Gender and Religious Identity (GRIT) Therapy
What is Gender and Religious Identity Therapy?
Many youth and adults who experience conflict between their gender expression and physical bodies may seek transition and find hope and relief in gender-affirming spaces. For some Christians who struggle with gender dysphoria, however, it may seem like there is no place that truly understands their full experience. Sadly, many churches shy away from this topic, expressing doctrinal expectations but without providing additional guidance. Pursuing transition may feel like a conflict between your internal desires and faith convictions, or maybe you just need more time and space to process your experience and weigh your options before deciding on transition.
GRIT, or Gender and Religious Identity Therapy, is an approach co-developed by Drs Mark Yarhouse and Julia Sadusky through the Gender and Sexuality Institute in Wheaton, IL. Without any expectations for a fixed outcome, this approach creates a safe, open, and non-judgemental space to explore what the experience of Gender Dysphoria or Sexual identity questions means for you as a person of faith.
Is GRIT the same as conversion therapy?
Conversion therapy, or gender-change efforts, is therapy with the goal of aligning one’s internal sense of gender and gender expression with one’s biological sex. Conversion therapy is deemed unethical by most professional standards because of the lack of evidence supporting it’s efficacy, and potential to do harm. GRIT is not conversion therapy. Rather than treating gender dysphoria with the goal of aligning with one’s biological sex, GRIT takes an open approach without an expected outcome. This means that we treat YOU, as an individual with your unique story and experience, and work together toward your thriving.
What does GRIT entail?
Working with a GRIT therapist means entering a safe and compassionate space where you can fully and freely explore every aspect of your identity: sexuality, gender, and faith values. Your name, pronouns, and personal goals will be honored. We will work together to identify the lens in which you view your own experiences and the values that are most important to you. I will walk alongside you as you build acceptance and distress-tolerance skills, navigate relationships, and find meaning in your story. Together, we may explore if and to what degree transition is right for you, or other strategies to manage your dysphoria.
For Parents
Today’s expanding gender paradigm is nothing like your Jr. High and High School experience. Parents of children who come out often feel overwhelmed and scared, wanting to do the right thing but not knowing what that right next step is. You may need to grieve, but also feel pressure to appear fully supportive, or wonder what it means to love your child when you disagree. You may also feel like you and your child are speaking entirely different languages, and you need a translator. You want the best for your child, and you wonder how your faith values should be informing your responses as a parent.
GRIT Family therapy is a place where you can process your own emotion-reactions as a parent, in order to be fully present for your child. I will help strengthen your attachment and connection with your child, act as “translator”, navigating the space between differing worldviews and value systems, and work with you and your child on concrete steps to move forward.
There is hope for Christians with Gender Dysphoria.
Click the links below for more information and resources:
https://www.centerforfaith.com/