Queer Spiritual Direction & Religious Trauma Coaching
My Journey and Transformation
Change and recapitulation are a part of my tradition, but that doesn't make them easy. I met God in the backseat of an Audi and a few more times after that growing up in the black church. I remember that time well because there were no strings attached.
When I was 17, I got “saved” and became an evangelical Christian. I write about my experience, which I will not burden you with here, in my book Faith Unleavened, which may be a good starting place for you to get to know more about who /what I am informed by and the tradition that molded me.
When Trayvon Martin was killed in 2012, it was a wake-up call for me and the first thread that would unravel everything I knew and believed about God. I left the ministry I was a part of and over time came to realize that I had been in a full-blown cult.
Which as it turns out is not that hard to do. Cults are notorious for the subtle ways they talk us out of common sense and appeal to the unhealed parts inside that just want to belong and to be impactful. After leaving the fold (and white Jesus), I became certified in religious trauma, came out, took a toddler and left an abusive marriage, remarried a German I met on an app, got a dog, and started over.
If I could do it, anyone can.
Unique Coaching Style
My style of spiritual direction is authentically me, and that means it may not vibe with everyone, and that's okay. I use life & culture like hip-hop music, documentaries, and films as the sacred texts to aid my clients in the process of spiritual direction.
Cultural texts are disarming, and let's just face it, they are more enjoyable.
Every now and again, I will use selections from the sacred text in my tradition, the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament, but only to add a little salt to the meal—it won't be the meal itself typically. I do everything from crafting a curriculum for you to follow and checking in with me to meeting one-on-one on a regular basis as you tackle an issue or a problem.
I’m not a therapist, but my spouse is, and if what you need right now is therapy—I'm happy to put you in touch. I like to think of myself as a mirror; sometimes, it’s just helpful to have someone reflect back to us and help us get unstuck.
Session Goals
My goal is for you to recover yourself, to find the divine within, and to recover the things you love about the traditions that reared you without abdicating your agency or outsourcing your intuition.
Nothing is more holy in my opinion than being queer and possessing deep and reasonable spirituality that is radical, ethical, and grounded in the best things about our traditions.
I like to say I wear a "light jacket" called Christianity because I like what it has to say about navigating the harsh conditions empire throws at us, but I’ll never throw it at you.We will work within your tradition, not mine.
If this sounds like your style, book a consultation. I’d love to get more grounded, more whole, and freer with you.