Group Spiritual Direction 2024-2025 with Cathy Rosensteel (In-Person & Online)
2024-10-12 08:30 - 11:00, 2024-11-09 08:30 - 11:00, 2024-12-14 08:30 - 11:00, 2025-01-11 08:30 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | Well for the Journey (Note: Lutherville address), 120 W. Seminary Avenue, Lutherville-Timonium, MD, 21093, United States
Group Spiritual Direction is a process in which people gather together on a regular basis to assist one another in an ongoing awareness of God (Spirit, Source, Creator, whatever your name is) in all of life. Participants in the group are seeking support for their responsiveness to God and they agree to support others in that same responsiveness. This contemplative approach to spiritual direction is grounded in the model that originated at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in Washington, DC. .
Joining the group is a deep commitment to one’s spiritual journey and to the other participants in the group. Three conditions are essential to the life of the group. Members must agree to:
· Commit themselves to an honest relationship with God, by whatever name called.
· Participate wholeheartedly in the group process through consistent attendance and prayerful listening and response.
· Open their spiritual journeys for consideration by others.
The group is limited to five participants and is facilitated by Cathy Rosensteel. The group will meet both in-person at the Well and on Zoom as noted below.
Cathy’s group has space for one new person this year. If you are feeling urged to give Group Spiritual Direction a try, please call the Well at 410-296-9355. We will connect you with Cathy so that you can discuss your interest with her.
DATES (In-Person at the Well): Saturdays – 9/28, 10/12, 11/9/24 and 3/8, 4/12, 5/10/25
DATES (Online via Zoom): Saturdays – 12/14/24 and 1/11, 2/8/25
TIME: 8:30 – 11:00 AM
COST: $250
LOCATION: Well for the Journey – 120 W. Seminary Ave, Lutherville-Timonium, MD 21093 and ZOOM
TO REGISTER: Call the Well at 410-296-9355. We will connect you with Cathy so that you can discuss your interest with her to assure the group is a mutual fit.
IMPORTANT: You will receive an email from lorie@wellforthejourney.org at least 24 hours in advance of the start of your program. If you are unable to find the email, please check your SPAM or JUNK email folders. This email will include details to help you prepare for your program including any pertinent handouts, location information, and the ZOOM link for online programs. Please be sure you have received and read this email a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the start of the program. Thank you!
FACILITATOR: Cathy Rosensteel
FACILITATOR BIO:
Cathy facilitates group spiritual direction in the Shalem tradition at The Well. She has an M.A. in Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Care from Loyola University Maryland. Kindled by a week-long silent Ignatian retreat, she developed a deep appreciation for silence and the Spiritual Exercises. Furthering her interest, she completed the 19th Annotation of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life. Her work in this area includes leading retreats on finding silence in everyday living and walking the labyrinth. Through private practice, Cathy is honored to provide individual spiritual direction in the Middle River and Towson areas.
Cathy’s background includes teaching teacher education candidates and directing the Special Education programs at Loyola University Maryland. She also had a notable career developing innovative programs for students with special needs, as a teacher and administrator with the Baltimore City Public School System.
Drawn to the outdoors, Cathy treasures time at home on Seneca Creek with her husband and dog. She enjoys designing engraved affirmation stones, gardening, and swimming. Often, she can be found happily reading, near or in a body of water, or just sitting, very still.

