By: Jocelyn Warren
“Queer folks often face higher struggles with mental health. It’s not because you’re queer… No, it’s because of the level of rejection.” Ann Russo shared on the Unruly Podcast with host Calen Otto.
Russo, therapist and founder of AMR Therapy, spoke about her mission to help LGBTQ+ communities and others harmed by high-control religious spaces. Her work combines clinical training with lived experience and a background in theology.
Faith and Queerness Do Not Need to Be an Unfair Choice
Russo rejects the false either-or. “I think that there’s absolutely a way to reconcile queerness and Christian faith,” she says. She adds, “It’s an unfair choice to be asked to be one or the other.” Her stance is firm and compassionate. “You are who you are. Being queer is really, you are queer. You can’t queerer yourself.”
She points listeners to Liberation Theology and to affirming congregations that center the oppressed. Her approach respects belief while challenging harmful systems.
Creating a Treatment Model That Meets People Where They Are
Russo created a clinical model for religious trauma that supports varied outcomes. Some clients leave churches. Others stay and seek safer expressions of faith. She explains her shift from older frameworks: “What if you don’t want to leave this space? Or what if you haven’t left the space? How do we do the work? Her model works with people, no matter what kind of spirituality they want to do with their spirituality.”
The work begins with safety. “You have to stabilize a person’s nervous system before you can even start to dig into this.” Only then can clients examine inherited beliefs, values, and the sources that shaped them.
Understanding How Trauma Lives in the Body
Russo centers somatic care. She tracks anxiety, shame, and fear responses in session. She describes how purity culture harms cisgender women, noting that trauma can lead to physical barriers that make intimacy painful or difficult. The message is clear. Lifelong shame about the body does not disappear at a wedding altar. Healing requires nervous system regulation, accurate education, and slow practice of new beliefs and boundaries.
She also treats compulsive religious behaviors without shaming faith. With a client who prays every five minutes, she asks how it affects daily life and experiments with gradual change. The goal is reduced fear and restored function, not coerced deconversion.
Community Loss Makes the Pain Sharper
Religious trauma often includes isolation and grief. Russo highlights the unique burden on queer people who lose family, church, and friends. She states the mismatch between cause and effect: “It’s not as some of the church folks would like to say, it’s because you’re queer… No, it’s because of the level of rejection.”
Her guidance is practical. Explore affirming churches online. Read why they are affirming. Expect discomfort at first. Treat it as a learning experience, not an instant conversion. Curiosity can lower pressure and open new paths.
Ann Russo’s Mission Through AMR Therapy
Ann Russo is the Founder and Clinical Director of AMR Therapy. She is a mental health advocate who specializes in working with LGBTQ+ communities. She helps clients heal from religious trauma and stigma. She combines an MA in Theology with a passion for social justice to provide training and consulting on identity, spirituality, and inclusive care. Her expertise includes religious trauma, queer identity, and culturally responsive mental health. She also educates providers on affirming, trauma-informed care so they can better serve diverse clients.
Russo’s commitment is personal. “We were not allowed to say that my dad was gay, so we pretended to be a heterosexual normative family with a roommate.” That early exposure to stigma shaped her life’s work. Today, her message is steady. There are many ways to hold faith, honor identity, and build a life that fits.
Feel free to reach out to her via the links on her website or click here to subscribe to her newsletter.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of Ann Russo. The information provided is for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice. Readers are encouraged to seek professional guidance tailored to their individual circumstances. The content of this article includes personal experiences and perspectives related to faith, identity, and healing, which may not be applicable to every individual.
