Meet the face
behind the posts

I have many years of work experience behind me in the fields of health care and in human resource consulting. Retirement has opened many doors and reinforced my dedication to lifelong learning. Since leaving the commitments of the work world, I have achieved certifications in: Spiritual Direction-2016; Healing Touch Spiritual Ministry-2016, Spiritual Guidance Training Institute in Interfaith Studies-2021, Write Your Self certification in writing through grief and trauma-2023. I am currently pursuing a Master’s in Interfaith Spiritual Direction and certification in Grief Companionship. My husband and I live outside of the Chicago area with our special needs pug. We most enjoy the gifts of watching our children and fifteen grandchildren flourish and find ways in which to walk their own path in life.

Spiritual Direction is a practice which allows you to share your soul, confidentially, with a trusted companion. The true Spiritual Director has completed a lengthy training program, has received certification, and follows a code of ethics. They will gift you with deep listening and suggestions that may guide you as you share your spiritual journey and how it touches all aspects of your life. Sessions are held either on a one-to-one basis and may be either in person, by video conferencing, or at times by phone.

Anyone who may be in a position of discernment, transition, life change, or simply wanting to deepen their spiritual practices can benefit from Spiritual Direction. Even though the practice may seem relatively new to some, the tradition is centuries old and appears to date back as far as the first century.

Normally. Most Spiritual Directors do charge a fee for their services to offset the cost of their training and continued education in the field. Fees vary by Spiritual Director, regional location, and situation.

Senior to senior connection, Aging and Spirituality, Spiritual Transformations, Spirituality of Loss, Spirituality and End of Life.

It’s really very easy. You can either jump in with what is on your mind and heart, or I can give you some questions that might prompt some thoughts that you want to share. Then, just write down those thoughts and issues that may be the most compelling for you. Some examples of intersections in life where you could use a companion could be issues around: religion. integrating spirituality into your life more fully. aging and health related issues. loss or change in some capacity. death of a family member or friend which has left you feeling deep grief. general topics from everyday life that you may be struggling with.

Of course, we can just talk. That is certainly an option, and the most utilized form of Spiritual Direction. I call it “Conversational” Spiritual Direction, and it’s been facilitated this way for centuries. But long before the days of telephones and easy voice communication came into the world, written letters were the primary way to share information with those outside of your immediate circle. The days of ballpoint pens and scratching through your mistakes helped you to be more contemplative in your communication and think through exactly what you want to say. Handwriting is a more mindful process. It can be a spiritual or contemplative practice that can give you the time and space, free from the distractions of the internet, to work through your thoughts. You are creating a record of your thoughts and feelings that you can review and identify your own patterns so much more easily than you can with conversation and those words that just float into the air, refusing to be captured after the fact.

No, you can choose to type it on an old Royal typewriter if you want. Or on the computer in a word document, or just in an email. This works too and at times can be a more effective way to record your thoughts and your soul journey.

Contact me and we can work though an appropriate structure and format for you. Typically, our first communication would be to get to know each other and to review the overall process. We can work out what is best for you, but I recommend no less than once a month, no more than once a week for at least six sessions. After that time, we will review what is working and what might need to be changed and discuss continuing sessions.

I accept payment via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, or occasionally check at the U.S. Mail address.

Traditional, conversational spiritual direction moves at the speed of talk – often very quickly. Written spiritual direction gives you a chance to slow down, to think through your thoughts and feelings a little more deeply. It may benefit you by: focusing on exactly what your biggest issue may be by seeing patterns of behavior and thought a little more clearly. providing you with a record for you to review your own thoughts and emotions and serve as an aide to help you recall what you shared and what you did not. giving you a chance to review your questions whenever appropriate to see if they are resolved or if they are still living in your soul. If they are still unsettled with you, do they need to be addressed again? determining if the response of the Spiritual Director really met your needs or does it need revisited? helping you communicate your thoughts more clearly and accurately. helping you achieve a higher level of discernment when you are faced with a dilemma or decision. offering you a meditative practice which may help to reduce anxiety, manage stress, and increase self-awareness.