Welcome

Your spiritual journey is sacred and deeply personal. It is important that you find a director whom you feel an openness toward and a willingness to share your spiritual journey. Sometimes, it is helpful to have a spiritual director who has had similar experiences with shares some aspect of your journey. 

I have been a spiritual seeker throughout my life. I was not raised within a particular religious community. As a pre-teen I joined friends in their worship services, seeking a religious community to call home. For a time, I felt a sense of belonging with a youth group in a Christian denomination. I was disconnected once again upon moving away from the area after our parents divorce.  Then, as a young adult, I affirmed agnosticism and atheism for a time. When I found sobriety in 1993 through 12-step programs, I began to develop a relationship with a Higher Power which is sustaining, empowering and affirming. I continued my search found Unitarian Universalism around the year 2000. Within Unitarian Universalism, I continue to seek contact with mystery, universe, the transcendent, a God of my own understanding through engagement with a variety of spiritual practices and traditions.  

I am originally from Minnesota; born in St. Paul, MN. I lived on a hobby farm in Lindstrom/North Branch area, then Stillwater and Lakeland, before moving to South Minneapolis where I attended high school and college. In 1997, I moved to Chicago, Illinois for graduate school. In 2006, we moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where we now call home. I also briefly lived in San Diego, CA in the mid 1980's and in Louisville, Kentucky for a year in 2017.  

During this time, I earned an Associate degree from a community college and a Bachelor degree from Lutheran liberal arts college. I then went on to earn a Master and doctorate from a Catholic University in Chicago. It was for a research project in graduate school that I first encountered Unitarian Universalism and became a member of a congregation. It was while working for another mainstream denomination that I first began to respond to my call to ministry. I completed theological training at one of the two UU theological schools and was ordained in February 2016. I then trained as a Spiritual Director and received my spiritual direction certificate in 2019. In 2021, I became a trained Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator. I am a member of Spiritual Directors International,  the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, the Unitarian Universalist Society for Community Ministries. the Unitarian Universalist Spiritual Directors Network and Veriditas.

Nature and animals have always played an important role in my life. I grew up with many dogs and cats, some were our family pets and others we fostered. I loved many pets which means that I have also deeply grieved the death of many pets. We currently share our home with a super affectionate and cuddly Standard Poodle, two anti-social cats, a hamster, fish and my spouse is an arachnid hobbyist. I thoroughly enjoy being in the woods - hiking, sitting and listening, watching birds, and collecting rocks. I love to explore new places and we camp as often as we can. Our favorite places to camp are the state parks.  

I have personal and professional experience with trauma, violence, addiction, infertility and childlessness. I hope these pages have given you a sense of who I am and how I approach spiritual direction. If you would like more information, have any questions, or would like to begin spiritual direction, please feel free to contact me. 

Rev. Michelle