Making Your Own Kind of Music After the Indoctrination of Biblical Womanhood with Christine Parker

Why I Created The Liberated Porch

What if liberation from religious trauma is less about leaving faith behind — and more about reclaiming your true self? On this episode of The Liberated Porch, Kit Morgan, a trans and queer, licensed clinical social worker (in New York, Virginia, and Indiana), therapist, and educator has walked a path through the hell of Christian fundamentalism and into religious trauma recovery. Kit reveals how embracing your gender and sexuality authenticity can be an act of profound liberation — even in the face of oppressive doctrines. Growing up amidst the echoes of Baptist prayers, purity culture, and conversion therapy, Kit recounts their journey from a childhood filled with church sermons, strict school rules, and deep internal conflict, to a radical act of self-acceptance in the remote woods of the Adirondacks. They share how the mountains became a sanctuary for letting go of others’ expectations — and how that process of shedding religious shame opened the door to genuine freedom. This episode isn’t about telling you what to believe — it’s about giving you permission to define your own path to liberation from religious trauma, whether that means holding onto faith, redefining what spirituality means to you, or stepping away entirely. If you're wrestling with religious trauma, gender identity, or sexuality, this conversation offers hope, validation, and a bold reminder: your authentic self deserves space to breathe for anyone questioning the impact of faith on their gender and sexuality, or for allies seeking to understand religious trauma’s layered effects. Discover how healing isn’t a one-size-fits-all process — it’s a personal revolution. Tune in and find your porch of liberation. You may learn more about Kit's work by following them on Substack, Instagram, and TikTok @theliberatedporch

Invisibly Trans: Becoming a Fly on the Patriarchy's Wall

Kit Morgan, LCSW, trans and queer licensed clinical social worker (in New York, Virginia, and Indiana), writer, educator, and therapist for the queer population who had families and faith backgrounds where love was allowed, only as long as you were cisgender heterosexual- delves into the significance of Trans Day of Visibility and the euphoria and challenges associated with visibility. It explores the impact of conversion therapy, the influence of gender structures, purity culture, and religious teachings on gender. Additionally, Kit Morgan addresses the role of gender in therapy spaces, the anti-feminist separation of genders, the connection between purity culture and misogyny, and the impact of trans visibility on the patriarchy. The conversation concludes with a reflection on the gratitude for being a trans individual. Takeaways * Trans Day of Visibility (and Invisibility) * Conversion Therapy for Gender Identity and Expression Chapters * 00:00 Trans Day of Visibility * 06:21 Influence of Gender Structures * 12:03 Gender Roles and Cognitive Restructuring * 21:25 Gender in Therapy Spaces * 30:06 Purity Culture and Misogyny * 37:44 Conversion Therapy and Internal Transition To learn more about Kit Morgan, LCSW's work, please follow them on Substack, Instagram, and TikTok @theliberatedporch

Trailer

Join Kit Morgan, LCSW on the Liberated Porch to learn about how religious trauma impacts the gender and sexuality diverse population. Kit Morgan is a writer, licensed clinical social worker (in New York, Virginia, and Indiana), therapist, and educator specializing in the work with the queer population who had families and faith backgrounds where love was allowed, only as long as you were cisgender heterosexual. You can find Kit's work to dive deeper into these topics on Substack, Instagram, and TikTok @theliberatedporch

