Core Courses in the Justice-Forward Spiritual Direction Program
Contemplative Listening
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Sept 14 - Oct 12, 2026
Mondays: Sept 14, 21, 28, Oct 5, 12
6-8pm Eastern | 5-7pm Central | 4-6pm Mountain | 3-5pm Pacific
Instructor: Scott Quinn
This course emphasizes connecting with one's true self, God, and the divine movements in others' lives. Students immerse themselves in the art of listening through deep contemplative stances and skills. Students will explore the transformative practice of contemplative listening, which fosters personal awakening and enriches spiritual direction with a unique approach distinct from active listening and counseling. By engaging contemplatively with themselves, God, individuals, and groups, students will learn to create sacred spaces for discernment and growth. Practicing these contemplative skills will deepen their relationship with their true selves and God, provide greater freedom, and enhance their awareness and participation in God’s presence in their daily lives and ministries.
Inner Life and Wisdom Centers
Nov 2-30, 2026
Mondays: Nov 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
6-8pm Eastern | 5-7pm Central | 4-6pm Mountain | 3-5pm Pacific
Instructors: Anne Blackwood and Alison Moscoso
Inner Life and Wisdom Centers will support students in discovering the essential nature of self-awareness as a spiritual director. Students will work with multiple spiritual practices as a way of deepening their own awareness. They will begin to construct their own spiritual narratives as a path toward self-understanding. The class will also explore spiritual archetypes as an additional tool for framing an inner life and as a method for discerning divine invitation. The class will focus on two distinct approaches and empower students to discover what applies to them.
The Spiritual Journey
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Jan 4 - Feb 8, 2027
Mondays: Jan 4, 11, 25, Feb 1, 8
6-8pm Eastern | 5-7pm Central | 4-6pm Mountain | 3-5pm Pacific
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Keith J. Foisy
This course introduces the arc of spiritual growth and formation, enabling students to better recognize and appreciate their own journey and to compassionately guide others through theirs. We will examine the role of justice and action as integral components of spiritual practice, challenging the notion of a journey that is purely internal. The course also explores the purpose of the "Dark Night of the Soul" and considers the spiritual journey in relation to other faith traditions. Through a combination of academic study and contemplative practices, students will develop essential skills for effective spiritual direction.
The Art of Discernment
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March 8 - April 12, 2027
Mondays: March 8, 15, 29, April 5, 12
6-8pm Eastern | 5-7pm Central | 4-6pm Mountain | 3-5pm Pacific
Instructor: Anne Blackwood
This course will address the prerequisites for, as well as the theory and practice of spiritual discernment. In addition to didactic sessions, all students will be asked to discern an issue of their own choosing, enter discernment from several vantage points, reflect upon and integrate their learning from readings, lectures, and class discussion, demonstrate contemplative listening and broader spiritual direction skills by serving as spiritual directors supporting each other’s discernment. The final session will focus on the Quaker Clearness Committee, a process through which the group will support each individual in addressing their discernment question.
Trauma-Informed Spiritual Direction
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Sept 13 - Oct 11, 2027
Mondays: Sept 13, 20, 27, Oct 4, 11
6-8pm Eastern | 5-7pm Central | 4-6pm Mountain | 3-5pm Pacific
Instructor: Alison Moscoso
This class will equip you to be a trauma-informed spiritual director through offering an understanding of how trauma functions, the particularities of religious trauma, and avenues of support available in our roles. Trauma inherently impacts spirituality because of the way it affects one’s trust, worldview, and connections. When working with directees, it is important for spiritual directors to be cognizant of the reality of trauma as it may shape what the directee is experiencing.
Power Dynamics, Ethics, and Interpathy
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Nov 1-29, 2027
Mondays: Nov 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
6-8pm Eastern | 5-7pm Central | 4-6pm Mountain | 3-5pm Pacific
Instructor: Anne Blackwood
Power Dynamics and Interpathy examines ethical frameworks for the practice of spiritual direction. Although more than one ethical framework will be examined, emphasis will be placed on the Spiritual Directors International (SDI) code of ethical conduct. Students will reflect on power dynamics between spiritual care practitioners and those receiving spiritual care. Building on themes introduced in the Inner Life and Wisdom Centers class, students will learn to:
- Articulate and execute appropriate responsibilities and boundaries as an ethical practitioner
- Recognize their own intersecting identities that confer power and marginalization (intersectionality)
- Identify the ways in which their power and marginalization may interact with those of another who has different identities
- Articulate the positional power dynamic of spiritual director to directee
- Practice strategies for empowering directees/clients during spiritual direction sessions
Cultural Ways of Knowing
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Jan 3 - Feb 7, 2028
Mondays: Jan 3, 10, 24, 31, Feb 7
6-8pm Eastern | 5-7pm Central | 4-6pm Mountain | 3-5pm Pacific
Instructor: Dr. Cindy Lee
This course will approach the study of spirituality at the intersection of cultural worldviews and the human desire for divine encounters. This course will help students cultivate a greater attentiveness to different ways of knowing and sources of spiritual encounter. We will touch on themes of place, ritual, nature, ancestral connections, the spiritual realm, dreams, communal consciousness and others. Through this course students will be prepared to better companion directees/clients that may carry different cultural worldviews, values, and experiences.
Nurturing the Soul for Justice
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March 6 - April 3, 2028
Mondays: March 6, 13, 20, 27, April 3
6-8pm Eastern | 5-7pm Central | 4-6pm Mountain | 3-5pm Pacific
Instructor: Naisa Wong
This class will center on providing space for the spiritual director/companion to (re)encounter, to restore, and to nurture the soul as it endures towards justice. In these harrowing times, we seek to answer questions such as – Can justice and peace kiss (inspired by Psalm 85:10)? What is the threshold where movements of justice and spiritual companionship meet? This course guides students to respond in creative and contemplative practice through story-making/telling, remembrance, lament, deep listening, and rituals. Each week’s session will include a time for collective spiritual exercise, a brief presentation from the instructor, a case study for “lab supervision” with group discussion, and a time for reflections, questions, and embodied practice.
Mini Courses
Group Spiritual Direction
Group Spiritual Direction
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Mondays: May 10, 17, & 24, 2027
6-8pm Eastern | 5-7pm Central | 4-6pm Mountain | 3-5pm Pacific
Instructors: Anne Blackwood and Alison Moscoso
The group spiritual direction class introduces students to the goals of spiritual direction as practiced with groups (as opposed to with individuals), to familiarize them with the primary group spiritual direction models, and to provide them with opportunities to experience and practice one model of group spiritual direction (one for all spiritual direction).
Logistics of Practice
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Mondays: May 8, 15, & 22, 2027
6-8pm Eastern | 5-7pm Central | 4-6pm Mountain | 3-5pm Pacific
