Professional Resources

Peg Wuelfing
Cheryl Bartky
Anita Davidson
Christine Merritt
Christine Strassle

Organizational Resources

Professional Resources

Spiritual Direction (SD), Supervision (S), Retreatwork (R), Preaching (P), Teaching (T), Counseling (C)

Peg Wuelfing (SD, S, R, T)

Peg Wuelfing is a native of New Jersey, married since 1970 to her husband, Ed. For thirty years, they raised their children, Peggy, Claire and Andy, in Columbus, Ohio and founded a successful heating and air conditioning business there. Peg received her B.A. in religious studies from the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus OH; her M.A. in religious studies from the University of Dayton, and her Ph. D. in educational leadership from the University of Dayton School of Education and Allied Professions. Her research focused on interdisciplinary curriculum and professional development in Catholic schools. She is immensely grateful for the privilege of 27 years of education in Catholic schools—from kindergarten through her doctoral program. In 2001, Ed and Peg moved to Boise, Idaho. She recently served for four years as the Director of Adult Catholic Education Treasure Valley, a collaboration of 8 Catholic parishes to sponsor adult education best achieved on the inter-parish scale.

Peg Wuelfing has taught young people and adults in church, school, diocesan, and seminary settings for over thirty years in Ohio and Idaho. She currently serves as founder and director for MCE, Mission Centered Education, Research and Retreatwork, LLC through which she helps individuals and churches, schools, and service organizations articulate and integrate their mission into their day-to-day operations. She continues to facilitate retreats and to present at regional and national conferences on a variety of topics related to religious education, prayer and spirituality. A spiritual companion for many years, Peg is excited to be completing her internship in a program for spiritual direction and to be bringing this opportunity to others in Idaho.
 
She and Ed worship at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Idaho City, where she serves as a catechist. A grandmother, writer, gardener, teacher and weekend chef, Peg believes that what she does best is pray.

Cheryl Bartky  (SD, S, R, P, T, C)

Cheryl is an experienced spiritual director and supervisor, counselor,  storyteller. Her intention is to support each person’s journey towards freedom, authenticity and joy, by embodying and encouraging creativity as a portal to the Divine. A lay minister and Maggid (a Jewish lay pastor), Cheryl views all of her work as a ministry.  Her specialties include: accessing God’s wisdom through the arts, discerning your life’s callings, embracing life/career transitions, and healing grief and trauma. Cheryl can be reached at via email or by calling 510-299-4190.
 
Cheryl’s credentials include: M.A., NCC, BC-DMT her alphabet soup translates as Masters of Arts in the Creative Arts as Therapy, National Certified Counselor, and Board Certified Dance- Movement Therapist. She is a graduate of the Spiritual Directors Institute (3-year program) and Internship in the Art of the Supervision of Spiritual Directors,  She has a private practice in San Pablo, California where she meets with local clients in person and with supervisors and counselors around the country by phone.

Anita Davidson (SD, R, P)

Anita is an Associate of the Dominican Sisters of Peace, is a spiritual director, retreat leader, and preacher with over 25 years of experience in parish ministry and formation programs.  A wife, mother and stepmother, born and raised as a Roman Catholic, Anita is rooted in Scripture and the contemplative life; her spirituality, practicality and aesthetic are embraced by parishes, congregations, and communities both within and beyond the institutional church.

Contact Anita via email or call her at 614-866-2838 or 614-204-6417 (mobile)  

Anita lives and works from Columbus, Ohio, where you might find her knitting “something beautiful for somebody special.”

Christine Merritt (SD, R, T, C)  

Certified in spiritual formation and direction through CFDM, Christine is also experienced and certified in CranioSacral Therapy, deepening her ministry as a physical therapist after earning her degree in PT in 1971 to  soft tissue and joint mobilization, visceral manipulation and CranioSacral Therapy at her office in Eagle, ID.  A long-time practitioner and teacher of contemplative prayer, Christine is a certified labyrinth facilitator who helps individuals and congregations integrate this ancient prayer practice into the celebrations and seasons of the liturgical year. Christine can be reached by phone at (425) 343-8749 (day) or by email.  Visit Christine’s website: http://www.iahp.com/metamorphosis.  

