Katherine (Weston)
Mother Katherine (Weston) is the superior of St. Xenia Metochion Monastery (Serbian Orthodox Church), and also serves as a pastoral counsellor in Indianapolis.
Life
Timeline
- Grew up in New York, in the Episcopal Church.
- 1984: Began work as a counselor at Raphael House Family Shelter, San Francisco
- Embraced the Orthodox Faith while a counselor at Raphael House.
- 1988: Tonsured a nun, continued to serve at Raphael House.
- 1990: Joined St. Xenia Sisterhood in Northern California.
- 1992: Sent to Indianapolis to serve as Superior of the St. Xenia Monastic Community there. Community life included work, fellowship, and daily private and common prayer.
- 2003: Enrolled in counseling program at Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis. Training included a chaplaincy internship at Methodist Hospital, volunteer pastoral counselling with adolescent girls at Indianapolis Juvenile Correctional Facility, and therapy for individuals, couples and families at the Seminary's Counselling Center.
- 2008: Graduated with Master of Arts in Pastoral Care and Counseling (summa cum laude) in 2008.
Other key events
- Spent time in monasteries in Ethiopia and Herzegovina.
- Underwent seminary training, which included biblical Greek.
- Involved in ongoing comparison of current psychotherapy approaches with 'soul therapy' of early Church, in order to both offer the best of both and also to ensure that all counselling practices are within Church tradition.
- Received blessing to serve as pastoral counselor by Bp Longin of Midwestern America.
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the State of Indiana.
- Researched and presented on topics in psychotherapy and Early Church teachings for a number of years, including anger, anxiety and attachment.
- Participated in Indiana Psychoanalytic Society study groups for work with trauma and dissociation.
- Member of EMDR International Association.
- Presented at Healing the Broken Hearted Conference (2002) and International Orthodox Psychotherapy Conference.
Publications
- Loneliness or Fruitful Longing, published 2014. Volume I of the 'Transformative Wisdom' series.
- "Devil's Food": a review of Biting the Hand that Starves You; by R. Maisel, D. Epston, and A. Borden., published in the February 2006 issue of Touchstone: a Journal of Mere Christianity.
Presentations
- Loneliness: a Modern Epidemic, presented at 20th Annual Ancient Christianity and African-American Conference, Oct 2013, Kansas City, Missouri.
- Cultivating a Healing Presence, presented at 19th Annual Ancient Christianity and African-American Conference, May 2012, Antiochian Village, Ligonier, Pennsylvania.
- Anxiety and Trust in a Time of Financial Crisis, presented at 18th Annual Ancient Christianity and African-American Conference, Aug 2011, Detroit, Michigan.
- The Joys and Sorrows of Attachment: Perspectives from Orthodox Christianity and Psychotherapy, presented at the Fourth International Orthodox Psychotherapy Conference, 2010.
- Attachment: The Root of our Deepest Joys and Sorrows, presented at the Ancient Christianity Conference, 2009.
- Anger: Integrating Psychotherapy with Orthodox Anthropology, presented at the Third International Orthodox Psychotherapy Conference, 2008.
- Hope for Anger, presented at the Ancient Christianity Conference, 2008.
- Repentance as a Gate: Will the Prodigal's Big Brother Enter?, presented at the Ancient Christianity Conference, 2007.
- Practical Ways of Achieving Harmony in the Church, presented at the Ancient Christianity Conference, 2006.
- The Traditions of the Healing Church, presented at the Ancient Christianity Conference, 2005.
- Racism: Spiritual and Psychological Reflections, presented at the Ancient Christianity Conference, 2003.
- Healing from the Legacy of Shame through Jesus Christ, presented at the Ancient Christianity Conference, 2002.
- The Healing of Trauma and Shame: An Orthodox Christian Perspective, presented at the Healing the Broken Hearted Conference, 2002.
