630-880-6136
an ORDINARY CHRISTIAN WOMAN aka Cecilia T. Whitacre
(Acts 4:13, 19:11)
Supervision for Spiritual Directors
Supervision sounds very serious, and though receiving good soul care, guidance and help is vital to our ministry as spiritual directors, supervision in this context is very different than what one normally thinks or sees in the secular work world. It is contemplative, it is prayerful, and it is Holy Spirit guided.
I hope to offer some generous space for you to come with any questions you have, to bring whatever might be hindering you, and also bring things to celebrate that God is doing in your ministry and soul. ALL so that you can find more internal freedom and joy in being the best director God designed you to be.
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"...supervision for spiritual directors provides a flexible and hospitable space for the director to discern, through education, consultation and inner reflection, together with their supervisor, areas for growth and areas for celebration in themselves and in their practice of spiritual direction."
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-Ineda P. Adesanya
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My journey with supervision....
Over the past few years God has grown my desire to help support and care for those offering the ministry of Spiritual Direction. As I've walked alongside our learners at Christos' Tending the Holy program as the Chicago Area Coordinator, I see the great need for continued care, ongoing education and skills development after we graduate from our programs.
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I found as my own practice grew and the rotation in my monthly peer supervision group wasn't always sufficient to meet the needs I was experiencing with a larger amount of directees, I needed some one-on-one assistance. So now I do both. I meet monthly with my peer supervision group and also meet 1-1 with a supervisor. It has helped me so much!
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I have just completed a Supervision training program through Sustainable Faith and am now available to offer 1-1 sessions of supervision and/or come and facilitate supervision for your peer group.
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Supervision is different from spiritual direction in some ways and similar in others. One of those differences is that it does require some prep work ahead of our session to receive the most benefit. It is also different in that practical questions and advice is sometimes given and even light teaching or resources, if it's supportive. In other ways it is similar to direction in that we hold a gentle contemplative posture and look always to our real Director, our trinitarian God-Jesus-Holy Spirit.
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Reach out today- and schedule an informal conversation to see if this might be a good support for you.
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Supervision is “probably the single most important element in the process of internalizing the values of a program and appropriating the identity of spiritual director.
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The purpose of supervision, as described by Barry and Connolly, is the development of spiritual directors as ‘persons whose hearts are open and discerning, whose faith, hope, and love are almost tangible.’"
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Sacred is the Call; Formation and transformation in Spiritual Direction Programs / Suzanne M. Buckely / Editor
I look forward to connecting with you to see how I might serve you. Blessings!
630-880-6136