Yoga Nidra – Guided Meditation & Stillness (Online Program)
2024-10-14 19:30 - 20:30, 2024-10-29 19:30 - 20:30, 2024-11-04 19:30 - 20:30, 2024-11-12 19:30 - 20:30, 2024-12-09 19:30 - 20:30, 2024-12-17 19:30 - 20:30, 2025-01-13 19:30 - 20:30 | ZOOM
Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation practice that helps to relax the mind and body by doing “nothing.” This ancient practice produces a profound state of relaxation just by listening.
One hour of Yoga Nidra is equal to four (4) hours of sleep. As the mind slows down, our thoughts begin to move away from us. Yoga Nidra happens in the space between waking and sleeping. It’s like floating! You disengage from stress-producing thoughts, allowing the body, mind, and spirit to rest and heal naturally. Modern studies have validated the benefits of Yoga Nidra; showing that a guided meditation is very effective in reducing anxiety, stress, and depression.
Resting comfortably in your own home, the practice can be done lying down or in a seated position with your feet up. All you have to do is listen. These are the items you will need:
· A quiet place to lay down or recline.
· Pillow for head and under your knees.
· Blanket for warmth.
· If desired, an eye mask or pillow to block light.
· Water to drink.
The Well is thrilled to continue our relationship with certified Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Guide, Yoga Instructor, and I Am Yoga Nidra Facilitator, Jamila Keita to offer this deeply healing and restorative practice. Most individuals report feelings of enhanced well-being, calm and better sleep after each session. Many feel relaxed and energized.
If you are new to meditation, never tried or been successful at meditation, or an experienced meditator, we encourage you to give Yoga Nidra a try. You will be amazed at how easily you will achieve a meditative state.
The sessions are being offered twice a month on a Monday and Tuesday evening. You are welcome to purchase one session at a time or choose from three series options at a discounted rate – all sessions, all Mondays, or all Tuesdays.
DATES: Mondays – 9/16, 10/14, 11/4, 12/9/24, 1/13/25 and Tuesdays – 9/24, 10/29, 11/12, 12/17/24, 1/28/25
TIME: 7:30 – 8:30 PM ET
COST: $15 per session, All 10 sessions for $135, All Monday sessions for $70, or All Tuesday sessions for $70
LOCATION: ZOOM
REGISTRATION is required; please register here.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Please read our cancellation policy, here.
IMPORTANT: You will receive an email from lorie@wellforthejourney.org at least 24 hours in advance of the start of your program. If you are unable to find the email, please check your SPAM or JUNK email folders. This email will include details to help you prepare for your program including any pertinent handouts, location information, and the ZOOM link for online programs. Please be sure you have received and read this email a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the start of the program. Thank you!
FACILITATOR: Jamila Keita
FACILITATOR BIO:
Hi! My name is Evangeline “Jamila” Keita. I’ve been practicing yoga for almost 25 years and decided to teach yoga as my “retirement job.” It was during my yoga training (YT200) that I was introduced to Yoga Nidra. Immediately after completing YT200 in 2014, I took my first Yoga Nidra training. Since that time, I’ve taken subsequent trainings in Yoga Nidra in 2017 and 2021. I love this practice.
During the shutdown, I found “nature therapy.” This led me to complete a course through “The Kripalu School of Outdoor Leadership” and become a KMOG (Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Guide).
I currently teach two yoga classes per week on Zoom. Each class includes poses and a short Yoga Nidra session. Since 2022, I have provided weekly Yoga Nidra sessions for Hopewell Cancer Support Center and occasional Mindful Outdoor Experiences (MOEs). Additionally, I work for Nature Worx, a non-profit that provides MOEs to persons in recovery and the general public.
I never imagined this second career as it is, but it seems like a natural evolution to me. I hope you enjoy my offerings.

Insight from the Enneagram: An Introduction (Online Program)
2024-10-15 18:30 - 20:30 | ZOOM
Who am I? This is the fundamental question for each of us! The Enneagram is a powerful and dynamic system that helps to answer that question. It identifies nine distinct and fundamentally different patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting. Each of these nine basic personality types of human nature is found in each of us in a complex inter-relationship uniquely our own that helps guide us into our motivations, desires, behaviors, and habitual strategies.
The Enneagram is an insightful psychological tool that uses these types to help explain why we behave the way we do. At a much deeper level, the Enneagram is a spiritual tool that provides a map to help us grow as individuals – to recognize our Essence and become our truest self.
Join Riso-Hudson Certified Enneagram Teacher and Co-Active Life Coach, Bev Gorman, for this introductory overview of the Enneagram to help start you on your journey to find out who you really are – the true self that lies within.
A required quick online survey will be provided prior to the start of the program to help you identify your basic personality type. No other experience or knowledge of the Enneagram is necessary. This program serves as a great introduction or a wonderful refresher.
DATE: Tuesdays – 10/1, 10/8, 10/15/24
TIME: 6:30 – 8:30 PM ET
COST: $80
LOCATION: ZOOM
REGISTRATION is required; please register here.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Please read our cancellation policy, here.
IMPORTANT: You will receive an email from lorie@wellforthejourney.org at least 24 hours in advance of the start of your program. If you are unable to find the email, please check your SPAM or JUNK email folders. This email will include details to help you prepare for your program including any pertinent handouts, location information, and the ZOOM link for online programs. Please be sure you have received and read this email a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the start of the program. Thank you!
FACILITATOR: Beverly Gorman
FACILITATOR BIO:
Bev is a Riso-Hudson Certified Enneagram Teacher through the Enneagram Institute. She is a professional member of the International Enneagram Association and has been working since 2012 as an Enneagram coach with individuals and assists couples/partners in their relational strengths and challenges using the Enneagram as a guide. Bev leads Enneagram workshops for schools, businesses, ministries, nonprofits and Board of Directors and Enneagram guided retreats for small groups, churches, and businesses.

