A Season of Discernment: February 2026- June 2026

The first year of our spiritual direction program begins with what we call a “Season of Discernment".” The next Season of Discernment will begin February 7, 2026.

Contact Katrina Obata, Spiritual Direction Program Director, to set up a time to discuss your interest in training to be a spiritual director, learn more about the program, and to determine if a Season of Discernment is the next step for you at this time.

The goal of the discernment time, before entering our two-year certificate program in spiritual direction, is to help you be able to articulate your discernment process and readiness to serve as a spiritual director back in your faith community. We assume you have already been taught contemplative Christian practices that grow your interior life with God, hopefully in a community setting. The cost for the guided time of discernment is $300 - non-refundable.

The following requirements surrounding this discernment process will guide you in the five months between February 2026 and June 2026.

• You must have been in individual spiritual direction yourself for at least one year previous to the start of the Season of Discernment, and continue to be for each of the five months during this time of discernment.

• Meeting with faculty two ways:

  1. Attend an in person meet-and-greet on February 7, 2026 to answer questions and help you understand what is expected in this season of discernment, and to have the opportunity to meet the others who are also discerning their call to spiritual direction training. This meeting is held in a home in Renton, WA, which is the same location that we use for our Program Conferences (see photo below).
  

  2. Meet with a faculty member one-on-one at least two more times before June of 2026. This can be done in person or on Zoom, depending on your location.

• Read 2 books during this time: Susan Phillips’ Candlelight and Tilden Edwards’ Spiritual Director Spiritual Companion — Guide to Tending the Soul

APPLYING TO CFDM NW’S SPIRITUAL DIRECTION PROGRAM

The application to the program at the end of the five-month discernment period is a summary paper of 5-7 pages in length (double spaced) addressing your journey of discernment. The questions for the paper will be provided to you. You will also provide:

• Two referrals: one from your spiritual director and another from your faith community who believe you are ready for this program.

• The paper is due by June 30th

• Questions? Contact Katrina Obata