February 05, 2024
This Community Life event will focus on small group interaction for spiritual directors with spiritual directors. The conversations will be guided by a reflective prompt–lectio divina, visio divina, a personal reflection, or a relevant topic to our ministries with directees. All spiritual directors are welcome whether ESDA members or not.
February 26, 2024
Reserve your spot for our annual ESDA Gathering, February 26th - 29th, at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Phoenix, Arizona!
February 24, 2025
Mike Bowden will be facilitating this interactive time as we learn from one another and work together in small groups to create a retreat we can offer within our ministry contexts. Bring your questions and your resources so we can hone our skills in this very important place of ministry. Mike will also be sharing his own experiences from leading retreats around the world.
October 12, 2023
This fall we will read Dr. Curt Thompson's the Soul of Shame. We invite all ESDA members to join us!
September 09, 2023
We’re excited for this opportunity to learn from Casey Tygrett, the author of “The Gift of Restlessness: A Spirituality for Unsettled Seasons.” Casey, a spiritual director and member of ESDA, will help us articulate both the reality of restlessness and the work of remaining with God in the wilderness.
March 04, 2023
Why does spiritual transformation seem fleeting? And why do Christian communities often seem shallow? Michel Hendricks asked these questions when he met neurotheologian, Jim Wilder, and discovered what's been missing from his church community and spiritual life.
January 27, 2023
Our 7th annual ESDA Gathering was held at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The title was Gathering is Holding the Soul: Exploring God's Design for Transformation.
November 12, 2022
This online Seminar with Marilyn Vancil focused on how we, as Spiritual Directors, can be more fully present to our directees and to God. We explored the Enneagram’s unbounded invitation to draw closer to the center of God’s love while reimagining how we are called to move into our spiritual direction practices with greater freedom and authenticity.
September 17, 2022
Do you have a desire to offer a formative retreat experience? Have you hesitated wondering where to begin? Do you offer retreats and are looking for a fresh perspective? These are some of the questions we explored with Mindy Caligure, co-founder and team leader at Soul Care. We explored together the various ways to create a deep and rich experience for others.
May 14, 2022
What does it mean to deconstruct one’s faith? Is this a dangerous 21st century trend or is there something valuable about pulling apart one’s belief system? This seminar explored common experiences of deconstruction and how you can be present with directees who may be questioning the foundations of their faith.
April 23, 2022
During this virtual event we explored the role of story in discernment with the author of Sensible Shoes and fellow ESDA member, Sharon Garlough Brown.
January 20, 2022
In this session you will hear from church leaders who are experiencing the movement of the Spirit in their church bodies--in all its glory and messiness. Their stories can cast a vision for what is possible and renew hope as you move into God’s call in your church relationship.
November 11, 2021
This session explored how you can be spiritually healthy and loving in your church relationships while responding to God’s call, whether that is to stay, pursue change or leave your current situation.
September 30, 2021
In this session we honestly explored what it can feel like to be disconnected or frustrated by church. Acknowledging the truth gives us a place to begin dialoguing with God about what we do from here.
June 26, 2021
Dr. Genalin Niere Metcalf explores the effects of our collective and prolonged societal trauma, complicated by politics, polarization, racial unrest, vaccine controversies, and personal loss.
May 22, 2021
Without awareness, understanding, and training in intercultural encounters we can easily close the doors that we desire to open. ESDA Members Brenda Darby & Ellen Kuo shared tools for greater sensitivity.
April 24, 2021
Father Mark Thibodeaux, has written on discernment and Ignatian spirituality, and shares tools that can help us and our directees in the discernment process.