Seven Sacred Pauses for Life's Daily Pilgrimage (Online Program Meeting Monthly)
2024-10-24 14:00 - 15:30, 2024-11-21 14:00 - 15:30, 2024-12-12 14:00 - 15:30 | ZOOM
“All it takes is a simple, sacred pause to get us in touch with the One who keeps vigil with us – the holy presence of so many names. Only you can name that which waits for you.” – Macrina Wiederkehr
No matter what spiritual path we follow, we are all pilgrims together on each day’s journey. The details of our daily pilgrimage differ one from another, but we all hope for a good day as we awake and move through the day with whatever joys and challenges await us. In her classic book, Seven Sacred Pauses – Living Mindfully Through the Hours of the Day, Macrina Wiederkehr invites us to embrace the rich tradition of consciously pausing at seven sacred moments of each day so that our daily passage through time is more of a sacred pilgrimage than one long To Do List. She encourages us to stay awake through the day, “Each morning as I look out my window, I want to be awake enough to say, today I will remember to pause.”
You are invited to journey through the hours with spiritual companion and retreat leader, Lorie Conway, as we explore ways to practice pausing that recognize the busyness, clutter, noise, and chaos that are rampant in our culture, while gently encouraging us to be creators of our present moment. Each month will explore a different hour of the day and engage with contemplative spiritual practices that may be well suited for that time. We will use Wiederkehr’s book as a guide to the hours as we engage poetry, music, reflections, and sacred text from an array of spiritual teachers and traditions. Please note, it is not necessary to read the book as it is only one of many resources that will be utilized.
Our monthly topics include:
· September 26th – Introduction to Sacred Pausing
· October 24th – The Awakening Hour – Dawn
· November 21st – The Blessing Hour – Midmorning
· December 12th – The Hour of Illumination – Midday
· January 23rd – The Wisdom Hour – Midafternoon
· February 20th – The Twilight Hour – Evening
· March 20th – The Great Silence – Night
· April 24th – The Night Watch – Midnight Until Dawn
You are welcome to join us for one, many, or all of the 8 monthly sessions. Lorie encourages you to join the first one, if possible, as it lays the groundwork for subsequent months. If you are unable to join the first one, no worries! A handout will be provided to give you foundational information.
DATES: Thursdays – 9/26, 10/24, 11/21, 12/12/24, and 1/23, 2/20, 3/20, 4/24/25
TIME: 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET
COST: $35 per session or $250 for all 8 sessions
REGISTRATION is required; please register here.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Please read our cancellation policy, here.
LOCATION: ZOOM
IMPORTANT: You will receive an email from lorie@wellforthejourney.org at least 24 hours in advance of the start of your program. If you are unable to find the email, please check your SPAM or JUNK email folders. This email will include details to help you prepare for your program including any pertinent handouts, location information, and the ZOOM link for online programs. Please be sure you have received and read this email a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the start of the program. Thank you!
FACILITATOR: Lorie Conway
FACILITATOR BIO:
Lorie has a passion for deep listening and accompanying others on their spiritual journeys through spiritual direction, small groups, and retreats. It is Lorie’s ongoing journey of transformation and spiritual discovery that fuels her desire to offer spiritual companioning to others. Lorie’s spirituality is rooted in the Christ tradition and is welcoming of the many paths and unique journeys enfolded within Divine Mystery. Lorie received her certificate in spiritual direction from the Kairos School of Spiritual Formation and holds a M.A. in Religion from Lancaster Theological Seminary and a M.A.S. in Behavioral Management & Human Resources from Johns Hopkins University. Lorie is delighted to serve both on the programming staff at the Well and as a program and retreat facilitator. She is also Director of the Shalem Institute’s Transforming Community: Leading Contemplative Spiritual Groups & Retreats program.

