Religion & Spirituality

Spirituality is a vital part of life and wellness, but for many of us, we have a complicated relationship with the religious contexts and beliefs in which we were raised. Finding a meaningful sense of personal spirituality often requires sifting through old experiences, beliefs, and faith structures and facing past hurts (and sometimes even abuses). There is much that is beautiful about faith and spirituality, but sometimes, it takes a frightening journey away from known structures for that beauty to emerge.

For LGBTQ+ individuals raised in religious contexts, negative messages can become entwined with your identity. For those who grew up in “Purity Culture,” you may have internalized feelings of “dirtiness” or worthlessness, have a negative relationship with your body, or struggle in romantic relationships. In both cases, processing the impact of religion on mental health is an important part of healing.

Please note, I do not provide spiritual direction. A spiritual director has specialized training in guiding individuals in spiritual formation and encounters with a Higher Power. My job as a therapist Is not to tell you what to believe, but rather to help you sort out what has personal meaning for you, what has been harmful for you, and what you no longer want to carry with you.