[This article was recently published in Spiritual Director’s International’s magazine, Connections]

Spiritual Direction is sacred work, a service to others and to the Divine. So it is not surprising that the idea of charging a fee for this work creates tension and concern. I believe this tension is good, as we ought to give deep consideration to how we operate. We need to face the questions this topic raises with love, not fear, and come to a conclusion that blesses both director and directee.

When I talk to spiritual directors about charging for their services, here are the most common objections I hear:
• “I’m not in it for the money.."
• “I don’t want to be seen as greedy.."
• “I don’t want to turn anyone away if they are unable to pay.."
• “This is ministry, not retail.."
• “I’m trusting God to meet my needs.."

All of these objections are well-intentioned, but I believe at the core they are based on fears and false beliefs. There are three main reasons you might feel uncomfortable charging for your services:

1. You don’t feel worthy or realize the value of your skills to others. You have a gift to offer but minimize its value. But others see it as very unique and valuable, and they’ll pay to learn from you or get your help. You haven’t created proof that the work you do creates transformation. Once you have concrete proof or data that your work makes a difference, people will recognize the value and be willing to pay for it.

2. You’re afraid that charging people you care about will damage the relationship. This is particularly true if you are working with friends or family. Charging a fee for your services adds a layer of professionalism that helps create appropriate boundaries.

3. You believe God expects you to sacrifice to serve. But the principle of a laborer’s work having value and ought to be paid can be found in nearly every spiritual and religious text.

I originally trained as a spiritual director over 20 years ago, and through the years directees or clients who paid nothing received as much of my attention as those who paid larger sums. Those who paid more did not receive a less holy space or a tarnished spiritual experience. But over the years I have noticed certain differences in attendance, engagement, and commitment related to the investment those coming for direction made. Research supports my conclusions that charging for spiritual direction services is not just a blessing to the director, but it is also a benefit to the directee.

Research has shown us that human perception of value increases when there is a cost:

• In the retail world, people think wine tastes better and soap cleans better when it’s priced more expensively.
• In the self-help world, people believe that counseling or coaching services are more effective when asked to pay for those services.
• In the academic and training world, people who pay for a service are more engaged or involved. They are more likely to show up, show up on time, and interact with content between classes/sessions.

What does all of this research mean, and how might it influence the way spiritual directors set their prices? Quite simply, people assume when something has a higher price, it possesses better quality. We don’t have research on spiritual direction in this area (yet!), but the human mind is consistent on this: If you offer a valuable, transformative experience your directees will be glad to invest in the work by paying for it.

Here are a few suggestions when considering what and how to charge for Spiritual Direction:

1. Discern your calling. Is direction something you believe you ought to do full time? If so, you will need to determine how you will make a living, collecting payment either from an organization or directly from your directees.

2. Identify what it costs you to offer spiritual direction. Include the cost of training, books and materials, transportation, clothing, childcare, rent, etc.

3. Know you are offering something unique and valuable. Create proof that what you offer makes a difference by using before and after questionnaires.

4. Ask your directees for feedback regularly. Get testimonials on how the work has transformed their lives. This will be affirming for you and reinforcing for your directee.

5. Recognize that people are not buying time, but an experience or transformation.

6. If moving to new pricing, charge new clients the new price, and slowly transition existing clients to the new price.

7. Be creative and prayerful about what and how you charge. Be willing to experiment and open to trying new things.

“Often the hardest thing about holding space for others is that it can feel like you are doing nothing.." Heather Plett

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Dr. Lisa Van Allen is a spiritual director and executive business coach working primarily with people experiencing painful transitions or loss. She is the author of the award-winning book, Your Belief Quotient: 7 Beliefs that Sabotage or Support Your Success, and a soon to be published book, The Promise of Pain, based on what she’s learned from living with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.