Spiritual Direction

I trained in Spiritual Direction through Benet Hill Monastery, a Benedictine women’s community in Colorado. I have benefited greatly from this ministry myself, and am grateful to be able to offer it now to others.

A spiritual director, or spiritual companion, is a person who commits to holding a listening and reflective space that can help another to prayerfully discern his or her path. The process is guided by the Spirit, and both participants benefit from an opportunity for deep encounter with its healing, enlivening influence.

My role in the spiritual direction relationship is to be attentive to your process, helping you to pause in order to notice, listen to, and celebrate the movement of the Spirit within and around you. When things become dark or confusing, a companion who maintains an attitude of patience and hope can help you to keep going and not give up. When the fruits of such labor become evident, having someone else to share that joy with is confirming and strengthening.

As a seeker, your role is to be willing to enter into such a vulnerable, yet protected space, to become ripe for transformation in accordance with your own life journey. Distinct from therapy or coaching, spiritual direction is not a goal-oriented practice. It helps you keep the door open for spiritual guidance to reach your heart, in whatever form that takes for you.

My practice is rooted in the Christian tradition, although I welcome conversation with fellow pilgrims of many faith traditions, as well as those with questions about the very nature of faith and spiritual belief. I do not believe in excluding seekers from conversation for reasons of difference, including different choices regarding gender and sexual orientation. While honoring diversity, I look for what unites us.

Fees for spiritual direction are on a sliding scale, with $65-80 per session as a suggested amount. If you are unable to contribute financially, that alone should not be an obstacle to pursuing spiritual direction. Please ask about other alternatives.

Meetings are held online via a mutually agreed videoconferencing platform, or in-person in my home in northwestern Switzerland.

If you’d like to arrange an initial consultation, please get in touch!
A 30-minute talk is complimentary.

Lory’s educational qualifications

  • Benedictine Spiritual Direction, Benet Hill Monastery, 2024
  • Distance Learning Program Year, North American Christian Community Seminary, 2021
  • Cornerstone Courses, Alcyon Center, 2016-2018
  • Diploma in Eurythmy, Eurythmy Spring Valley, 2002
  • Benedictine Living Experience, St Benedict’s Monastery in St Joseph, Minnesota, 1998
  • Orientation Year Certificate, Sunbridge College, 1997
  • Part-Time Foundation Year in Arts and Anthroposophy, Sound Circle Center, 1996
  • M.Ed. in Education, Smith College, 1992
  • B.A. in English, Carleton College, 1991

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