The American Institute of Health Care Professionals (AIHCP) offers a certification in Christian Spiritual Direction to help directors guide and aid in the spiritual formation of their directees. This program enhances both clergy and lay counselors in their skills in guiding and cultivating spirituality for others.
Spiritual Directors differ from Spiritual Counselors in that they help cultivate spiritual formation and deeper union with God. Their role is to help the souls of others better hear the voice of God and respond to it. While it does entail helping others face external questions and issues, its primary emphasis is in spiritual formation and life with all the challenges that encompass that formation. Christian Spiritual Direction in particular is Christ focused and recognizes the central message of Christ, Christian mysticism, Christian meditation, Christian prayer and the role of the Holy Spirit in sanctification. It recognizes the complete dependence on God and His grace for any spiritual movement towards Him.
The Spiritual Director is a coach and guide in helping individuals navigate the troubled waters of spiritual combat, spiritual growth and development, and the continuance of enhancing prayer and devotion to God. Spiritual Directors aid directees in their spiritual growth and its numerous phases of development. Molded in the Christian tradition, they direct souls to God by helping them enter into dialogue with God, submit to God’s plan, discern vocations, deal with desolations in prayer life, carry spiritual crosses, combat spiritual vices, grow in prayer, and find better unity and peace with God.
In this way, a Spiritual Director serves as a mentor and spiritual coach. They can be lay or clergy but they possess an insight into the directee’s spiritual life. It is a deep friendship and bond that reflects the Paul-Timothy relationship in Scripture. It is the ultimate act of fraternal love between two Christians embarking on a spiritual journey with the sole purpose of knowing, loving and serving God. It is a spiritual act of love that instructs, admonishes, guides, and consoles the directee with the sole purpose of his or her spiritual welfare and closer unity with God.
In a world consumed in chaos, everyone should have a Spiritual Director that knows one best. The health of the soul is far more important than any other part of the human person!
SOME OF THE ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A CERTIFIED CHRISTIAN SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR:
- Provide spiritual assessments of directees
- Provide spiritual support based on a Christian perspective
- Assist directees in issues of discernment and vocation
- Teach directees how to properly pray and develop spiritual formation
- Comfort directees in spiritual desolation and loss
- Guide directees when facing moral and ethical decisions
- Foster a loving and trusting atmosphere that allows the directee to grow in Christ and unity with God
- Refer directees to appropriate mental health care when needed
- Help directees accept crosses and unify with the will of God
- Equip directees with the necessary knowledge and understanding in spiritual warfare with vice and Satan
- Share with directees various Christian riches of virtue, biblical readings and Christian classics to enhance spiritual formation
- Grow in holiness with the directee
- Maintain ongoing education in spiritual practices and in Christian counseling for professional development and continued competency in spiritual work and counseling
While the above highlights major role responsibilities, they are not exhaustive. Over all the role is developed as the relationships with the directee are established and is based on directee’s needs and what agree upon as appropriate and value based for both parties. The role is always in a dynamic development and is practiced with strong legal and ethical considerations at all times. The role is strongly supported by solid and sound spiritual and Christian teachings, principles and philosophies.
SETTINGS WHERE CERTIFIED CHRISTIAN SPIRITUAL DIRECTORS MIGHT PRACTICE:
- Churches
- Lay Apostlates
- Hospices
- Chaplaincy
- Private settings
Are you interested in becoming a Certified Christian Spiritual Director? If this practice specialty interests you then please review our program and feel free to speak with our advisors regarding our complete education program and courses leading to qualifications to achieve the certification.