Roots to Branches
ONLINE Spiritual Direction
& CREATIVE COACHING
For Women in Ministry
Online Spiritual Direction
Spiritual direction is an ancient Christian practice of one person accompanying another in the spiritual life. The heart of the spiritual direction relationship is the client’s (called the “directee”) ongoing relationship with God. The director seeks to nurture and support that relationship. Spiritual direction is considered a three-way conversation, where we remember that God is always with us and is an active participant in the time together.
Spiritual direction is not counseling, nor a substitute for participation in the life of a community of faith. A spiritual director doesn’t function as a therapist, pastor or spiritual leader. There is no claim to spirituality superiority or special status. Rather a spiritual director is a companion on the journey who acts as a gentle guide who can help you listen to the movement of the Holy Spirit in your life.
Spiritual direction usually happens in ongoing monthly sessions, but a shorter-term focus may be right for you.
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION Sessions
Spiritual Direction sessions may include:
- Gentle Conversation & Silence: Talking about your current faith journey and experience of prayer, with silence interspersed.
- Guided Relaxation: Relaxation breathing, music or other-relaxation strategies
- Guided Meditation: Engaging scripture or another focus with guided visualization or other meditation practices
- Creative Faith Expression Exercise: A suggested journaling or artwork activity, within the session
- Guided Prayer: Talking to God and attending to God’s presence through spoken and silent prayer, guided by gentle prompts.
- “Homework”: Take home some suggested prayer and creative faith exercises. Always optional.
WHY Spiritual Direction?
Spiritual Direction can help you with these kinds of questions:
- How do I deepen my prayer life?
- How can I make time for my relationship with God? What does that look like?
- How do I listen more closely to the movement of the Holy Spirit in my life?
- I am resisting what I know God wants for my life? How can I work through this resistance?
- I don’t seem to sense God’s presence in my life. How can I open my awareness to God’s accompaniment in my day-to-day?
- How can I let go of my burdens and find the peace that I know God can offer me?
CREATIVE COACHING
Creative Coaching can be helpful in two different ways. You can receive coaching for your creative process – or you can receive coaching in a creative way for a certain focus in your life.
Here are some examples:
Coaching for Your Creative Process:
- Journaling & Self-Expression
- Writing your Spiritual Autobiography or Memoir
- Poetry
- Writing Sermons or Devotions
- Crafting Other Programs or Writing for Ministry
- Visual Artwork
Creative Coaching for a Certain Focus in Your Life:
- Self-care
- Self-Compassion & the Inner Critic
- Stress Management
- Boundaries at Work
- Anxiety
- Healthy Eating
- Exercise and Getting Outside
- Life Transitions
DETAILS
If you are interested and would like more information, please email Tracey at info@ScriptureEcho.com. An informational email will be sent to you with more details about fees and next steps.
At this time, please know that this ministry is available to women in ministry. (Pastors, Christian Educators, Church Musicians, Chaplains, Seminary Professors, etc.)
Tracey Marx has been a spiritual director since 1999, and completed the Spiritual Guidance Program of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation. She is currently training as a teacher with the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion and is nearing the completion of her training with the Coaching Institute. Tracey is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and a Board-Certified Chaplain (A.P.C.) Tracey is a graduate of Duke University (B.A. in Religion) and Lancaster Seminary (M. Div.) where she taught New Testament Greek for 13 years. She has served as an Associate Pastor, a Christian Educator, a chaplain, a ministry consultant and a retreat leader, as well as being the creator of Scripture Echo: Resources for Worship & Spiritual Formation. Her recordings of prayer practices can be found under the “A Way to Pray” label on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and other online venues.
