Find a Spiritual Director
Our directory connects you with trained Spiritual Directors dedicated to helping you notice God’s presence in your daily life.
Getting Started
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People come to Spiritual Direction for many reasons, but the focus of this ministry concerns the way God is working with an individual. Sometimes people begin for a specific reason or because they are aware of movements that are occurring within them which they need to share with someone who can take a discerning and objective view. Spiritual Direction starts wherever you are in your journey and will seek to help you integrate your spirituality with the rest of your life.
Read: Fours signs you might be in the right place for Spiritual Direction.
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Our directory features a vibrant, ecumenical community of men and women, both lay and ordained. From Jesuit-trained guides to those focused on creative arts or social justice, our Directors are unified by a common code of practice. All will, themselves, be in direction and receive regular supervision and have had safeguarding training in the last three years.
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The "Search" Box (By Name): Use this if you’ve had a recommendation (e.g., "I heard Jane Smith is a great Director") and want to check her bio.
The Tag System: This is best for finding a "vibe" or specific logistical fit. Combining tags like Catholic + Donation + Retreats is the most efficient way to narrow down 200+ profiles to the handful that meet your specific needs.
Tags can help you select:
A specific faith tradition (Ignatian, Anglican, Quaker, etc.)
A specific fee structure (Fixed fee vs. donation-based)
A specific area of focus (Grief, discernment, creative arts, or mental health)
A specific language people offer Spiritual Direction in.
The "Text" Box : Use this for specific interests that might not be standard categories but might be in people’s bio.
Examples: "Enneagram," "Nature-based," or "MBTI"
The Map: Best if you prefer in-person meetings and want to find someone within a specific London borough or nearby county.
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When you have found a couple of people you are interested in contacting, click the “Connect” button at the bottom of their profile.
We suggest reaching out to a few people and meeting with them ahead of making a decision. Do keep an eye out on your spam folder in case their emails in response end up there!
Please do respond in return if you are no longer interested, as it helps us know the Directory is working and is kind to our Directors.
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We run a seminar every couple of months called “Exploring Spiritual Direction” which talks about what Spiritual Direction is and how to search for a Director.
Sign up for the seminars here.
“Here we are, you and I, and I hope a third, Christ, is in our midst.”
— St. Aelred of Rievaulx
LCSD COMMUNITY MEMBERS
There is no official accreditation for Spiritual Directors, and we do not employ the members of the LCSD community. We work on trust and cannot formally recommend or endorse anyone. However, they have signed up to the Code of Practice, which can be read here.
If you are looking for a Spiritual Director or a member of the community, you can find more information in the FAQ section at the bottom of the page.
FAQs if seeking a Spiritual Director
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The real commitment is to yourself and your openness to God. Practically, this means:
Giving time to yourself and paying attention to the journey.
Being open to God.
Paying attention to the movements in your life.
Being prepared to change as you discover more about how God is seeking you out.
Meeting with your Director on an agreed, regular basis.
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The cost of Spiritual Direction varies across our community to ensure it is accessible to as many people as possible. There are three main ways this is handled:
Student Directors (Free): At the top of our directory, you will find our Student Directors. As part of their professional training at LCSD or ISC, these individuals offer sessions free of charge. This is a wonderful way to begin your journey while supporting the next generation of Directors.
Donation-Based: Many of our Directors operate on a "pay what you can" or donation basis. A helpful guideline used by many is to donate whatever you personally earn in one hour of work.
Fixed Professional Fees: Some Directors have a set rate, particularly those for whom this is their primary vocation.
What is the average cost? For those charging a fixed fee or requesting a standard donation, the average cost in London typically ranges between £40 and £80 per session. However, many Directors offer a sliding scale.
Pro Tip: Don't let finances get in the way of your search. Most Directors are very open to a conversation about what is affordable for you during your initial conversation.
