EP360: Unpacking Shame: Non-Monogamy, LGBTQ+ Identity, & Religious Trauma

1 Credit Hour: This continuing education course explores the complex intersections of religious trauma, LGBTQ+ identity, sexuality, and consensual non-monogamy through a clinical and affirming lens. Featuring licensed clinical social worker Ann Russo, the course examines how high-control religious environments and rigid belief systems can contribute to shame, identity conflict, and difficulty integrating sexual, relational, and spiritual aspects of the self. Russo draws on her background in theological studies and social work, as well as her development of the Religious Trauma Treatment Model (RTTM), to discuss approaches for helping clients separate inherited doctrine from personal values and develop greater self-acceptance. The course emphasizes therapeutic strategies that support clients in processing shame, examining internalized beliefs, and reclaiming a more authentic sense of self.