life demands space.

Spiritual direction is one place, sometimes I think in the whole world, where you don’t have to fix or strive or have a single expectation placed on you—or place a single expectation on yourself.

hi, I’m Katie (she/her).

I’m a sober, childfree, poetry-and nature-loving spiritual companion who founded Juniper House to create and foster a sacred space–specifically for those for whom healing spaces either don’t exist or are hard to find. I primarily journey with people experiencing disenfranchised grief, ambiguous loss like infertility, and religious and workplace traumas.

Certificate in Spiritual Direction from United Theological Seminary | Advanced Grief Counseling Specialist (CAGCS) Certification | Episcopal Safe Church-trained | Member of Spiritual Directors International

let's connect.

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart…do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now.”

— Ranier Maria Rilke

what is spiritual direction?

I view spiritual direction/companionship as journeying with you as you live the questions now. And life is nothing if not a series of questions, big and small: questions about meaning, God, vocation, why things happen the way they do, why things don’t happen the way we think they should. The list goes on and on. A spiritual director is someone who accompanies you through these mysteries as you cultivate a rich inner life and journey closer to God.

I believe this ordinary life with all of its questions is sacred. I offer 1:1 and group spiritual direction, where I listen without judgment and foster a sacred space, providing contemplative tools for you to live the questions now.

See more on my scope of practice.

why spiritual direction?

I believe healing is different than fixing. I seek to provide a space where you can explore what healing means for you. Where you don't have to find a cure for what ails you, but you can find a little respite. A refuge. A stop on the journey and a place to explore the sacred.

In spiritual direction, we get closer to inhabiting the uninhabitable through diving into our own sacred questions and stories. In so doing, we can find belonging, comfort, peace, and maybe even a little meaning.

grief demands space.

“Healing and places intertwine.” —Esther M. Sternberg, M.D.

Spaces and ceremonies abound for death loss. There are funerals, cemeteries, and memorials. And that matters because these spaces help us find meaning in our loss. But this type of space can be hard to find for those experiencing disenfranchised grief and ambiguous loss, such as infertility, divorce, chronic pain, religious trauma, and so much more. It can also be fleeting for those who have experienced death loss. Juniper House is a physical and metaphorical space offering spiritual direction and space to heal—a place where you can simply be without answers, fixes, or opinions.

The name Juniper House is inspired by the poetry of Isaiah 55: “Instead of the thorn bush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.” This poetry holds the promise of life and fullness and beauty in the face of loss.

what’s in a name.

THE SPACE.

What to expect

Juniper House is proudly located on Dakota land inside Saint Nicholas Episcopal Church in Richfield, Minnesota. Enjoy a mug of tea in our cozy seating area for 1:1 or group spiritual direction. Create healing art, practice meditation, walk the labyrinth, add to our shared working memorial, pull a grief ritual prompt, or borrow a book. Friday evening appointments take place and can be scheduled through Crocus Hill Acupuncture in Falcon Heights. Don’t live in the Twin Cities? We can create a healing space on Zoom.

Accessibility

We are committed to creating an accessible space. At both physical locations, we are on the first floor. We use dim lighting and have a variety of seating options. We only burn unscented candles, but we diffuse essential oils and burn Palo Santo, so please let us know in advance of your appointment if you have sensitivity to scents—or if there is anything else we can do to make sure the space is accessible for you.