After completing the 2-year Wayfaring Companions training, one may consider honing their skills to become certified as a Wayfaring Companion. The certification learning and experience hours are gained through five modules:
Module 1: PRESENCE – the evocative practice of spiritual companioning, holding a posture of curiosity
Module 2 : MYSTERY – Using metaphor and imagination
Module 3: VITALITY – Somatic body work, triggers, grief and loss
Module 4: MOXIE – Discernment
Module 5: CUSTOM – specific to a student’s desired area of interest (examples: using art, Enneagram, listening with those at end-of-life, listening with clergy, etc) – Concludes with a presentation at the upcoming Companionfest
Program hours (during a 9-month period): 15 hours of teaching and introspective reflection 30 hours of focused skills practice 10 hours of group supervision 5 hours individual supervision
What does it mean to be a Wayfaring Companion? What skills would I have?
A. Contemplative Posture of Presence
1. Demonstrates Ethical Practice Definition: understands and consistently applies spiritual direction ethics and standards.
- Demonstrates personal integrity and honesty in interactions with companions
- Is sensitive to companions’ identity, environment, experience, values, beliefs, and culture
- Uses language appropriate and respectful to companions
- Maintains confidentiality with companion information
- Maintains the distinctions between spiritual direction, counseling, psychotherapy, coaching, pastoral care, consulting, and other support professions.
- Refers companions to other support professionals, as appropriate
2. Embodies a Growth Mindset Definition: Develops and maintains a personal spiritual practice that is open, curious and flexible.
- Engages in ongoing personal spiritual practices
- Engages in ongoing shadow work individually and with a spiritual director
- Pursues ongoing reflective practice in supervision to enhance one’s companioning
- Remains aware of and open to the influence of context and culture on self and others
- Discerns movement of Vitality in one’s own life and the larger world
- Develops and maintains ability to regulate one’s own emotions
- Prepares for sessions mentally, emotionally and spiritually
- Discovers and honors one’s Moxie, strengths and limitations
- Seeks help from outside sources when necessary
- Engages in continuing education
- Nurtures a life balance of Presence and Moxie
B. Co-Creating Connection
3. Begins and Ends Well Definition: Discerns and creates clear parameters of the spiritual companioning relationship
- Explains clearly what spiritual companioning is and is not and describes the process to the potential companion
- Reaches agreement with companion about guidelines of the relationship, such as fee, scheduling, duration, termination, confidentiality, etc.
- Partners with the companion to determine compatibility
- Maintains list of referral options
- Partners with companion in reviewing discernment of continuation or termination of direction
- Recognizes one’s limits and when to refer
4. Holds Space Definition: Cultivates an environment of safe and brave space for the companion to share freely.
- Maintains mutual respect and trust
- Seeks to understand the companion within their context (identity, environment, experiences, beliefs, values)
- Demonstrates respect for companion’s identity, perceptions, style and language and adapts to the companion
- Shows support, empathy, and concern while keeping appropriate boundaries
- Acknowledges and supports companion’s expression of feelings, perceptions, concerns, and beliefs
- Demonstrates openness and transparency (within appropriate limits) as a way to build vulnerability and trust
- Releases personal agenda
- Promotes companion’s agency
5. Maintains Presence Definition: Is fully conscious and present with the companion, employing a style that is open, flexible, grounded, authentic and confident
- Remains focused, observant, empathetic and responsive to the companion
- Holds posture of curiosity
- Creates space for silence and reflection
- Manages one’s emotions to stay present with companion
- Demonstrates confidence in working with strong companion emotions during a session
- Honors Mystery, is comfortable not knowing
C. Layered Listening
6. Listens Actively Definition: Focuses on what the companion is and is not saying to fully understand what is being communicated
- Integrates the companion’s words, tone of voice, and body language to determine the full meaning of what is being communicated
- Recognizes and inquires when there is more to what the companion is communicating
- Notices, acknowledges and explores the companion’s emotions, energy shifts, non-verbal cues or behaviors
- Reflects or summarizes what the companion communicated to ensure clarity and understanding
- Considers companion’s context, identity, environment, experiences, values and beliefs to enhance understanding of what companion is communicating
- Notices trends in companion behavior, language, or emotions across sessions to discern themes and patterns
- Acknowledges and supports companion growth over time
7. Evokes Awareness Definition: Facilitates companion insight and learning individually and in community
- Trusts and responds to intuition and leading of Vitality
- Recognizes and responds to Vitality in the companion and community
- Asks powerful open questions that lead to further exploration and depth
- Unearths new perspectives using imagery, metaphor and analogy
- Gently guides the companion toward spiritual conversation
- Challenges (when appropriate) the companion as a way to evoke insight
- Adjusts companioning approach in response to companion’s needs
- Supports the companion in reframing perspectives
- Shares observations, insights, feelings and wonderings, without attachment, that have the potential to create new learning for the companion
- Knows about and can choose, facilitate and teach appropriate spiritual practices with individuals and groups
- Welcomes Mystery and alternative sources of wisdom
D. Lifelong Learner
8. Collects Effective Techniques Definition: Seeks out opportunities for continuing education and support, incorporating alternative sources of wisdom
- Understands and acknowledges the strengths and limitations of persons in the history of spiritual direction (past, present, future)
- Experiences and teaches a variety of prayer practices
- Facilitates guided meditation with individuals and groups
- Facilitates group spiritual companioning
- Demonstrates comfort taking companions into deep work within common topics: Grief, Discernment, Contemplative Prayer, De- and Re-construction of faith, Triggers
- Recognizes intersection of spiritual companioning with one’s own unique gifting
- Nurtures one’s passion for learning in specific topic areas, such as: Dreams, Enneagram, Iconography, Grief, Trauma, social justice, age-related listening
- Seeks out and participates in opportunities for peer support and sharing
Wayfaring Companions 