Personal Spiritual Direction
“Spiritual direction is, in reality, nothing more than a way of leading us to see and obey the real Director - the Holy Spirit hidden in the depths of our soul.”
--Thomas Merton, Trappist monk
Something is stirring. You can't quite name it, but you sense that your inner life — your prayer, your relationship with God, the questions you carry — deserves more attention than it's getting. You're not in crisis. You're not looking for a therapist. You're looking for someone who can help you pay attention to what God might be doing in your life and how to respond.
That is what spiritual direction is. And it's what I do.
What Spiritual Direction Is
Spiritual direction is one of the oldest practices in the Christian tradition. For centuries, men and women seeking to grow in their relationship with God have met regularly with a trusted companion — someone trained to listen carefully, ask good questions, and help them notice where God is already at work in their lives.
It is not counseling or therapy, though it can be deeply healing. It is not advice-giving, though wisdom often emerges in the conversation. It is not spiritual instruction, though understanding often grows. It is, at its simplest, a sacred conversation between two people — one seeking, one accompanying — with the Holy Spirit as the real director.
A session typically lasts about an hour. Most people meet with me once a month. The conversation is unhurried, confidential, and focused entirely on your interior life — your prayer, your experiences, your questions, your sense of where God is or isn't present.
What It Is Not
Spiritual direction is not crisis counseling. If you are in acute distress, struggling with mental health, or navigating a clinical issue, a licensed therapist or counselor is the right starting point. Spiritual direction works best alongside a life that has some basic stability — not as a substitute for other care, but as a companion to it.
It is also not a quick fix. People who benefit most from spiritual direction are those willing to show up consistently over time — not because the process is slow, but because the interior life unfolds slowly and deserves that kind of patient attention.
Who I Work With
I work with adults from across the Christian tradition — and occasionally with those who are exploring faith from outside it. My formation draws from Lutheran, Anglican, and Catholic contemplative sources, but I do not direct people toward any particular tradition or expression of faith. I follow where you are going, not where I think you should go.
I have worked with clergy and laity, with people deeply formed in the faith and with those just beginning to take it seriously, with those whose prayer life is rich and those who feel like they've lost the thread entirely. I have sat with people in grief, in vocational transition, in spiritual dryness, and in the kind of quiet abundance that still somehow leaves a person wanting more.
Common themes in our conversations include:
My Formation and Credentials
I hold a Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Direction and Formation from Houston Graduate School of Theology, where I also served as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Spiritual Direction from 2015 to 2023, teaching graduate and doctoral students in the theory and practice of spiritual accompaniment. I hold certificates in spiritual direction from both Houston Graduate School of Theology and the Formation in Direction Program of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
For fifteen years I served on the faculty of the FIND School for Spiritual Direction in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. I am a life-professed friar in the Anglican Order of Preachers (Dominican) and have been receiving spiritual direction myself for many years — because no serious director accompanies others without being accompanied.
How Sessions Work
All my spiritual direction sessions are conducted via Zoom, which means geography is not a barrier. If you are in Houston or anywhere else, the conversation is available to you.
Sessions are approximately one hour and meet monthly. Before beginning an ongoing relationship, I offer a free initial conversation — not a session, but a chance to talk about what you're looking for, what I offer, and whether the fit makes sense. There is no pressure and no obligation.
Spiritual direction is a relationship, and like any good relationship it requires the right match. If I'm not the right director for you, I'll tell you honestly and, where possible, help you find someone who is.
A Note on Zoom
Some people wonder whether spiritual direction conducted over video can carry the same weight as in-person conversation. In my experience — both as a director and as a directee — the answer is yes. What matters is presence, attention, and trust. Those travel well.
Zoom also means that if you travel, move, or simply prefer not to drive across Houston for a monthly appointment, the work continues without interruption. That continuity matters.
Getting Started
If spiritual direction sounds like something you've been looking for — or even if you're not sure but something on this page resonated — reach out through the contact page. The initial conversation is free, unhurried, and without obligation.
You don't have to have your questions figured out before you call. Bringing the questions is the whole point.
Want More Information? See brochure below...
--Thomas Merton, Trappist monk
Something is stirring. You can't quite name it, but you sense that your inner life — your prayer, your relationship with God, the questions you carry — deserves more attention than it's getting. You're not in crisis. You're not looking for a therapist. You're looking for someone who can help you pay attention to what God might be doing in your life and how to respond.
That is what spiritual direction is. And it's what I do.
What Spiritual Direction Is
Spiritual direction is one of the oldest practices in the Christian tradition. For centuries, men and women seeking to grow in their relationship with God have met regularly with a trusted companion — someone trained to listen carefully, ask good questions, and help them notice where God is already at work in their lives.
