Professional Development
As professional development is one of the requirements for Conference of Spiritual Directors Australia (CSD Australia) members, details of such opportunities are offered below. These include coming events organised by CSD Australia as well as other spiritual direction associations.
If you would like to include details of your event here, please contact us.
Scroll down to see what events are coming up.
Save the Dates
You are welcome to join all or any of the monthly sessions.These sessions will be held via zoom.
There is no need for members to book. A zoom link will be sent to all members in the preceding week. No cost for members.
For non-members, you are very welcome to join, we ask you to please sign up.
UPCOMING 2026 DATES
The Professional Development sessions for the first part of 2026 are now available. All sessions are run on a Saturday from 9.30am – 11.00am AEDT. A list of these sessions is provided below, please scroll down for full details.
Saturday 14th March Presence in Practice: Accompaniment and Cultural Awareness guided by Erick Niyiragira
Saturday 9th May Heading Westwards: Faith-filled Accompaniment in Liminal Spaces guided by John Kleinsman
March
Saturday, 14th March 2026, 9.30am – 11.00am (AEDT)
Presence in Practice: Accompaniment and Cultural Awareness Guided by Erick Niyiragira
This Professional Development session invites participants into a reflective space exploring the role of spiritual accompaniment and cultural diversity in practice. Erick is conscious of working at the intersection of counselling frameworks and spiritual accompaniment, and warmly welcomes conversation about the relationship, boundaries, and mutual enrichment between the two approaches.
Erick Niyiragira CP is a Passionist priest living and ministering in Australia. Born in Burundi, Erick’s life has been profoundly shaped by lived experience, including displacement, refugee life, and resettlement. These experiences have formed in him a deep sensitivity to suffering, resilience, and hope, which continue to ground his vocation and pastoral presence. Recently completing a Master of Counselling, Erick brings together faith, professional formation, and lived experience in his ministry. His deep appreciation of cultural diversity and his capacity to hold individuals with dignity, compassion, and attentiveness inform his approach to accompaniment. Erick’s practice reflects a commitment to presence that honours each person’s story, context and humanity.
May
Saturday, 9th May 2026, 9.30am – 11.00am (AEDT)
Heading Westwards: Faith-filled Accompaniment in Liminal Spaces guided by John Kleinsman
Details of this Professional Development Opportunity to come. Currently John is designing an amazing session that will touch on accompaniment in Liminal Spaces.
John Kleinsman is a New Zealand bioethicist and the Director of The Nathaniel Centre for Bioethics, the Catholic Church’s national bioethics centre in Aotearoa New Zealand. He brings a broad background in community service, including work in disability support and drug and alcohol rehabilitation, alongside deep academic training in moral theology and ethics. John’s work focuses on the ethical dimensions of life, care and dignity, particularly in relation to end-of-life choices, palliative care, and the ways societies understand sufferings, vulnerability and human worth. He regularly contributes to public and professional conversations on these issues, advocating for approaches that uphold compassionate care, protect the vulnerable, and foster thoughtful responses to loss and grief in communities.
Previously in 2026:
Saturday 14 February, 9:30 – 11:00 am (AEDT)
Returning Back to the Core Guided by Nicole Rotaru RSM
This Professional Development session invites participants to return to the heart of the ministry of spiritual direction through the practice of deep, trauma-informed listening, particularly in the context of grief and loss. Through reflective practice and shared inquiry, this session offers an opportunity to reconnect with the core of spiritual direction, holding space with care, cultivating safety, and remaining present without fixing.
Saturday 31st January, 9:30 – 11:00 am (AEDT)
Holding the In-Between: Accompanying Liminal Seasons in Spiritual Direction with Dr Lynn Moresi
‘Spiritual Direction often brings us alongside people in seasons where the old has loosened but the new is not yet clear. This session explores the nature of transition and liminal space, and how Spiritual Directors can accompany others through these in-between times of uncertainty with steadiness and care.
