Short-Term Spiritual Guidance

Bidwell's book represents a significant departure from most contemporary writing about spiritual direction. While most writers focus on long-term relationships of guidance, and specifically envision long listening sessions, Bidwell changes focus. Spiritual direction, he insists, typically requires intervention in a specific crisis or situation or question, is not formal, lasts fewer than five sessions, and must be actively and intentionally focused on the person's growth. Bidwell's work shows what spiritual directors can learn from the short-term therapy model, especially about enabling people briefly but effectively to "learn to listen on their own and with others for God's presence." Focusing on how God is already active in the directed's life allows the participants to identify God's action and respond in ways that collaborate with that identified movement of the Spirit. The chapters include introduction to the foundations of spiritual direction as well as to specific direction techniques; they also address such topics as discernment, direction for couples a

Duane R. Bidwell is Director of the Pastoral Care and Training Center, Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, and pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Bridgeport, Texas.