SPIRITUAL DIRECTION RESOURCES
AND RESEARCH
He mātauranga o ngā wairua
Browse our treasure trove of research on spiritual direction. Enrich your practice.
Each participant in the second year of the Spiritual Growth Ministries Spiritual Directors Formation Programme engages in a research project on an aspect of the work of spiritual direction in which they have a particular interest. A selection of these Special Interest Papers are published on this website.
This collection offers a rich resource for spiritual directors and people interested in contemplative spirituality.
New papers are listed first, followed by links to projects organised by themes. Scroll further down to see a complete list of available papers.
Enter key words to find papers on specific topics.
David Crawley, SDFP Assistant Co-ordinator
New Papers on Spiritual Direction (2023/2024)
The Gifts and Challenges of Spiritual Direction with People with Learning Difficulties by Laura Buist
Telling Our Story by Janet Green
Contemplative Retreats: Exploring the Benefits to Spiritual Directors and their Spiritual Direction Practice by Samantha Head
Spiritual Direction with People Who Struggle to Think in Colour by Lindy Nevill
Asking Questions that Empower and Deepen Experience of Self and God by Maree Shepherd
Spiritual Direction Papers | By Category
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Spiritual direction and the body/sexuality
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Spiritual direction and church life/ministry
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Spiritual direction and the contemporary world.
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Spiritual direction and creation
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Spiritual direction and creativity
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Spiritual direction and cultural identity
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Spiritual direction and the developing journey
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Spiritual direction and discernment
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Spiritual direction and hospitality
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Spiritual direction and life challenges
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Spiritual direction and mission
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Spiritual direction practice as ministry
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Spiritual direction and practices of prayer
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Spiritual direction and other vocations
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Spiritual direction and psychological approaches
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Spiritual direction and recreation
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Spiritual direction and spiritual tradition
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Spiritual direction and women's spirituality
Full Collection of Papers on Spiritual Direction
Arranged in alphabetical order, according to title.
A Christian Earth-Centred Spirituality and Spiritual Direction by Sr Mary Maitland
A Lay Woman’s Reflection on Marist Spirituality and the Interface with Spiritual Direction by Bev McDonald
Asking Questions that Empower and Deepen Experience of Self and God by Maree Shepherd
A Torch and A Thermos (an allegory): Spiritual speleologist Anam Cara goes in search of a more woman-inclusive God by Megan Blakie
Ambushed at the Movies by Jo van den Bogaert
An Introduction to Focusing by Lynne Brown
Aspects of Samoan Indigenous Spirituality by Emanuela Betham
Awakening Playfulness by Karen McKie
Becoming a Directee by Lisette Cautley
Benedictine Hospitality and Spiritual Direction by Anne Cave
Body Awareness - Allowing Our Bodies To Lead Us In Prayer by Emma Alldridge
Bridges for Evangelicals: Journeying into Contemplative Spirituality and Spiritual Direction by Elsa McInnes
Buried Seed: Spiritual Direction and the Vineyard Movement by Fran Francis
Busy Working Women and Spiritual Direction by Tracy Morgan
Camino Conversations - Pilgrimage as a Spiritual Practice by Kathryn Overall
Change - A Pamphlet Taster by Trish Harris
Charismatic Gifts and Speaking in Tongues by Christeen Mackay
Chronic Pain - An Invitation to Spiritual Growth by Sylvia Richardson