Journaling Your Magical Life (Online Program)
2024-10-25 13:00 - 14:30, 2024-11-08 13:00 - 14:30, 2024-11-22 13:00 - 14:30, 2024-12-06 13:00 - 14:30 | ZOOM
If we look deeply, every aspect of life has something magical about it and we hold the key to what is ‘our own magic’. Based on a commencement speech given by Brad Meltzer, American novelist, a series of journaling sessions with guided prompts will explore four “magic tricks”: making something appear, making something disappear, making two things switch places, and changing one thing into something else. Each ‘trick’ has the potential to integrate journaling opportunities to reflect on and enhance life skills that encourage each of us be the best version of ourselves.
Our session themes are:
October 25th – Making Something Appear
The session will explore how we make choices to surround ourselves with people and experiences that provide support and encouragement to highlight our best traits. Pausing to examine times in our lives where people and experiences have been valuable is key to promoting spiritual growth.
November 8th – Making Something Disappear
The session will explore challenges in our lives. Embracing a challenge can promote self-knowledge and equip us with the necessary strategies to harness our fears. Many times overcoming a fear leads to renewed strength and resilience.
November 22nd – Making Two Things Switch Places
The session will explore how compassion for others is essential to life. Every person we encounter is battling something and many times you cannot ‘see it’. Finding empathy requires switching places with others to understand their journey and the value of your impact on the lives of others.
December 6th – Changing One Thing Into Something Else
The session will explore the need to continue to pursue knowledge and growth to promote real change in our lives. It is essential to never stop striving for personal transformation and not get locked into a permanent state of being.
You are warmly invited to join experienced journaling facilitator, Liz Neal, to deepen your journaling practice or start a new one! No previous writing or journaling experience is required. You may join the entire series at a discounted rate or join one or more individual sessions. We look forward to a magical journaling journey with you at the Well!
DATE: Fridays – 10/25, 11/8, 11/22, 12/6/24
TIME: 1:00 – 2:30 PM ET
COST: $100 for the series of 4 sessions or $30 per session
LOCATION: ZOOM
REGISTRATION is required; please register here.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Please read our cancellation policy, here.
IMPORTANT: You will receive an email from lorie@wellforthejourney.org at least 24 hours in advance of the start of your program. If you are unable to find the email, please check your SPAM or JUNK email folders. This email will include details to help you prepare for your program including any pertinent handouts, location information, and the ZOOM link for online programs. Please be sure you have received and read this email a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the start of the program. Thank you!
FACILITATOR: Liz Neal
FACILITATOR BIO:
Liz has made journaling a routine practice for over 30 years. She has been blessed with a “heart for journaling” and now focuses on helping others discover the numerous benefits and insights that regular journaling can bring to their lives. Liz and her husband live in Cockeysville. She has worked in education as a teacher and administrator for over 32 years. She loves spending time with grandchildren, reading, and traveling.

Creating Sacred Rituals in a Time of Grief, Remembrance, and Joy (Online Program)
2024-11-13 18:30 - 20:00 | ZOOM
The ancient activity of creating and enacting rituals has served spiritual beings on the human journey for millennia. In particular, rituals have enabled humanity to access their inherent, divine spark to cultivate hope and meaning in the midst of life’s sweeping changes and ongoing seasons and cycles. To that end, individuals and communities throughout history have been inspired to mark rites of passage with a concrete exercise to commemorate their experiences. Examples of this span the gamut of welcoming the birth of a new family member and reverently keeping Sabbath to healing from trauma & losses and transitioning into a new job or home or from this life into death and beyond.
Join us for a special online opportunity to explore the value of rituals and incorporate them more noticeably into our spiritual journey as a cherished practice. This program will include a timely focus as we experience the energies of remembrance and grief in Autumn, prepare for the joy, busyness, and sometimes complex emotions of the Holiday Season, and turn inward during the Winter season. Through meditation, journaling, and other spiritual exercises, participants will be empowered and guided to create a ritual of their choice to honor a recent or upcoming transition or to manifest healing and balance as they process and integrate personal grief. Please have a journal handy for use during the program.
DATE: Wednesday, November 13, 2024
TIME: 6:30 – 8:00 PM ET
COST: $35
LOCATION: ZOOM
REGISTRATION is required; please register here.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Please read our cancellation policy, here.
IMPORTANT: You will receive an email from lorie@wellforthejourney.org at least 24 hours in advance of the start of your program. If you are unable to find the email, please check your SPAM or JUNK email folders. This email will include details to help you prepare for your program including any pertinent handouts, location information, and the ZOOM link for online programs. Please be sure you have received and read this email a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the start of the program. Thank you!
FACILITATOR: Gordon Creamer
FACILITATOR BIO:
Gordon Creamer, creator of The Mission Bridge, joined the Well’s Staff in July 2022 as Program Director. He has held leadership roles in healthcare programming and operations since 2001 at various Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, and Hospice communities. He earned an MA in Spiritual & Pastoral Care from Loyola University and an MA in Theology from the Ecumenical Institute of St. Mary’s Seminary & University. He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry Program at the Ecumenical Institute.
Gordon has facilitated numerous retreats and workshops that focus on creating opportunities for participants to explore and enhance their spirituality and well-being through various media. Uplifting the journey of adults, individuals with memory impairment, and members of the LGBTQ+ community is a passion for him, and in the last several years, he has fostered support groups and programs for caregivers and those who are grieving losses. Trained as a spiritual director/companion, end-of-life doula, and Reiki practitioner, Gordon welcomes all in discovering the spiritual life as a means of healing, expanding and flourishing.

