Authenticity. Compassion. Peace.
Pastoral Counseling for YOU.
Religious Trauma
Anxiety about hell. Shame and Guilt. Anger and avoidance of all things Christian. These can be symptoms of religious trauma.
Support for Coming Out
This may be the biggest change of your life. Learn about what to expect, how to prepare, and how to navigate this time well.
Relationships with Non-Affirming People
What do you do with those who don’t accept you? Learn about boundaries, acceptance, and when to let go.
Grief & Loss
Even good change brings grief. Learn about acknowledging grief, engaging in the process. and avoiding the ways we can get stuck.
Also for Parents, Pastor & Allies
Not just for LGBTQ people, but for anyone needing support.
Depression
Not uncommon for those who experience loss and rejection, depression can be part of the process of transformation. Learn how to move into hope and healing.
Theological Discernment
Beliefs about God, ethics, and the Bible are not distinct from our emotional lives. Get support in your own process of discernment.
Anxiety
Anxiety is not a spiritual flaw. It’s a natural response to real danger. Understanding our anxiety can help us best respond.
Reckoning with Religion
Whether it’s re-discovering, re-imagining, or removing yourself from a religious group, we can make these decisions from health, not trauma.
Church can be brutal for queer people.
Growing up queer in the church can feel more like something we survive than anything else, but you can do more than survive. Healing from religious trauma is a common struggle for LGBTQ people, and we can do more than survive it. We can chart a path for resilience and authenticity.
What’s Pastoral about this Counseling?
Spiritually-informed does not mean dogmatic or evangelical. This counseling places your values and your vision for your life in the forefront. The last thing queer people need is someone else with judgment and an agenda for our lives. Christianity might remain part of your life. You might choose a different way. The only thing you will find here is support, acceptance, and understanding.
Religious Trauma
“Religious trauma results from an event, series of events, relationships, or circumstances within or connected to religious beliefs, practices, or structures that is experienced by an individual as overwhelming or disruptive and has lasting adverse effects on a person’s physical, mental, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being” (Slade et al., 2024). Religious Trauma treatment is an emerging field in mental health. My certification with the Global Center for Religious Research helps me implement the latest evidence-based treatment for helping you process and move past religious trauma. Whether it’s newly experienced or something that happened decades ago, there can be resolution of much of the anxiety, shame, guilt, and reactivity that often follows religious trauma.
Getting to Tomorrow
I’m ready to help you navigate these sometimes treacherous waters of being an LGBTQ person with a Christian background, or being an ally, parent, or family member of an LGBTQ person. I have experience as a clinical therapist and as a pastor. I’ve lead hundreds of groups and thousands of personal sessions. I also bring a wealth of knowledge from an MA in Clinical Psychology, an MDiv in Pastoral Ministry, and a certification in Religious Trauma from the Global Center for Religious Research. Learn more about me on the About Your Counselor page.
Next Steps
Schedule a free 15 minute consult & find out how we might work together (optional).
Answer questions in your intake to help me prepare for our first session.
FAQ
What is the cost of counseling?
Individual Sessions are a full 60-minute hour and cost $170. Most counseling sessions are a 50-minute “clinical” hour. This means that a large portion of the time is spent opening and closing the session. There isn’t as much time or comfort for deeper emotional processing. Adding 10 minutes adds to the working portion of our time together, and means you have more time to open up more fully, avoid feeling rushed, and delve into difficult emotions or topics with greater depth. This is especially important with emotional processing and trauma work, but helpful for any work we may do together.
Does insurance cover this service?
We do not accept insurance.
Is this only for people who identify as Christian?
No, you do not have to be Christian or even have a Christian background to benefit. There is no proselytizing or enforcement of Christian morality. The value system of the client is assumed.
Is this only for people who are affirming (side a) or is it also for people who accept traditional Christian ethics (side b)?
I believe firmly in allowing each person their own convictions and their own process. The last thing any queer Christian needs is more judgement, and I respect those who take the difficult path of side b, often judged by both traditional Christians and by most of the LGBTQ community. I would love to work with you.