Dwelling in the Deep

Spiritual directors are trained listeners, doulas, and companions on the spiritual journey.

Overview

Spiritual companions are trained listeners, doulas, and companions on the spiritual journey. They are not experts who fix, give advice, or tell one what to do. Spiritual companionship offers a safe, gentle, non-judgmental, and confidential place to attend to spiritual health. It typically includes opening and closing a session with prayer and spaciousness in between to explore the deepest yearnings of the soul – the doubts, the questions, the pain, longings, and desires. Some people seek this because they are struggling spiritually. Others come with specific issues or decisions they want to resolve, or simply because they value ongoing feedback for their spiritual life and journey. The benefits of spiritual companionship are the strengthening of one’s faith and meaning-making in the midst of life’s complexities.

I am a practical theologian. I believe the Divine invites us into co-creation right in the middle of ordinary daily life. I am a follower of Jesus and identify with Anabaptist theology. I have found a home in Christian mysticism. I am a seeker and recognize many names for God. I am passionate about how drawing closer to our true selves is drawing closer to the Divine imprint in each of us. As we bear witness to the Spirit’s presence and movement in the world, we have the hope of understanding ourselves more fully. This makes me skeptical of any faith that is not also committed to justice for the marginalized as we are all entangled in the toxicity of systems of oppression: capitalism, patriarchy, racism. Attending to my spiritual health includes a commitment to a lifelong practice of learning/unlearning, dismantling and decolonizing my faith both individually and corporately.

Individual Spiritual Direction

Fee for service/out of pocket
  • 55 min sessions
  • $150 per session, you choose your ability to pay within this range.
  • Ongoing individual sessions are typically biweekly or monthly.
  • Available in-person or virtual.

$150

Group Spiritual Direction

Fee for service/out of pocket
  • 2 hours
  • $300 per session, you choose your ability to pay within this range
  • Sessions determined as needed.
  • Available in-person only.

$300

Along with other theological training, I was trained in Spiritual direction at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary.

01

Group Discernment

If you are discerning something specific (life change, job change, conflict, decision to be made, etc), the purpose of group discernment is to listen to the Divine together. You gather the 3-6 people of your choosing and I facilitate a 2 hour embodied practice of deep listening and thoughtful questions in a safe and supportive environment. It is not a space for advice giving and opinion sharing. It is a space for you to deeply listen to your own wisdom surrounded by the wisdom of your people. The time will be heavily influenced by the Quaker clearness committee forum.

02

Group Support/Witness

If you are feeling lost, in a fog, grieving, disconnected from yourself, can’t get your bearings straight, needing the support of others in a tough time, or are feeling stuck and trapped in a loop – you gather the 3-6 people of your choosing and I will facilitate a two-hour embodied practice of deep collective listening to you and the Spirit. Your people will be invited to surround you with support in the form of response, questions, feedback, offering metaphors and wisdom sharing. We will end with an embodied ritual and prayer of blessing.

Benefits to Spiritual Direction

  • Guidance for growth in your image of God
  • Exploration of prayer
  • Help in finding God (however you conceive God to be)
  • Discernment in life changes or challenges
  • Journey of inner healing
  • Companionship for the spiritual journey
  • Psychotherapy is often initiated to address symptoms. While people don’t often seek Spiritual direction for this reason, attending to our soul’s deeper longings inadvertently helps to alleviate unwanted symptoms.

Questions to Consider

  1. Where am I now in my life – my personal life, my professional life, my creative life, my believing life? How did I get to this place in my life?
  2. What are my questions, doubts, confusions?
  3. How has my spiritual life been? Rich, full, boring, chaotic?
  4. What events, experiences, relationships, etc have given me a sense of the Sacred Presence or absence?
  5. How do I feel about my relationship with God, and about God’s relationship with me right now?
  6. How am I tending to my soul right now? What has been helpful in the past?
  7. What is my image of God? Felt sense about God?
  8. In what area(s) of my life do I sense the Divine calling me to grow or to let go of something?
  9. How have I been connecting with the Sacred Presence, my soul or the universe in the past few months (prayer, meditation, music, walking in the woods, etc)? How often, and how satisfying have each of these been? Is the experience as fulfilling as I’d like?
  10. Which life decisions have me wondering what God’s will is for me?
  11. What is mine to do in the healing of myself and the world?
  12. How can my Spiritual director help me address the empty or uncertain areas of my life, so that I can feel vibrant, whole and connected?

Book An Appointment

If you are interested in pursuing Spiritual Direction, use my client portal to get started.

Elisabeth Barahona
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Elisabeth's Hours

Thursdays & Fridays: 9am-3pm
(Appointment Only)

Address

119 E Washington St
Goshen, IN 46528

Sara's Hours

Tuesday 9-2 pm, Wednesdays 9-1 pm
(Appointment Only)

Contact

ebintegratedhealth@gmail.com
(574) 574-5602