Spiritual Direction Verbatim Examples

Spiritual direction is the practice of listening, reflecting, and guiding someone in their relationship with God or their deeper sense of the sacred. One tool used in training spiritual directors is the verbatim. A spiritual direction verbatim is a written record of an actual session (with identifying details removed) that allows directors to reflect on their listening skills, questions, and insights. In this article, we’ll explain what a verbatim is, why it’s important, and provide spiritual direction verbatim examples to help you understand how they work in practice.

What Is a Verbatim in Spiritual Direction?

A verbatim is a detailed written account of a spiritual direction session. It usually includes:

• Context: Information about the directee (age, background, faith tradition, presenting concern).
• Dialogue: A near word-for-word record of what was said by both the director and directee.
• Reflections: Notes on what the director was feeling, thinking, or noticing internally.
• Analysis: Observations about themes, insights, and areas for growth in the director’s practice.
• Spiritual Insight: Discernment about how God, Spirit, or the divine may have been present in the session.

Verbatims are not shared publicly but are used in supervision, peer groups, or training programs to help directors learn and grow in their ministry.

Why Are Verbatims Important?

Verbatims are valuable tools because they:

• Encourage self-awareness by showing patterns in how a director listens and responds.
• Highlight moments where the Spirit may have been moving in the conversation.
• Provide supervisors with concrete examples to guide feedback.
• Help directors refine their questions and avoid leading or judgmental responses.
• Create opportunities for deeper reflection on the sacredness of each encounter.

Spiritual Direction Verbatim Examples

Below are sample verbatim excerpts. These are simplified for teaching purposes and anonymized for confidentiality.

Example 1: Exploring God’s Presence in Grief

Context: Directee recently lost a loved one and is struggling to feel God’s presence.

Directee: I’ve been praying, but it feels like God is silent. I don’t know where He is in all of this.

Director: That sounds very painful. When you say “silent,” what does that silence feel like to you?

Directee: It feels empty, like my prayers go nowhere.

Director (reflection): I notice my own heart feels heavy hearing this. I pause before responding.

Director: Sometimes silence can feel empty, but sometimes it can also be a kind of presence. Do you sense any difference?

Directee: Maybe… sometimes the quiet feels like loneliness, but other times it feels like a gentle holding. I’m not sure.

Analysis: The director notices grief but avoids trying to fix it. Instead, they open space for the directee to reflect on the difference between emptiness and presence.

Example 2: Discernment About a Life Decision

Context: Directee is considering a career change and wants spiritual clarity.

Directee: I’ve been offered a new job, but I don’t know if it’s what God wants me to do.

Director: How do you usually sense God’s guidance in your life?

Directee: Through peace in my heart. But right now, I just feel anxious.

Director (reflection): I feel an urge to reassure, but I hold back to let them explore.

Director: Can you describe both the peace you long for and the anxiety you feel right now?

Directee: The peace would feel like a gentle “yes.” The anxiety feels like I might be stepping away from what matters most.

Analysis: The director invites the directee to articulate feelings rather than giving advice. This helps the directee clarify what “peace” means personally.

Example 3: Wrestling With Prayer

Context: Directee is struggling with dryness in prayer life.

Directee: Prayer feels like talking to an empty room. I keep asking God for direction, but nothing changes.

Director: What is it like for you to keep showing up, even when it feels empty?

Directee: Honestly, it feels pointless sometimes, but I also don’t want to stop.

Director (reflection): I notice my own experience of dry prayer seasons surfacing, but I stay present.

Director: It sounds like perseverance is important to you. What keeps you returning to prayer?

Directee: I guess hope—that maybe God is listening even when I can’t feel it.

Analysis: The director validates the struggle without dismissing it and helps the directee name the underlying hope that sustains their practice.

Common Themes in Verbatims

By studying verbatims, directors often notice recurring themes:

• Silence: Many directees encounter silence in prayer, which can be reframed as presence.
• Discernment: Career, relationships, and life choices often bring people to direction.
• Doubt and Faith: Wrestling with belief is a common and healthy part of the journey.
• Presence: Both directee and director often sense divine presence in surprising ways.

How to Write Your Own Verbatim

If you are a spiritual director in training, here’s a simple structure to follow:

1. Context: Age, background, presenting issue (anonymous).
2. Dialogue: Write as close to word-for-word as possible.
3. Reflections: Note what you were thinking, feeling, or sensing internally.
4. Analysis: Highlight insights, challenges, and areas for growth.
5. Spiritual Presence: Reflect on where you believe God or Spirit was active.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are verbatims exact transcripts?

Not always. They are near-verbatim records meant to capture the essence of the conversation, with sensitive details removed for confidentiality.

2. Do directees ever see the verbatims?

No. Verbatims are written for the director’s growth and supervision. They are not shared with the directee.

3. What’s the benefit of writing reflections in a verbatim?

They help directors become more aware of their internal reactions and biases, which improves listening and discernment skills.

4. How long should a verbatim be?

Typically 3–5 pages, depending on the depth of dialogue and reflection included.

5. Can verbatims be used outside formal training?

Yes. Even experienced directors use them as a self-reflection tool for ongoing growth.

Conclusion

A spiritual direction verbatim is more than just a transcript—it is a tool for reflection, growth, and awareness of how the Spirit moves in sacred conversations. By studying spiritual direction verbatim examples, we see how listening, patience, and presence open space for directees to discover God’s work in their lives. Whether you’re in training or simply curious, verbatims remind us that the heart of spiritual direction is not fixing or advising, but listening deeply to the sacred journey of another.