Previously in 2025:
Saturday 11th October, 9:30 – 11:00 am (AEDT)
The Secret Embrace: The Emergent Spirituality of Thomas Keating OCSO with Br Barry Donaghue
‘The Secret Embrace’, which explores the poetic legacy of Thomas Keating, the person who most extended the practice of Centring Prayer. In the last couple of years of his life, he wrote eight poems which trace and open out his spiritual journey. Join with us for a morning full of personal prayer interwoven with small and large group discussion.
Saturday 20th September, 9:30 – 11:00 am (AEDT)
Becoming: Enabling Attention with Ann Zubrick
Exploring a different way of thinking about the word ‘becoming’. We often hear it used about older age, becoming frail, isolated, or confused. But what if ‘becoming’ could mean something else entirely, becoming more, becoming spiritually enriched? Join Ann Zubrick as she shares her lived experience of companioning individuals living with dementia, a journey of presence, attentiveness and spiritual enrichment.
Saturday 17th May, 9:30 – 11:00 am (AEDT)
Soul Murmurings with Andrew Kennelly
Join us for a reflective morning with Andrew Kennelly, based on his latest Book, Soul Murmurings: Living with Grace, Humility, and Integrity. With over 40 years experience in contemporary spirituality, Andrew brings a deep understanding of the connection between lived experience and the inner life. Rooted in the spirituality of Franciscan Friars, where he was a member for 12 years, his workshops and rituals invite participants to explore this link.
Monday 7th April 6:00 – 7:15 pm (AEDT)
Facilitated by AECSD launch of Supervision Guidelines
The Supervision Guidelines are the result of a project conducted by the Australian Ecumenical Council for Spiritual Direction (AECSD) over several years. For the first time, the spiritual direction community has articulated its expectations regarding supervision of spiritual directors. We invite all members to attend the launch on Monday 7th April 6 – 7.15pm.
Saturday 15th March, 9:30 – 11:00 am (AEDT)
Hearing the Audacious Call to be Pilgrims of Hope with Mark Walsh
Join us for a morning guided by Mark Walsh of reflecting on Jubilee call to be pilgrims of Hope. Together, we will explore hope as a companion on our journey to the divine (Spes Non Confundit, #5). Inspired by Thomas Merton’s words, “How do we embrace the possibilities and challenges offered by the present with courage, faith, and hope?”, we will reflect on our role as companions to others and our own posture as pilgrims of hope.
Previously in 2024:
Saturday 14th December, 9:30 – 11:00 am (AEDT)
Welcoming in a Time of Advent Reflection
As the Advent season approaches, we invite you to join us for a morning of reflection as we contemplate the journey of Mary and Joseph – navigating the unknown while embracing the call to welcome. This will be a time of quiet reflection, small group conversation, and setting your heart in preparation for the season ahead.
Saturday 5th October, 9:30 – 11:00 am (AEDT)
Safeguarding and Professional Standards
We warmly invite you to join us for a morning with Dr. David Treanor opening a discussion on safeguarding and compliance in the context of spiritual direction. Dr. David Treanor is the Director of Safeuarding and Compliance at Australian Catholic Safeguarding Limited. David received his Ph.D in philosophy from the University of Tasmania, Australia where he specialised in Disability, Ethics and Friendship.
Saturday 7th September, 9:30 – 11:00 am (AEDT)
Sharing the Gift of being Spiritual Directors guided by CSD Reference Group
We warmly invite you to join us for a morning conversation to share our experience, wisdom, learnings and joys of practicing the art of spiritual direction. A morning guided by our CSD team and yourself. Creating an opportunity to connect with other members of the wider CSD community, with longer periods in break-out rooms to share your story, hear one another’s story along with the experience of practicing the art of spiritual direction.
