How to “Spill” with Spiritual Director Jackie Trottmann

“How I Found Spiritual Direction”

Jackie’s first encounter with Spiritual Direction was when she learned that all Presbyterian Pastors have spiritual directors. Her own pastor decided he would become a spiritual director himself, post retirement.

Jackie saw “Let it go,” written on her pastor’s wife’s hand. She learned this resulted from a meeting the wife had had earlier with her spiritual director.

Then spiritual direction came up in a book she was reading…

“Okay, God, I get it!” she declared.

Jackie’s first spiritual director, twelve years ago, was a nun. Many spiritual directors are nuns, for the discipline has strong connections with the Catholic Church.

What is Spiritual Direction?

There is a link between spiritual direction and a personal trainer in that they both help you build muscle and get stronger.

The spiritual director helps you see blind spots, so that your eyes are opened. They do this by the director having one ear on you and one on the prompting of the Holy Spirit. This is the main difference from regular counselling.

Jackie’s Training

Jackie trained at her Archdiocese. She learned that spiritual direction is a kind of therapy. It explores how we coped as children growing up and protected ourselves. We may be unaware of our strategies – they are blind spots. Because of a problem father, Jackie learned to rely on herself. “I had to protect myself and cope, stuffing down my feelings, not dealing with anger or expressing myself.”

Through spiritual direction, she found things that were keeping her from God. This enabled her to open the door to a closer relationship with Him.

Spiritual direction can be called “companioning.” Your director walks the journey of your relationship with God with you.

Training included 5 weeks learning about deep-seated psychological issues. She learned that some clients need to be referred for therapy, for instance in cases of depression. Therapists are trained to look for action towards solutions while spiritual direction is about listening and offering encouragement.

After this. Jackie went through 5 weeks on healing. This is something more commonly associated with evangelical churches than with the Presbyterian Church. She learned that there are seasons in life, seasons of consolation and seasons of desolation. Consolation is when you feel God’s presence and that He’s there. Desolation is when you are in a desert and feel as if God has abandoned you. We need to remember the times of consolation during periods of desolation.

There was also training in the art of listening. And there were studies of the saints, the fascinating patterns of their spiritual life and how we, too, are called to be saints— not to be put on a pedestal but called to be holy.

Just Spilling

Jackie describes 2 clients, a father and daughter, she is seeing separately. The father wanted to deepen his relationship with God as he got older, turning a decade. And he wanted to listen for God’s call. He was seeking something more God-centered than the meditation he had been trying.

After buying and liking Jackie’s meditations, he set up a complementary call to see if they were a fit. The two chatted along well. “I don’t know anything about spiritual direction,” he said. “I’m just spilling.”

“That is what spiritual direction is,” Jackie told him.

He is also delighted with the transformation in his daughter since she has been meeting with Jackie. He says having someone who listens and does not judge has been invaluable to her.

Jackie’s Spiritual Direction  

Spiritual direction can be ongoing, like the spiritual support Jackie herself receives, or for a short period.

Typically, you meet once a month. This was formerly in person— but it is now possible on Zoom. Jackie, who lives in the States, has clients in Canada and even Australia. With Zoom, you can record meetings which she appreciates. On listening to recordings, she often finds meaningful elements she hadn’t noticed ahead of time.

To Find Out More

You can go to Jackie’s website page to find out more about spiritual direction, then book a complementary, 30-minute  call. There is a cost involved in continuing. Go to Joyandflow.com or jackietrottmann.com to find out about her story and buy her meditations and books.

Coming Soon

Jackie Trottmann’s workshop— Know Yourself in God– for members of Bobbie’s FREE FAB CHOW — Historical and Biblical Fiction Christian Writers Online – Group, is happening Thursday, July 13^th at 7.30 pm UK time / 2.30 pm Eastern / 11.30 Pacific / 3.30 Atlantic. Get on board at http://ahava.space and scroll down that page to get on board.

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