What Is Spiritual Direction?

In short

Spiritual direction is an ongoing, confidential conversation in which a trained companion helps you notice and respond to God's presence in your everyday life and prayer. It is not therapy, counseling or advice-giving. People usually meet about once a month, for about an hour.

In Robin's words, “there are three involved: the seeker, the Holy Spirit and the director.” Many describe the Holy Spirit as the true director.

Where it comes from

Spiritual direction is a form of “holy listening” that has been part of Christian life since the desert mothers and fathers of the fourth century, who were sought out for a word of guidance. It continued in monasteries and among lay people through the centuries.

In the sixteenth century, St. Ignatius of Loyola gave it a particular shape in his Spiritual Exercises, with close attention to the inner movements of the heart. Robin practices in this Ignatian tradition, which invites us to find God in all things, including the ordinary.

What happens in a session

You talk about whatever is alive in your life with God: your prayer, a decision, a joy, a loss, a longing. The director listens, asks gentle questions, and helps you notice. The director doesn't fix, prescribe or judge.

Do I need to be Catholic?

No. Robin is a practicing Catholic, formed in the Ignatian tradition, and she accompanies people of every Christian background, of other faiths, or of none, who want to notice God more in their lives. Direction follows your own relationship with God. She will never ask you to adopt her beliefs.

Is it confidential?

What you share in direction stays between you and Robin. The only exceptions are those the law requires, such as a risk of serious harm to you or someone else, or the abuse of a child or vulnerable adult. Because sessions happen online and by email, no electronic tool is perfectly private. Robin never records sessions.