Catholic · Emmaus course
Accompanying Men: Principles of Effective Spiritual Direction
Five proven principles for reaching men who think they don't have time for God.
Most men do not seek spiritual direction — and many who try it once never return. Fr. John Hopkins has accompanied hundreds of men across decades of pastoral work. In this engaging interview, he shares five principles that transform resistant, skeptical men into committed directees: positivity, challenge, concrete homework, deep questioning, and loving accountability. Whether you are a spiritual director, priest, deacon, or Catholic counselor, this course will change how you see the men you serve.
NBCC CE · 0.75 clock hours · Helping Relationships (HR)
With Fr. John Hopkins, LC
- Length
- 45 min
- Lessons
- 1
- Level
- Intermediate
- Version
- Catholic
- Price
- Free
You've sat across from men who nod politely, say they're too busy, and never come back. Fr. Hopkins has too — and he found a way to reach them.
About this course
There is a man in your parish who is running his entire spiritual life in first gear. He is competent at work, reasonably kind at home, and quietly convinced that spiritual direction is not for him. He may have tried it once and found it useless. He may never have been asked in a way that made sense.
Fr. John Hopkins has met this man hundreds of times. And he has learned — through decades of pastoral experience — how to reach him.
In this in-depth interview from the SDC 600: Advanced Prayer and Situations series, Fr. Hopkins shares five foundational principles for effective spiritual direction with men, especially men who are busy, skeptical, or self-sufficient. His method is direct, practical, and rooted in an unshakeable confidence in the Holy Spirit.
The five principles he outlines — be positive, challenge for change, assign homework, ask why, and hold accountable — are not techniques for clever directors. They are the fruit of a pastor who has watched God transform resistant men into devoted husbands, fathers, and apostles, one session at a time.
This course is designed for spiritual directors, priests, deacons, formation directors, and Catholic mental health professionals who work with male clients and want a proven, faith-integrated method that respects both the man's psychology and his spiritual destiny.
Who this course is for
Spiritual Directors in Training and Formation Directors
These learners are actively seeking practical, experienced guidance on how to work with specific populations.
This is what decades of experience sounds like.
Priests and Deacons Seeking Pastoral Tools
Many ordained ministers accompany male parishioners informally but lack structured methods.
Stop winging it with the men in your parish.
Catholic Counselors and Therapists (NBCC CE Audience)
The NBCC CE designation opens this course to licensed mental health professionals who serve Catholic or spiritually integrated clients.
Faith-integrated methods that actually work with resistant male clients.
Deacon Candidates and Permanent Diaconate Programs
Deacons regularly accompany men in marriage preparation, grief, and addiction recovery.
Also for Homeschooling fathers and family formation leaders; FOCUS missionaries and campus ministry leaders.
Common questions
- I already know how to do spiritual direction.
- Fr. Hopkins's principles are practical precision tools, not a foundation course. Even experienced directors report finding specific methods that changed their approach.
- I don't work with men specifically.
- The principles — positivity, challenge, homework, deep questioning, accountability — apply across genders and contexts. The male focus makes them concrete, not exclusive.
- I don't have time for a full course.
- This is a single lesson: 20 minutes of audio, a focused reading, and a brief reflection. Most users complete it in under an hour.
- Is this theologically sound?
- The course has been reviewed by faculty at Divine Mercy University and is grounded in the Ignatian tradition of spiritual direction and the CCMMP framework.
From the course syllabus
There is a man in your parish who is running his entire spiritual life in first gear. He is competent at work, reasonably kind at home, and quietly convinced that spiritual direction is not for him. He may have tried it once and found it useless. He may never have been asked in a way that made sense.
Fr. John Hopkins LC has met this man hundreds of times. And he has learned — through decades of pastoral experience — how to reach him.
In this in-depth interview from the SDC 600: Advanced Prayer and Situations series, Fr. Hopkins shares five foundational principles for effective spiritual direction with men, especially men who are busy, skeptical, or self-sufficient. His method is direct, practical, and rooted in an unshakeable confidence in the Holy Spirit.
The five principles he outlines — be positive, challenge for change, assign homework, ask why, and hold accountable — are not techniques for clever directors. They are the fruit of a pastor who has watched God transform resistant men into devoted husbands, fathers, and apostles, one session at a time.
This course is designed for spiritual directors, priests, deacons, formation directors, and Catholic mental health professionals who work with male clients and want a proven, faith-integrated method that respects both the man's psychology and his spiritual destiny.
Curriculum
-
Module 1
Accompanying Men: Principles of Effective Spiritual Direction
- 1.Lesson: The Art of Accompanying Men: Five Principles for the Effective Spiritual Director
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