Spiritual Directors
The spiritual directors listed here have received professional degrees through the Institute for Spiritual Formation at Biola University and have been approved by our church leadership to offer direction at Redeemer in the Spiritual Direction Center.
(Listed Alphabetically)
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Debbie Barlotti |
It is a joy for me to sit with people in the presence of the Holy Spirit, as He helps them listen to their hearts and hear God’s heart, and as we respond together to His invitation to a deeper journey with the Father. Having served in cross-cultural ministry since 1979, I have a particular burden for broken people like myself, especially if they are current or aspiring Christian leaders, pastors,missionaries or those dealing with trauma. My husband and I and our children lived for 14 years on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where I worked as a nurse midwife with Afghan refugee women. My years in Asia, and 7 years working with patients, students and internationals in Oxford, UK, helped me learn how to walk softly with people who have deep wounds that only God can heal, often in the presence of another caring soul.
I received an MA in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care from Talbot Seminary in 2011, and was trained by Larry Warner in leading others through the Ignatian exercises. I have served informally as a Spiritual Director for over 25 years, and formally since 2010. I am currently working at Biola University with seminary students and leading groups and retreats. I continue to supervise and provide pastoral care to workers serving overseas. I have been married 40 years, and have three adult married children, four grandsons, and a dog. I love gardening, reading, ethnic foods and cooking, traveling, and walking in nature.
I received an MA in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care from Talbot Seminary in 2011, and was trained by Larry Warner in leading others through the Ignatian exercises. I have served informally as a Spiritual Director for over 25 years, and formally since 2010. I am currently working at Biola University with seminary students and leading groups and retreats. I continue to supervise and provide pastoral care to workers serving overseas. I have been married 40 years, and have three adult married children, four grandsons, and a dog. I love gardening, reading, ethnic foods and cooking, traveling, and walking in nature.
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William BishopEmail: willithica@gmail.com
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I completed training as a spiritual director in Spring 2015 and my MA in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care at Talbot School of Theology in December of 2015. I see spiritual direction as a space where we can invite someone into our relationship with God to listen and co-discern the movement and voice of God in the midst of our lives.
I'm passionate about providing a safe place created by prayer and partnership with the Spirit of God. My goal is not to be the person to give you answers but to help you learn to bring your questions honestly before God and find hope, acceptance and love in his presence. I have a passion for missions and missionaries, as well as people in ministry. While I think everyone can benefit from spiritual direction, those in ministry who give often forget to receive. My hope is that in direction you might receive from the Spirit of God wherever you find yourself in relationship with Him.
I have experience in youth ministry, missions, and pastoral care. I attended an Evangelical Free Church for about 28 years and have been at the Anglican Church since 2014. I am currently in pursuit of holy orders in the Anglican Church.
I'm passionate about providing a safe place created by prayer and partnership with the Spirit of God. My goal is not to be the person to give you answers but to help you learn to bring your questions honestly before God and find hope, acceptance and love in his presence. I have a passion for missions and missionaries, as well as people in ministry. While I think everyone can benefit from spiritual direction, those in ministry who give often forget to receive. My hope is that in direction you might receive from the Spirit of God wherever you find yourself in relationship with Him.
I have experience in youth ministry, missions, and pastoral care. I attended an Evangelical Free Church for about 28 years and have been at the Anglican Church since 2014. I am currently in pursuit of holy orders in the Anglican Church.
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Blair FabryEmail: blair.fabry@biola.edu
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Paul Tillich writes, “The first duty of love is to listen”. This truth challenges me as a follower of Christ and as a Spiritual Director. Being a good listener is foundational to maturity. I am passionate about ministry leaders and their care. In particular, I especially enjoy working with seminarians as they develop and sort through their faith stories. As God has been at work restoring my own early childhood trauma, I have a deep faith and am comfortable walking with others in their messy and complicated stories. I serve in a prayer and retreat ministry for a church near San Diego. Over the last five years, I have worked with students and staff at Biola. I have a Master’s degree in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care from Talbot Seminary. Additionally, I offer Spiritual Direction from my home office. Additionally, I have been through and trained in leading others through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Hiking and backpacking are my favorite pastimes. I believe beauty heals and open our souls in powerful and generative ways. I am mom to three married daughters and one college aged son. I have broad church experience across multiple traditions – Evangelical, Vineyard, Four Square and Presbyterian.
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RObbie GoforthEmail: robbiegoforth@gmail.com
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Samantha GuzziEmail: samantha.k.guzzi@biola.edu
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I graduated with a Master of Arts in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care from Talbot Seminary in May 2018. I’m currently working as a staff spiritual director at Biola University. It is my joy to companion alongside people on their spiritual journey, helping them become attuned to their life with God and the special love He has for them. Nothing means more to me than seeing people discover their identity in Christ and live out their primary vocation of communion with God as His beloved. I consider it a privilege to help others name and navigate their experience, together attending and responding to the presence, work and invitations of God in all areas of their life. It is important to me that direction is a safe resting place, a sacred space where people feel known, seen, heard, blessed and transformed by our Loving Lord in their deep. As an artist, one of my chief passions is helping people connect with God through beauty and creativity, engaging art
and play as prayer. May the face of our Lord Jesus shine upon you and bring you joy and peace.
and play as prayer. May the face of our Lord Jesus shine upon you and bring you joy and peace.
