What does spiritual direction look like?

There are many models for spiritual direction, but generally, you will meet with a spiritual director on a regular basis, often monthly. These meeting can vary in length, but most people meet for about an hour. While traditionally spiritual direction is done in person, locally, many spiritual directions sessions today are done via video calls.

At root these are conversations about God and your relationship with God. It is not counseling, but often there is discussion about your emotional life and relationship that many people associate with counseling. The difference is that these discussions are not attempting to “solve” problems, but to discern how your emotional life or relationships or decisions about your calling or future can draw you toward God. After a brief welcome, many sessions may start with silence or prayer. 

One definition of spiritual formation is from M. Robert Mulholland Jr., “Spiritual formation is a process of being formed in the image of Christ for the sake of others.” Spiritual direction is a process of helping your to be formed into the image of Christ while discerning how to keep that focus of “the sake of others” in the forefront of your Christian life.