Pilgrim Spirit
Your Guides for the Journey
Sally Freed
Sally Freed is a professional retreat and workshop facilitator, with a passion for cultivating environments where people can safely explore and discover new understandings about themselves. Participants love experiencing both playfulness and deep nurturing in Sally's retreats. She has several years of retreat leadership experience working with educational and spiritual communities, as well as corporate and non-profit organizations throughout the Pacific Northwest.
She considers herself a ‘roving spiritualist’ with a deep love of travel, and great respect for the many ways in which people express their understanding of Sacred Mystery. Her English-Irish-Welsh family background might explain her affinity for long walks in rainy weather, dark beer, warm fires and anything written by John O’Donohue.
This is Sally’s third international retreat in the British Isles and her second offering on Iona, in partnership with her dear friend, Laurie Smith.
Sally received her Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies from Seattle University School of Theology and Ministry in 2013. Sally is a trained SoulCollage® facilitator and is working towards certification through the Adelynrood School of Spiritual Direction. She and her husband Stuart have two grown daughters and make their home in Wenatchee, Washington.
LAURIE SMITH
Laurie Smith is a healer, artist, and lifelong learner with a keen interest in the relationship between art and the sacred. Through compassionate listening and creative exploration, she helps others experience their connection with the Divine. Her workshops have been described as “transformative.” Retreat participants remark on her calm, gentle presence.
Laurie’s spiritual journey has been richly informed by interfaith exploration and experience, and her daily path is grounded in both Buddhist practice and Benedictine spirituality. A pilgrimage to Ireland in 2011 and to Iona in 2017 deepened her appreciation of Celtic Christianity, as well as earlier Celtic traditions.
In addition to a Master of Divinity degree from Marylhurst University, Laurie received her certificate in Interfaith Spiritual Direction from the Chaplaincy Institute for Arts and Interfaith Ministries in Berkeley, California. Laurie is also a SoulCollage® facilitator, trained by Seena Frost in 2008. She is working toward becoming ordained as an Interfaith Minister.
Based in Portland, OR, Laurie loves to hike, make art, have adventures of all kinds and "geek out" on wildflowers and native plants.
“Sally and Laurie, you put tremendous care, love, planning into creating a wonderful meaningful weekend experience. Thank you!”
“Thank you both for your own work of preparation, courage in leading into your own unknown (great role models!) and your warmth and acceptance and permissions.”
“My gratitude and appreciation for what you both bring to the world. The world needs the energy you nurture. The two of you seem like a wonderful team, such a great balance of qualities.”
“As always, your generous spirits...and humor are so inviting – I love the way you balance and support each other.”