The Christian Century looks at the growing popularity of spiritual direction among mainline Protestants, especially pastors:
More and more pastors have made spiritual direction a central part of their ministries. The spirituality shaped by spiritual direction might be of special importance to pastors, Reed observes, because the demands of ministry are such that pastors often function out of a “false self.” They may put on masks to hide their true struggles and opinions rather than risk displeasing those they serve. For many pastors, that false self becomes habitual, and they lack a safe place in which to take off the mask.
Spiritual direction offers a way to attend to God’s presence in one’s life in the context of a trusted relationship. Spiritual direction “is not about what we do, but about who we are,” says Reed. “It helps us see how we’ve been operating falsely and begins to move us to the center.”