastoral supervisors do charge and it is a legitimate part of their income. They could not do this valuable work without charging. There is also a view that when someone pays for something, they value it more. There are also significant cost's incurred; insurance, zoom fees, continuing education, membership fees, website and admin etc. I am retired and have a small pension. Being a spiritual director is my gift to God and you. If you wish to give a donation as a sign of support and appreciation it is gratefully received and will be used to help cover my cost's. See additional information page.

This is where two meet together, as Supervisor and Supervisee, in an intentional and ongoing way to explore the supervisees relationship of their faith / core values, their work expectations and work context, in order to create well being and balance for the individual. It is not Spiritual direction, Therapy or Counselling. It is not a full answer but should give you an idea.

This simply means that I am trained to give Pastoral Supervision to all caring and ministry professions not just  ones I am trained in. For example I am not a medical doctor but am able to give a doctor, pastoral supervision.