Sacred Encounter Ministry

… Carmelite Spirituality and belonging to the Carmelite religious and lay community of CACS and my local parish continues to be nurturing and life giving.  My CACS training as a spiritual director was inspiring and enriching. This was followed some years later by a contrasting, robust and wonderful  training as a supervisor by the Jesuits.

I work in supervision and project management in Spiritual Communities, my work now focuses mainly on supervising those undertaking spiritual direction, leadership roles, or project management.

Previous to this I have worked extensively in different voluntary ministries in the church and have held paid professional senior educational roles in a university, the Catholic Education Service, and other sectors in education in the Uk.

 I enjoy working as a supervisor with:

 . those recently qualified as spiritual directors

 . or with Spiritual directors or pastoral or parish leaders who are leading innovation and transition in a systemic sense in their parish or religious community

 .  those spiritually directing directees with mental health issues or identifying as having ongoing trauma.

 I am married with an adult son who joined our family at five years, I have learnt much about what it is to be human and overcome adversity from my son, from being married for many years, and from the many teams I have been a member of.  I am inspired by St. Teresa of Avila’s a leader and by her deep understanding of so much about  the human journey on earth and the path to heaven.  I am also inspired by the spirituality of John of the Cross and St. Therese of Lisieux. They both enabled me to see suffering and non attachment in new ways. Having always lived in global cities I am committed to inter-faith dialogue and to working for the common good in society.

Read less

… since 2009.

Read less

… in 2022 and has continued to accompany subsequent students and provide group facilitation. She works professionally as an academic and has significant experience mentoring young professionals. Vivien is married with a teenage son. Thanks to her family background, she also speaks fluent Spanish. She has lived on both sides of the Atlantic, now being based in Oxford UK in the GMT time zone.

Read less

… read, write, drink coffee, and dance. I follow the way of beauty and merciful love found in Carmel, and seek to abide in this with receptivity and expand in this space amidst my littleness, so that I can share it with others through spiritual direction, retreats, talks and writing.

Read less

… Coach certifications.  I am a wife, a mother of 4 and a grandmother of 11.  I belong to the Catholic Church of St Patrick’s in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota of the Archdiocese of St Paul and Minneapolis.  I enjoy caring for my home, traveling, bike riding, reading, time with my family and friends, and I dabble in writing.  My blog is at www.advicefrommymom.net.  I graduated with a diploma in spiritual direction from the Spiritual Direction Formation Programme in the Carmelite tradition in October 2023 offered by the Centre for Applied Carmelite Spirituality.  I am a Third Order Franciscan OFS and a Cursillista.   I love our Lord and spending time with Him in  contemplative prayer and have been under the direction of a Third Order Carmelite spiritual director for many years.  I offer spiritual direction in the Carmelite tradition with the Holy Spirit as your spiritual director and me as His servant.  Peace and All Good to you. 

Read less

… spiritual encounters, exploring the direction which the Holy Spirit may be leading each individual to a divine union. I welcome seekers and spiritual travellers from the Christian religion who are willing to discern God’s direction for them on this journey. I hold Licentiate in Sacred Theology, a Master’s degree in Carmelite Studies and have been trained in the Spiritual Direction Formation Programme at Centre for Applied Carmelite Studies, Boars Hill, Oxford. I have experience working as a Rector and Director of Students (formator) in Carmelite House of Studies and also have been a retreat director for over 18 years.

Read less

Lynn is a definitively professed member of the Discalced Carmelite Secular Order (OCDS). In community, she has served as president, council member, formator, and newsletter editor.  In addition, she has served on the OCDS Provincial Council for the CA-AZ Province of St. Joseph.

