From Helping to Witnessing: Transformation at the Heart of Spiritual Direction

From Helping to Witnessing: Transformation at the Heart of Spirit Tending

What does it take to truly accompany someone on their spiritual journey?

For many who come to spiritual direction from helping professions: ministers, therapists, teachers, healers, the answer requires a profound shift. Robert, a graduate of our 2024 cohort, describes this transformation:

"This program has invited me, over and over again, to ask Why Am I Talking, and to be more aware of the Witness that I am and practice intentional witnessing with seekers."

This is the heart of what we teach in the Cherry Hill Spiritual Direction Certification Program. Over 24 months, our students learn to rest into presence rather than rush toward solutions. As Robert discovered:

"The program has been, for me, about resting into more silence in the presence of another soul who is searching for ways to make meaning out of their life's unfolding. Their life's unfolding is not ours to 'fix' or direct or heal."

Our fifth cohort begins March 3, 2026, with 8 fantastic students already enrolled. We're now accepting applications and conducting discovery calls for the remaining 6 spots. The program is capped at 14 students to ensure intimate, personalized training.

This 24-month online certification program trains spiritual companions for earth-based, Pagan, and multi-religious communities, emphasizing consent-based, trauma-aware practices in safer spaces.

Application deadline: February 15, 2026

Learn more about Robert at Cor-Connection: Robert Patrick, M.Div, PhD 
https://www.corconnection.us/

Ready to start the journey? You can offer spiritual direction work [Click Here]. You can receive spirit tending [Click Here].

Beloved, you are whole, holy and worthy,

Amy

See Also

The Heart of Spirit Tending 
https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-heart-of-spiritual-direction.html

Finding the right companions for Spirit Tending
https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/02/finding-right-spiritual-companion.html

Spiritual Companioning for Free with Current Students 
https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/01/embark-on-spiritual-journey-with-free.html

Cherry Hill Spiritual Direction Certification Program 
https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/01/cherry-hill-spiritual-direction.html

This Heart of Spirit Tending series is ©2026 Amy Beltaine, all rights reserved. You may freely reprint any blog post, website, or print resource. Simply include the following attribution, and if you print online, make the link at the end live:

Article ©2026 Amy Beltaine, all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. This article and hundreds of others, along with other free resources are available at http://www.AmyBeltaine.info