Thanksgiving Gifts: A Praying in Color Meditation with the Poetry of Mary Oliver (Online Program)
2024-11-25 19:00 - 20:30 | ZOOM
“Let God and the world know you are grateful” ~ Mary Oliver
Gratitude is a theme that weaves throughout Mary Oliver’s poetry. She invites, cajoles, and sometimes demands that we pause, notice, wonder, and respond to the myriad gifts right before our eyes…and then tell someone about them! Her poetry calls us to a grateful life.
Thanksgiving is a day set apart in our culture to notice and be grateful for the gifts in our lives. For some, this holiday is so full of family, friends, turkey, football, and pumpkin pie, that it can be challenging to find a moment to reflect on those gifts. For others, the holiday holds grief, loneliness, and challenges that make gratitude seem elusive in the midst of it all.
You are invited to start your Thanksgiving week in a guided and contemplative meditation where we will intentionally pause to notice and let gratitude be our response. We will listen deeply to Mary’s words and spend unhurried time in reflection using the spiritual practice of Praying in Color. There will also be time to share our reflections with one another – to tell someone about what we noticed – in the sacred community of our group.
No prior experience or artistic skills are required to engage in this practice. Praying in Color is simply doodling with color as a way of helping us pause, notice, and reflect. All you need is white paper and colorful writing utensils such as colored pencils, markers, crayons, or pens. Lorie will guide every step of this simple and meaningful spiritual practice.
DATE: Monday, November 25, 2024
TIME: 7:00 – 8:30 PM ET
COST: $20
LOCATION: ZOOM
REGISTRATION is required; please register here.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Please read our cancellation policy, here.
IMPORTANT: You will receive an email from lorie@wellforthejourney.org at least 24 hours in advance of the start of your program. If you are unable to find the email, please check your SPAM or JUNK email folders. This email will include details to help you prepare for your program including any pertinent handouts, location information, and the ZOOM link for online programs. Please be sure you have received and read this email a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the start of the program. Thank you!
FACILITATOR: Lorie Conway
FACILITATOR BIO:
Lorie has a passion for deep listening and accompanying others on their spiritual journeys through spiritual direction, small groups, and retreats. It is Lorie’s ongoing journey of transformation and spiritual discovery that fuels her desire to offer spiritual companioning to others. Lorie’s spirituality is rooted in the Christ tradition and is welcoming of the many paths and unique journeys enfolded within Divine Mystery. Lorie received her certificate in spiritual direction from the Kairos School of Spiritual Formation and holds a M.A. in Religion from Lancaster Theological Seminary and a M.A.S. in Behavioral Management & Human Resources from Johns Hopkins University. Lorie is delighted to serve both on the programming staff at the Well and as a program and retreat facilitator. She is also Director of the Shalem Institute’s Transforming Community: Leading Contemplative Spiritual Groups & Retreats program.

Returning to Center for 2025: A Kinder, Gentler Start for the New Year (Online Retreat)
2025-01-05 13:00 - 17:00 | ZOOM
Here are some testimonials from prior years:

It is a great start to each year! Thank you! – Fiona Bailey

I enjoyed participating in the 2024 Return to Center workshop. The facilitator, Lisa Beacham, was friendly, knowledgeable, and well prepared to lead the workshop. Her skill provided a warm, engaging atmosphere, that allowed ample time for individual reflection as well as time for sharing with other members of the workshop. – Laura Kittel

Full, rich, helpful – so many tools to take into the year with me! – Debora

I thought the various quotes that Lisa shared were worth pondering and contributed to the meaning of the retreat for me. – Marie

What a wonderful way to start the New Year! Lisa provided an excellent workshop- it was well-paced and informative. Lisa skillfully guided us through the Heart Compass which proved to be a highly useful tool. It was a joy to be a part of this community, I’m amazed at how quickly the four hours passed. I might need to make this a New Year’s tradition. – Cathy Rosensteel

