About
Karen Shields Wright, MS, DC, DM
Approach to Spiritual Accompaniment
My approach integrates Catholic spirituality, the principles and practices of Ignatian discernment, and the application of Catholic Social Doctrine to personal, professional, and vocational life. Together, these provide a foundation for recognizing God's presence, discerning His will, and responding faithfully to the responsibilities and decisions of everyday life.
Rooted in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, my spiritual direction and consultation services foster growth in faith, virtue, and interior freedom, and encourage a deeper integration of one's relationship with God into every aspect of life.
This approach is particularly relevant to Catholic leaders in business, the professions, healthcare, religious life, and the clergy, whose discernment encompasses not only personal spiritual growth but also the exercise of authority, the fulfillment of responsibilities, ethical decision-making, and service to others.
As a chiropractic physician (retired 2025), I bring clinical experience and continuing studies in neuroscience and psychology, along with spiritual theology, which deepens my appreciation of the human person as an integrated unity of body, mind, and spirit, created in the image and likeness of God. Drawing on these complementary areas of knowledge, I seek to provide a setting for prayer, reflection, and discernment that respects the relationship among our physical, psychological, and spiritual dimensions while remaining firmly grounded in the Catholic faith and the Ignatian tradition.
Biography
Professional and Ministerial Background
I have practiced spiritual direction since 2003 and have offered virtual accompaniment since 2011. My ministry serves those seeking God's will amid daily life and life transitions.
I direct individuals through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola and develop and offer directed retreats through IgnatianRetreats.com. I also serve at Fairfield University's Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality, where I completed a practicum in directing the Spiritual Exercises and in supervising spiritual directors. My continuing formation includes advanced studies at Boston College.
Catholic Social Doctrine and Leadership
A member of the Fondazione Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice since 2003, I have served CAPP-USA as National Program Director and Co-Executive Director. I directed and taught in its graduate-level Catholic Social Teaching Certificate Program, co-sponsored with The Catholic University of America.
My work in Catholic Social Doctrine informs my approach to spiritual accompaniment, particularly in matters of professional responsibility, leadership, ethical discernment, human dignity, and the common good.
Healthcare, Chaplaincy, and Voluntary Service
I served as a hospital chaplain for ten years within the Yale New Haven Health System, accompanying patients and families through illness and significant life transitions, and offering retreats for nursing professionals.
Since 2010, I have been a Dame of Magistral Grace in the Order of Malta, American Association, where I serve on the St. Bernadette Ministry Palliative Care Committee.
Writing, Teaching, and Continuing Study
My writing and ongoing studies explore Ignatian spirituality, theological anthropology, Catholic Social Doctrine, neuroscience, and psychology, and their relevance to spiritual formation and discernment. Through spiritual direction, teaching, retreats, and writing, I seek to support an integrated Catholic understanding of the human person and the call to faithful discipleship.