About supervision

Ideally, every spiritual director should be under some type of supervision. The differences between spiritual direction and therapy, pastoral counseling, friendship, and caretaking are sometimes tricky to discern, and meeting regularly with a supervisor or supervision group can help.

Are you looking for a supervisor?
I am able to meet with spiritual directors for supervision sessions in person or in some cases over the phone—or I might be able to help you find a supervisor or supervision group in your area.

Are you interested in becoming a supervisor?
I know of two training programs:

• Together in the Mystery, the program I completed in 2009, offers training in locations around the United States.
• Mercy Center in Burlingame, California, has offered a two-week residential “Internship in the Art of Supervision” in the past.

If you know of other training programs that I should add to this list, please contact me at kat@sleeponthehearth.com.

Logistics

Typically, supervision sessions are an hour long, and supervision groups meet for two hours. It is customary for supervisors to charge a fee.

For a description of how I proceed when someone contacts me about supervision, see Supervision agreement.

Recommended reading

• Embodied Spirits: Stories of Spiritual Directors of Color, edited by Sherry Bryant-Johnson, Rosalie Norman-McNaney, and Therese Taylor-Stinson

• Kaleidoscope: Broadening the Palette in the Art of Spiritual Direction, edited by Ineda P. Adesanya

• Supervision of Spiritual Directors: Engaging in Holy Mystery, edited by Mary Rose Bumpus and Rebecca Bradburn Langer.

• Looking Into the Well: Supervision of Spiritual Directors, by Maureen Conroy, R.S.M.

• Reflective Practice: Formation and Supervision in Ministry, now available online for free.