Spiritual Direction

Reclaiming an Ancestral Practice of Spiritual Companionship

Spiritual direction is an ancient tradition that transcends time, culture, and religion, having been practiced for thousands of years across the world. It is rooted in the understanding that our spiritual life is something both deeply personal and fundamentally relational; our individual quest for intimacy with God unfolds more richly within the context of community and friendship. A spiritual director, then, is one who acts as a facilitator and companion, not because they are “superior” in spiritual matters, but because they have dedicated significant time and training towards their capacity to recognize how the Spirit is working in a person. The director offers insight, compassion, encouragement, and knowledge, while always affirming that you are the highest authority on your own life, and reflecting back your own innate wisdom.

As a director, I believe in the inherent dignity and beauty of all human beings, and invite you to bring your realest and truest self to spiritual direction because that is exactly who God desires to meet. I strive to create a safe space that frees my directees to speak in a way that is unguarded and unshielded, welcoming tears as well as anger when they appear, and infusing my practice with a sense of playfulness and irreverent humor. My grounding is in a liberative/progressive Catholic faith, but I work with people from all walks of life, and revel in this beautiful diversity of spiritual paths. However you connect with your spirituality, I am delighted to receive you just as you are.

(Re)discovering Spiritual Direction

The Whys

As we walk the pilgrim’s road, we may encounter challenges that evoke our longing for a wise and loving friend to accompany us on our spiritual journey. Listed here you will find some common experiences that lead people to seek the companionship and counsel of a spiritual director:

  • Decision making and discernment

    Decision Making and Discernment

    When a person reaches a significant crossroads, it can be overwhelming to face a major decision alone. A spiritual director acts as a companion in your discernment, helping you make the decision that best expresses your authentic self and God’s dream for your life.

  • Loss and Grief

    Loss and Grief

    Spiritual direction around themes of loss is grounded in the understanding that grief does not “go away” or “get smaller” with time. Rather, we seek together the ways in which God is making us bigger on the inside because of the loss we’ve experienced.

  • Doubt and Disillusionment

    Doubt and Disillusionment

    Disillusionment is a natural consequence of a culture in which religion has too often been weaponized as a tool of oppression. Many of us carry the wounds of being condemned by our religious communities, and our faith may be shattered by the experience. Spiritual direction is an opportunity to become reacquainted with a God who loves and welcomes all people exactly as they are.

  • Change and Transition

    Change and Transition

    Major life transitions can move us towards growth and evolution, but are often accompanied by feelings of fear and loss. In spiritual direction, we validate and honor the discomfort while also holding a sense of wonder for how we might be transformed by the change.

  • Spiritual Disconnection

    Spiritual Disconnection

    Seasons of dryness are a familiar obstacle on the spiritual path. We may feel disconnected, as if we are just “going through the motions”, or God may seem distant and inaccessible. The friendship of a spiritual director can help us to become un-stuck, discovering a spiritual life that enlivens and re-inspires us.

The Nitty and the Gritty

How Often? Traditionally, a directee will meet with their spiritual director once a month for an hour of good, rich conversation about how the Spirit is moving in them. Then, the fruits of that dialogue are lived out; one might continue to think, wonder, talk, and pray more deeply about what they explored with their director, and examine it in the context of their daily reality. After a time of about a month, the directee and director will again gather together to follow the threads of where that conversation has led, exploring what new insights and revelations have emerged.

Other times, a person may instead choose to connect with a director only intermittently, when in search of wise counsel or good conversation about holy and precious things; it might be that one visit is sufficient to help a person get “unstuck” and moving freely again along their spiritual path. Both practices are valued and welcomed by the Wind Rose Collaborative.

Where? In-person visits are offered at a variety of convenient locations within the Portland Metro Area, or virtually via Google Meets if an in-person meeting is not practical or possible.

How Much to Give? In an effort to make spiritual direction more accessible to all who seek it, The Wind Rose Collaborative utilizes sliding scale payment, with a suggested offering of $75.00-$150.00 per visit. Those who are able to give more open pathways for those who can give less; all gifts are humbly received with gratitude, and I appreciate your generosity.

If the sliding scale range is still cost-prohibitive, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me, as I am happy to collaborate with you to make my work more reachable.