Program Overview: CQ Asia-SSD

SCHOOL OF SPIRITUAL DIRECTION (CQ ASIA COHORT 3)
Program Overview

Basic Application Requirements:
  • Bachelor's degree (or equivalent)
  • Three recommendations: ministerial, academic, personal (see Criteria for Recommenders)
  • Basic computer/online literacy
  • Clear sense of calling to be a spiritual director
  • Application paperwork (with $150 nonrefundable/nontransferable application fee)
  • Personal interview (conducted via Zoom web call)
Pre-Requisites:
  • A history of being in spiritual direction and currently seeing a spiritual director.
  • Basic familiarity with most, if not all, of the following subject matter (formal or informal):
    1. Introduction to Christian Spirituality, Spiritual Formation, and/or Spiritual Direction
    2. History of the Church or Christian Spirituality
    3. Introduction to Spiritual Disciplines
  • Satisfactory completion of SC - Soul Companioning: Intro to SD (4-week online course): Ideally, take this intro-level course before applying. We will be offering this intro course four times in 2027 to accommodate applicants who haven't taken it yet. For schedule details, check out our CQ Asia Spiritual Direction Online Courses page!
  • NOTE: Applicants accepted into the program are required to take a special six-week eCourse (Basic Intro Trilogy - BIT) combining all three of our basic intro offerings:
    1. God's Reality: Exploring the Basics of Christian Spirituality 
    2. In Christ's Image: Exploring the Basics of Spiritual Formation
    3. Habits of the Heart: Exploring the Basics of Spiritual Disciplines
Program Components:
  • Four quarters of online module study: 8 weeks total each quarter (with a pre-formal practicum period after the 2nd quarter and before the 3rd quarter)
  • Eighteen program offerings: Two Orientation classes, 8 online module courses (2 per quarter with a 2-week interim period in between courses and a 3-week inter-term period in between quarters), 6 residency courses (equivalent to 3 courses per residency), plus the pre-formal practicum online course with supervised "Role-Play" and a month-long "Real Play" Dyads praxis.
  • Two one-week residencies: The Opening Residency typically runs from Sunday afternoon to Friday noon in a retreat center in the Luzon region of the Philippines. The Closing Residency typically runs from Sunday afternoon to Sunday noon and includes a full-day silent retreat.
  • Cohort system: 15 maximum participants per cohort section with two anticipated sections
Participant Cost:
  • Total Program Fee effective January 2027: $ 5,650 (inclusive of all tuition/technology fees and residency activity expenses [excluding board & lodging and travel]). 
  • Note: Limited slots are available with a Special Early Bird (SEB) discount of $550 for those who apply from mid-January 2027 through mid-May 2027 and are interviewed and accepted into the program by mid-May 2027, or until slots are filled.  They will be eligible for a discounted program fee of $5,100.
  • Additional Costs: Books/Course materials and residency travel expenses are the participant’s responsibility. Other miscellaneous expenses are spelled out under the FAQ in the Tuition/Fees section.
CQ Asia-SSD Cohort 3 Overview Schedule (2028-2029)
PRE-REQUISITE ONLINE COURSES:

  • SC - Soul Companioning: Intro to SD (February, May, August, and November 2027) – 4 Weeks via Moodle 
  • BIT - Basic Intro Trilogy: Christian Spirituality/Spiritual Formation/Spiritual Disciplines (June and September 2027, February 2028) – 6 Weeks via Moodle

OPENING RESIDENCY - Retreat Center (August 20-25, 2028)

  • CQ Asia-SSD Learning Community Covenant of Shared Intention
  • Special Feature Series Henri Nouwen: CenterQuest Inspiration and Guide
  • Companions in Community (CinC) group experience

ONLINE COURSE MODULES via MOODLE

FIRST QUARTER - Sept 25-Dec 16, 2028

  • Online Course #1 - CP I (Sept 25-Oct 21)
    • Contemplative Prayer I: (A Way of Seeing)
  • Two-Week Interim Break
  • Online Course #2 - CP II (Nov 6-Dec 9 - including Thanksgiving week break)
    • Contemplative Prayer II: (A Way of Listening)
  • Three-Week Inter-Term Break
  • WayPoint I (Dec 16, Sat, 8-10 am)

