Spiritual Direction is an ancient practice that has been a part of the Christian tradition since the third and fourth centuries when people sought guidance and wisdom from the mystics we now call the Desert Fathers and Mothers.  Spiritual Directors are trained in the art of listening and serve as a trusted spiritual companion. They generally set a regular meeting schedule with an individual, typically once a month for an hour, to help the individual gain clarity about relationships, hopes, concerns, conflicts and joys. Spiritual Directors often help directees practice Discernment,  a process of listening for the voice of God in one's life. Often identified as part of the ordination process, discernment is an important way for everyone - lay  people as well as clergy - to call on the Holy Spirit when making decisions. In addition to the resources you find on this site, Spiritual Directors International has  a helpful chart comparing different types of healing relationships that describes the differences between spiritual direction, pastoral care, pastoral counseling, psychological counseling, psychotherapy, coaching/mentoring, discipleship, and sponsorship. They also have a set standards about professional boundaries, ethical conduct, confidentiality, and supervision for spiritual directors, provide guidance on finding a spiritual director and identify places to be trained in spiritual direction.