Discernment Formation for Course Leaders

with Rachel Overton and Nick Helm

This programme aims to enable course leaders to develop or sharpen up discernment processes within formation programmes for spiritual directors from all traditions.

A previous participant says:

'This programme really helped me to find a language with which to fully understand discernment processes for myself and for my facilitating the development of others.’

Discernment is not something that we ‘do’ at certain moments of decision in life. Rather it is the stance we should assume in every aspect of life and can be articulated in the question ‘how am I centred and responsive to God?’

As course leaders and people responsible for the formation of spiritual directors, we need to be aware of our own discernment processes if we are to enable others to grow in their ability to discern well. Such awareness also enables us to offer congruence between the formation programme we are a part of, the nature of spiritual accompaniment and being faithful to God in life.

Over the course of the four day sessions, we will enable participants to engage with questions such as:

What do you pay attention to within your own experience?
Why do you pay attention to that?
How do you respond to what you notice?
What choices do you make?
How does all of this apply to you personally, your role as a spiritual director and your role in the formation of spiritual directors.

These will be explored in relation to the ‘triangle model’ of relationships within spiritual direction – a model which helps to sharpen awareness of the multiple aspects of discernment that we need to pay attention to.

The programme will be experiential, involving small group work as well as plenary sessions. Participants will also be expected to take time to reflect and continue to work with their own process in between sessions.

By the end of the programme, participants can expect to:

be more aware of their own process and language of discernment
have greater awareness of how discernment is lived in spiritual direction and spiritual direction formation
be more secure in their role as a trainer enabling discerning processes
have clarity about ways in which this discerning stance can be developed in the course they are involved in

All sessions will run on Zoom from 9.45am to 4.15pm

Previous participants share their responses to this programme:

‘A safe space to open your heart to the unexpected.’

‘It opens up the process of discerning far better than reading it in a book.'

‘[It] may well change your perception of what discernment is all about and, with practice, it will change the way you live and pray. I would thoroughly recommend this learning process and experience.’

‘Approach with an attentive, open heart, recognising the potential to go deeper through exploring discernment by journeying both as individual and with others.’

‘A very in-depth programme that really gets to the heart of discernment. Don’t miss it - it can change your life!!’

‘It wasn't until I experienced this programme with Nick and Rachel that it became obvious how vital this clarification of, and approach to discernment is, and would whole-heartedly recommend this empowering course to the most seasoned of trainers as well as those just starting out.’

Catching the Wind