Institute for Spiritual Guidance: Sensitivities in Spiritual Guidance

Pat Francis - Sensitivities to Physical Disabilities

Therese Taylor-Stinson- Sensitivities to Race

Jo Giarrante - Sensitivities to Gender Identities

Therese Taylor-Stinson, a native of Washington, DC, is an ordained deacon and elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA), a certified lay pastoral caregiver, and the founding managing member of the Spiritual Directors of Color Network, Ltd. A graduate of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation, she has served on the board of directors, is a member of the Shalem Society for Contemplative Leadership, and was commissioned associate faculty to offer Shalem’s Personal Spiritual Deepening Program in her local community. In her private spiritual direction practice, she companions people from various walks of life who seek a closer relationship with God, clarity about their calls to ministry, and healing from life’s traumas. She served on the Coordinating Council for Spiritual Directors International (SDI) and is currently a member of SDI’s Editorial Review Panel for Presence: An International Journal of Spiritual Direction. Her articles “Black Spirituality and the Art of Spiritual Direction” (December 2009) and “Spiritual Direction as Sacred Activism” (March 2014) are published in Presence.

Patricia Francis, OP, Psy.D. is a Dominican Sister of Springfield, IL who is a licensed clinical psychologist as well as a trained spiritual guide and supervisor. She serves as the director of counseling services at Central DuPage Pastoral Counseling Center in Carol Stream, IL. A former teacher, from 1980 to 1990, Pat directed an office in the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, that provided pastoral services with the Deaf Community. That office expanded to promote accessibility for all those in the diocese who needed special accommodations to be included and participate in the life of the Church. Making physical accommodations was insufficient. Sr. Pat and her staff raised awareness of how to be an inclusive and welcoming community to people who had particular sensitivities as well as gifts to share in the community

Annette Jo Giarrante, MDiv, CCPC, has had a private practice in spiritual direction and life coaching for over 20 years. Jo trained and served on staff at the Institute for Spiritual Leadership in Chicago. She offers retreats and seminars on spiritual direction and supervision, communication skills, spiritual development, conflict management, and self-care skills. Jo is on the staff of Siena Retreat Center’s Spiritual Guidance Training Program.