January 24, 2025
2025 ESDA Gathering
Our 9th annual ESDA Gathering will be held at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Phoenix, Arizona. This year's theme is Embrace: Art as Spiritual Director
Upcoming Events
March 04, 2025
ESDA New Member Reception
This is an event for ESDA’s New Members. We invite you to join our online reception, allowing you to learn more about the association and to meet our team.
Purchase Past Events
December 06, 2024
Accompanying Directees in Deconstruction: Session 2
We continue the conversation towards a healthy, informed, and grounded presence to accompany those in a season of deconstruction.
November 15, 2024
Accompanying Directees in Deconstruction: Session 1
Learn how to become a healthy, informed, and grounded presence to accompany those in a season of deconstruction.
October 26, 2024
Exploring Human Sexuality: A Three-Part Dialogue - Session 3
The Marriage of Sexuality and Spirituality. How has this separation–lack of integration–affected our spiritual formation and maturity? Could we be more alive, both sexually and spiritually, by welcoming Jesus into this aspect of our human experience? This last dialogue explores these questions and more as Julie and David conclude on a note of encouragement and hope.
June 29, 2024
Exploring Human Sexuality: A Three-Part Dialogue - Session 2
Identity and Narrative in Human Sexuality. In this second session, Julie and David will explore how our sexual feelings and experiences shape our identity and our stories throughout our lives.
April 20, 2024
Exploring Human Sexuality: A Three-Part Dialogue - Session 1
What are We Talking About When We Talk about Human Sexuality? This first session will lay the foundation for the topic, exploring the different planes of development that are involved in human sexuality–physically, socially, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually.
February 26, 2024
2024 ESDA Gathering
Our 8th annual ESDA Gathering was held February 26th - 29th, at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The title was The Stories We Believe: Uncovering Shame in Spiritual Direction.
September 09, 2023
To Be Restless Companions: Discovering the Gifts in Unsettled Seasons
We were 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
A Conversation with Michel Hendricks
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.
November 12, 2022
Deepening Self Awareness - How Our Enneagram Patterns Influence Our Practice
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
Creating a Formational Retreat Experience
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
A Conversation about Deconstruction
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
A Conversation with Sharon Brown: Using Story as a Tool for Discernment
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
Life in the Body Virtual Event Series : Session 3 - Pictures of Hope in the Church
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
Life in the Body Virtual Event Series : Session 2- Honoring Relationships
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
Life in the Body Virtual Event Series : Session 1- An Honest Conversation About Church
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
ESDA Virtual Event: The Long Range Effects of COVID
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
ESDA Virtual Event: Spiritual Direction and Diversity: Tools for Greater Sensitivity
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
ESDA Virtual Event: Tools of Discernment
Father Mark Thibodeaux, has written on discernment and Ignatian spirituality, and shares tools that can help us and our directees in the discernment process.