We are thrilled to offer Lisa Beacham’s kinder, gentler start for the new year again for 2025! Lisa’s special approach to the new year has been welcomed by many participants over the past three years. If you are looking for a way to welcome the new year but somehow the usual hoopla of resolutions, big dreams, bold visions, and brilliant goals seems too much, this retreat may be perfect for you! We are offering it in-person at the Well on January 11th and online on January 5th so you can choose which venue works best for you.
Whether you are joining from the comfort of your own home or at the Well’s home, this half-day retreat invites you to:
· A dedicated space and time to reflect and establish an authentic, nourishing, and inspiring vision and intentions for the new year.
· A process to “name and claim” those experiences, feelings, habits, and/or relationships to leave behind in 2024 and those to carry with you into 2025.
· A unique method for exploring the meanings of the four directions of the compass that helps you get clear and live into what’s next for you.
· From this exploration, you will be able to create your own Personal Heart Compass to help ground and guide you through 2025. (A short list of all the materials you need will be provided – things you probably already have in your home.)
Give yourself this gift of time to breathe, gather in community, and start the year refreshed, grounded, and energized.
This registration is for the Online retreat. Space is limited to 14 people online and sold-out last year. Don’t delay! If you prefer to attend the in-person retreat on Saturday, January 11th, please click here.
DATE: Sunday, January 5, 2025
TIME: 1:00 – 5:00 PM ET
COST: $65
LOCATION: ZOOM
REGISTRATION is required; please register here.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Please read our cancellation policy, here.
IMPORTANT: You will receive an email from lorie@wellforthejourney.org at least 24 hours in advance of the start of your program. If you are unable to find the email, please check your SPAM or JUNK email folders. This email will include details to help you prepare for your program including any pertinent handouts, location information, and the ZOOM link for online programs. Please be sure you have received and read this email a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the start of the program. Thank you!
FACILITATOR: Lisa Beacham
FACILITATOR BIO:
Lisa works with accomplished, spiritually minded men and women in their mid to late career who are feeling empty, burned out, and know they cannot continue doing what they’re doing. She helps them to create a fulfilling and impactful career and life path that will carry them through to retirement.
Even after making bold moves and big transitions multiple times in her life, the decision at age 51 to leave a stable job, volunteer for a year in Haiti, and return to carve out a new career and life path was a challenging one. Listening for guidance, practicing discernment, and learning to embrace the support available for each step of the way has been transformative.
Lisa creates a personalized approach for each of her clients based on their particular needs and goals. She draws upon an extensive set of practices and tools from her training and experience as a coach, spiritual director, Enneagram guide, and lifelong seeker and learner. In addition, she leads workshops and retreats.

Mary Oliver Mystic Series 2025 (Online Program)
2025-01-09 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-01-16 13:00 - 15:00 | ZOOM
“Ten times a day something happens to me like this – some strengthening throb of amazement – some good sweet empathic ping and swell. This is the first, the wildest and the wisest thing I know: that the soul exists and is built entirely out of attentiveness.” – Mary Oliver
Mary Oliver, a modern mystic, and possibly the most beloved American poet of our time, is best known for her compassionate, attentive regard for the natural world. Amidst the harshness of life, Oliver found sanctuary and hope in nature and generously shared her discoveries with us in simple, beautiful language that stirs both the heart and the imagination. Oliver published over 25 books of poetry and prose and received many honors including the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.
Come join us as Oliver’s words of wisdom invite us into a portal of hope, exploration, and self-discovery all through her mystical eyes and ears, mind and heart.
One of our most popular programs, this three-part series will include contemplative reading of a selection of Oliver’s poems, writing prompts, reflection, and small group discussion. Join us for one, two, or all three sessions as we spend time with Mary Oliver’s poems, listening to one another as her wisdom speaks to us.
DATE: Thursdays – 1/9, 1/16, 1/23/25
TIME: 1:00 – 3:00 PM ET
COST: $100 for all three sessions or $40 per session
LOCATION: ZOOM
REGISTRATION is required; please register here.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Please read our cancellation policy, here.
IMPORTANT: You will receive an email from lorie@wellforthejourney.org at least 24 hours in advance of the start of your program. If you are unable to find the email, please check your SPAM or JUNK email folders. This email will include details to help you prepare for your program including any pertinent handouts, location information, and the ZOOM link for online programs. Please be sure you have received and read this email a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the start of the program. Thank you!
FACILITATORS: Greg Cochran and Sr. Kathy McNany
FACILITATOR BIOS:
Greg Cochran:
Greg has been the Executive Director at Well for the Journey since 2010. He is a graduate of Clemson University and Southern Seminary. Greg was Associate Pastor at Woodbrook Baptist Church serving from 1988-2022. He also is a program/retreat facilitator and a spiritual companion. He completed the Shalem Institute’s Spiritual Guidance Program (SGP) in 2009 and is currently a SGP staff member. He is also a mentor for Paseo’s “The Stewards of Mystery” Spiritual Guidance Program in Cottonwood, Idaho. Greg and his wife, Carole, live in Baltimore. They have two children (26 and 24). Greg is a hiker, photographer, woodworker, and loves being with family – and is always desiring to be open and listening for the invitation of the Spirit.
Kathy McNany, OSB
Sr. Kathy is the Prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of Emmanuel Monastery. She also serves the community as Liturgist and Director of Communications. Kathy is a Spiritual Director, Retreat Director, leader of programs in prayer and spirituality at the monastery and in the broader community and works with other Benedictine communities in discernment facilitation and direction setting for the future.

