WC25 Program_LR 8

MORNING PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS

022: Toxic Faith and Spiritual Abuse: A Mental Health Professional’s Guide to Working with Those Hurt by the Church 3 credit hours Continuing Education Accreditations applicable to this workshop: ASWB, NBCC, IBCC, Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling Level: Intermediate Terra Mattson, M.A. Living Wholehearted, LLC

023: Gender Identity and Religious Faith in Clinical Practice 3 credit hours Continuing Education Accreditations applicable to this workshop: APA, ASWB, NBCC, Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling Continuing Medical Education Accreditations applicable to this workshop: AMA PRA Category 1 Credit, AOA Category 2A Credits, Georgia Nurses Association, AAFP Level: Advanced Mark Yarhouse, Psy.D. Wheaton College Summary Helping people navigate diverse gender identities and gender identity questions is complex and often polarizing work. For families informed by conventionally religious faith, some approaches to care raise as many questions as answers. This pre-conference workshop will help attendees who work with conventionally religious families in which a family member is navigating a diverse gender identity, such as transgender or nonbinary identities. Participants will discuss trends in care among psychologists, other licensed mental health professionals, and medical professionals who work with children, adolescents, and adults who ex perience diverse gender identities. In this workshop, the presenter will discuss transgender and nonbinary experi ences, emphasizing how to work with conventionally reli gious families in clinical practice. Controversies in care for youth today, such as the use of medical interventions like puberty blockers, medical transition, and late-onset cases, will also be analyzed. The presenter will also discuss Chris tian considerations for counseling youth and their families as mental health and medical professionals strive for what is best practice when working with conventionally religious families in which a family member is navigating gender identity and faith. Learning Objectives 1. Name and describe three explanatory frameworks for understanding gender identity, transgender experiences, and nonbinary identities 2. Identify three areas of current controversy in care for minors with diverse gender identity issues, such as medi cal interventions and how medical professionals, psycholo gists, and licensed mental health professionals can engage families in these discussions on care 3. Examine strategies for working with conventionally re ligious families in which a family member experiences a diverse gender identity

Jeff Mattson, M.A. Living Wholehearted, LLC

Summary Most people think of extreme cults when they hear the words “spiritual abuse.” However, far too often, toxic faith messages find their way into mainstream faith-based communities and go unnamed. With more than 20 years of groundbreaking research and experience working in faith-based contexts, the presenters have discovered a rise in churches choosing cha risma over character, putting unhealthy leaders in positions of authority and causing systemic repercussions of harm. Lack of trust and increased disengagement with the faith based community as a whole has become a current concern for this generation. In this workshop, licensed mental health professionals and ministry leaders will analyze current re search on the connections with spiritual abuse, trauma, at tachment theories, neurobiology, and spiritual formation. Furthermore, the impact of both covert and overt spiritual abuse with evidence-based trauma-informed modalities, uti lizing relevant case studies to equip professionals with prac tical tools for assessing and treating clients, will be reviewed. Participants will explore the most common traits found be tween spiritually abused survivors and their dissociated and compartmentalized leaders, learning how to help those with church wounds finally heal. Learning Objectives 1. Analyze current research on spiritual abuse in the context of neurobiology, spiritual formation, attachment theories, and trauma 2. Differentiate between overt and covert spiritual abuse and its effects on a survivor’s mind, body, heart, soul, and relationships 3. Describe assessment and treatment modalities for clients who have come from spiritually abusive systems, being equipped with evidence-based tools and a precise treat ment plan 4. Discuss and evaluate relevant case studies, sharpening the assessment skills of spiritually abusive leaders and those who are most vulnerable to such communities

2025 AACC UNITED WORLD CONFERENCE

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