Come and See: Walking and Seeing as a Way of Connecting with God
with Come and see - accompanying pamphlet by Vivienne HoltCompanioning Directees in Apophatic (Wordless and Imageless) Prayer by Mel McKenzie
Contemplative Prayer, Enneagram and Spiritual Growth by Renate Frei
Contemplative Prayer Life and Belonging in Church by Margaret Dewse
Contemplative Retreats: Exploring the Benefits to Spiritual Directors and their Spiritual Direction Practice by Samantha Head
Cosmology and Spiritual Direction by Regina Daly
Counsellor or Spiritual Director - Do I Have to Choose? by Rose Jenkin
Crone, St. Anne and Kuia by Pip Nicholls
Cycling and Spiritual Experience by Andrew Saunders
Dark Night and Depression by Michael Watson (with associated document to download separately)
Developing a Spiritual Direction Practice by Vic Francis
Directed Lives by Anne Chrisp (with an Appendix to download separately)
Discernment in Spiritual Direction by John Axcell
Divided No More - Journeying Towards an Undivided Life: The Life and Teaching of Parker J. Palmer and its Relevance for Spiritual Direction by Angelika Halstead
Doorways to the Sacred: The Use of Visual Objects in Spiritual Direction by Karen Haines
Dwelling in the Saturday Tomb by Heather Simpson
Dreams and Dreamwork - A Life-Giving Spiritual Practice by Lee Ang Kong
Exploration of Connections between Spiritual Direction and Workplace Chaplaincy by Raewyn Perry
From Cloister to Café by Ceridwyn Parr
From Head to Hands - Creative Processes in Spiritual Direction by Alice Wood
The Frozen Movies and their Potential Application to Spiritual Direction with Young People by May Wong
God is in the Neighbourhood by Bruce Maden
Grief by Susan Chrisp
Healing Dysfunctional Images of God by Gay Cochran
Holy Borders & Sacred Threads - Spiritual Direction Across Faith Traditions by Judith Wigglesworth
Hopeful Resistance: An Enquiry into Contemplative Spirituality, Justice and Social Activism by Steve Tollestrup
How Counsellor Educators Foster Trainee Counsellors’ Spirituality Awareness and Competence by Watiri Maina
How Directive Should Christian Spiritual Direction Be? by Peter Benge
How to Integrate the Healing Power of Beauty by Linda Parnell
Ignatian Spirituality and Spiritual Direction by Lilian (Lian Bee) Koh
Images of God and Believers from a Muslim Background by Jan Balzer
Incarnational Ministry by Pam Toan
Integrating the Active and the Contemplative in the Marketplace: A Glimpse of the Weaving of a Seamless Garment by Lois Bellingham
Into Silence - The Sound of a Gentle Whisper (A prayer resource - with separate instructions) by Holly Walton
Issues Facing Returning Missionaries and How Spiritual Direction Can Help by Alison Palmer
Issues in Spiritual Direction with Chinese and Korean Immigrants to NZ by Pauline Causley
Journalling in a Nutshell by Barb Harrison
Jungian Psychology Spiritual Growth and Spiritual Direction by Kathryn Fernando
Labyrinth Meditations by Katherine Opie
Living Silence by Mary Ebyarimpa
Māori Spirituality, Christian Spirituality and Spiritual Direction by Moira McLennan
Meeting the Spiritual Needs of those with Dementia in Residential Care by Heather Lofthouse
Metaphors of "Dark Night" in the Writing of Philip Yancey by Geoffrey Skilton
Mission and the Art of Spiritual Direction by Simon Brown
Missionaries in Isolated Places and Spiritual Direction by Joan Gore
Moving Towards Nonviolence and Peacemaking - The Spiritual Journey by Sharon Corrigan
Music and Spiritual Direction by Philippa Brocklehurst
Music as a Sacred Experience by Kaye McGregor with accompanying song brochure
Mysticism in the 21st Century by Sally Smith
Nourishing the Soul in Burnout by Maureen Harley
Offering Spiritual Direction as a Chaplain to Students by Dianne Stock
Offering Spiritual Direction to Extraverts by Shirley Wilson
Opening Mainstream Supervision to Spiritual and Religious Issues by Agnes Hermans
Orientation, Disorientation, New Orientation (Brueggemann) by Don Scott
Poetry in Spiritual Direction by Andrea Williamson
Post-Church Australian spirituality, Crossfit, and the place of Spiritual Direction by Cassie Love
Post-Evangelicalism and Spiritual Direction by Nola Myles
Prayerfully Exploring Childhood Memories in Spiritual Direction by Jim McInnes
Praying With Icons by Andrew J. Brown
Praying with the Imagination by Robyn Lewis
