We do expect our applicants to have a history of being in direction for at least a minimum of six months to a year (ideally) prior to the official start of the SSD program. This prerequisite is rooted in the experience and wisdom of the Christian community’s practice of spiritual guidance and generally is accepted as a guideline in most, if not all, spiritual direction programs. Part of the rationale is that one fundamental way we learn to be spiritual directors is by being in direction ourselves. This is also the reason why we require participants to be in spiritual direction on a monthly basis while going through the program. That being said, the interviewing committee treats each applicant and his/her unique situation singularly, and we reserve the right to make legitimate exceptions if our communal judgment and discernment lead us to do so.