front cover of Gender, Sexual Identity, and Families
Gender, Sexual Identity, and Families
The Personal Is Political: Groves Monographs on Marriage and Family (Volume 5)
Kevin P. Lyness
Michigan Publishing Services, 2020
Gender is a fundamental organizing principle of families and is a complex mix of biology, identity and behavioral expression. Similarly, sexual identity includes a wide range of identification of sexual attraction and expression, and is also fundamental to understanding families. In 2016 Groves Conference program built on the Groves Conference's past and recognized that social change has been swift in some areas, such as marriage equality with the 2015 Supreme Court ruling. However, full equality for all individuals and families throughout the U.S. is still not present and counter movements to social change are many, such as turn­ing back the clock on fertility decisions, voting rights, even the definition of citizenship. For professionals who do research, who participate in policy, and who conduct prevention and intervention, the work presented in this volume is refreshed by new perspectives, new information, and new commitments. 
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front cover of Sexual Identity and Faith
Sexual Identity and Faith
Helping Clients Find Congruence
Mark A. Yarhouse
Templeton Press, 2019

Christians who struggle with a conflict between their sexual and religious identities have few therapeutic options available to them. ‘Sexual orientation change efforts’ (SOCE) have rightly fallen out of favor and are no longer practiced by most clinicians. At the same time, the common approach of gay affirmative therapy (GAT) can at times present challenges and may not be a good fit when clients hold to conventional religious beliefs and values.

An alternative to these methods is Sexual Identity Therapy (SIT)—an approach that aims to provide individuals with a safe therapeutic space to explore the tension between their sexuality and their faith. Working within the SIT framework, clients are able to resolve their inner conflict to their personal satisfaction and to freely choose a coherent identity that enables them to move forward in life.

SIT has several stages, each designed to enable the client to make meaning out of his or her same-sex sexuality. At no point in the process is the client encouraged to choose one sexual identity over another. The ultimate goal of SIT is congruence. Congruence is achieved when a person freely adopts an identity and lives it out in ways that are in keeping with his or her beliefs and values. The SIT model is brought to life throughout the book with the help of case studies drawn from the author’s 20 years of experience.

Written for both Christian and non-religious clinicians, Sexual Identity and Faith is an informed, respectful, and nuanced guide to help people navigate the difficult conflict between who they are sexually and what they believe religiously.

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