Informed Consent
For Spiritual Direction
This agreement outlines the nature of our work together
and important information to help you make an informed decision
Welcome
Thank you for considering spiritual direction. I consider it a privilege to accompany others as they seek to recognize and respond more fully to God's presence in their lives. This agreement is intended to explain the nature of spiritual direction, our mutual expectations, and the guidelines that will help foster a healthy and fruitful relationship.
What is Spiritual Direction?
The goal of Catholic spiritual direction is to help a person grow in their relationship with the Lord. Spiritual direction is best understood as a threefold encounter between the Lord, the directee, and the spiritual director, with the purpose of helping the directee deepen their friendship with Jesus Christ.
This encounter ordinarily takes place through monthly meetings, although sessions may be scheduled more or less frequently as needed. During our time together, we prayerfully reflect on your experiences of prayer, daily life, relationships, and significant events, seeking to recognize where God is present and
inviting you to deeper conversion, freedom, and love.
As awareness of God's presence grows, the directee comes to understand themselves more fully, becomes increasingly receptive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and is gradually freed to live a more faithful Christian life.
What Does a Spiritual Director Do?
A Catholic spiritual director helps the directee (or retreatant) notice the presence and call of God in the circumstances of everyday life and find the words to speak about those encounters, thereby deepening their relationship with their Creator. The director also guides the directee in discerning the various interior movements and "voices" within and around them in order to recognize God's invitations and respond with greater freedom.
Discernment is the prayerful practice of attending to the movements of the heart, mind, and will in order to recognize what leads to an increase of faith, hope, and love. Through this process, the directee becomes more attentive to the Holy Spirit's action in daily life and more responsive to God's loving guidance.
My Role as your Spiritual Director
As your spiritual director, I seek to provide a prayerful, attentive, and confidential space where you may freely explore your relationship with God. My role is to listen deeply, ask thoughtful questions, help you notice God's presence and activity, introduce prayer practices from the Catholic spiritual tradition, assist in the discernment of spirits, and encourage your ongoing spiritual growth. While I bring my experience, education, and prayer to our sessions, I recognize that the Holy Spirit is the true Spiritual Director. My role is always one of humble accompaniment as together we seek God's will.
I hold a Master's degree in Pastoral Ministry and a Post-Master's Certificate in Spiritual Formation from the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, where I was professionally trained as a Catholic spiritual director. I have studied Spiritual Direction and the Spiritual Exercises under the mentorship of Fr. James Bowler, founder of the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality at Fairfield University. Additionally, I have been trained to give the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius through the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality and the Office of Ignatian Spirituality of the Society of Jesus.
I am committed to ongoing formation and am bound by a professional Code of Ethics, a copy of which is available upon request.
What Does a Spiritual Director Do?
A Catholic spiritual director helps the directee (or retreatant) notice the presence and call of God in the circumstances of everyday life and find the words to speak about those encounters, thereby deepening their relationship with their Creator. The director also guides the directee in discerning the various interior movements and "voices" within and around them in order to recognize God's invitations and respond with greater freedom.
Discernment is the prayerful practice of attending to the movements of the heart, mind, and will in order to recognize what leads to an increase of faith, hope, and love. Through this process, the directee becomes more attentive to the Holy Spirit's action in daily life and more responsive to God's loving guidance.
Confidentiality
I will hold our conversations in the strictest confidence and will not disclose your identity or the content of our sessions except when required by applicable law or court order. I am legally required to report suspected abuse or neglect of a minor or other vulnerable person, or when a person presents a credible threat of serious harm to themselves or another.
You are free to share whatever you choose about our conversations. I simply ask that any personal disclosures I may make during our sessions also remain confidential.
As part of my commitment to ongoing formation and accountability, I participate in professional supervision. Supervision supports my continued growth as a spiritual director and may occasionally include discussion of general aspects of our work together. Your name and any personally identifying information will never be shared. My supervisor is likewise bound by the same standards of confidentiality.
Healthy Boundaries
Healthy boundaries are essential to maintaining a fruitful and appropriate spiritual direction relationship. The purpose of spiritual direction is to help the directee grow in reliance upon God rather than dependence upon the spiritual director.
For this reason, our contact outside of scheduled sessions will be limited. You are welcome to share resources, prayer experiences, or information that you believe may be helpful between meetings. I may also occasionally share resources that I believe may support your prayer and spiritual growth.
To maintain appropriate professional and spiritual boundaries, I generally decline invitations to meet socially or outside the context of spiritual direction sessions. These boundaries are intended to protect the freedom and integrity of our relationship and to keep our focus on your relationship with God.
Referrals
Psychological, emotional, and relational concerns often arise within spiritual direction and may certainly be discussed as they relate to your spiritual life. However, spiritual direction is distinct from other forms of individual support and guidance.
Spiritual direction is not psychotherapy, counseling, medical care, mental health treatment, crisis intervention, pastoral counseling, coaching, or catechesis (the formal transmission of the Catholic faith). Rather, spiritual direction is a ministry of prayerful listening and discernment intended to help you grow in your relationship with God.
If concerns arise that are outside the scope of spiritual direction, I may recommend that they be addressed by another qualified professional or appropriate resource. This may include referral to a licensed mental health professional, physician, pastor, or another person with specialized training.
If this occurs, we will prayerfully discuss whether it is appropriate to continue spiritual direction or whether the concern or need currently limits your ability to be receptive to the guidance and movement of the Holy Spirit.
Scheduling
Both the director and directee are encouraged to pray for confirmation that we are the appropriate fit for this spiritual direction relationship.
After our first two or three meetings, I will invite you to reflect on your experience of spiritual direction and share any questions, concerns, or thoughts about our work together. If either of us discerns that this is not the best prayer partnership, either person is free to conclude the relationship at any time.
If desired, I am happy to recommend other qualified spiritual directors who may better meet your needs and spiritual desires. At the conclusion of each session, we will schedule our next meeting. If either of us needs to change a meeting date or time, please provide at least 24 hours' notice whenever possible.
I understand that unexpected circumstances arise and that occasionally a meeting may be missed without advance notice. However, if two consecutive sessions are missed without communication, I will consider this an indication that our spiritual direction relationship has concluded.
Every spiritual direction relationship eventually reaches a natural conclusion. Through prayer and discernment, we will recognize when that time has come. Some spiritual direction relationships continue for many years, while others may be shorter. We are always free to discuss this openly and honestly as part of our shared discernment.
Emergency Disclaimer
Spiritual direction is not an emergency service and is not intended to replace professional mental health care, medical care, or crisis services. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, are concerned that you may harm yourself or another person, or are in immediate danger, please contact emergency services by calling 911 (or your local emergency number), contact a crisis support service, or seek assistance from an appropriate emergency resource.
Prayer
Please be assured of my prayers for you as you continue your spiritual journey. If you are willing, I would be grateful for your prayers as well, that I may remain attentive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and faithfully serve your unique needs and desires in our spiritual direction sessions.
Communication
Email and text messaging may be used for scheduling and brief practical updates related to our meetings, but not for lengthy spiritual direction conversations, which are better addressed during our sessions, or for urgent situations and emergencies requiring immediate assistance.
