The Greenhouse

Soul Trellis is an organization that cultivates an environment where women 40+ can connect to their authentic selves, find inner healing, and walk their unique path toward emotional, relational, and spiritual maturity during the second half of life. We aim to guide people gently toward the light of God's love and truth, while providing a judgment-free sanctuary for the soul to deepen and flourish. By infusing ancient spiritual practices with modern wisdom, our vision is to tend the soul's garden so that each person can blossom into their highest and holiest potential.

The name "Soul Trellis" represents the support we provide for women navigating major life transitions in the second half of their lives. Just as a trellis supports the growth of a plant, our organization supports the growth of the whole person—mind, body, and spirit.

We offer several services and resources, including:

• Roots & Shoots: A free weekly newsletter cultivating personal growth, meaningful relationships, and spiritual depth.
• The Greenhouse: An online community for women 40+ who want to flourish in the second half of life.
• Soul Companion: 1-1 mentoring providing guidance, resourcing, advocacy, friendship, and spiritual growth.
• Spiritual Direction: 1-1 direction to help discern what God is doing and saying in one's life.

A Soul Companion helps cultivate an environment where individuals can connect to their authentic selves, find inner healing, and walk their unique path toward emotional, relational, and spiritual maturity. The relationship between a Soul Companion and client is built on trust and acceptance. The Soul Companion's role may adapt to the client's needs, serving as a mentor, coach, advocate, resource, friend, or spiritual guide.

Soul Companions support individuals through life transitions common in the second half of life, such as divorce, death, aging parents, empty nest, retirement, career change, and identity issues. Through asynchronous voice messaging and periodic video or in-person meetings, Soul Companions offer skilled listening, reflection, validation, and an objective perspective on the client's patterns and areas for growth.

Specific practices and techniques used by Soul Companions include active listening, reflection, powerful questioning, expanding thought processes, identifying limiting beliefs about self, God, and others, and designing action steps with follow-up. Soul Companions value compassion, empathy, holy listening, and prayer in their work.

Spiritual Direction is an interpersonal relationship in which one person helps another understand what God is doing and saying in their life. It involves guiding an individual in spiritual matters through spiritual means, with the goal of fostering growth, living, and loving in the spiritual life. Discernment is a crucial gift in the work of Spiritual Direction. 

Spiritual Direction has been a vital ministry in many streams of the Church for hundreds of years. It is for anyone yearning for God, whether that desire manifests as a general longing for something greater or a clear understanding that God's presence is missing from particular parts of life. The underlying assumption is that God is actively drawing us into the Eternal Presence, and Spiritual Direction helps us pay attention to this Divine work.

In a typical Spiritual Direction relationship, the director takes an active/passive role, creating an environment for direction to take place through listening, asking questions, and allowing for silence. The director and directee work together to explore what God might be doing in the areas discussed.

Spiritual Direction benefits individuals seeking spiritual growth and insight by supporting the process of sanctification, in which God conforms them to the image of Christ and shapes them into loving members of the Christian community.

Spiritual Direction and Soul Health Coaching share some similarities, such as the use of active listening, prayer, and the goal of deepening one's relationship with God. However, there are also some key differences between the two practices.

Despite its name, Spiritual Direction does not involve providing direct guidance. Instead, the Spiritual Director listens to the Holy Spirit on behalf of the directee. In contrast, Soul Health Coaches may use prayer to discern next steps but they will take a more active, process-oriented approach. They offer personal relationship, experience, and provide a compassion care mentoring model to support the individual.

Soul Health Coaches discuss problems or concerns within a spiritual (Christian) context and address various aspects of life, such as transitions, relationships, and careers. Depending on the situation, a Soul Health Coach may serve as a mentor, coach, advocate, or friend, adapting their role to support the client's needs best.

In summary, while both practices aim to support spiritual growth, Soul Health Coaching takes a more holistic, multi-faceted approach to guiding individuals through life's challenges and transitions, while Spiritual Direction focuses more specifically on discerning God's presence and action in one's life.