Supervision Program

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This is an experiential learning program designed to provide experienced spiritual directors with the fundamental skills and further experience to develop their skills and grow in the art of supervision of spiritual directors through instruction, mentorship, and a supervised internship.

Instruction, mentoring and supervision will address the history, current context, scope of its theoretical base, various models of supervision and the processes involved in supervision and consultation, the phases of the supervisory experience, and relevant ethical considerations.

Those who meet all of the Program requirements are awarded a Certificate in Supervision of Spiritual Directors.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS: Obtain 50 units of Supervised Hours

MATRICULATION REQUIREMENTS

Ordinarily, participants in this program will have ~

  • Bachelor’s degree (preferred)
  • Graduation and/or Certificate from a spiritual direction formation program
  • Evidence of ongoing continuing education in areas pertaining to or related to spiritual direction
  • Minimum 2-3 years of SD ministry post certificate (3-5 preferred) with at least 3 or 4 different persons for regular Spiritual Direction.
  • Personal commitment to receiving ongoing spiritual direction and supervision (individual or peer).
  • Recommendation(s) from current spiritual director and supervisor or from 2 peers I your peer supervision group.
  • Interview
  • Has engaged in a process of discernment of the call to the ministry of SD supervision prior to applying; and has a willingness to continue that discernment with the faculty of the program.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Through the completion of selected readings, participation in mentoring sessions, and direction under ongoing supervision while supervising two intern spiritual directors, the student will be able to:

  • 1 Demonstrate understanding of the ministry of supervision in wider contexts (socio-historical, religious/cultural).
  • 2 Deepen and integrate understanding of and use of the Discernment of Spirits.
  • 3 Integrate qualities and skills of a spiritual director and a supervisor in the ministry of supervision.
  • 4 Discriminate between the supervisor’s own issues and their supervisees’ issues and the directee’s issues.
  • 5 Employ ethical guidelines in the exercise of the ministry of supervision.
  • 6 Employ understanding of the impact of race, sex, economic and cultural differences on perception, understanding, and communication in supervision and consultation.
  • 7 Assist supervisees to adapt a model of spiritual direction suitable to the culture of the directee.
  • 8 Assist supervisees to reflect on how they are learning and growing through the supervisory, formation, and training process.
  • 9 Establish effective supervisor-supervisee relationships that engender trust in supervisees and foster growth in interior freedom.
  • 10 Personally engage with at least 5 chapters in Contemporary Christian Spirituality by Arthur Holder; then write a 5 page paper on how these chapters relate to your understanding of growth in the spiritual life and how they may inform your ministry of supervision.
  • 11 Employ human developmental theories as an interpretive lens in supervision and consultation.

LEARNING/FORMATION ACTIVITIES

  1. ONGOING SUPERVISION Each Supervisor in training would supervise 2 new intern directors through each of the two years of the Pneuma SDLP (for a total of 4 different experiences of ongoing supervision).
  2. MENTORING SESSIONS
    After an initial planning meeting, which will be held May 11th at 1:00 pm, students will participate in approximately 12 two-hour mentoring sessions held during the duration of the course, beginning in September, 2023. Dates of Sessions are as follows, (day and time will be determined by the group in the May introductory session):

September, 2023
October, 2023
November, 2023
January, 2024
February, 2024
March, 2024

April, 2024
May, 2024
June, 2024
September, 2024
October, 2024
November, 2024.

  • For each mentoring session, there are required preparatory readings that focus on the content critical to the achievement of the course objectives.
  • There may be short presentation(s) by a member of the Faculty Team and then opportunity for discussion and sharing during these sessions.
  • With your permission, these sessions will be recorded and made available for you to review.
  • You are expected to prepare for, attend, and participate in all scheduled face-to-face or virtual Mentor Sessions.

III. ONGOING SUPERVISION
You will be assigned a seasoned faculty supervisor with whom you will meet monthly for the duration of the training/formation experience.
You are expected to prepare for, attend, and participate in all scheduled face-to-face or virtual supervision meetingsaccording to the following schedule:

  • Monthly 90-minute meetings with your assigned faculty supervisor:
    • Required preparation:
      • Submit to your supervisor an audio/video-recording of one supervision session for each intern director at least 4 days prior to your supervision appointment.
      • Submit to your supervisor a detailed Prep for Supervision* that expresses your focus for supervision and consultation with each of your intern directors at least 4 days prior to your supervision appointment.
      • Submit a Reflection on Supervision* to your supervisor and the Program Director (Dr. Robbins) within one-week of your supervision meeting.

IV. INDIVIDUAL ONGOING SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
You are expected to receive regular individual ongoing spiritual direction for the duration of the Program.

*All standard forms are available on _____TBD______.