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ABOUT / SERVICES 

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My principal focus as a spiritual director is rooted in cura personalis, by sharing what I have learned over the years in studying the writings of contemporary scholars, the saints, and documents of the Church as it relates to developing and forming one's spiritual life for loving service in becoming a contemplative action.
 
May my years of clinical experience in practice from serving patients within a foundation of ongoing studies in evidence-based well-care and in spiritual care that is focused on the Ignatian tradition, offer you the support you are looking for.
 
As this site initially was developed to be just a place to download handouts for the university students in spiritual direction, it grew slowly into much more for my other clients and retreatants which you see today.
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I do hope you will find new ways or reminders to refresh and care for your soul. 
 
Blessings to you and all you love,
Karen
 
In-Person or Virtual: Phone/FaceTime/WhatsApp/Zoom 
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IGNATIAN SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
One-on-one Direction

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IGNATIAN DIRECTED RETREATS 
One-on-one or Group
  •  5 Day Retreat - The Gifts of the Holy Spirit (5 Sessions)
  •  4 Week Retreat - Contemplation in the Traditions ( 4 Sessions) 
  •  6 Week Retreat  - The Ignatian Way ( 6 Sessions) 
  • 10 Week Ignatian Encounter: Prayer & the Spiritual Exercises (8-12 Sessions)

  • 30 Day Retreat in the Every Day (5 Sessions)

  • The Spiritual Exercises - 19th Annotation (15-30 Sessions)

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DIRECTION FEES

Direction stipend fee is per session

Sliding scale for those on disability 

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INTEGRATIVE SERVICES

One-on-one Health Counseling

CT only

 

One-on-one Wellness Coaching

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INTEGRATIVE  FEES

Health Counseling and Coaching based upon services

Sliding scale for those on disability 

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The Journey of Developing the Catholic Model of Integrative Care

KAREN SHIELDS WRIGHT, MS, DC, DM 

Ignatian Spiritual Director/Clinician

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  • Karen Shields Wright received her advanced certificate training (2003) in spiritual direction at Fordham University's Graduate School of Religion after receiving her MS in Christian Spirituality. Previously she received her Doctor of Chiropractic from New York Chiropractic College, where she has practiced full time caring for thousands of patients with neuro-muscular-skeletal conditions in her community and volunteering abroad. After retiring from full-time practice she served her community as a chaplain at Greenwich Hospital Yale-New Haven Health, providing spiritual care for patients and programs for staff. 
  • Currently, she ministers as a spiritual director and mentor to colleagues with the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality at Fairfield University since 2017 and in her private practice (ministering100% virtually for the past 8 years).   
  • As a life-long learner, she continues her CME and CE credentialling, in addition to studying research on the integration of spirituality in health, neuroscience and the spiritual brain, and topics in psychology, theology, and philosophy. 
  • She is a Dame in the Order of Malta, an international Catholic lay/religious organization, on its Palliative Care Committee, and as a member of Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation focused on evangelizing with Catholic Social Teachings (CST) to business leaders, she has presented and written on the subject of CST and lay spirituality.
  • Dr. Shields Wright is married to Dmitri Wright as a Knight in the Order, a fine artist. She continues to take great delight in her children and grandson, in addition to her extended family, friends, patients, and clients. 
 
Link to Selections of Publications & Presentations by Dr. Shields Wright 
 
Selections from Professional CME & CE Formation Programs Completed
  • CE Programs of the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality, Fairfield U- MCIS  ('17-'22)
  • CE Programs of the Office for Ignatian Spirituality - OIS ('19-'22)
  • "Handing on the Fire: Making Spiritual Direction Ignatian"  w. Fr. Joseph Tetlow, SJ, Ignatian Spirituality Institute ('21)
  • "Teaching of Discernment of Spirits" w. Fr. Timothy Gallagher ('21)
  • Practicum in Giving the19th Annotation"  MCIS by Sr. Karen Doyle and Nan Bouche ('20-'21)
  • "Fundamentals of Cognitive Behavior Therapy" offered by Mass General Psychiatry Academy (CME credits) '20
  • "Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART)" provided by Mass General Psychiatry Academy based upon the research from Herbert Benson Institute at Harvard Medical School (CME credits) '20
  • "Giving the Spiritual Exercises in the 19th Annotation Format to Others"  OIS w. Fr. Jame Bowler OIS '19
  • "Essentials of Palliative Care" Chaplaincy Program. California State University (CE credits) '18
  • "Adult Psychological Development and Spirituality: Ignatian Spirituality Across the Life Cycle" OIS w. Fr. David McCallum, SJ '18
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