Profile Details

​Are you… – Seeking a stronger connection with the divine in your life? – Curious about how the holy is at work in you? – Searching for purpose or meaning? – Looking for a way forward after being traumatized by toxic religion? – A religious professional in search of guidance for your own spirituality? As your spiritual director (also known as a spiritual companion or spiritual friend), I will provide support, resources, and a safe space to help you on your journey. While I enjoy taking the journey with people from a wide variety of backgrounds, my experience and training suit me particularly well to work with clergy and other religious professionals, and with people who carry scars from unhealthy religious experiences. While my goal as your spiritual director is to create a safe space for your exploration, you can choose what that space might be. We can meet in person in my study at Old Union Presbyterian Church (200 Union Church Rd Mars PA 16046). If you’d like to meet in person but do not feel comfortable being in a church, we can work together to find a suitable location. I meet with spiritual seekers virtually as well. Contact me to schedule a time, and "meet" with me in a place of your choosing. I also offer retreats and workshops for churches and other faith communities, or for interested individuals. Contact me for more information. I received my training as a spiritual director through the Haden Institute, which focuses on Jungian depth psychology, creative embodiment, and mystical awareness. I have more than thirty-six years' experience as a Presbyterian pastor, and I have served at Old Union Presbyterian Church in Mars Pennsylvania for more than thirty years. I have held church leadership positions at the local, regional, and national levels. I earned a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from the University of Pittsburgh, where my studies focused on hermeneutics (the art of textual interpretation) and New Testament descriptions of apocalyptic (the unseen spiritual reality that surrounds us and is yet to be fully revealed). Twenty years of church leadership training in Ghana has helped me to develop a familiarity with and appreciation for traditional west African spirituality. ​ I am a certified assessor for Spiritual Emotional Intelligence, and I have earned a certificate in Church Executive Leadership. I received my Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and my B.A. from Penn State University (majoring in history with a minor in world literature). I grew up in a small coal-mining town in the hills of western Pennsylvania, where my father was the town doctor. I am married and have three adult children and five grandchildren. In my spare time I enjoy kayaking, scuba diving, hiking, and creating music. Contact me to learn how we can begin the journey together!