Spiritual Direction for Writers® Training Graduates Who Offer Similar Services
Last year I had the honor of providing custom, individualized Spiritual Direction for Writers® training to three people who offer similar services. During our time together, we explored the philosophy and approach I have developed and used with Spiritual Direction for Writers® for the past several years.
Please take a few minutes to read about each of these lovely trainees, visit their websites, and peruse their offerings to see if they might be a good fit for you or someone you know. I highly recommend each of them to anyone interested in the intersection of creativity and faith.
Additional SDW Training opportunities will be available in a custom, individualized format beginning in June of 2025. If you’re interested in learning more, please email me at charlotte@charlottedonlon.com to set up a Zoom conversation to see if it’s a good fit.
Tanya Davis
Tanya Davis is a wife, mother, grandmother, philanthropist, and author whose life’s work is giving and pouring into the lives of others. A believer in the healing power of story, Tanya facilitates narrative workshops that bring people together to share their own stories and grow in empathy and love. She holds a bachelor’s degree in counseling from DePaul University with an emphasis on Narrative and a master’s degree in Narrative Medicine from Lenoir-Rhyne University.
Tanya offers Narrative Writing Workshops, one-on-one Narrative Writing Sessions, and custom group sessions. Please contact her at TDavis@thewillgroup.com if you’d like to learn more about her Narrative Writing offerings.
You can also visit her website at thetanyadavis.com.
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In Tanya’s latest book, Threads: A Tapestry of Life in the Black Community of Shiloh and Beyond, she offers a window into a small, vibrant African American community in Asheville, North Carolina. Drawing from rich traditions, struggles, triumphs, and everyday lives of historic Shiloh residents, Tanya shares untold narratives that create a greater understanding of Black life in Shiloh and beyond. Threads is a call to remember, to reflect, and to honor the lives that shape us – and a prompt for readers to explore and share their own threads.
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Here’s more from Tanya:
The Narrative Workshops
*Are a meditative practice. When you want to slow down and listen to the stories your body is holding.
*Are helpful if you have a fear of writing and want to explore the possibility in a non-judgmental space.
*Build confidence as you see the power of sharing your story with others.
*Build compassion and empathy as you become an active listener in the story of others.
We will write. We will listen. We will bear witness with one another in a sacred space.
Ryan Pelton
Ryan J. Pelton is a writer, speaker, coach, spiritual teacher, and ordained pastor. He's written multiple books, started multiple nonprofits, businesses, and interviewed hundreds of entrepreneurs, writers, creators, and world class leaders in every domain. Ryan lives with his wife, four kids, and dog Milo in Los Angeles, California.
His current offerings are on his website at www.ryanjpelton.com/coaching.
Socials: @ryanjpelton.bsky.social (Bluesky)
@ryanjpelton (Insta | Facebook | Threads)
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Here’s more from Ryan:
Spiritual Direction / Coaching / Guidance for Writers:
Overcome Resistance, Create New Habits, and Reconnect with Your Creative Soul
Writing is more than just putting words on a page—it’s a calling, a journey, and at times, a struggle. If you find yourself stuck, battling self-doubt, or unable to make time for your writing,
Spiritual Guidance for Writers is here to help.
This coaching/guidance program isn’t about productivity hacks or rigid schedules. It’s about uncovering what’s holding you back, reconnecting with your creative purpose, and discovering a deeper, more meaningful approach to your writing life. Through guided conversations, reflective practices, and personalized support, you'll gain clarity, confidence, and the space to write freely again.
Your words matter. Your voice matters. Words can change lives. Let’s explore what’s standing in the way—so you can finally write the stories only you can tell. Book a call today!
Holly Porter Phillips
Holly Porter Phillips is a pastor, writer, and trained spiritual director through Anam Cara. She loves the slow pace of spiritual direction and the gift of walking alongside others, bearing witness to their lives. After years of wrestling with her place in the church and overthinking life with God, she’s found new ways of encountering the Spirit through simply being.
Holly serves as co-pastor at a small church in Austin, Texas, where she lives with her musician husband, their three kids, and a backyard full of birds
Learn more about Holly and her work through her Substack and website at hollyporterphillips.com. Here is the most direct link to contact or sign up for her newsletter.
Holly currently offers one-on-one spiritual direction (for writers and others) and hosts mini-retreats and workshops a few times each year. In May she’s leading a mini-retreat on Preparing to Notice: An Eastertide Mini-Retreat. You can learn more here and register here.
