What Family Therapists Can Learn from Mainline Christian Religious Leaders About Working with Transgender and Nonbinary Clients from Religious Backgrounds

Many transgender and nonbinary people have been part of religious communities and/or were raised by someone with Christian religious beliefs, thus family therapists need to be prepared to work with transgender and nonbinary people from religious backgrounds and their families. We explored Christian pastors’ advice for how family therapists can work more competently with clients with marginalized gender identities. Nineteen religious leaders were interviewed. A queer theory-informed thematic analysis revealed four themes: (1) Know Gender Inclusive Faith Resources, (2) Practice Gender Affirming Therapy, (3) Attune to the Religious Context of Clients, and (4) Support Families in Their Journeys.