Saturday 3rd August, 9:30 – 11:00 am (AEDT)
Sharing the Fruits of AECSD Conference: Paschal Mystery – A Reflective Time
Join us for a morning sharing and reflecting on the fruits from the recent AECSD conference. A few of our CSD members will share their experience from the conference. Breaking open the conference theme ‘Paschal Mystery’ by sharing of experience, along with having conversations in small groups and reflecting together as a community.
Previously in 2023:
Saturday 21st October, 9:30 – 11:00 am (AEDT)
Encounter: The Essence of Interculturality with Cathy Solano
Interculturality a theology calling us to embrace the rich diversities that God creates in our world. It is a vision of the kin-dom that Jesus preached, a belief that it is God’s dream for creation, and is also the deep yearning of all the peoples of earth. If we are open to the personal demands required for the process of interculturality we will be moved to address the fears fuelling the many problems of our world such as racism and exploitation.
Saturday 2nd September, 9:30 – 11:00 am (AEDT)
Exploring Spiritual Direction from the perspective of Cosmogenesis with Peter Hay
Holding a traditional cosmology can be a blockage to a person’s growing and evolving into the very best version of themselves. Laudato Si and many spiritual writers and mystics as well as science have opened us to a new understanding of cosmology, our sense of the world and our origin. In this workshop you will explore how as a spiritual director you may be able to hold, understand and nurture a directee into a new freer experience of spirituality and life.
Saturday 19th August, 9:30 – 11:00 am (AEDT)
Spiritual Direction in the Professional Space with Dr Bernadette Miles
In 2022, Kardia Formation Pty. Ltd, with the support of the Patrick and Anthony Wright Formation and Education Fund and the University of Divinity, conducted research to examine how critical reflection through spiritual direction could support teachers in developing resilience, teacher formation and wellbeing. This workshop will explore the results of this research and pose the question: How is spiritual direction moving beyond the traditional and religious contexts?
Saturday 17th June, 9:30 – 11:00 am (AEDT)
Barriers to Contemplative Listening: Enneagram Perspective with Rev. Malcolm Drake
The seminar is called ‘Barriers to contemplative listening. Enneagram perspective’. Using Janet Ruffing’s chapter in ‘Beyond the beginnings.’ Breaking open each section on ‘head’ ‘heart’ and ‘gut’ and how this influences spiritual direction. Rev. Malcolm Drake ‘Retired’ Uniting Church minister connected to Adamstown UCA Newcastle NSW.
Saturday 11th March, 9:30 – 11:00 am (AEDT)
Counselling or Spiritual Direction: Making the Right Call with Rev. David Songy
Up until this month, David Songy was the Director of St. Luke’s Institute, Boston. He is a licensed clinical psychologist and spiritual director. He will explore with us the unique benefits of psychological counselling and spiritual direction offering strategies for choosing and appropriate path of support and treatment.
Previously in 2022:
Saturday 19th November, 9:00 – 12:00 pm
Intensive Journal Workshop with Kate Scholl
Join us for a three hour morning workshop presented by Kate Scholl from Eremos. Is it time to pause and take a look at where / who you are?The Intensive Journal process provides a means to clarify one’s purpose, deepen relationships and live more authentically. We invite you to participate and engage with this wonderful process which connects us deeply to our inner resources and opens new awareness.
Saturday 8th October, 9:30 – 11:00 am
Exploring an article together: Spiritual Direction, the Wonder of the Incarnation with Philip Carter
A Conversation on Spiritual Direction, the Wonder of the Incarnation by Philip Carter. A morning reflecting together on the insight and what resinates from Philip Carters article. Small group conversations enable deeper conversation along with sharing in the larger group.
Saturday 10th September, 9:30 – 11:00 am
The Language of Silence with Sally Longley
If silence is God’s first language (St John of the Cross), then how fluent are we in this language? What are some of the ways we can develop our vocabulary and nuanced communion with the Divine through silence? And what are some ways we can encourage our directees on this path of conversations with silence? Sally Longley is a pastor, retreat leader, spiritual director and author based in Sydney, Australia.
