PROFESSIONAL

GUIDELINES FOR
DIRECTORS
Code of ethics in Spiritual Direction
CODE OF ETHICS IN SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
 INTRODUCTION

In spiritual direction the director

offers spiritual companionship to the
directee. His or her work is that of a
spiritual companion, soul friend or
spiritual guide. The bond of
friendship with the directee is
subject to certain professional
guidelines.
Director’s ethical behaviour does not
result primarily from a set of rules, but
from his or her personal commitment
to the directee’s growth. For this the
directors must have a strong external
emotional support system. Their
friendship and intimacy needs must be
met outside the spiritual direction
relationships.
They understand the causes of stress and
burnout in their ministry. It is important that
they care for themselves through sufficient
time set aside for prayer, physical and
emotional wellbeing, and most of all,
supervision under other experienced directors.
They keep abreast of developments in
their field of service and ministry.
 They need training in the
ethical demands and practices of
spiritual direction
 They must be aware of the
public accountability of the service
they do
1. BOUNDARIES

BETWEEN HELPING PROFESSIONS

The directors constantly remind themselves of
the distinction between spiritual direction and
other therapeutic helps by continually
reflecting on the truth that it is God who is the
real director. They don’t move away from the
real purpose of their service by sliding into any
style of counselling or psychotherapy.
Support and help from the discipline
of psychology is fine in assisting a
directee. But there is the danger that
spiritual direction can be swallowed
up by the psychologists’ clinical
language and methodology.
When the directee is in need of
professional therapeutic help, the
director can refer the person to a
therapist. But he must make sure
on such occasions that he gives
continued support, and the directee
never feels abandoned.
DUAL RELATIONSHIPS

Ethical code warns us against role-

mixing in the work of spiritual
direction.
What is absolutely forbidden are
 Any covert or overt sexual
intimacy or involvement between the
director and directee, or between the
director and directee’s spouse or partner.
 Business or financial dealings
with the directee
Direction of close intimate friends or of more
than one person from the same family is not
recommended. The director must use common
sense and ensure a clean space for spiritual
direction.
Except in initial formation, it is not good
that the spiritual director is one who also
exercises juridical power of authority over
the directees. It may lead to a dual
relationship that seriously affects
transparency. For example, relationships
like bishop-priest, superior-subject and so
on. Even in initial formation (except in the
novitiate) the candidates should be offered
the freedom to go to a spiritual director of
their choice.
PHYSICAL CONTACT

No sexual interaction with directees! In

addition to avoiding any sexual intimacy,
any gesture of physical contact must be
consciously examined. Even when culture
allows such gestures, the director should
ask: “Is physical touch my need or the
directee’s need? Does it benefit the goal of
spiritual direction?”
EXCHANGE OF GIFTS

Giving and receiving gifts is not

infrequent in a spiritual direction
relationship. However, it is good to
be cautious that gifts of such kind do
not compromise the freedom of their
relationship or make them obliged to
each other.
2. CONFIDENTIALITY

Spiritual direction sessions take place in an

environment of privacy and safety.
Confidentiality is absolutely essential. Without
the informed consent or written permission of
the directee, the director should not disclose
any information from the current or past
spiritual direction sessions.
The directee must also maintain
restraint about revealing the content of
the sessions out of respect for the
sacredness of interior life. However, this
is a recommendation not obligatory like
the director’s confidentiality.
RECORDING SESSIONS

Taping the sessions by the director is

strongly discouraged not only
because of confidentiality issues, but
because it gives an inappropriate
clinical appearance to spiritual
direction. Verbatim accounts may be
used for any purpose only with the
written consent of the directee.
 THREE EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE OF
CONFIDENTIALITY

1. Spiritual directors often go for

supervision. If they take the material of the
session for supervision, they should inform the
directees and assure them that the contents will
be kept as anonymous as possible. If the
directees object to it, they must respect their
wishes.
2. Should the directee report
something that involves serious and
proximate harm to themselves or others, the
director is not bound by confidentiality and
must try to intervene in some way to
prevent it. Legally non-licensed counsellors
like spiritual directors are not mandated to
report potential suicide, but they have a
moral duty to act in such eventualities.
3. In the case of abuse of minors, spiritual
directors like all citizens have the duty to report,
warn the endangered parties or their legal
guardians. While intervening in such cases, they
have to strictly abide by the laws of the country.
The rule of confidentiality does not apply in
matters of child abuse. The priority is for
ensuring the safety of the minor at risk.
Whenever possible, the intervention and
prevention must come from the person receiving
direction, encouraged and backed by the
director.
3. TERMINATION

Like any helping relationship spiritual

direction relationship too end for
various reasons. A regular evaluation,
once in six months or so, is highly
recommended to discern whether the
relationship should continue or not. The
directee always has the freedom to stay
or leave. A director should not cling to
the directee or block termination.
Ending should not be abrupt. Spiritual
direction is a joint work. Therefore, the
sacred bond of trust between the director
and the directee should not be broken
lightly. The director should in some way try
to effect a completion of the journey of
accompaniment and leave time to the
directee to make alternative arrangements.
When directees terminate directors freely
and graciously release them with no attempt
to dissuade them from leaving.