SECOND QUARTER - Jan 8-Apr 7, 2029

  • Online Course #3 - PD I (Jan 8-Feb 3)
    • Prayerful Discernment I: Foundations
  • Two-Week Interim Break
  • Online Course #4 - PD II (Feb 19-Mar 17)
    • Prayerful Discernment II: Practices
  • Four-Week Inter-Term Break (including Holy Week break)
  • WayPoint II (April 7, Sat, 8-9:30 am)

PRE-FORMAL PRACTICUM PERIOD - Apr 16-May 26, 2029

  • Online Course #5 - ISD (Apr 16-21)
    • Individual Spiritual Direction
  • Online Course #6 - RPD (Apr 23-May 19)
    • [Supervised ] Real Play Dyads
  • Social Location Exercise  (May 21-26)

THIRD QUARTER - May 28-Aug 4, 2029

  • Online Course #7 - SDS (May 28-Jun 23)
    • Spiritual Direction Supervision
    • Practicum: FGS -Facilitated Group Supervision
  • Two-Week Interim Break
  • Online Course #8 - TR (Jul 9-Aug 4)
    • [Contemplative] Theological Reflection
  • Three-Week Inter-Term Break

FOURTH QUARTER - Aug 27-Nov 3, 2029 

  • Online Course #9 - GSG (Aug 27-Sept 22)
    • Group Spiritual Guidance
  • Two-Week Interim Break
  • Online Course #10 - CLS (Oct 8-Nov 3)
    • Critical Life Stages
  • Four-Week Break

CLOSING RESIDENCY - Retreat Center (Dec 1-8, 2029)

  • IDT - Inner Dynamics of Transformation
  • Practicum: GSG - Group Spiritual Guidance
  • Final Integration
  • Exit Interview
  • Cohort Graduation
General Overview Information
PROGRAM PREPARATION:***

  • Before the start of the Opening Residency, participants are to devote adequate time to preparation before the 18-month program. This includes accessing key information in the SSD Cohort Commons (via Moodle) at least three months before the residency retreat. Relevant information includes textbooks, Moodle orientation, retreat preparation,  reference resources, etc.
  • Two basic Orientation meetings are scheduled: Orientation to the SSD Program (OSP) and Orientation to Online Learning (OOL).
    • OSP will be a 2- to 3-hour synchronous meeting held over three consecutive Saturday mornings via Zoom.
    • OOL is a four-day class consisting of asynchronous sessions through Cohort Commons and Moodle, along with two Zoom meetings for 1.5 hours and 1 hour, respectively.
  • Additionally, a three-part Contemplative Prayer Workshop is scheduled, each lasting 1.5 hours (2 hours for the third session).
RETREAT RESIDENCY:

  • The Opening Residency retreat will be held from  August 20-25, 2028 (Venue: TBC).
  • The Closing Residency is set for December 1-8, 2029 (Venue: TBC). The Closing Residency includes a full-day silent retreat at the beginning. Significant preparation is required before the Closing Residency, as this will be the culmination of the year-long program (including Group Spiritual Guidance, Facilitated Group Supervision, Exit Interview, etc.).
  • Full attendance and participation in both residencies are mandatory to complete the program.
INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP MENTORING

  • Each participant will be assigned to a small group of 4-5 people under the guidance of a mentor.
  • Mentors will be present during the opening and closing residencies.
  • They will check in with each assigned participant periodically throughout each quarter (via email, phone, and/or Zoom).
  • Mentors will conduct a quarterly shared reflection via Zoom with their mentoring group based on each participant’s self-assessment and discernment using the Appreciative Inventory (AI) tool.
  • Mentors have access to all online courses and will monitor each participant's progress while collaborating with the online instructors.
  • NOTE: For a more detailed explanation of the role of mentoring, refer to the Mentoring document, which can be found in the Cohort Commons (once you are enrolled).
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION/SUPERVISION EXPERIENCE:

  • Each participant is expected to have a monthly session with a spiritual director throughout the entire program.
  • Participants are expected to have at least two directees by the end of the second quarter.
  • Furthermore, each participant must meet a supervisor once a month from May 2029  to October 2029 (for six months), followed by a final consultation and debriefing in the seventh month (November 2029). 
  • Each mentoring group will engage in ongoing group spiritual direction practice in various forms during both residencies, online modules, and between quarters (via the AI sessions) as participants and/or facilitators.
  • Participants are expected to bring a supervision case and experience facilitated group supervision during the closing residency, led by well-trained spiritual direction supervisors.
  • NOTE: For more details on the SSD Practicum Requirements, go to CQ Asia SSD Practicum Info