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Email: sarah.l.brown@biola.edu
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One of my deepest joys is being able to sit with others as they unfold their story and discover how the Holy Spirit is working, especially in the places where that feels like the furthest truth. This is what I love about direction, to be able to witness how the Spirit moves in an individual's life to slowly reveal the deep truth that they are known, seen, and loved. I enjoy an integrative approach to direction and engaging in prayer practices in the room together. I have a background in the foster care system and student affairs, and am currently pursuing an MFT. I've been a spiritual director for 6 years and work as a staff director and supervisor at the Institute for Spiritual Formation at Talbot.
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Email: donna.ostrom@gmail.com
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I received my Spiritual Direction training at Biola University where I graduated with my M.A. in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care in May 2009. During that time I participated in the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises Program (Nineteenth annotation) at the Loyola Institute for Spirituality in Orange, California. Meeting with my own spiritual director has continued to be a valuable place where am encouraged draw closer to the Lord. In that space I experience another pair of eyes to see and ears to hear what the Lord might be doing in ways I would not have otherwise noticed. I feel called to, in turn, provide that kind of space for others where they can experience a deeper awareness of God’s presence and how He is uniquely working in their lives. My training has increased my ability to discern the Holy Spirit’s leading and how He may be drawing a person into a more intimate relationship with God. My direction experiences over the past 10 years has been with people from ages 15 to 60, who are sensing their relationship with the Lord is not where they wish it were and are seeking wisdom and discernment.
In my spare time I love running, biking, golfing, and hiking, all the while looking for God’s presence. I seek Him in creation, and in solitude but also in retreat (both guided and unguided).
In my spare time I love running, biking, golfing, and hiking, all the while looking for God’s presence. I seek Him in creation, and in solitude but also in retreat (both guided and unguided).
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Laura Rhodes |
Being driven to being drawn is how I described my own need for spiritual direction years ago. As part of my desire to share with others what I have learned, I also pursued an MA in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care through Talbot Seminary. Now, as a spiritual director, it is an honor to help others quiet down, listen and grow in awareness of the gentle, loving presence of God. I have journeyed with the broken-hearted and feel at home in grief and tears, knowing that God is near to those who hurt deeply. I also savor times of celebration -being with others as they catch glimpses of God’s goodness, amazing care and deep love. In addition to heart-level conversations, I personally enjoy savoring a good meal with love and laughter of family and friends around the table.
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Stephen TorhausEmail: stephen.torhaus@gmail.com
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I am a Spiritual Director in La Mirada, CA with an M.A. in Spiritual Formation & Soul Care from the Institute for Spiritual Formation at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. I have a great fascination for personality (I am familiar with Myers-Briggs and the Enneagram) as it relates to spirituality and enjoy exploring the inner work of the Holy Spirit as it relates to a person's individuality rather than what the expected "normal" is supposed to look like. I take particular joy in exploring where a person's emotional (heart) experience/theology contrasts with learned (head) theology and working through the tension that is found there.
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Mark Vaughan |
I received my training as a spiritual director from the Institute for Spiritual Formation at Biola University and graduated from there with an MA in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care. My journey has taken many twists and turns over the years and I have seen God show up in unusual ways. I see my role as a spiritual director as one who “directs” your attention to where the Lord is at work in your life. How might He be revealing Himself to you? What is He doing in your life? Maybe we could explore these questions together.
I have three grown children and am daily blessed by my wife of over thirty years. I work full-time in another field, so my work as a spiritual director is part time.
I have three grown children and am daily blessed by my wife of over thirty years. I work full-time in another field, so my work as a spiritual director is part time.
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Anne WarnerEmail: anne.warner@biola.edu
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In 2014 I received training in individual and group spiritual direction from the Institute for Spiritual Formation at Talbot Seminary. I love sitting with others as they wonder about God in the big and small details of their lives. It is a gift to be a part of the stories, joys, pains, questions, fears, and hopes individuals experience with God. As a person who has been a part of Christian leadership groups, ministries, mentorships, and a church plant, I understand the temptation to hide from, embellish, misunderstand, completely ignore, and feel guilty about my relationship with God. I believe spiritual direction provides a safe and unhurried space to process these things. I am particularly interested in the experiences of those who have suffered loss, those who experience same-sex attraction, and those who are wrestling with doubt in their relationship with God. I also enjoy offering direction to groups of friends, ministry teams, or leadership groups. Let’s connect and see where God takes us.
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Brent Worthington |
I received a Master of Divinity with an emphasis in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care from Talbot School of Theology in 2016 and have been giving direction since 2014. I am a Staff Director and Supervisor at the Center for Spiritual Renewal as well as an adjunct faculty at Talbot Seminary where I give individual and group direction. I consider it such a gift to be able to sit with others and process their experience of God and his work in their lives. I love direction because it allows others to sit in the reality of their experiences and story and know God's love for them as they are truly seen and heard. My background is in the local church and Christian education. I have been married to my wife for seven years. We have two kids, one daughter and one son.