Trustworthy Connections: Interpersonal Issues in Spiritual Direction

by Anne Winchell Silver

Although God is at the center of the process of spiritual direction, the more readily visible participants are human beings. Like all other people, directors and directees are subject to relationship dynamics. Trustworthy Connections identifies some issues and challenges that can arise in spiritual direction relationships and offers resources for further consideration and reflection. The topics and examples are focused on traditional one-to-one, face-to-face spiritual direction, although some are also relevant to group direction and direction by correspondence. Trustworthy Connections is designed for use as a reference and a springboard for discussion for spiritual directors and anyone else who is interested in spiritual direction. Like the process of spiritual direction itself, this book is about asking questions, discussing ideas, and suggesting alternatives rather than giving advice or getting answers.

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 25, 2004

Reviews

[Adam Carnehl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of numerous, short essays on various interpersonal issues that arise during the practice of spiritual direction. It is not an introduction to spiritual direction, nor does it focus on the spirituality or theology of the tradition. Anne Winchell Silver is an experienced counselor who became a spiritual director later in life; many of her competencies come from a lifetime of psychological and therapy-related experience, research, and education. I found it to be a very useful book, especially in regards to the handling of situations when a director feels the need to teach, rescue, or fix the directee (rather than converse in a God-direction). The book's overall focus is on the importance of boundaries and how to erect them. Overall, there are lots of good tips and ideas in the essays, particularly on how to implement things in one's practice. The book ends with two appendices: the first being a set of ethical guidelines from a spirituality center in California, and the second being SDI's own brief ethical rule.

[Gabby · Rating 2 out of 5]

A helpful book but not too exciting

[Heidi Rotert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was especially helpful.

[Alexa Moormeier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a helpful, insightful guide to spiritual direction! Very practical. This book will be something I keep on my shelf to reference for as long as I’m doing or participating in direction.

[Chris Klausen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful and practical about interpersonal issues that may arise in direction sessions and how to approach them.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little reference. Didn't like the italics at the beginning of each chapter. But the content was better than the bad font.

"The pastoral and psychotherapeutic challenge is not to fall into the sleep of anxious activity out of fear of ppwerlessness, but to watch and wait with those who invite us to be present with them in their forests of despair, and to accompany them through forbidden forests in which they do not want to travel alone." p.67

Pretty much sums up Spiritual Direction.

[Rod White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good, practical addition to my collection of books on spiritual direction. Silver is an experienced hand. She is a good source of "how tos" for a person who wants to regularly practice, wants to be ethical, wants to be conscientious about the distinctions and boundaries of spiritual direction as opposed to psychotherapy and pastoral counseling.