It is not counseling or therapy, though it can be deeply healing. It is not advice-giving, though wisdom often emerges in the conversation. It is not spiritual instruction, though understanding often grows. It is, at its simplest, a sacred conversation between two people — one seeking, one accompanying — with the Holy Spirit as the real director.
A session typically lasts about an hour. Most people meet with me once a month. The conversation is unhurried, confidential, and focused entirely on your interior life — your prayer, your experiences, your questions, your sense of where God is or isn't present.
What It Is Not
Spiritual direction is not crisis counseling. If you are in acute distress, struggling with mental health, or navigating a clinical issue, a licensed therapist or counselor is the right starting point. Spiritual direction works best alongside a life that has some basic stability — not as a substitute for other care, but as a companion to it.
It is also not a quick fix. People who benefit most from spiritual direction are those willing to show up consistently over time — not because the process is slow, but because the interior life unfolds slowly and deserves that kind of patient attention.
Who I Work With
I work with adults from across the Christian tradition — and occasionally with those who are exploring faith from outside it. My formation draws from Lutheran, Anglican, and Catholic contemplative sources, but I do not direct people toward any particular tradition or expression of faith. I follow where you are going, not where I think you should go.
I have worked with clergy and laity, with people deeply formed in the faith and with those just beginning to take it seriously, with those whose prayer life is rich and those who feel like they've lost the thread entirely. I have sat with people in grief, in vocational transition, in spiritual dryness, and in the kind of quiet abundance that still somehow leaves a person wanting more.
Common themes in our conversations include:
- Prayer — developing, sustaining, or recovering a meaningful practice
- Discernment — major life decisions, vocational questions, navigating uncertainty
- Grief and loss — processing significant change or bereavement in a spiritual context
- Faith transition — moving through doubt, deconstruction, or a shift in tradition
- Contemplative practice — learning to be still, to listen, to rest in God's presence
- The interior life of clergy and ministry leaders — the spiritual life of the person doing the work, not just the work itself
- Dreamwork — for those interested in attending to dreams as a dimension of spiritual awareness
My Formation and Credentials
I hold a Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Direction and Formation from Houston Graduate School of Theology, where I also served as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Spiritual Direction from 2015 to 2023, teaching graduate and doctoral students in the theory and practice of spiritual accompaniment. I hold certificates in spiritual direction from both Houston Graduate School of Theology and the Formation in Direction Program of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
For fifteen years I served on the faculty of the FIND School for Spiritual Direction in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. I am a life-professed friar in the Anglican Order of Preachers (Dominican) and have been receiving spiritual direction myself for many years — because no serious director accompanies others without being accompanied.
How Sessions Work
All my spiritual direction sessions are conducted via Zoom, which means geography is not a barrier. If you are in Houston or anywhere else, the conversation is available to you.
Sessions are approximately one hour and meet monthly. Before beginning an ongoing relationship, I offer a free initial conversation — not a session, but a chance to talk about what you're looking for, what I offer, and whether the fit makes sense. There is no pressure and no obligation.
Spiritual direction is a relationship, and like any good relationship it requires the right match. If I'm not the right director for you, I'll tell you honestly and, where possible, help you find someone who is.
A Note on Zoom
Some people wonder whether spiritual direction conducted over video can carry the same weight as in-person conversation. In my experience — both as a director and as a directee — the answer is yes. What matters is presence, attention, and trust. Those travel well.
Zoom also means that if you travel, move, or simply prefer not to drive across Houston for a monthly appointment, the work continues without interruption. That continuity matters.
Getting Started
If spiritual direction sounds like something you've been looking for — or even if you're not sure but something on this page resonated — reach out through the contact page. The initial conversation is free, unhurried, and without obligation.
You don't have to have your questions figured out before you call. Bringing the questions is the whole point.
Want More Information? See brochure below...
| spiritual_direction_brochure.pdf |
Comparing and Contrasting Various Helping Disciplines
Ready to Get Started Now?
If you would like to get started by scheduling an introductory/complementary session in spiritual direction, please complete the form below. The items marked * must be completed. Everything you write will be kept in strict confidence.
If you would like to get started by scheduling an introductory/complementary session in spiritual direction, please complete the form below. The items marked * must be completed. Everything you write will be kept in strict confidence.
Image credit: yangna / 123RF Stock Photo
Rev. Dr. Steve Stutz Ordained Lutheran Pastor · Intentional Interim Minister · Certified Spiritual Director La Porte, Texas · Houston Area
[Contact] · [LinkedIn] · [The Marginal Note on Substack]
[Contact] · [LinkedIn] · [The Marginal Note on Substack]