Queer Religious Trauma Therapy is Political with Liz Rhea

Kit Morgan and Liz Rhea, two queer, American religious trauma therapists and content creators from a Southern Baptist background met to chat about how their backgrounds influence their work today. Kit and Liz discuss the educational and occupational barriers to being trained in religious trauma informed therapy and how to overcome the barriers. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISODE’S FOCUS ON RELIGION, TRAUMA, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IN THERAPY * 01:13 - Liz talks about her background in conservative evangelicalism and how it informs her work * 02:07 - The dichotomy of growing up with religious environments but supportive parents * 03:10 - Insights into Baptist and Presbyterian church cultures and their historical contexts * 04:44 - The socialization process and the influence of church involvement on identity * 05:48 - The impact of college and deconstruction triggered by political and social awareness * 07:26 - The residue of religious trauma and its persistence in adult life * 09:33 - The role of community and connection in religious fulfillment and its loss in deconstruction * 10:15 - How societal conditioning shapes life trajectories, marriage, and personal goals * 11:29 - The influence of personal loss, including grief over a parent, on religious questioning * 12:17 - Grief, death, and religious denial: navigating complex emotions and societal responses * 13:52 - Managing religious trauma’s impact on perceptions of death and loneliness * 14:47 - Embracing authenticity and showing up fully despite online criticism * 15:15 - The importance of values alignment and boundary setting for mental health professionals * 16:39 - Therapist identity, professional conduct, and navigating social and political criticism * 17:00 - The political nature of social work and therapy, with personal anecdotes from electoral experiences * 19:30 - The impact of political ideologies and policies on client care and personal safety * 20:57 - The importance of defining conversion therapy and the risks of ideological harm * 22:12 - The broad scope of sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts and their clinical implications * 23:00 - Gender expression as part of authentic self-expression beyond conservative standards * 24:15 - Expanding the definition of conversion therapy to include various faith-based practices * 25:57 - Practical advice for emerging therapists: seeking mentorship, reflecting on privilege, and activism * 28:41 - Closing thoughts on integrating advocacy and personal values into therapeutic practice RESOURCES: * Liz on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lizrheatherapy/?hl=en] * Liz on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@lizrheatherapy] * Liz Website [https://www.lizrheatherapy.com/]

Queering and Decolonizing Religious Trauma Therapy with Sam Sellers

Join American, Kit Morgan, and Australian, Sam Sellers in their conversation about what it's like to be queer religious trauma therapists on opposite sides of the world, but sharing close experiences together and how those shared experiences inform their clinical practices and educational work. TIMESTAMPS: * (00:00) - Welcome and episode overview * (00:24) - Guest introduction: Sam Sellers’ background and work * (01:12) - Exploring colonization and decolonizing religious trauma therapy * (02:48) - Religious trauma’s presence across borders and colonized systems * (03:30) - The urgency of queer-centric religious trauma education * (04:11) - The first time Sam heard "religious trauma" and her personal journey * (05:07) - Reconciling faith and internalized homophobia * (06:19) - How therapy modalities like EMDR are practiced in religious contexts * (09:32) - The therapeutic risks of religious environments and training settings * (12:00) - Identity fragmentation in queer trauma survivors * (13:00) - The dogma of trauma modalities and choosing gentle approaches * (14:05) - Why many clients avoid talking about trauma and the value of voice * (15:50) - Person-environment theory and environmental systemic harm * (16:39) - The link between religious trauma and colonization * (19:00) - Land acknowledgment and indigenous reclamation efforts * (22:03) - Addressing patriarchy, white supremacy, and systemic harm * (23:37) - Opposing the use of violence in spiritual doctrines * (24:36) - Authenticity in therapy: modeling humanity over perfection * (28:30) - Recognizing and avoiding misdiagnosis in religious trauma survivors * (31:10) - The importance of authentic therapeutic alliance and power balance * (34:36) - The dangers of over-intellectualizing religious trauma * (35:20) - The value of humility: therapists admitting when they are wrong * (36:35) - Showing up authentically and normalizing vulnerability * (37:43) - Guidance for new therapists entering the religious trauma space * (39:35) - Recommended trainings and resources, including ongoing education * (41:15) - Final thoughts on integrating anti-colonial perspectives in therapy RESOURCES: Religious Trauma Collective [https://www.thereligioustraumacollective.com/] Anchored Counselling Services [https://anchoredcounsellingservices.com.au/meet-sam-new/] Beyond the Surface Podcast [https://open.spotify.com/show/4m4UsUynYaRYX11xn5FKgX] Sam on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/anchoredcounsellingservices/]