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Your safety is our priority. While we do not employ the Directors (and therefore cannot legally perform DBS checks), we operate on a high-trust model backed by strict protocols:
Training: We strongly encourage regular safeguarding training for all community members every three years. We also run a workshop on applying safeguarding to Spiritual Direction a couple of times a year.
Accountability: All Directors must follow our formal Code of Practice.
Complaints: We maintain a formal complaints procedure, which you can view here.
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We do not employ the community and as such enter into a trust relationship with them. We are unable legally to perform DBS checks on them. As part of our service to the public, we provide them with guidance as to the questions to ask when searching for a Spiritual Director and the types of things to be aware of. We also provide guidance to the Community to keep themselves safe as a lone worker.
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Our Directors are often bi-vocational, balancing this ministry with other roles. To help the process run smoothly:
Check Your Spam: Initial replies from Directors’ personal email accounts can often end up in your Junk/Spam folder. Keep an eye on it for 48–72 hours after reaching out.
Be Patient: Responses may take a few days. If you haven't heard back in a week, feel free to send a polite follow-up.
Close the Loop: If you change your mind or find another Director, please let the person know. A quick "Thank you, but I've found a match" is a kindness that helps our Directors manage their waitlists.
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To refer a Director to a friend:
Clicking on a profile will display an icon in the top right-hand corner with three circles.
This allows you to copy a personal link to your own or other people's profiles for referrals.
FAQs for community members
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You can update your directory entry to keep it up to date with your availability and offerings. Here's how:
Click the "Edit your profile" button and select "Log in".
If you haven't set a password already, click "Forgot password" and enter your email address. You'll receive a password set link.
Set your password and log in.
Scroll down the profile to edit all categories.
In the bottom right hand of the text box there are two diagonal lines, you can click there and pull down to make the box bigger to see your edits more easily.
You will need to click the button on the bottom of the box called " Apply changes" to save the changes.
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While you select from a list of standardised tags for our main filters (to keep the search simple for seekers), you can absolutely expand how you appear in searches.
If you have unique offerings such as "Eco-spirituality," "Trauma-informed," or "Art Therapy", be sure to include these keywords in your bio.
Our Directory’s "Text" box searches through your written description, so including these specific terms ensures that your profile appears when a seeker searches for those exact words.
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Your photo is often the first "introduction" a seeker has to you. For the best results:
Frame it well: Select an image where your face is centrally located and clearly visible.
Keep it professional yet warm: Choose a photo with good lighting and a simple background that reflects the welcoming nature of spiritual accompaniment.
Format: Use a high-resolution square or portrait image to ensure it doesn't appear pixelated or stretched on different devices.
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Click “Edit your profile” and log in to your account.
A box will pop up with your profile.
Scroll down to "Accepting new directees (required)".
Delete what is there by pressing the bin icon.
Click “Select Tags".
Click on the option you wish to select.
Scroll to the bottom and click "Apply changes"
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Yes. To protect your data, your email address is hidden from public view. Instead, your profile features a "Connect " button. When a seeker clicks this, they can send you a message through our secure system, which then forwards the enquiry to your inbox without exposing your email address on the live site.
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You will recieve an email from LCSD allerting you to come one wanting to connect.
Reply: Please reply to the sender by clicking their email address and not by hitting reply.
Response Etiquette:: For many, reaching out is a vulnerable step. We ask that you acknowledge all genuine inquiries promptly. If you are unavailable, a brief "Thank you for reaching out, but I am at capacity" is a grace that allows the seeker to continue their journey without waiting in uncertainty.
Update Your Status: If you are taking a sabbatical or your practice is at capacity, please update your directory profile to reflect that.
If Email Fails: If you have trouble reaching them via email, a phone number is often included in the inquiry as an alternative way to connect.
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Sharing is easy! Clicking on any profile will display a three-circle icon (in the top right-hand corner). This allows you to copy a unique, personal link to your own profile, perfect for your email signature or website or to a colleague’s profile for professional referrals.