Community & Advocacy

mj contributes her professional and personal experiences in order to raise awareness about queer and trans issues in religious environments. She voices an urgent need for change in response to the distress that many people experience as a result of oppression within certain religious communities.

mj has been interviewed by the CBC , The National Post , The Province, The Vancouver Sun, The Ryan Jespersen Show, and Real Talk about her team's work with religious trauma, as well as her experiences as a queer alumni of Trinity Western University (2005) and her subsequent work as a therapist within her own queer community.

mj speaks specifically to how her experiences of oppression inform her therapeutic work with folks struggling to find ways to affirm themselves, and their LGBTQ2S+ loved ones. Her sharing prompted further participation in research studies that address an urgent need for increased dialogue and connection in certain religious environments.

mj and her team regularly provide competency training around these issues for therapists, groups, companies and organizations.

A group of people are standing on a wooden deck with a dog.

Three persons are standing next to each other in front of a tree.

A person is holding a piece of clay in their hands.

Two individuals are sitting at a table with a laptop.

A person in a sweater is walking in a field.

A group of people are sitting in chairs in a room.

Two persons are hugging each other in a room.

Two persons are sitting in chairs in a park . One of the person is wearing a rainbow hat.

BUILDING COMMUNITY

In order to remain solid for our clients and for ourselves, we are committed to growing and nurturing our Grounding Stone community that is rooted in connection and ever-growing competency.

The Grounding Stone community was born of a strong desire to live in regular connection and collaboration with other like-minded folks. We host regular continuing education workshops for therapists from all walks of life to come together and to continue to grow in our exploration of ourselves, our areas in need of growth, and our competencies. We are building a community that goes far beyond clinical work; we believe that we may serve our clients better if we are steadily supporting one another as individuals.

We recognize that members of allegedly small communities who work within their own communities face unique joys and struggles for which we do not have a great deal of guidance. For this reason, we founded a therapist group specifically for queer and trans* identified therapists who meet regularly to support one another in working and living outside of the norms.

Click here to learn more about workshops and training offered by The Grounding Stone.

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“We can learn from our own wounds and those of others, because all wounds instruct and most wounds can heal. We can learn how to survive and heal. Had I waited with my teaching until I was fully healed — that is, fully aware of my wholeness — I would not have written a book, given a single lecture, led a seminar or workshop. The point is not to wait for healing, but to be aware of where we perceive ourselves as wounded or incomplete.”

– Gabor Mate.