Read less

… be good to have a guide on the journey, a spiritual director agreed to take me on and since then that relationship has become one of deep trust where learning to be open and honest has led to the kind of inner freedom that still takes me by surprise. Being accompanied by an experienced and compassionate spiritual director became and continues to be a source of sustenance, humour and ongoing discovery. Studying with the Carmelites at Boars Hill, having completed their Diploma course in Spiritual Direction in Oxford in 2020, I can offer you a space that’s yours to question, explore and ponder where, who and how God is at work in your life. This can and does lead to experiencing more deeply the very personal relationship which draws you closer to God and draws Him closer to you. Irish by birth, living outside Glasgow for close on 40 years, I’ve been a counsellor for 20 years. Having lived in Scotland for 40 years, now in Kirkintilloch just outside Glasgow, as a Mum and now Nana to two little grandchildren, and learning all the time the many and varied ways God speaks to us in the day to day. Familiar with the times when nothing seems to be happening and when prayer can be a struggle, is part of the journey and having another to sound things out can be a blessing.

Read less

… theology for
ministry from Cambridge University. I have experience of both the charismatic and contemplative traditions of spirituality. My desire and passion is to enable those I journey with to become who God calls them to be, and to explore their relationship with God. Later this year I hope to start training and formation in the ministry of Supervision. My vocation and working life has been very much rooted in the ‘pastoral care’ of others; I find this life-giving. More recently I have been drawn to a better understanding of the place of ‘Neurodiversity’ in our spiritual lives. I was diagnosed with Dyslexia in my mid-40s, and this has deepened my self-knowledge. I see spiritual accompaniment as two friends walking each other home, guided by the Holy Spirit.

Read less

… mental illness, on individuals and families.

Read less

… Roman Catholic tradition and I participate in both the contemplative and charismatic traditions. My spiritual direction formation started with a two-year course in the Carmelite tradition run by CACS.

Spiritual accompaniment, for me, is a journey that directee and director take together in search of God in the everyday events of life. Our self-knowledge deepens whilst discovering that God has always been waiting for us to desire and search for a closer relationship with Him. The Holy Spirit is always encouraging us to draw closer and be more open to God’s love.

 

 

Read less

… an experienced Spiritual director having been formed at the Centre for Carmelite Spirituality in Oxford, following earlier participation in an Ecumenical Ignatian accompaniment team in South Wales. Michael brings extensive experience in leading retreats and pilgrimages. During spiritual direction I offer a safe space to explore your spiritual journey towards a deeper relationship with God. We will take time to explore what God is doing in your life, and seek to listen and respond with grace and compassion to the guidance of the Holy Spirit during the session.
I graduated from the SDTP with CACS in 2022 and now offer Carmelite spiritual direction online via Zoom. I am happy to work with all people of faith, including those who are tentatively questioning or exploring their spirituality.
I am a Secular Carmelite and member of the mid-Wales OCDS group. I am married with two grown-up sons, and have lived in a small village in rural mid-Wales for 24 years. I am also a qualified social worker and work part-time for the Local Authority.

Read less

… your life, and seek to listen and respond with grace and compassion to the guidance of the Holy Spirit during the session. I graduated from the SDTP with CACS in 2022 and now offer Carmelite spiritual direction online via Zoom. I am happy to work with all people of faith, including those who are tentatively questioning or exploring their spirituality.
I am a Secular Carmelite and member of the mid-Wales OCDS group. I am married with two grown-up sons, and have lived in a small village in rural mid-Wales for 24 years. I am also a qualified social worker and work part-time for the Local Authority.

Read less

Read less

… together delve into the depths of your being, nurturing an authentic connection with Spirit. Drawing from both ancient wisdom and modern insights, I facilitate a process of deep inner exploration, inviting you to “take a long, loving look at the real.” As a trained spiritual director and Internal Family System (IFS) therapist, I accompany you on this journey with compassion and reverence, supporting you in a safe sacred space of exploration and discovery, I honour the uniqueness of your path and the diversity of spiritual backgrounds. Whether you resonate with established traditions, other faith traditions, or creative worldviews, I am here to walk alongside you, offering guidance and support. My journey of learning and growth includes a Diploma in Contemplative Spiritual Accompaniment from the Carmelites in Oxford. I trained at the Centre for Action and Contemplation’s Living School, as well as a Masters in Applied Spirituality. Together. Let us embark on a pilgrimage of the soul, where we honor the sacredness of each moment and each breath, allowing your true self to unfold and thrive in the embrace of divine love.

Read less