Mary Louise McCullough (she, her) is a spiritual director, dream work facilitator, retreat leader and writer who is building a spiritual direction practice in her new home in Erie PA. She loves the mysterious, changing moods and beauty of Lake Erie. Years ago, Mary Louise set out to be a journalist with activist tendencies and ended up a pastor with a passion for social justice. Ministry took her to spaces which stretched and frustrated her while opening deeper understandings of spirituality, cultural injustice and transformation. Having become a spiritual director before entering seminary with a passion for storytelling and contemplative practices, she was fueled by the wisdom and courage of women mystics such as Julian of Norwich and the Beguines. These ancient sisters helped her ride the wild winds of 21stcentury church life first in a small town, then Pittsburgh and, finally, Nashville. For 20 years in ministry Mary Louise participated in ongoing social and spiritual conversations about gender/sexual identity and racism. She advocated for Pride and picketed for BLM during Covid. She is learning to deal with her biases and places of resistance by getting to know her shadow. Mary Louise heard about Haden from friends, attended a summer dream conference and rediscovered Carl Jung, whose ideas had been floating in her awareness for years. She graduated from the Haden Institute’s Dream Work Training Program and is now pursuing this new/old path with freedom to visit two small grandchildren in Nashville. Her husband serves two churches in Erie.
