This study explores the similar and different developmental influences that shape the practice of beginning and advanced spiritual directors. An examination of the contemporary literature on spiritual direction finds that in the main, two developmental influences shape the practice of contemporary spiritual directors: their capacity to adopt a contemplative stance towards their directees and their ability to be aware contextually of the factors that fashion the dynamic of accompaniment. While the review highlights the presence of these two influences, the literature is deficient in understanding the similarities and differences in how these two influences shape the practice of beginning and advanced spiritual directors. To address the deficiency, this study reviews three groups of Western Australian spiritual directors, Anglican, Churches of Christ and Roman Catholic. The investigation takes a qualitative, ethnographic approach, using focus groups. An analysis and discussion of the data confirms that the similarities and differences in the influences that shape their practice revolve around two key developmental influences namely, the capacity of directors to adopt a contemplative stance to their directees, and their ability to be aware contextually of the factors that fashion the dynamic of accompaniment. While both influences shape beginning and advanced directors, the former impacts more on the practice of beginning directors and the latter more affects advanced directors. Two factors may initiate and sustain the capacity of directors to adopt a contemplative stance. First, directors grow by noticing and attending to all the dimensions of their human experience. Second, directors develop by having their experience attended to in some form of therapeutic relationship or through participation in various developmental group processes. Directors may enhance their capacity to be aware contextually of the factors that fashion the dynamic of accompaniment through understanding paradigms about spiritual direction practice and spiritual development. Their appreciation of paradigms about spiritual direction may derive from two sources. The first is by how they distinguish more effectively spiritual direction from other therapeutic practices. The second is by how they grow in understanding relevant theological, philosophical, and psychological perspectives that inform good practice. Directors may further increase their comprehension of interpretive frameworks about spiritual development by redressing the attitudinal effects of fundamentalism and incorporating a multiplicity of approaches to spirituality. Training programmes are an important means to introduce and develop directors’ abilities to be aware contextually of the factors that fashion the dynamic of accompaniment. A person’s ecclesial role may influence the context in which a director commences practice. From this discussion, this study draws conclusions and offers recommendations applicable to practice and research.

Inledning: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka likheter och olikheter mellan psykodynamisk psykoterapi och andlig vägledning utifrån upplevelsen hos de som har erfarenhet av att möta människor i både psykoterapi och andlig vägledning. Förhoppningen är att studien kan bidra till ökad förståelse för såväl likheter som olikheter de olika samtalsmetoderna, med psykologiskt perspektiv och med andligt perspektiv, emellan.Frågeställningar: Hur upplevs likheter och olikheter mellan psykoterapi och andlig vägledning, hur upplevs mötet med den hjälpsökande i psykoterapi och andlig vägledning, av dem som är utbildade till och erbjuder både psykodynamisk psykoterapi och andlig vägledning?Hur upplevs eventuella fördelar och svårigheter med de dubbla yrkesrollerna, som psykoterapeut och andlig vägledare?Metod: Fem kvalitativa intervjuer genomfördes. Intervjuerna analyserades med hjälp av tematisk analys med induktiv ansats i kodning, tematisering och analys av insamlat data.Resultat: Deltagarna beskrev att båda metoderna är samtalskurer, att kvalitén i mötet är viktig och att den hjälpsökande kommer till insikter om sig själv. Deltagarnas svar visade att gränsdragningen mellan psykoterapi och andlig vägledning ibland är enkel, ibland inte. Möjligheten att helt skilja andlig vägledning och psykoterapi åt beskrevs av deltagare ligga i synen på andlighet och gudstro. En önskan om dialog mellan professionella med såväl psykologiskt som andligt perspektiv, framkom.Diskussion: Deltagarna gav inte entydiga svar angående likhet och olikhet mellan psykoterapi och andlig vägledning. Deltagarnas syn på människan som bärare av både psykologiska och andliga erfarenheter kan medföra att de med dubbel kompetens befinner sig i ett gränsland mellan sekulär psykoterapi och konfessionell andlig vägledning. Medmänsklighet och empati framträder tydligt som de viktigaste komponenterna i samtalet med den hjälpsökande. / Introduction: The purpose of this study is to investigate the similarities and differences between psychodynamic psychotherapy and spiritual direction based on the experience of those who meet people both in psychotherapy and in spiritual direction, and to increase the understanding of both similarities and differences between the methods.Questions: How are similarities and differences between psychotherapy and spiritual direction experienced, how is the encounter with those seeking psychotherapy and spiritual direction experienced by those educated for and offering psychodynamic psychotherapy and spiritual direction?How are possible benefits and difficulties experienced with the dual roles, as psychotherapist and spiritual director?Method: Five qualitative interviews were conducted. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis with inductive approach in coding, thematization and analysis of collected data.Results: Study participants described that both methods are talking cures, that the quality of the interpersonal meeting is important and that the applicant seeks to gain insight about himself. Study participants described that the distinction between psychotherapy and spiritual direction was not always easy. The ability to differentiate spiritual direction and psychotherapy was described by participants lay in the view of spirituality. Study participants talked about the importance of dialogue between professionals with psychological and spiritual perspective.Discussion: Study participants did not provide unambiguous answers regarding similarity and dissimilarity between psychotherapy and spiritual direction. As the study participants hold the view of human beings as carrying both psychological and spiritual needs they risk ending up in a no man’s land between secular psychotherapy and confessional spiritual direction. Interpersonal warmth and empathy was described as the most important components of the meeting with the help seeking applicant.