Cost
The first meeting is free. It is a chance for both of us to see whether this will be helpful, with no obligation on either side.
After that, sessions are $40 for an hour-long meeting, paid at the time of the session.
If $40 is a problem, please do not let that be the reason you do not reach out. I have a sliding scale. Tell me what is sustainable for you and we will go with that. You do not need to explain why.
Frequently asked questions
What actually happens in a session?
We sit down, in person or on Zoom, and usually open with a short silence or a prayer. Then you talk about whatever is on your mind. That might be something that happened this month, a question you are carrying, a passage of scripture, a dry stretch in prayer, or a decision you are trying to make. I listen and ask questions. Sometimes I will notice a word you keep using, or a moment you passed over quickly, and ask you to slow down there. We end with a minute or two to name what stood out. An hour tends to go faster than people expect.
How often do we meet?
About once a month. Some people meet more often during a hard season, and some meet every six weeks. There is no minimum commitment. You can stop whenever you want to.
Do I have to be a Christian? What if I am not sure what I believe anymore?
You do not have to be anything in particular. I work from within the Christian tradition, but a lot of people come to spiritual direction precisely because their faith is shifting or coming apart or being rebuilt. I think that is often exactly the right time to come. I am not going to try to argue you into or out of anything.
Is this the same as counseling or therapy?
No. A therapist helps you work through psychological and emotional difficulties and has clinical training for that. Spiritual direction is about your relationship with God and how you notice God in your life. Many people do both at the same time, and I think they tend to complement each other. If something comes up in direction that really needs a therapist, I will say so.
Is this like meeting with my pastor?
It is similar in some ways, but different. A pastor has a lot of roles: preaching, leading, teaching, and sometimes correcting. A spiritual director really only has one, which is to listen with you for God. I am not your pastor and I am not part of your church, and I am not going to tell you what to think or what to do. That separation is often part of why pastors themselves seek out a director.
I am a pastor or on a ministry staff. Is this for me?
Yes. About half of the people I meet with are pastors, ministry staff, or nonprofit workers. People in ministry are often spiritually lonely, in part because everyone around them assumes they have it handled, and in part because the church, for everything it asks of its leaders, often does not do enough to care for them. I think attention to your own spiritual health matters for the long-term sustainability of your vocation, and not just for you personally. I have spent most of my working life in ministry and nonprofit work, so I understand some of the particular pressures of it.
Is it confidential?
Yes. What you share stays with me.
Where do we meet in person?
Most people, even those who are local, end up meeting by video call because of the convenience. That said, meeting in person can be helpful, especially when we are starting out. If we meet in person, we will pick somewhere convenient for both of us. A local church or a library meeting room is the most common. If you are outside the Atlanta area, Zoom and FaceTime work well.
What are your hours?
Daytime and evening hours, Monday through Friday. I do not meet on weekends. If there is not a time on the scheduler that works for your schedule, email me and we can find a time that works for both of us.
What is your training?
I graduated from a graduate training program in spiritual direction through Spring Hill College in 2021. The program is grounded in the Ignatian tradition. I am an ordained minister with seminary and graduate training, and I have spent over thirty years in non-profit and prayer ministry.
What if we are not a good fit?
Then I will help you find someone who is. Not every director is right for every person, and that is normal. That is part of why the first meeting is free. It gives both of us a chance to sense whether this will be helpful, and it is fine to decide that it is not.
How do I start?
Schedule a first conversation using the button below, or call or text (773) 368-3793, or email adam@pactconsulting.org. Please leave a message if I do not pick up. I will call you back.