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Nearly 40 Spiritual Direction Network leaders gathered online on the 29th September and 1 October 2026. The aim was to gather, connect, share and explore concerns in running networks. Hosted by the Spiritual Direction Forum Good Practice Action Group, the event included a presentation from Nick Helm on the newly published resources for working with Safeguarding, and a presentation from Chris Rooney on the Church of Englands initiative to develop guidance for Dioceses on Spiri

At the gatherings of Spiritual Direction Network Leads on 29 September 2026 and 1 October 2026 Chris Rooney from the Church of England's Minsitry Development Team presented an overview of the work being done towards creating guidance for Church of England Dioceses regarding Spiritual Direction. You can download the slides from his presentation here.

sources of training, support and other resources Some Key Links Church of England: Safeguarding Webpage Catholic Safeguarding Service Roman Catholic Religious Life Safeguarding Service Thirty One Eight Other Resources and Links Presentation: Safeguarding for spiritual directors – produced in 2018 and so not up to date, this is a helpful example of a safeguarding training session devised specifically for Spiritual Directors in a diocese. (link to view/download) When Safeguardi

Safeguarding is rightly an important concern in spiritual direction, and this applies in multiple ways. The Promoting and Protecting Good Practice Action Group has developed resources to help spiritual directors and those who are responsible for spiritual direction networks to be better equipped. You can find information of other resources for safeguarding and spiritual direction here. Click on the document images below to view and download them. Network Leaders: A Checklist

THE ART OF SPIRITUAL WRITING Using writing to deepen discernment and direction - with Richard and Eirene Palmer Writing is not something that naturally occurs within the process of Spiritual Direction these days. And yet it can be a very effective way of opening doors to shed more light on the identity and spiritual journey of the companion. This event will provide some simple effective tools to help to open those occasionally sticking doors and to promote a deeper rapport.

Night Sea Journeying by Fiona Gardner Subtitled 'Soul Recovery from Childhood Trauma', this book by Forum member Fiona Gardner is about how past trauma can affect us long into adulthood, and the part that spiritual renewal can play in managing this. Fellow Forum member Catherine Williams is acknowledged in the book for her support of an earlier draft.

Spiritual Direction Forum 2025 - 8 November Our online day conference explored the interplay of theology, spirituality and spiritual direction and how this is an integral part of Christian spiritual direction. The day included two presentations, time for reflection and group work. You can view the presentations and the slides here. Also, is a summary of the rich conversation that these presentations stimulated. Theology, Spirituality and Spiritual Direction Dr Susanne Car

The Spiritual Director: Practising the Charism of Presence and Attention Julia Mourant invites practitioners into a deeper understanding of this sacred ministry, embracing its charism as a way of being rather than a set of skills. She explores the distinctive nature of spiritual direction as both vocation and spiritual gift, grounded in experiential formation, theological reflection, and the capacity for personal growth and transformation. A guide not just for the mind, but a

Support and Resource Group Event with David Runcorn: Telling it Slant Following Jesus could leave even St Paul saying, ‘now we see dimly’. It is altogether too wonderful and beyond human understanding to be reduced to questions and answers. We find ourselves in the quirky, even contradictory world of parables, led down apparent side tracks, losing and finding, as we trace the gifts and movements of the Spirit. Each relationship of accompaniment must find its own way of making

You can download the slides from Helen's presentation by clicking on this text

Follow up resources to Professor Nicola Slee's presentation. Reading list: Nicola's list for exploring the subject further. Blessing: Blessing prayer written by Nicola and used at the beginning. Our light our peace our joy a prayer by Nicola and used in the session inspired by Simeon the Theologian. Chat: Read comments, recommendations and questions given by participants during the event. This is a rich mix of thoughts, resources and links. Thanks to the Montgomery Trust f

Profiling ourselves as Spiritual Directors with Ray AndrewsMay 2024 Drawing on his own experience Ray explored how we might profile ourselves as spiritual directors or accompaniers – and how this can help or hinder those seeking direction. The Revd Ray Andrews is the Diocesan Spirituality Adviser for the Church of England Diocese in Europe. He is a spiritual director, vocations advisor and retreat conductor. Ray is based in Spain and is a tutor on the Sarum Course in Spiritua

The Charity Commissioners have now given the Spiritual Direction Forum UK Charitable Status. "We are satisfied that SPIRITUAL DIRECTION FORUM UK is a charity and it has been entered onto the Register of Charities with the Registered Charity Number 1207982." The Board of Trustees comprises: Julie Dunstan, Nick Helm, Ruth Holgate, Susanne Carlsson, Catherine Williams and Audrey Hamilton.

The Role of Spiritual Directors in Spiritual Transitions with Andrew Mayes March 2024 Andrew introduces material from his book Beyond the Edge, including some unusual models of spiritual direction, to help explore our role in accompanying those who are in spiritual transition. The Revd Canon Dr Andrew Mayes is a spiritual writer, international teacher of spirituality and spiritual director. He runs Borderland Retreats in Leominster and is the author of 15 books on spiritualit

This presentation by Phil Harrison SJ on the writing of Rob Marsh SJ was given online on Monday 26 June 2023. Rob Marsh SJ has been a leading light in the Ignatian Spirituality movement in Britain over the past decades. In this workshop Phil Harrison SJ shares key insights from his new collection of essays. He makes an invitation to recover an awareness of the personhood of God in our experience. Content and Timings: Session 1: Rediscovering the Personhood of God Session 2: I

‘ Alison MacTier’s morning of reflection ‘ was part of the Spiritual Direction Forum UK’s ‘supporting and resourcing spiritual directors‘ on Saturday 15 April 2023, 10.00 – 13.00. Using the well-known poem by RS Thomas as a focus for reflection this was a morning to rediscover the extra-ordinary in the ordinary - those transitory moments where the deepest truths may be found and we feel a powerful sense of connection. These life-affirming moments were explored using bible pas

Streams in the Desert - Julie Dunstan 2 February 2023 As part of the Spiritual Direction Forum UK’s ‘encouraging the creative development of this ministry within the church and in a changing world’, we offer this evening of reflection with Julie Leger Dunstan. To reach out to both the church and the world in these changing times, we need to offer a robust spirituality, able to stand up to the big questions of our time. To do this, we need to be both radical and prophetic. To

Seeing in the Dark: Accompanying people through times of struggle and uncertainty You can download the handout from Chris's morning here. Christopher Chapman's morning of reflection 'Seeing in the Dark was part of the Spiritual Direction Forum UK's 'supporting and resourcing spiritual directors' . Saturday 3 December 2022, 10.00 - 13.00. Life is joyful, beautiful and a rich blessing, but also difficult, painful and mysterious. As spiritual directors we often find ourselves al

Taking a Deeper Look was part of the Spiritual Direction Forum UK's 'promoting and protecting good practice' on Tuesday 11 October 2022, 19.00 - 21.00 As we accompany others as Spiritual Directors we may be focussing on the way God is at work with them, but how is God at work in us as we do that? The supervision of spiritual direction provides a place to explore this question to enable us to be more aware of what helps and hinders our accompaniment, and what might enable us t

Many gathered for the Forum Launch on Zoom at 10am on Saturday 14 May 2022. Get a flavour of the event by reading and watching parts of it below. Nick Helm and Julie Dunstan (Co-chairs of the initiating group) welcomed everyone and outlined the plan for the event. Then everyone went into small groups to introduce themselves to each other and share Nick Helm and Julie Dunstan (Co-chairs of the initiating group) welcomed everyone and outlined the plan for the event. Nick: I’