hello fellow traveler

Soul companioning– offering a place where your most authentic and whole Self has room to emerge and grow– is a privilege and a joy. There is a mystery in this deep, confidential connection, a vulnerability in the sharing, that cannot be put into words. At its most nourishing, the companioning relationship provides both a felt experience of safety and an invitation to growth, using questions, creative and contemplative practices, and a compassionate listening presence. Spiritual companionship is a form of community, a place where your soul is most welcomed, a place where relationship and awareness of Divine Compassion in daily life is nurtured.

I am

–a spiritual companion, supervisor, and grief companion
–a retreat leader, teacher, and creative
–ever learning, changing, seeking, and growing
–fully affirming
–interspiritual with training across traditions
–a native of the Christian contemplative tradition, a lover of Taoist and Buddhist practice, and deeply reverent of all wisdom traditions
–equally comfortable meeting in person or over Zoom

My pronouns are she/her.

My inner landscape is wide and varied, nourished by the streams of mysticism, poetry, travel, and deep conversations. I found from an early age that the inner life is as fascinating and mysterious as the outer, and perhaps even more so. Never one for small talk, even as an adolescent, I would seek out one-on-one relationships with others who were curious and committed to a life of depth and meaning. My love of music, which I pursued professionally through college and early adulthood, offered me opportunities to explore other cultures through travel, and eventually led me indirectly into spiritual care in ministry settings.

In early midlife I was impacted by a long season of depression, which coincided with a dark night of the soul, and emerging from this chrysalis I found myself drawn to the ministry of spiritual direction, with the desire to accompany others in places of spiritual dryness, turbulence, curiosity, and wonder. My unique journey of transformation included mystical experiences and then deep dives into spiritual teachings of many traditions, and I processed much of this through artistic exploration, which I still practice myself as well as use as a vehicle in retreats, workshops, and direction sessions with those whom I companion.

My spouse and I make our home in Ohio, USA, have four young adult children and two schnoodles, and dream of wandering permanently in an RV. The truest welcome and home are to be found within, and I treasure being able to companion others in all parts of the world through the wonder of technology.

If you would like to explore what a companioning relationship might
look like for us, I would love to hear from you.

why shaping the river?

As a lover of metaphor, I often go to the Psalms in the Hebrew scriptures for inspiration and encouragement, and that is where I found what was to become the title of this online space. Whatever I do in life I desire to be an outpouring of love– companioning others, creating art, music, or poetry, sharing with family and friends– and comes directly from the Source of all Love. All of life is a manifestation of this eternal flow.

My heart bursts its banks,
spilling beauty and goodness.
I pour it out in a poem to the Beloved,
shaping the river into words.
~Psalm 45:1 msg

I am a member of Spiritual Director’s International and abide by their Guidelines for Ethical Conduct. I completed the Wellstreams Program for the Art of Spiritual Direction, a part of The Spirituality Network of Columbus, Ohio, as well as the Spiritual Guidance Training Institute’s program for Interfaith and Interspiritual Wisdom. I am a Grief Companion, with certification through The Metta Center.

{Images throughout the site are my own with the exception of two images by Matt Hardy and Jan Tinneberg on Unsplash.}