Apprenticeship is the way training in spiritual direction has been done for centuries. This ancient mode is popular again, but thanks to the ease of online meetings, it’s now portable and highly personalized. Since 2019, I have been training apprentices in the Phoenix Center for Spiritual Direction’s Apprenticeship Training Program using a curriculum I created that focuses on the fundamental skills needed to provide spiritual direction. I’ve been training. Due to popular demand, we have added two new mentors/trainers to meet your needs.
What is an apprenticeship?
Spiritual Direction Apprentices study under experienced directors who are also excellent teachers. Like apprentices in other service occupations, they learn from both instruction and supervised practice in the field.
Who is a suitable candidate for an apprenticeship?
People who feel a strong desire to become a spiritual director, and who have actually been doing spiritual direction for a while, should consider all types of training, including an apprenticeship. The Phoenix Center for Spiritual Direction’s Apprenticeship Training Program seeks participants who have already done a lot of spiritual formation work (as we focus on skills rather than formations) . Good candidates include those with a background in spiritual formation, retreat, or religious education (whether self-taught or not). Apprentices include lay people, clergy, pastors, life coaches, executive coaches, seminarians, seminary professors, mental health professionals, and people with medical backgrounds, just to name a few. Spiritual directors-in-training belong to a myriad of religious and spiritual traditions, including Christianity, Judaism, Sufism, Buddhism, hybrids of two or more traditions, and “spiritual but not religious.” If you want to know if you are ready for an apprenticeship in this field, talk to a spiritual director and find out about the possibilities.
Advantages of an apprenticeship
There are many ways to train in a spiritual direction, most of which involve working in groups; flexibility is a priority. They cannot take time off to participate in these programs. In my program, I decide when the apprentice and mentor meet. It could be in the morning, evening, or even on the weekend. Mentors and apprentices can easily reschedule their classes if life demands interrupt their plans. Studying in the program can be done at a pace that suits the apprentice, from as little as nine months to as long as several years.
Apprenticeships also benefit financially, as there are little to no overhead costs for the trainer, and these programs are typically more affordable than traditional programs.
What I hear from graduates of my apprenticeship program is that they particularly appreciate the one-on-one attention and the ability of their trainers to dig deep with them in areas where they need a little more guidance.
How to find a mentor
There are several apprenticeship programs available, so search the internet to find one. Contact the director using the contact form on the website, meet with the person responsible for your training and ask lots of questions. Find out what words like practicum (practical experience of giving spiritual guidance) mean and how it is done. In my program, the apprentice finds a director (client) who will videotape them several times, and the trainer sees how the apprentice interacts with the director. Make sure supervision is part of the program. Supervision is a discussion of a case study that the trainee needs to understand more fully, based on something that occurred during training. Usually, it centers around the trainee’s emotional response to the material covered in a spiritual direction. Don’t pay for a program that doesn’t offer or require supervision for practicum experiences.
Apprenticeship results
Apprenticeship program graduates receive the same certificate of completion that traditional program participants receive. There is no standard certification or evaluation for spiritual directors. However, people looking for a spiritual director often look for someone with training.
Email inquiries regarding Phoenix Spiritual Direction Center’s Apprenticeship Training Program can be directed to the Contact section of the webpage or at teresa@teresivelythe.net. We hope you find a program that fits your needs.
