Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to be religious?
No.
You do not need to belong to a church, identify with a particular religion, or even be certain what you believe in order to come to spiritual direction.
You may have a deeply rooted faith. You may have left a religious tradition that no longer feels like home. You may believe in God, the Divine, Spirit, the Universe, a Higher Power, or simply sense that there is something greater than yourself.
You may also be questioning all of it.
You are welcome here exactly where you are.
Spiritual direction isn't about getting you to believe the “right” things. It's about creating space for you to explore your own spiritual life honestly, freely, and without judgment.
I've never done spiritual direction before. What is a session actually like?
That's completely okay—many people come to spiritual direction without having any idea what to expect.
A session is really a spacious, guided conversation. You bring whatever is happening in your life or spiritual world—questions, relationships, decisions, grief, doubt, curiosity, experiences you can't quite make sense of, or simply a feeling that something is stirring.
I'll listen, ask questions, offer reflections, and sometimes invite us to pause and notice what seems important. There may be moments of silence. There may be laughter. There may even be tears. Nothing has to happen a particular way.
Prayer can certainly be part of our time together if prayer is meaningful to you, but it doesn't have to be.
You don't need to prepare anything, perform anything, or know what you're supposed to say. You just show up as you are.
Are you going to tell me what I should believe?
No. In fact, that's one of the things spiritual direction with me is specifically not about.
I'm not here to give you my answers, convince you of my beliefs, or decide what your relationship with the Divine should look like.
I believe your spiritual life is deeply personal. My role is to listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, notice things with you, and help create the space for you to recognize what feels authentic, meaningful, and true in your own life.
There may be times when I offer a reflection, wonder about something with you, or invite you to look at an experience from another perspective—but you are always free to decide whether it resonates.
Your spirituality belongs to you.
What are your personal spiritual beliefs?
I have my own spiritual beliefs, questions, experiences, and understanding of the Divine, and I'm always happy to talk about them if you're curious.
I intentionally don't outline my personal theology on this website because I never want my beliefs to become the framework through which you think you need to understand your own spiritual life.
Like you, my spirituality has been shaped by my experiences, relationships, questions, struggles, and the ways my understanding of the Divine has changed over time.
When we're together, your spiritual life is the one we're paying attention to.
You don't need to believe what I believe, use the same language I use, or understand the Divine the way I do. And you never need to worry about saying something that might challenge or contradict my beliefs.
There is room here for both of us to be exactly where we are.
What if I've left church or don't know what I believe anymore?
You are not required to have your beliefs figured out before coming to spiritual direction.
Maybe you've stepped away from a church or religious tradition that once felt important to you. Maybe some of what you were taught no longer makes sense. Maybe you've spent years figuring out what you don't believe, but haven't yet discovered what you do believe.
Or maybe you still value parts of your religious tradition while questioning or letting go of others.
There is room for all of that here.
I won't try to convince you to return to a particular faith, replace your old beliefs with new ones, or lead you toward conclusions I've already reached for myself.
We can simply become curious together about what remains, what is changing, what feels true to you now, and where the Divine might be found in the midst of it.
Do you communicate with the Divine on my behalf?
No. Spiritual direction is not psychic or mediumship work, and I don't channel messages, predict the future, or act as an intermediary between you and the Divine.
You don't go “through” me to encounter your Higher Power.
My role is to create and hold a thoughtful, attentive space where you can notice and explore your own experiences of the Divine. I listen with you, ask questions, offer reflections, and help you pay attention to what may be emerging.
At times, I may notice a pattern, reflect something I've heard, or offer a perspective that brings greater clarity to your experience—but I don't claim special access to the Divine or tell you what the Divine is saying to you.
The sacred encounter belongs to you. I simply companion you within it.
Do you offer in-person spiritual direction at Whipp Acres?
At this time, my spiritual direction practice is offered exclusively online through Zoom.
Although The Sanctuary at Whipp Acres is an important part of my own spiritual life and the inspiration behind much of what you see here, my practice is intentionally virtual. This allows me to companion people from many different places rather than limiting my practice to those who live nearby.
I've found that meaningful, personal, and deeply connected spiritual direction can happen beautifully in a virtual space.
So wherever you happen to be, you're welcome to bring your cup of coffee or tea, find a comfortable place where you can have some privacy, and meet me there.
Are you the same Amy Schroeder Whipp who previously practiced medicine in Illinois?
Yes. I am Amy Schroeder Whipp, formerly Amy Schroeder, and I previously practiced medicine in Illinois.
I am no longer practicing medicine. I now live just outside Nashville, Tennessee, where my professional work is devoted to spiritual direction.
My years as a physician remain an important part of my story and have shaped the way I understand and accompany others. That experience gave me a deep respect for the complexity of the human person and for the ways our physical, emotional, and spiritual lives intersect.
Today, that perspective informs the way I listen, the questions I ask, and the care I bring to each person's story.