Is Hope Real? Engaging with the Book of Hope (4-Part Online Series)
2025-01-10 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-01-17 13:00 - 14:30 | ZOOM
It’s so easy to come up with a list of problems in our world and in our lives. Jane Goodall, naturalist and advocate for animals and the climate, is keenly aware of how challenging life is today. She faces the facts: a loss of connection to the natural world, extinction of species, reliance on fossil fuels, devastating fires and floods, polluted rivers, a worsening of hurricanes and typhoons, industrial farming, poverty, and climate refugees.
She experienced life in World War II and knows the tragedies of current wars, terrorism, economic disparities and what she calls evil.
She is keenly aware of the impacts of these catastrophic events, but when asked the question, “Do you honestly believe there is hope for our world? For the future and our children and grandchildren?” She responds: “Truthfully, yes.”
At our first gathering, we will begin to uncover the deeper understanding of hope that Jane expresses in her conversation with Douglas Abrams in The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times. Jane is “focused around four main reasons for hope: The amazing human intellect, the resilience of nature, the power of youth, and the indomitable human spirit.” We will consider the first two reasons in week two, and the second two in week three. In week four, we will ponder how we can be messengers of hope.
Using The Book of Hope as a resource, we will review selected readings, engage in small group conversation and reflective time, and consider how Jane gives us ways to be hopeful in times of rapid and potentially harmful change. Participants are encouraged to read the book and have it handy for Zoom sessions.
In our ongoing effort to provide “hope” to as many in our community and beyond, we are pleased to be able to offer a sliding scale for registration for this program. Please select the ticket option that meets your financial abilities/needs at this time.
DATE: Fridays, 1/10, 1/17, 1/24, and 2/7/25
TIME: 1:00 – 2:30 PM ET
LOCATION: ZOOM
COST: Registration cost for this program has three options from which you can choose – $120, $95, or $80. The Well is delighted to be able to offer this opportunity to you. Please select the ticket option that meets your financial abilities/needs at this time. Thank you!
IMPORTANT: You will receive an email from lorie@wellforthejourney.org at least 24 hours in advance of the start of your program. If you are unable to find the email, please check your SPAM or JUNK email folders. This email will include details to help you prepare for your program including any pertinent handouts, location information, and the ZOOM link for online programs. Please be sure you have received and read this email a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the start of the program. Thank you!
REGISTRATION is required; please register here.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Please read our cancellation policy, here.
FACILITATOR: Donna Mollenkopf
FACILITATOR BIO:
Donna is a Women at the Well facilitator and curriculum writer, as well as leader of various other programs at the Well. A former Well board member, she has experience as a retreat leader, pilgrimage guide, and small group leader. Donna is the co-author of two books on spirituality and is an active member of her Lutheran church. A graduate of Shalem’s Soul of the Executive program, Donna values a contemplative stance. She is married, mother of a grown son, two grown stepsons, and a happy grandmother.

