Spiritual Direction

Spiritual Direction is an ongoing relationship in which one person helps another recognize and nurture the presence of the sacred already at work in their lives. Our list of local spiritual directors (below) includes those who meet with directees on site at St. Martin's and those who operate from home.

List of Spiritual Directors

These area Spiritual Directors are currently taking new clients. St. Martin’s doesn’t formally endorse these practitioners, but offers their names for your consideration. We recommend that when making a decision about a spiritual director that you schedule a visit or two to determine if the fit is good and if their approach meets your needs.

If you are a Spiritual Director and would like to be included on this list, please contact the Rev. Barbara Ballenger, Associate for Spiritual Formation and Care.

Directors who can see directees at Hilary House at St. Martin’s

Kathleen Cleaver (Mt. Airy)

[email protected], Phone: 267.297.6036, Website: KathyCleaver.com

Through prayerful attention, Kathy meets with her directees to help them discern their own individual truth, inner wisdom and God’s loving guidance for them. Her areas of experience include: joys and challenges of marriage and family life, mid-life issues, enlarging images of God, dreams as a spiritual practice, life transitions and loss, marginalization, and building disciplines of a contemplative life. Kathy has been a Spiritual Director since 2000. She holds a M.A. in Holistic Spirituality/Spiritual Direction, CAS in Pastoral Counseling, Masters in Social Work and B.S. in Nursing. She can meet at Hilary House or at her home office.

Joanne Brewer Conway

[email protected]. 267.625.7100

As a licensed Psychologist and teacher of masters-level counselors, Joanne focused on helping individuals understand resistance to change and move through those resistances to a fuller life. In this work she grew over the years to understand the importance of spiritual grounding for a meaningful and hope-filled life. Following retirement from her psychology practice, Joanne received training from Oasis Ministries for Spiritual Development. She combines a contemplative approach with reflective listening as she companions others wishing to explore and deepen their spiritual lives. While grounded in a Christian perspective, Joanne welcomes opportunities to sit with individuals of all faiths and spiritual practices.

Angela York Crane

[email protected], Phone: 215.253.8847

Angela provides spiritual direction in the manner of Friends (Quakers). During sessions, offered in a relationship of equals, we listen to the Inward Light and hunt for the clues of Spirit to discern what Inner Truth wants to be made known and how to listen to and live from our Inner Authority, the Risen Christ within. We look at the gifts of the light and the dark, explore how to integrate them for wholeness, and use the tension to birth further creativity in work, play, and daily living.

The Rev. Anne Ritchings

[email protected], Phone: 267.297.8467

Anne is a retired Episcopal priest who has received training in spiritual direction from The General Theological Seminary in New York and has a certificate from The Adelynrood School of Spiritual Direction. While rooted in the Benedictine and Celtic traditions of Christianity, she is familiar and comfortable with a variety of spiritual practices and traditions. She has experience working with interfaith direction and has been a spiritual companion for a number of artists. She describes her practice as “compassionate listening where we work together to discern the Spirit’s movement in your life.”

Directors who work from their own homes/studios

Susan Cole (Mt. Airy)

[email protected], Phone: 215.242.0611 x2

(Note: Because Susan is a member of St. Martin’s she does not see St. Martin’s parishioners.)

Susan sees people from a variety of faith traditions, including a large number of Jews. She is a retired United Methodist pastor with a strong background in Ignatian spirituality (trained as a director in that tradition). Because it is important for a director to be compatible with a directee, she invites people to come spend a session at no charge, to get acquainted, with space for questions and concerns.

Nicholas Collura, MDiv

[email protected], Website: https://nicholascollura.com

Nicholas works as an interfaith palliative care chaplain and is also a visiting retreat director at St. Raphaela Center in Philadelphia. He trained as a spiritual director at the Jesuit Collaborative in Boston and earned his MDiv at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry before spending three years of his life as a Jesuit on the West Coast. A student of film and literature, he brings a reverence for the creative imagination to his work with directees. He works often with spiritual seekers and those with a Catholic or Jesuit connection, but welcomes all directees regardless of life experience or religious background.

Rabbi Dayle A. Friedman

[email protected], Phone: 215.266.3647, Website: www.growingolder.net

Rabbi Dayle A. Friedman is a spiritual director, social innovator, chaplain, and scholar. She has trained rabbis and chaplains, accompanied frail elders, taught and guided individuals embarking upon their “third chapters.” Through Growing Older, her Philadelphia-based, national practice, Rabbi Dayle offers spiritual direction for people beyond midlife, spiritual care for individuals and families facing dementia and frailty, and consulting on medical decisions and end-of-life care.

Rabbi Malkah Binah Klein

[email protected], Phone: 215.510.2172

Malkah Binah is a compassionate spiritual director who offers deep listening and supports individuals in connecting with their inner wisdom and the flow of Divine Love. She intuitively and gently weaves into her work a variety of modalities for grounding and deepening the connection to Spirit, including qi gong, writing, drawing, sacred text study, and chant. Malkah Binah meets with directees in her home in West Mt. Airy and, if need be, is also willing to explore sessions in your home or Skype sessions.

Connie Lezenby

[email protected], Phone: 267.664.3721

Connie offers individual and small group spiritual direction at Gwynedd Friends Meeting or in Lansdale, PA. She works with seekers from many faith traditions or those beginning a spiritual journey. Through questions and silent reflection we will explore your unique relationship with God, spiritual practices that deepen intimacy and the freedom that flows in a life lived in the awareness of God’s love. Sliding scale fee.