Listening in Community:
A Group Spiritual Direction, SoulCollage® & Labyrinth Workshop
August 20-23, 2026
Bon Secours Retreat and Conference Center, Marriottsville, Maryland
Schedule
Thursday, August 20, 2:00 pm – Sunday, August 23, 1:00 pm, EDT
During this in-person experiential workshop, participants will have the opportunity to learn about and engage with the deep listening practices of Group Spiritual Direction (GSD), SoulCollage® and walking the Labyrinth. Experienced leaders will introduce and facilitate sessions on each practice. (Artistic experience and/or prior experience with GSD is not necessary to participate in this workshop!)
Group Spiritual Direction is a practice of prayerful listening in community – to others, to self, and to God – in a small group setting. Prior to meeting in small groups, an overview of the Shalem Institute model for Group Spiritual Direction will be provided. This model is based on the work of the late Rose Mary Dougherty and her book Group Spiritual Direction: Community for Discernment. Participants will meet multiple times in small groups facilitated by an experienced leader.
SoulCollage® is an intuitive practice of exploration and self-discovery where cut-out images are used to create small collage cards. Prior to creating cards, an overview of the SoulCollage® process will be provided. All materials will be provided. Participants will receive a start-up packet of supplies and are welcome to bring their own additional supplies and images.
Walking the Labyrinth has emerged today as a metaphor for the spiritual journey and is a powerful tool for transformation. This walking meditation is an archetype, an ancient ritual found in many religious traditions. It is an evocative tool that engages the imagination and senses, creating an awareness of how we relate to ourselves, others and the Holy.
RESIDENCY LOCATION
Bon Secours Retreat and Conference Center is in a beautiful setting in Marriottsville, Maryland. The grounds include a reflecting pond, a labyrinth, a peace garden, and a swimming pool. Each retreatant will have a private room with a bathroom. Nine meals are included (Thursday dinner through Sunday lunch).
CORE LEADERS
Julie Brigham
Julie Brigham is a Lutheran pastor serving in a rural parish setting. A graduate of Shalem’s Nurturing the Call: Spiritual Guidance program (2026), Julie has participated in various long and short-term Shalem programs…
Julie is a SoulCollage® Facilitator as well as a certified Labyrinth Facilitator (Veritas), a member of the National Association for Poetry Therapy. A member of Shalem’s GSD workshop staff, Julie is particularly interested in the connection between spirituality, recovery, and creativity.
Caz Tod-Pearson
Caz Tod-Pearson trained as a spiritual director at the Kairos School of Spiritual Formation. She initially used her training as a spiritual director to accompany young adults doing urban ministry, asking questions at the intersection of faith and justice, and has since offered spiritual direction and GSD in a variety of settings…
Caz recently graduated with a Master’s of Practical Theology and is currently working as the Community Life Minister at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Yardley, PA, and as a chaplain for Esperanza Health Center in Philadelphia, offering spiritual direction to their staff. Caz has served on Shalem’s GSD staff for more than 10 years.
Nan Weir
Nan Weir is an architect and small group/retreat leader dedicated to creating sacred space and deepening spiritual community. She is a graduate of Shalem’s Transforming Community: Leading Contemplative Prayer Groups and Retreats, Facilitating Group Spiritual Direction, and Soul of Leadership long-term programs…
She currently serves as the Co-Director of Shalem’s Group Spiritual Direction (GSD) program. She has been practicing and teaching GSD for more than twenty-five years, is a SoulCollage® Facilitator, and has been creating soul collage cards for twelve years.
COST & REGISTRATION
Registration Deadline: Thursday, July 16, 2026. This is a small workshop with a limited number of spaces. Please register early to ensure your place.
Tier I – $650.00. This tier provides an opportunity to participate in the workshop at a reduced cost.
Tier II – $750.00. This tier reflects the true cost of providing the workshop experience for one participant.
Tier III- $850.00. This tier provides an opportunity to support the participation of another participant.
If you need a different payment plan or a scholarship to make this workshop accessible, please contact the workshop coordinator, Erica Van Lunen, at erica@shalem.org.
Cancellation Policy for the Group Spiritual Direction, SoulCollage & Labyrinth Workshop: Cancellation on or before July 16, 2026, refund of cost, less $50. No refunds after July 16.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Erica Van Lunen is the Registrar for the Group Spiritual Direction, SoulCollage & Labyrinth Workshop and can be contacted at Erica@shalem.org.