Lloyd Center - Spiritual Directors

Barbara Alexander
is a spiritual director and therapist at the Lloyd Center. After twenty five years as a psychotherapist, she returned to school to study theology and spirituality, earning a Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction and a Master of Divinity degree from SFTS. Her studies focused on the integration of spirituality, theology and psychology with special emphasis on the work of Ken Wilber. Barbara’s work is informed by Wilber's Integral Model and the Christian and Buddhist contemplative traditions. She believes that the spiritual journey is humanity's highest calling and that each faith tradition provides an authentic path of transformation. In addition to working with individuals, Barbara teaches contemplative practices and leads retreats. She lives in Fairfax with her Presbyterian pastor husband, their 14 year old son and their seven year old miniature Schnauzer.

The Rev. Diana Nishita Cheifetz
is a Presbyterian minister and a spiritual director with a deep love for clergy, and a joyful passion for the Church of Jesus Christ (with all its idiosyncrasies!).  Well-acquainted with clergy life, she has been married to a Presbyterian pastor for over 30 years.  She enjoys working with clergy and clergy-spouses who are looking or longing for "more" with God, i.e., those seeking spiritual refreshment or "grounding" amidst times of busyness, emptiness, transition, stagnation, discernment or "burn out."  Diana is also a writer (her articles have appeared in Weavings), and a Master Level Christian Reiki practitioner with a concern for the wisdom and care of our bodies.  Together with her husband, she enjoys hiking, Scottish country dancing, movies, and fun meals with family and friends.

The Rev. Tim Mooney,
an ordained Presbyterian Pastor (1989), has been a spiritual director, retreat leader and speaker, and serves as a trainer, mentor, and supervisor for the Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction program since completing his DASD degree in 2000.  Tim finds great meaning in accompanying persons in discerning signs of Spirit in the midst of longings, transitions, relationships, and the mundane aspects of daily living.  Tim has particular experience in and passion for working with images and metaphors that surface in prayer, worship, and in the spiritual direction setting.  As a full-time artist, he continues to find connections in his DMin work between creativity and spiritual formation, and his artwork is often an integral part of creative worship experiences.  Tim and his wife love music, staying healthy, travel and sharing good food with friends and family.

Jan Reynolds
has practiced spiritual direction at the Lloyd Center for five years and has led many spiritual retreats, classes and groups in the Marin community.  Jan accompanies clergy and laypersons as they deepen their experience of The Divine and access their authentic voice in every area of their lives-- in their work, relationships and personal development.   Jan particularly enjoys working with people in life transition, offering approaches for navigating change and fresh perspectives in decision making.  Her background includes a 30-year career as an executive and consultant in publishing, education and non-profit settings.  Jan earned her Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction at SFTS in 2003 and is currently an M.Div. student at SFTS.   She is married and is the mother of two pre-teen children. 

The Rev. Dr. Carol Saysette
has worked at the Lloyd Center since 1992.  She is an ordained United Church of Christ minister who served as a Co-Minister of a congregation for twelve years following her graduation from SFTS.  She trained from 1981-1983 to be a Spiritual Director through the Shalem Institute.  Her D.Min dissertation was on "Dream Work in Ministry," and she completed the classwork for a Ph.D. in Clinical/Depth Psychology at the Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara.  Carol is a Fellow in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, and now chooses to be a Pastoral Counselor and Spiritual Director part time because she "loves the work."  This gives her time to be with her husband, her adult children, her five grandchildren, do volunteer work in the community, knit, garden, and play with her dog.