The Most Spiritually Enriching Experiences Happen Outside the Box
You know that feeling when you've been searching for spiritual depth, and the places that are supposed to provide it just... don't quite fit? Maybe the language is wrong, or the framework too narrow, or the theology at odds with what you know in your bones to be true.
You've been looking for formation that honors earth-based practices, that makes space for complexity, that doesn't ask you to check parts of yourself at the door. You want to serve as a spiritual companion, but the training programs you've found feel like they're preparing you for a world that doesn't exist, or worse, for work you don't actually want to do.
What if there was a different way?
Cherry Hill Seminary Spiritual Direction Certificate
A 24-Month Formation Outside Institutional Containers
One of our current students, Matt, just wrote something that stopped me in my tracks:
"Some of the most spiritually enriching experiences I've ever had have occurred outside of institutional religion. This course would be one of those experiences." (Matt, Class of '26)
This is what we're building. Not another institutional program that asks you to conform. Not another certificate that checks boxes but leaves your soul untouched. This is formation for people who seek something the traditional containers can't provide.
Applications due February 15 for Cohort 5 starting March 4, 2026
Two Ways to Join
Year One (New Students): Begin the full 24-month journey with live classes twice monthly, supervised practice starting in Year 2, and a cohort community of up to 14 international students. You'll move through four semesters exploring contemplative practice, diverse spiritual traditions, trauma-aware approaches, and sustainable ethical vocation.
Year Two (Already Credentialed): If you're already a credentialed or partially credentialed spiritual director from another program, you can join Year 2 of Cohort 4 (currently in progress) or wait for Year 2 of Cohort 5. This option is for practitioners who want the specific training in earth-based, multi-religious, trauma-aware, justice-rooted approaches that most programs don't offer. (Learn more about this option, here.)
What Makes This Different
We begin with the truth that you are already whole, holy, and worthy. Your formation isn't about fixing yourself first... it's about deepening your capacity to witness that wholeness in others.
The program grounds you in three sources of wisdom: Moon (teachings and traditions), Forest (relationships and community), and Bone (your own inner knowing). Everything we do is consent-based, trauma-aware, and rooted in justice work.
You'll learn from diverse faculty: Pagan, Indigenous, Catholic, Sufi, Animist, and other traditions. You'll be prepared for the actual complexity of contemporary spiritual companioning, not an idealized version of it.
This is infrastructure for resistance. The companions we're training aren't just supporting individual seekers; they're tending the souls of justice workers, activists, and organizers. They're creating fierce support in safer spaces for people whose spirituality doesn't fit traditional religious containers.
The Practical Details
Investment: $3000 for the full program ($375 quarterly payments)
Format: Online, with live sessions and recorded content
Time Commitment: 24 months for full program, 12 months for Year 2 only
Cohort Size: 8-14 students
Application Process:
- Schedule a discovery call to explore fit
- Submit application with two essays and references
- Admissions interview
Applications close February 15, 2026, or when the cohort fills. Six spots remain.
Some of the most spiritually enriching experiences happen outside institutional religion. This could be one of those experiences for you.
Rev. Amy Beltaine
abeltaine@uuma.org