This page is for the VIRTUAL option for Cohort 7
for those unable to attend in person.
Please click the following links if you prefer the
COMMUTER option or the OVERNIGHT option.
Intensive Training Program for Those Interested in Spiritual Direction
The second week-long session of the Spiritual Direction Institute will provide a deeper foundation for understanding and engaging in the practice of spiritual direction in the Christian tradition. It is intended to enhance the students’ understanding of the spiritual life, with attention given to developing the basic skills required for this ministry. Classes will include presentations, discussions, and interactive experiences. There will be time for quiet reflection throughout the week.
Please plan to attend the virtual sessions in real time. The program begins at 7pm on the first day.
Prerequisite:
Completion of the week-long introductory intensive (September 2025) or permission of the instructor.
Course Learning Objectives:
– Gain an understanding of the spiritual life — its breadth, depth, and language — in order to understand the context of spiritual direction ministry.
– Examine and understand the core principles of effective spiritual direction, noting the implications for both the director and the directee.
– Enhance and practice the basic interpersonal skills necessary for the exercise of this ministry, such as maintaining appropriate boundaries, dealing with transference and counter-transference, etc.
– Explore a range of issues for which people might find themselves when seeking spiritual direction: loss, grief, spiritual darkness, alienation from the church, and abuse.
Required Texts:
-Henri Nouwen, Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming (New York: Doubleday, 1992).
Following This Session:
In the months between Session 2 and Session 3, students will offer spiritual direction as “interns” and will write up two case studies for the final week.
The third week-long intensive in the program is scheduled for September 26-October 2, 2026. Registration for this final session will be available soon. A certificate of completion will be awarded upon completion of the entire program, which includes these three week-long sessions and the required course work.
Questions: If you have questions, please contact Sr. Bernie Claps at Bernadette.Claps@CBSParis.org.
Guided By: Kathy Brown and Sr. Bernie Claps, CBS.
Kathleen Hope Brown, D.Min. teaches spiritual direction and other courses in spirituality at the Virginia Theological Union. Her doctorate in Adult Spiritual Formation is from Catholic University.
Sister Bernadette Claps, a Sister of Bon Secours, provides spiritual direction and spiritual companionship at the Retreat and Conference Center at Bon Secours. She holds graduate certificates in Spiritual Direction, Spirituality and Aging. She has done graduate studies in theology and received a Master of Social Work from New York University.