Susanna Bertelsen
Born and raised in Canton, Ohio, I earned a BS in Nursing in 1968, with MS in Community Health, thirty years later. A life-long learner, after retiring from school and parish nursing, I completed a MA in Theology with Spiritual Direction Certificate from St. Catherine University in 2017.
A Catholic, third generation Italian-American, married for 53+ years to Poul, a Lutheran Danish Architect, I am mother of three adult children and grandmother to seven grandchildren. Needlework, cooking, gardening, walking in nature, music and art provide a creative balance to my professional life.
Personal and work-life relationships have developed in me a unique world view. Through my marriage and living and working in Tanzania for six years during the 1970’s, ecumenism and cross-cultural experiences have taught me important lessons of inclusion and diversity. Public health nursing in school and my faith community have put me in touch with the physical, mental and spiritual needs of people in all stages of life. Caring for my brother who lived with Schizophrenia, as well as volunteering with NAMI, City House, and the Basilica of St. Mary, have broadened my understanding of and compassion for those living on the margins of society. Listening to life stories of others, who strive to grow in faith, hope and love, amid challenges that everyday living presents, has moved and inspired me.
Personally, the practice of Spiritual Direction has provided a safe, sacred space to explore my own life story; my own journey toward faith, hope and love. Spiritual Direction provides a dynamic process that empowers me to unravel the threads of my past, make sense of my present circumstances and approach the future with hope. Grateful for God’s mercy and grace moving me forward, I continue as a pilgrim on the spiritual path, willing to share wisdom, guidance and companionship with fellow travelers.
I invite those who are ready to explore their life issues, nurture resiliency and rediscover hope…amid loss, grief, transitions or mental and physical illness… to the sacred, prayerful space of Spiritual Direction.