Saturday 20th August, 9:30 – 11:00 am
Contemplative Supervision: An invitation to grow with Lynette Dungan
What does contemplative supervision look like? Images and perspectives. Who am I as a supervisor? Who am I as a supervisee? What do we hope to foster in spiritual direction supervision? And what are the shadows to be aware of? Ethics and Opportunities to grow.
Saturday 28th May, 9:30 – 11:00 am
Discuss the latest podcast with Brene Brown and Richard Rohr, and its impact on us as spiritual directors.
Spirituality, Certitude, and Infinite Love. This is a two part series podcast. Father Richard graciously expands on just a few of the quotes that have turned Brene Brown’s world upside down, sharing his thoughts on what it means to be humbled by the mysteries of faith; how we often misinterpret God as a dictator, not a lover; and how we’re ill-equipped to grasp the infinite nature of God and God’s love.
Saturday 5th March, 9:30 – 11:00 am
Jungian concept of the “Shadow” and its impact on spiritual direction with Fr Joe McHugh SJ
The Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung developed the concept of the “human shadow” to describe a collection of certain aspects of an individual’s personality which can inhibit and limit a person’s ability to live a fuller and more fruitful life. It is helpful for spiritual directors to be able to recognize how the “human shadow” functions, both in themselves and in their directees. A clearer awareness of how the “human shadow” works might better enable both directee and director to be to be more attentive, to where the Spirit might be leading.
Saturday 12th Feburary, 9:30 – 11:00 am
The Resilient Spiritual Director: Strengthening the Inner Life in Challenging Times with Dr Robert Wicks
One of the greatest gifts we can share with others is a sense of our own peace. However, we can’t share what we don’t have. By discussing spiritual and psychological approaches to maintaining a healthy perspective and inner strength in challenging times, Dr. Wicks, an expert on the prevention of secondary stress (the pressures experienced in reaching out to others) offering insights into how we can live in peace and, in turn, extend our warmth to others without losing our own inner fire in the process.
Previously in 2021:
Wednesday 8 December, 7:00 – 8:30pm
Advent Prayer with Carole Carmody
Carole Carmody will lead us in a time of prayer and reflection at the beginning of the season of Advent. Carole is a supervisor at Heart of Life. She is Sister of Mercy with a passion for the contemplative approach to spiritual direction, prayer, formative processes and retreats. She’s also a member of CSD Australia. Please join us for this pre-Christmas event, that last one for 2021.
Thursday 18 November, 5:00 – 6:30pm
In conversation with President Elect of Uniting Church, Australia – Charrisa Suli
Charrisa Suli is the youngest person ever elected and the first person of colour to serve as President-elect, and the second ordained woman in the role. She is second generation Tongan Australian. In her response to the announcement Charissa said: “This is the Uniting Church I have come to know that has given me the space to grow and be challenged, the opportunity to try new things, to call me into mission and to exercise my discipleship and affirm my gifts as a leader, even if I looked different or did things that were different from the status quo.”
Saturday 16 October, 9:30 – 11:00am
Spiritual Accompaniment Among the Fringes with Elizabeth Lee
Elizabeth Lee has a passion for fostering human connection through deep listening and for being a listening presence among the fringes. Liz has a diverse professional background. In recent times she has had the privilege of offering pastoral care among those living with homelessness. She will share with us some of her experience and learning along the way. Liz is a Spiritual Director/Pastoral Supervisor and a member of CSD Australia.
Saturday 18 September, 9:30 – 11:00am
Images, Story Telling and Spiritual Direction with Peter Malone
We know that storytelling is key to our experience of spiritual directing and direction. Those in direction sometimes reference books and stories they have read or draw on writings of spirituality authors in the process of Lectio Divina. But reading is a diminishing activity these days. Images on screen and streaming have gained significant influence. References can be made to films and television, social media. There is also a place for “spiritual watching”, “Visio Divina” as part of our ministry.