Spiritual Direction

Is Spiritual Direction the Next Step in Your Faith Journey?

Presented with permission from The Catholic Community of St. Thomas More.

As you think about opportunities to embrace our Church’s call to Intentional Discipleship could Spiritual Direction be the next step in your faith journey?

What is Spiritual Direction?
Spiritual direction is an ancient Christian tradition of holy listening. In spiritual direction, a directee (seeker) explores the spiritual journey with the help of a trained director to discover the movement and action of God in one’s life.

What happens in Spiritual Direction?
In spiritual direction, a trained spiritual director companions a directee, ie an adult seeker, on his or her spiritual journey. The director and directee come together in sacred conversation to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Learning to discern God’s willful one’s life is an essential component of spiritual direction. This activity can also occur in groups in group spiritual direction.

Why do people seek spiritual direction?
People seek spiritual direction to grow in relationship with God and to explore how God is acting in their life and leading them.

Who are spiritual directors? 
Spiritual directors are trained professionals who accompany directees on their faith journey to help them grow spiritually. Spiritual directors themselves are trained in many spiritual practices and help directees enter into prayerful presence. A spiritual director may be a trained professed religious or a trained layperson. Directors receive spiritual direction themselves and receive regular supervision by a trained supervisor. 

St. Thomas More and Newman’s Spiritual Directors vet and approve directors who participate in the ministry. Directors follow the SDI (Spiritual Directors International) Code of Ethics.

How do I find a spiritual director?
A directory of locally available spiritual directors can be found here (link). You may contact the Spiritual Direction Ministry coordinator, Lori Eichel at lorieichel@gmail.com or 919-260-6296. 

The coordinator manages requests for spiritual direction and puts directness in touch with potential directors. Directees then have an initial conversation with one or more directors to discern the best director with whom to work.

Who can receive spiritual direction? 
Adults 18 and older can receive spiritual direction. Directees are from a variety of faith traditions and can be located anywhere in the world. 

Where does spiritual direction take place? 
Spiritual direction takes place in designated rooms at St Thomas More Church campuses, New-man at UNC facilities, at various other area church meeting spaces, and on Zoom. 

What is the difference between spiritual direction, psychotherapy, and pastoral counseling? 
Spirituality and psychology intertwine yet are distinct. Spiritual direction attends to how God is participating and communicating in one’s life to help one grow spiritually healthy. Psychotherapy or psychological counseling address mental and emotional issues to help a person function and achieve well-being. A directee can receive spiritual direction and be in psychotherapy also. Pastoral counseling is guidance given by a priest, deacon, or parish pastoral associate on issues of faith, theology, and religion to individuals, couples, families, and groups. 

What does spiritual direction cost? 
Directors request a donation or stipend for spiritual direction sessions. The local range is $45-$100 per hour. Some directors use donations to support affiliated faith and spiritual direction institutions. Some directors use stipends to help cover directors’ expenses, continuing education, cost of supervision, and use of professional space. 

How often does spiritual direction take place? 
Initially, a directee may meet frequently (perhaps once a week or every other week) with his or her director. After that, spiritual direction sessions are typically once a month and last about one hour.

FIND A SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR