Listening to Our Deep Interiors: The Language of Emotions ON ZOOM

Our emotions are a part of our human design, our Imago Dei, along with our spirit, intellect, and body. Ignatius and others taught that emotions are content bearers of our deep interiors where God speaks and builds relationship with us. Hence, to prayerfully discern and listen for God’s voice and grow in deeper union with God, we must not only welcome and listen to our emotions but learn their language. It is then that our emotions can be the energy-filled companions that are active allies, wisdom bearers, and holders of our deepest yearnings.

However, most of us have been formed to dishonor our emotions and view “distressing” emotions like anger, fear, and sometimes sadness, as problems that need to be dealt with, and happiness as the lone “desirable” emotion. Our capacity to hear God is severely hampered, and our deepest yearning for a relationship with God, ourselves, others, and creation continues to throb partially filled.

As spiritual directors, our capacity to accompany others is deepened when we can welcome, listen to, understand, and embrace our own anger, fear, sadness, and happiness. This workshop will be an introduction to a framework for understanding emotions from Dynamic Emotional Integration. It is a praxis-driven non-clinical approach to emotional awareness, healthy empathy, and social-emotional education.

*** For spiritual directors only ***

About the Presenter:

Nina Lau-Branson is the first US-born child of Chinese immigrants who fled a country that was in chaos. During the past 25 years, she has pursued a particular passion for communion with God, especially listening for the voice of God, and engaging spiritual practices that enable whole-person availability to the Holy and the welcome of hers and others' stories, all of which are sacred.

She currently works as a spiritual director, coach, and teacher/facilitator in various contexts. She is particularly committed to creating learning spaces where people are enabled to listen to and connect with their whole self, God, and others. The people she serves are primarily leaders and people who have been de-voiced or muted. In addition to her private practice, she is on staff with the CenterQuest School of Spiritual Direction, a program that is ecumenically broad and global in reach.

She has completed training in spiritual direction with CenterQuest. She is certified as a licensed Dynamic Emotional Integration (DEI) trainer and consultant. DEI is a non-clinical approach to emotional awareness, healthy empathy and social-emotion education. Her credentials also include an MBA in finance and a CPA earned while working with Price Waterhouse Coopers in their entrepreneurial services group.

She lives with her husband of 45 years in Pasadena, CA, and has two adult children.