Religious & Spiritual Resources for LGBTQ Youth & Families: Affirming Theology, Values, Practices & Community Resources

Kelsey Pacha

Training Description

 Religious and/or spiritual beliefs are often the source of anti-LGBTQ beliefs for many families that struggle to accept & affirm system involved LGBTQ youth. However, there are inherent resources within every major world religion (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, & Hinduism) that support affirming LGBTQ people. In this training, participants will explore these sources of spiritual strength with a transgender religious scholar who has published academic works summarizing over 4,000 years of LGBTQ-inclusive religious material, with a focus on tools that providers can use with system involved LGBTQ youth & their families. Participants will practice finding local community-based LGBTQ-inclusive faith resources as well as reviewing five vast & fascinating religious histories.

Learning Objectives

1. Explore LGBTQ-affirming resources in the five major world religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, & Hinduism, with a focus on Christianity.

2. Define eunuch as one type of gender expansive religious figure.

3. Define seven components of a religion: tradition, text, myth, ritual, historical figures, philosophy & values.

4. Explore three tools to locate LGBTQ-affirming faith communities & community-based services that support faith-based acceptance of system involved LGBTQ youth.

5. Develop an individualized toolkit with LGBTQ-affirming faith resources to use with system involved LGBTQ youth & their families.

Agenda 

1:30-1:45pm  Introductions, objectives, & agreements Review Personal action plan.

1:45-3:00pm  Explore LGBTQ-affirming resources in the five major world religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, & Hinduism, with a focus on Christianity. Define components of a religion and explore how each can be helpful to LGBTQ youth & families.

3:00-3:15pm  Break (CEUs will not be offered for this time)

3:15-4:20pm  Explore three tools to locate LGBTQ-affirming faith communities & community-based services that support faith-based acceptance of LGBTQ youth. Participants develop toolkit to research client religious background.

4:20-4:30pm  Questions & Answers; Evaluations.

Meet Our Trainer

Kelsey Pacha, MA, M.Div. is a trans man who has worked with marginalized communities for 15+ years in a variety of settings. He holds a Master of Religion and Psychology, Master of Divinity, and Certificate of Sexuality and Religion from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Psychological Services from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. He is the owner of Kelsey Pacha Consulting, which supports the work of institutions and individuals in increasing their capacity for cultural humility and social justice-informed institutional change. Kelsey offers educational trainings and LGBTQ workplace policy expertise with an emphasis on practical skills, identity awareness, and personal empowerment. He regularly works with corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion officers and LGBTQ affinity groups, as well as legal, clinical, medical, and direct service

(including child welfare and faith leader) personnel. 

This course meets the qualifications for (2.75) BBS CEUs for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.