Jim Neppl does a lot of soul searching.

“Many people that work in companies today are not very fulfilled at what they do,” said Neppl, a spiritual directorcertified by the Franciscan Spirituality Center in La Crosse, Wis.

The St. Cloud-based spiritual consultant administers to the spiritual needs of groups, businesses and nonprofits in ways not necessarily addressed in the corporate world.

“Many companies are looking and seeing the value of looking at the spiritual elements of work … specifying designated areas as ‘meditation rooms’ where people can go and retreat from the chaos and re-energize themselves and reflect on what they’re doing,” he said.

Faith in action

Bret Reuter is the director of mission and spiritual care atSt. Cloud Hospital and St. Benedict’s Senior Community and first worked with Neppl almost two years ago.

“Jim’s interaction with us has really been to help us as a group to look at our gifts and talk about how our gifts within this ministry can benefit the organization,” Reuter said.

Neppl facilitated a staff day for the hospital’s spiritual care chaplains in which people were asked to reflect on how they worked together as a team.

“We were trying to develop a deeper understanding of who we are as persons in terms of being an individual and as a person who is ministering in this environment,” Reuter said.

Neppl offers individual and group spiritual direction at his Seventh Avenue South office and other locations. He develops and facilitates retreats for various organizations.

“Certainly pastors and priests may be spiritual directors, but frankly I think it’s more about a gift or a calling,” said Neppl, whose background includes Roman Catholicism.

Reflection

Neppl works with people to explore their desires, talents and self-worth with questions such as, “How are my values in alignment with my company’s values?” or “How can I develop relationships that enhance my team?”

Recruitment of new employees is a major expense in terms of time, effort and cost for any organization but with spiritual direction, turnovers can be kept to a minimum.

“Look at your biggest challenges in the workplace — retention, unhappy people, gossip. All that stuff that goes on in the work environment is unhealthy,” Neppl said.

The three-year program Neppl underwent for his spiritual training included four weekends a year of visits to the La Crosse center for lectures, reports and writing.

“‘I have sick kids,’ ‘I have a death in the family,’ or ‘I’m going through a divorce’ and people bring that to work because that’s where we spend our time,” Neppl said.

Spiritual direction, however, emphasizes cultivating a relationship where one grows closer to God (or a higher power); it is not psychotherapy or personal coaching.

“A coach looks at your goals and what you want to do and helps you get there. The spiritual director includes the element of ‘What do you think God wants?’” said Neppl, who is working on his master’s degree in pastoral ministry at St. John’s University.

Neppl said traditional human resources departments of corporations are not equipped to handle such personal issues or only provide short-term fixes to society’s ills.

“A lot of spiritual direction and spirituality is silence or listening … in a safe environment of respect where everyone has a story to tell, and everyone else listens to that and honors that,” Neppl said.