Apprenticeship in Spiritual Direction
(Church-based Cohorts)

Participating students and church leaders are introduced to the overall ASD program and its aims in order to ensure a shared understanding and vision for where we’ll be headed together.

This course introduces the development of central theological themes in spiritual formation, from the Gospel of John into the present, including knowledge of God, the image and likeness of God, theosis, the active and contemplative lives, and the role of Scripture.

This course introduces a historically rooted framework for understanding the dynamics and thresholds for spiritual growth toward contemplative union with God.

This course introduces students to the ministry of spiritual direction as historically rooted in the desert and monastic tradition, including basic practices, dynamics and challenges.

This weekend intensive introduces students, in conversation with invited church leaders, to a practical vision for the kind of life that helps form us toward the likeness of God through spiritual practices as a shared way of life.

This course builds on students’ understanding of the passions and their own understanding of how these show in their own life, how God responds to them, and how we respond to them as spiritual directors.

This weekend intensive introduces students to the foundational principles of Ignatian discernment of interior movements, such as they’ll see in spiritual direction and their upcoming Ignatian retreat.

As a part of their formation in spiritual direction and the contemplative life, students undergo an eight-month retreat in everyday life, featuring weekly spiritual direction, based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

During their retreats, they’ll continue to gather periodically to share their experiences, and the end of the year will feature an on-site mini-retreat with invited church leaders to share and celebrate these unique journeys.

This course introduces students to the deep listening skills that form the basis for effective and discerning spiritual direction.

This course introduces students to how spiritual directors can help guide persons into greater awareness, curiosity and contemplative reflection through thoughtful, well-discerned questions.

As a co-requisite to Contemplative Listening and the Craft of Questions, this practicum places students in one-on-one conversations with an eye toward practicing deep listening skills and reflections, allowing students to practice aspects of spiritual direction.

This course introduces students to the ethical foundations and boundaries around the practice of spiritual direction.

This course introduces students to the foundational principles of Ignatian discernment of interior movements, such as they’ll see in spiritual direction.

This course builds on students’ understanding of the fundamentals of spiritual direction practice by introducing additional problems, possibilities and contexts, some of which may receive fuller treatment in elective courses.

As a co-requisite to Ethics in Spiritual Direction and Additional Techniques, this practicum places students in at least 20 real one-on-one spiritual direction conversations.

Students will also meet with their apprenticeship guide for 10 hours of “supervision,” reviewing select practice sessions together for exploration and developmental feedback.

In collaboration with the partnering church, three elective courses may be selected to tailor the cohort experience to congregational and contextual needs.

This weekend intensive puts students and invited church leaders into collaborative conversation around the challenges and possibilities around integrating spiritual direction into the life of the local church.

In the ASD capstone, students consult with their apprenticeship guide to craft an individual development plan to continue their personal and professional growth beyond their certification.