About Emily Conway

The Basics

I obtained my Certificate in Spiritual Companioning (Spiritual Direction) in 2017 after 18 months of course work and practicums.  My training comes from Richmont Graduate University in Atlanta, GA.  I also have a BA, MA, and coursework for a PhD, all in English Literature.

Personally, I am a partner and mother of three, who enjoys reading, handwork, and exercise. I am grateful for the transformative powers of the contemplative practices in my life.  My favorite form of prayer is meditation, which I practice alone and with groups. 

Why I Chose Companioning

When I discovered Spiritual Companioning, I remember being struck by the prospect of the space it provided for both the companion and the one being companioned. As the listener, I did not need to fix, evaluate, or otherwise “figure out” someone; instead, I got to provide open, loving, and non-judgmental space for that person to be themselves. In return, my companion could receive the gift of being truly heard, not merely as a voice who’s listener is busy formulating a response, but rather as a whole person. The individual could also experience being seen, not in the curated way that we often present ourselves to others, but as herself, in all her beautiful complexity and confusion. Both of these gifts, listening and seeing, have the potential to transform the one who receives them, and indeed, the one who gives them.

Since my first encounter with Spiritual Companioning, I have felt that my own gifts of intuition and compassion, a passion for the transformative power of the essential self, and years of deep work with my own essential nature, make my work as a companion a calling and a vocation. It is work I believe I am here to do. And I would love to explore doing that work with you.

My Niche

Within the Companioning sphere, I am particularly drawn to being with those who feel that their lives’ narratives fall outside the traditional ones society often assigns us. As someone who spent many years feeling like she was standing at a window looking in at the rest of the world, I understand what it is like to live with the difference those with non-conforming sexual identities, beliefs, bodies, or other circumstances might experience.  I am honored to accompany your essential self on your journey.