The CNRS Spiritual Director Training and Certification Course offered through the Center for Non-Religious Spirituality awards graduates the CSD certification. This course is designed to equip men and women to offer spiritual guidance and support to those who seek to cultivate a meaningful spirituality outside traditional religious frameworks. The course puts an emphasis upon faith transition, religious de/reconstruction, religious trauma, existential health and post-religion spirituality. 

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The CNRS SD training course is the only spiritual direction training course of its kind. It’s unique in several ways, including:

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• The course trains spiritual directors in the space of non-religious spirituality.

• The training specializes in areas such as faith transition, religious de/reconstruction, religious trauma, existential health and post-religion spirituality.

• An interdisciplinary training approach is utilized, including the fields of: philosophy; psychology; neurotheology; neuroscience; trauma work. 

• Course content was created by leading and pioneering figures in religious de/reconstruction and non-religious spiritual direction.

• The program includes 20 hours of practicum whereby trainees lead 20 spiritual direction sessions with volunteer directees.

• Each course member completes a professional course project that supports their interests in the field of non-religious spiritual direction.

• Course content is updated to consider current cultural issues such as: intersectionality dynamics; metacrisis and meaning-crisis; existential psychotherapy.

• Training on how to launch a spiritual direction practice or business.

• Graduates are added to the CNRS Spiritual Director Directory.

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The two lead trainers for this course are Jim Palmer and Brittney Hartley. Jim Palmer is a pioneering figure in non-religious spiritual direction, author of six books, and the Founder and Director of the Center for Non-Religious Spirituality. Brittney Hartley is a past graduate of the CNRS SD Training and Certification Course, author of bestselling book, No Nonsense Spirituality: All the Tools No Belief Required, recognized voice in the field of existential health, and established social media influencer in the area of non-religious spirituality.

 

Training Specifics

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The CNRS SD Training and Certification Course is a 12-month journey with a “flex option” of an additional month to complete coursework. Course content is delivered through the private training portal on the CNRS website. The training course includes:

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• Monthly content, reading, coursework and assignments

• One-On-One individual training sessions (Zoom video calls)

• Trainer “office hours” for weekly guidance and support

• Group cohort meetings and presentations (Zoom video group calls)

• 20 hours practicum (Zoom sessions with volunteer directees)

• Individual course project

• Post-graduation opportunities for continuing education and professional supervision

 

This is an online course and allows cohort members to complete assignments and coursework according to their own schedule. There are assignment deadlines to follow. Individual training Zoom calls are scheduled with each cohort member according to their availability and time-zone. The course materials are accessed through the training portal, with a few additional book purchases by cohort members.

*There is the option to take this training but not for the purpose of earning the certification or becoming a certified spiritual director. Some people may be interested in the course because of interest in course themes and content, and to have the opportunity to interact and work directly with the course trainers. In this instance, it is not necessary to complete the 20-hour practicum requirement. 

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Starting Date and Cost 

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• The next cohort will begin August 18th, 2025.

• The total cost of the training course is $5,000 or $385 in thirteen monthly payments.

• For a course application, send an email to: spiritualdirectiontraining@gmail.com 

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