Mark A. Yarhouse

Foreword Reviews' 18th Annual INDIEFAB Honorable Mention for Psychology Few topics are more contested today than gender identity. In the fog of the culture war, complex issues like gender dysphoria are reduced to slogans and sound bites. And while the war rages over language, institutions and political allegiances, transgender individuals are the ones who end up being the casualties. Mark Yarhouse, an expert in sexual identity and therapy, challenges the church to rise above the political hostilities and listen to people's stories. In Understanding Gender Dysphoria, Yarhouse offers a Christian perspective on transgender issues that eschews simplistic answers and appreciates the psychological and theological complexity. The result is a book that engages the latest research while remaining pastorally sensitive to the experiences of each person. In the midst of a tense political climate, Yarhouse calls Christians to come alongside those on the margins and stand with them as they resolve their questions and concerns about gender identity. Understanding Gender Dysphoria is the book we need to navigate these stormy cultural waters.

Navigating Transgender Issues in a Changing Culture

Understanding Gender Dysphoria

Erica S. N. Tan

In this second edition of the standard Christian resource on human sexuality, Mark Yarhouse and Erica Tan offer a survey and appraisal of this field that integrates the latest research within a Christian worldview and addresses recent societal trends related to gender identity, non-normative sexualities, digital and social media, and more.

A Comprehensive Christian Appraisal

Sexuality and Sex Therapy

Stanton L. Jones

Is it possible to be an ex gay? Stanton L. Jones and Mark A. Yarhouse present social science research on homosexuality designed to answer the questions: Can those who receive religiously-informed psychotherapy experience a change in their sexual orientation? Are such programs harmful to participants? The results show that outcomes for this kind of religiously-informed psychotherapy are similar to outcomes of therapy for other psychological problems. Such programs do not appear to be harmful on average to individuals. This research will be of interest to all those who want to know the latest research on sexual orientation change and the effects of religiously-informeded programs on those who utilize them.

A Longitudinal Study of Religiously Mediated Change in Sexual Orientation

Ex-Gays?

: The Use of Scientific Research in the Church's Moral Debate Stanton L. Jones and Mark A. Yarhouse help us face questions surrounding the issue of homosexuality squarely and honestly, examining how scientific research has been used within church debates--especially within Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran and Episcopal contexts.

The Use of Scientific Research in the Church's Moral Debate

Homosexuality

James N. Sells

Mark A. Yarhouse and James N. Sells survey the major approaches to family therapy and treat significant psychotherapeutic issues within a Christian framework, offering timely wisdom for therapeutic practice. Fully updated and revised, this second edition is an indispensable resource for those in the mental health professions, including counselors, psychologists, family therapists, social workers, and pastors.

Family Therapies

Though we often hear about the "gay problem" today, there is an even deeper problem in the church today--one that we often overlook. The call to follow Christ is a call to costly obedience for all, not just for gay Christians. Far too often, the church has elevated homosexuality above other sins and required a costly obedience from gays that it is unwilling to demand of others. And yet, the answer is not to weaken the demands of obedience. Instead, gay Christians who make the difficult choice to align their lives with the biblical view of sexuality are a gift to the church, reminding all of us that spiritual growth and maturity is costly. There is a price to pay in following Christ and devoting our lives to the call of the gospel, and it is one that we all must pay--gay and straight Christians alike. Through the stories and struggles of gay Christians who are reorienting their lives around the costly obedience required to follow Christ, Mark Yarhouse and Olya Zaporozhets call the church to reorient as well, leaving behind the casual morality that is widespread today to pursue the path of radical discipleship. Unlike any other book on homosexuality and the church, this is a call to examine your life and consider what God is asking you to lay down to take up your cross and follow him.

What We Can Learn from the Celibate Gay Christian Community

Costly Obedience

Janet B. Dean

Michael Lastoria

Stephen P. Stratton

For sexual minority students on Christian college campuses, faith and sexuality can feel in acute tension. Yarhouse, Dean, Stratton, and Lastoria draw on their decades of experience to bring us a longitudinal study into what sexual minorities experience, hope for, and benefit from. Rich with both quantitative and qualitative data, here is an unprecedented opportunity to listen to sexual minorities in their own words.

A Study of Faith and Sexual Identity on Christian College Campuses

Listening to Sexual Minorities

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.

Helping Clients Find Congruence

Sexual Identity and Faith

Today’s youth struggle with difficult questions of sexual identity. How can a youth worker offer wise care and counsel on such a controversial and confusing subject? Mark Yarhouse, Director of the Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity, writes to equip youth ministers so they can faithfully navigate the topic of sexual identity in a way that is honest, compassionate, and accessible. Reframing the focus away from the culture wars, Yarhouse introduces readers to the conversation beginning with the developmental considerations in the formation of sexual identity—all of which occurs in the teen years. He offers practical and helpful ways to think about people who experience same-sex attraction. Sections of the book are also dedicated to helping parents respond to their children and teens who struggle with questions of sexual idenity, as well as how youth ministry can become more relevant in the lives of youth who are navigating these issues.

A Resource for Youth Ministry

Understanding Sexual Identity

Richard E. Butman

Barrett W. McRay

Modern Psychopathologies is addressed to students and mental health professionals who want to sort through contemporary secular understandings of psychopathology in relation to a Christian worldview. Written by well-known and respected scholars, this book provides an introduction to a set of disorders along with overviews of current research on etiology, treatment and prevention. Prior chapters explore the classification of disorders in historic pastoral care and contemporary mental health care. The authors explain the biological and sociocultural foundations of mental illness, and reflect on the relation between psychopathology and the Christian understanding of sin. Modern Psychopathologies is a unique and valuable resource for Christians studying psychology and counseling or providing counseling services, pastoral care, Christian healing ministries or spiritual direction. The revised second edition is fully updated according to DSM-V and ICD-10. The authors have expanded the analysis to include problems associated with trauma, gender, addiction and more. Though fully capable of standing on its own, the book is a useful companion volume to Modern Psychotherapies by Stanton L. Jones and Richard E. Butman.

Modern Psychopathologies

Lori A. Burkett

Most people who attempt to change their homosexual attractions and behaviors experience only partial success despite their best efforts. Written for Christians whose beliefs and values support their work towards chastity, this book offers a unique look at how they can manage and develop their sexual identity through a number of practical strategies.

Mark A. Yarhouse

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