Spiritual Autobiography: Exploring the Story of Your Life Through Writing (Online Program)
2025-01-13 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-01-20 18:30 - 20:30 | ZOOM
A testimonial about this program from last year…
“Amy is an excellent facilitator! I was amazed at all of the insights that surfaced during this writing process. The opportunity to both share and receive each other’s stories was very special. I would highly recommend this program to anyone wanting to deepen their spirituality and self-awareness while connecting with others.” – Jean Anne Walsh
Irish poet Pádraig Ó Tuama affirms that we are all “story full and lovely.” Indeed, these stories are how we remember and share the journey of our lives, both collectively and individually.
Through six sessions together-and reflective time between sessions-participants will respond through writing (and other creative modes) to gentle prompts that can help us to write the stories of our individual spiritual journeys. We all live this spiritual journey every day, whether or not we are grounded in a specific religious tradition. Indeed, most wisdom traditions affirm that we live this spiritual-or inward-journey in the daily moments that we need to take time to notice. By writing with and for other attentive writers, we will honor the things that make us human together and share, as Ó Tuama invites “the things that do not fade: generosity, truth-telling, silence, respect, and love.”
Our times together will be for listening to one another’s stories. We gather not to offer feedback or critique (as you might find in a traditional writing workshop) or to teach one another how to write a spiritual autobiography. We gather to receive the gifts that flow through each other’s generous sharing of our lives, and to open ourselves to our own story.
We are thrilled to welcome back Amy Schmaljohn for another session of this meaningful and inspiring program. Join Amy and others to remember, write, and share the journey that is uniquely your own. No previous writing experience is required!
DATE: Mondays, 1/13, 1/20, 1/27, 2/3, 2/10, and 2/17/25
TIME: 6:30 – 8:30 PM ET
COST: Early Bird Discount (purchased prior to 12/1/24) – $150; Regular Cost (purchased 12/2/24 and after) – $170
LOCATION: ZOOM
REGISTRATION is required; please register here.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Please read our cancellation policy, here.
IMPORTANT: You will receive an email from lorie@wellforthejourney.org at least 24 hours in advance of the start of your program. If you are unable to find the email, please check your SPAM or JUNK email folders. This email will include details to help you prepare for your program including any pertinent handouts, location information, and the ZOOM link for online programs. Please be sure you have received and read this email a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the start of the program. Thank you!
FACILITATOR: Amy Schmaljohn
FACILITATOR BIO:
Amy Schmaljohn enjoyed a 35 year career as a leader and teacher in both higher education and at Friends School of Baltimore (Quaker). Her classrooms offered students opportunities to explore world literature and art, movements for nonviolent social transformation, and the human experience of religion across global traditions. A member of Gunpowder Friends Meeting (Quaker), she leads contemplative spiritual retreats in the tradition of the Religious Society of Friends and offers spiritual deepening programs for seekers in the Baltimore region. She is enlivened by the sharing of our stories, by the mystery and power of the written word, and by her daily encounters with the natural world just outside her doorstep. Amy and her husband Alan, a retired virologist, live in northwestern Baltimore County, where they steward seventeen acres of woodland, meadow and streams that have been placed in the Maryland Environmental Trust and serve as a gathering space for those seeking immersive experiences in nature.

Women at the Well - Radical Love: Exploring the Missing & Mystical Wisdom of Mary Magdalene (6-Part, Online Series)
2025-01-15 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-01-22 10:00 - 11:30 | ZOOM
Lost for more than 1500 years, The Gospel of Mary is the only gospel written in the name of a woman, and it reveals a radical love different from the understanding of Christianity that many know. We will explore the mystery, misunderstandings, and mysticism of Mary Magdalene to discover essential spiritual wisdom that can transform us and our world.
Our weekly themes will include a fresh look at the mystery of Mary Magdalene, claiming our authentic power, recognizing the inherent goodness within every person, listening to our inner wisdom, seeing a new vision in the darkness, and living with a radical, transformative love for others and ourselves. We’ll draw from the contemporary writings of Meggan Watterson, Cynthia Bourgeault, and Karen King.
Women at the Well is a spiritual companioning program open to all women seeking space to listen for, become more aware of, and respond to the Divine in their daily lives. This small group program includes time for reflection and sacred conversation in the community of other women on the journey.
Two sessions of this program will be offered – one In-Person at the Well and one Online. This registration is for the Online session.
DATE: Wednesdays, 1/15, 1/22, 1/29, 2/5, 2/12, and 2/19/25
TIME: 10:00 – 11:30 AM
COST: $130
LOCATION: Zoom
REGISTRATION is required; please register here.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Please read our cancellation policy, here.
IMPORTANT: You will receive an email from programming@wellforthejourney.org at least 24 hours in advance of the start of your program. If you are unable to find the email, please check your SPAM or JUNK email folders. This email will include details to help you prepare for your program including any pertinent handouts, location information, and the ZOOM link for online programs. Please be sure you have received and read this email a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the start of the program. Thank you!
FACILITATORS: Mabeth Hudson & Terri Smith
FACILITATOR BIOS:
Mabeth Hudson
Through her leadership and writing, Mabeth encourages people to listen to their inner wisdom, discover meaningful connections, grow through challenges, and better love and be loved in the nitty-gritty of everyday life. Mabeth is passionate about attending to the spiritual dimension of being human in a practical way, as it impacts all of one’s relationships. For over 20 years, she has been developing and leading programs for spiritual wellness, personal growth, and leadership development. Her workshops, classes, retreats, and writing offer accessible tools to integrate into daily life.
After practicing law for several years, Mabeth entered a discernment process which led to the co-founding of Well for the Journey in 2002.
Terri Smith
Terri is a retired professional educator who has a special interest in encouraging spiritual growth by honoring the different learning styles with multi-sensory exercises and creative exploration. As one of the founders of the Well, she develops curriculum and leads Women at the Well, facilitator training, and retreats. Terri believes that she is similar to many others in always seeking to enrich her spiritual growth and development. She is a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the mother of three.
