Course overview
Spiritual direction mainly focusses on the directee’s prayer and experience of God, but inevitably personal and psychological issues come up which spiritual directors can feel ill-equipped to deal with. This day of ‘continuing professional development’ with a trained psychologist will help directors to distinguish between spiritual direction, counselling and therapy, and what spiritual direction is and is not. We will consider the difference between depression and desolation, and how we can accompany someone who is depressed. We will also explore the ‘parent-adult-child’ model from Transactional Analysis to consider some of the relationships or ‘transactions’ that occur helpfully and unhelpfully in spiritual direction. No prior psychological knowledge will be needed.
Course outline
- Spiritual Direction
- Transactional Analysis
- Depression and Desolation
- Transference and Counter-Transference
Manresa study days aim to resource those giving spiritual accompaniment and to provide an opportunity to meet others involved in a similar ministry. They comprise of 4 themes which are introduced by the speaker with opportunity for small group sharing and plenary discussion.
Course tutor
Dr Roger Dawson SJ is a Jesuit priest and spiritual director, and is the Superior of the Jesuits in Scotland. He trained as a clinical psychologist and before entering the Jesuits he worked in adult mental health services in the NHS. He has also worked in schools and university chaplaincy, and is a former Director of St Beuno’s Jesuit Spirituality Centre in North Wales.
Course dates and registration
Date: Saturday 2 July 2022
Time: 10.30am – 4.30pm with breaks
Level: For spiritual directors and pastoral workers who have a listening component to their ministry
Course tutor: Fr Roger Dawson SJ
Invited contribution: £55 (more information)
Venue: online on Zoom app
Register: Click here to register (more information)