Resistance in Pastors to Spiritual Direction by Jane Wilkinson
Responding to God through Religious Art by Joanne Garton
Retreat in Daily Life by Clarissa Vicencio-Wickens
Sabbath Rest as a Contemplative Practice by Petra Corbett
Sacred Hospitality: Creating a Sacred Space for Those Outside the Church by Liz Maluschnig
Sacred Objects Revisited by Sharryn McAuliffe
Sexual Addiction and Spiritual Direction (with later Addendum) by Andrew Connolly
A Shared Table: Food and Spiritual Direction by Aluminé Andrew
Spiritual Abuse by Jeannie Cochrane
Spiritually Directing LGBTIQA+ People of Faith by Amanda Pilbrow
Spiritual Direction in a Digital Age: Helping People Connect with God in a Distracted World by Joshua Taylor
Spiritual Direction and Companying in Sacred Spaces by Jutta Chisholm
Spiritual Direction for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Directees by Linda Piggott
Spiritual Direction and Gay Christians by Ron Larsen
Spiritual Direction and the Highly Sensitive Person by Judith Lorimer
Spiritual Direction as a Model for Pastoral Ministry by Brian Hamilton
Spiritual Direction by Email for Missionaries in Isolated Places: An Initial Exploration by Margaret Tooley
Spiritual Direction: A Necessary Companion for Spiritual Growth by Ang Gim Har
Spiritual Direction for Those in Ordained Ministries by Murray Mills (with Appendix to download separately)
Spiritual Direction Through Faith Stages & Cross-Cultural Transitions by Adrienne Thompson
Spiritual Direction with Adopted People by Helen Tripp
Spiritual Direction with People Who Struggle to Think in Colour by Lindy Nevill
Spiritual Direction with the Aging by Doreen Riddell
Spiritual Direction, the Kingdom and the Emerging Church by Bruce Warwick
Spiritual Directors and Self-Care by Hannah Rowan
Spirituality and Residential Aged Care: With a Special Focus on Dementia by Sheryl James
Story, Wondering and Play: Encouraging spiritual growth with all ages by Cheryl Harray
Suzanne Aubert: Foundress of the Sisters of Compassion by Sr Helen Farrelly
Taizé Style Music and Contemplation by Christine Scott
Take Care of My Sheep by Kathleen Gavin
Te Whare Tapa Whā Māori Health Model and Spiritual Direction by Katrina Tulip
Telling Our Story by Janet Green
Temple or Temporal? The Spirituality of the Body by Nita Hill (with separate Appendices)
The Challenge and the Grace of Spiritual Direction in Ordained Ministry by Lynda Wards
The Communication of God Through His Creation by Brendon Ojala
The Creative Process as a Tool in Spiritual Direction by Patricia O’Donnell
The Dark Night of the Soul by Ron Lang
The Emerging Recognition of Shadow by Marg Shearing
The Enneagram in Spiritual Direction by Vincent Maire
The Gift We Offer: Spiritual Direction & the Rebirth of Missional Community in Our Neighbourhoods by Kathy Viney
The Gifts and Challenges of Spiritual Direction with People with Learning Difficulties by Laura Buist
The Impact of Relationship with Human Fathers on Relationship with Heavenly Father by Mike Enright
The Impact of Skyping on the Spiritual Direction Relationship by Jenny Caston
The Importance of SIlence to Spiritual Direction by Anna Barker
The Long View: Reflections and Meditations for the Spiritual Journey by Clare Lind
The Mid-Life Journey by Jackie Yap
The Ministry of Spiritual Direction - An Interface between Church & Society by Derek Shore
The Order of Preachers and Spiritual Direction by Anne Aalbers
The Place and Nature of Spiritual Direction For Generation X by Di Woods (with Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 to be downloaded separately)
The Place of Prayer in Spiritual Direction by Sandra Thomas
The Poetry of Sam Hunt and the Practice of Spiritual Direction by Tess Ashton
The Relevance and Engagement of Spiritual Direction for Generation Y by Murray Lucas
The Spiritual Care of the Frail & Elderly with Alzheimer's Disease by Ngaire Beehre
The Value of God-Focused Times by Colleen Mounsey
Transformed by Grace by Ruth Coyle
Two Modern Christian Mystics: Simone Weil & Thomas Merton by Joyce Budenberg
Under the Radar - The Use of Contemplative Collage in Spiritual Direction by Karen Block
Using and Creating Outdoor Spaces to Meet with God by Jenny McDowall
Whisperings of Intimacy by Jo Anastadiadis
Women of the Millennium by Alison Williams
Youth and Contemplative Spirituality by Leonie Moxon