Christine’s ministry of healing touch began with a BS degree in physical therapy from UC Medical Center (San Francisco) in 1971, adding additional certifications in CranioSacral Therapy and visceral manipulation. After serving as spiritual companion and guide for years, Christine completed her two-year certification program for spiritual formation and direction through Christian Formation and Direction Ministries in Seattle WA in 2007. She was certified in labyrinth facilitation by Veriditas (an international organization that promotes effective and accurate implementation of this ancient prayer form) at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco in 2003. She is grateful to be able to share her own portable indoor and outdoor labyrinths with others!

Christine Strassle (SD) 

Christine has administrative and pastoral experience with people whose lives have been touched by domestic violence. With a Master’s degree in Pastoral Studies, Christine has served as a trained spiritual director in California and Idaho, and draws much of her inspiration from her life as a Benedictine Oblate. 
 
Christine can be reached by phone at home 208-888-4571, cell  208-949-6515, or by email. 

Wife, mother and grandmother extraordinaire, Christine’s journey involves travel—to conferences and workshops, but most often to her grandchildren.

Organizational Resources

Spiritual Direction (SD), Supervision (S), Retreatwork (R), Preaching (P), Teaching (T), Counseling (C)

Bead for Life (T)

Bead for Life  is part of an international grassroots movement to overcome extreme poverty by creating bridges of understanding between impoverished Africans and concerned  world citizens.  Ugandan women, and some men, turn colorful recycled paper into beautiful bead jewelry, and people who care open their hearts, homes and communities to buy and sell the beads.  The beads become income, food, medicine, school fees and hope.  It is a small miracle that connects and enriches everyone involved.
Items can be ordered directly from their website, www.BeadforLife.org.  
Anyone interested in hosting a Bead gathering of friends can contact Kathy.
Kathy Yochum, seeker, Spirit sister and serious citizen of the world, lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, Steve Cox.

Celebrate Recovery ~ Boise (T, C)  

Visit:    http://www.sacredheartboise.org/adult/celebraterecovery.htm
Celebrate Recovery helps individuals learn to deal with life's "hurts, hang-ups, and bad habits” in a confidential and safe environment.  The program utilizes 8 Recovery Principles found in the Beatitudes and a Christ-centered, 12-Step model patterned on the Alcoholics Anonymous program.  Working together in a group format to change whatever habits adversely affect the important relationships in our lives, we discover and celebrate God's grace and healing of those relationships. Each gathering includes: refreshments, prayer, music, instruction, and small group, gender-based, opening sharing.

Meetings are held every Thursday evening from 6:30 to 9:00pm at Sacred Heart Church, 811 S. Lath, Boise. Baby sitting is available.

>Contacts:    Mildred Tillotson 208-343-3303 and Randy Williams 208-602-5667
Mildred Tillotson, life-long resident of Boise, loving follower of Jesus Christ, and compassionate friend, seeks peace and happiness in this life with others working to change habits that keep us from being the full and free person God calls us to be. Randy Williams is a core-team member for Celebrate Recovery, a Eucharistic minister at his parish and the impetus for many wonderful programs across the Treasure Valley—always behind the scenes.

Fortunate Families (C)

Fortunate Families is a national resource and networking ministry, that was developed in response to the pastoral message from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Always Our Children-1997” to help family members address the topic of sexual orientation. One way to accomplish this goal is to talk to people who have lived similar experience.  The Listening Parents Network (LPN) was created by Fortunate Families to provide this listening opportunity. LPN is not limited to Catholic families and can be accessed by visiting the website at www.fortunatefamilies.com

To talk with a listening parent from Fortunate Families in the Boise, Idaho area, please contact: Susan and Don Curtis or by phone: 208-344-3434; or Genie Austin-Calkins or by phone: 208-331-7941.
Susan and Don are both retired, are active in Human Rights organizations and participate in a variety of parish ministries.Genie and Russ Calkins, happy parents and grandparents, have been talking with other fortunate families of gay and lesbian children across the country for almost 25 years.

Peaceful Place, Boise ID (R, C) 

Peaceful Place is a safe space for spiritual nourishment, creative expression, and personal
healing.  Monthly gatherings invite people into a deeper awareness of their true selves and
provide opportunities to grow in body, mind, and spirit. Information is available at
peacefulplacegatherings.com, on Facebook, or by phone:  Jana Bruno at 208-908-9640 or Alie Hicks at 208-559-3375.

Jana, a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Art Psychotherapist, values each person's inner strength, wisdom, and innate creativity. Allie uses her Master’s in education/educational specialists degrees to help people transform their lives through the creative process.