Interfaith Spiritual Direction & Contemplaytion™
Learning what it means to live a good life is spiritual work. Spiritual Direction is a chance for young people to remember who they truly are. It is an opportunity for them to share their lives, questions, dreams, and worries with a compassionate listener. It is a time to listen to the still, small voice of God. It is a moment to take a deep breath and know that they are beloved and they are never alone.
We will spend time together contemplating big ideas the way all children do—through play!
Contemplaytion through art
Inviting children to explore their inner life and relationship with God through creative, playful expression. Art materials—such as drawing, yarn, clay, or collage—become a contemplative language that helps children notice feelings, questions, and experiences of connection in their bodies and hearts. I serve as a gentle companion, offering curiosity, open-ended questions, and silence rather than answers or instruction. This approach honors children’s developmental wisdom, drawing from contemplative Christian practices, mindfulness, and Jesus’ way of welcoming children as full spiritual beings. Through art, children discover that their lives, emotions, and relationships are sacred places where God is already present.
Contemplaytion through story
Inviting children to explore their lives through imagination, narrative, and wonder. Stories—biblical, sacred, or created by the child—offer a safe and accessible way for children to express questions, fears, hopes, and experiences of God. Using a storytelling method called Out of the Box, we will listen for meaning beneath the story, responding with gentle curiosity and reflective presence rather than interpretation or correction. This practice honors children as natural storytellers whose inner wisdom often emerges through metaphor and play. Through storytelling, children begin to recognize God’s presence within their own stories and learn that their lives are held within a larger, loving narrative.
Contemplaytion in nature
Inviting children to encounter God through the living world, engaging their senses, bodies, and curiosity. Time outdoors—walking, sitting, observing, or playing—creates space for children to notice wonder, silence, and connection beyond words. I walk by their side as a contemplative companion, helping them reflect on what they notice in themselves and in creation without rushing to explain it. This practice allows us to recognize the sacredness of the earth and our place in it. Through nature, children learn that they belong to a wider web of life and that God can be experienced in stillness, movement, and awe.