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The Intersection of Sexuality and Faith: Purity Culture 101
The Intersection of Sexuality and Faith: Purity Culture 101
Presenter: Mike Fuller, LCSW, CCTP
Date: July 23, 2026 | 7:00 PM MST
Format: Live, interactive synchronous webinar | 1 hour
Content Level: Beginner
Target Audience: Clinical Mental Health Providers, Medical Providers, Health Providers
CE Credits: 1 continuing education credit
Certificates Available: ASWB, AASECT, THGI, UAMFT, UMHCA
Course Description
Purity culture — a movement that gained significant prominence in the 1990s within evangelical and conservative Christian communities — goes far beyond encouraging sexual abstinence before marriage. At its core, it ties a person's inherent worth to their sexual "purity," frames sexual curiosity and exploration as shameful, dangerous, or sinful, and enforces rigid gender roles that shape how individuals understand their bodies, their desires, and their relationships for years to come. For mental health professionals, clients recovering from purity culture present with a distinctive and often complex clinical picture — including deeply internalized sexual shame, religious trauma, sexual dysfunction such as vaginismus, erectile dysfunction, or low desire, and intense distress within intimate partnerships.
This one-hour live training offers an introductory foundation for understanding purity culture and its long-term impact on client mental health and sexuality. Through didactic instruction, case study review, video content, and psychoeducation, participants will learn to identify the implicit and explicit messages of the purity culture movement, understand how these ideologies intersect with an individual's faith and sexual identity, and recognize the specific clinical presentations associated with this form of religious trauma. The training offers a trauma-informed lens for supporting clients in deconstructing harmful sexual narratives, reducing sexual shame, and cultivating a healthy, self-determined sexual identity — while consistently honoring their spiritual autonomy throughout the process.
This training is grounded in the core social work values of dignity and worth, the importance of human relationships, and a commitment to social justice — affirming that culturally humble, trauma-informed care for clients navigating the intersection of faith and sexuality is both an ethical obligation and a meaningful clinical skill.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this training, attendees will be able to:
Identify at least three core messaging tenets of purity culture taught within conservative religious settings.
Describe the psychological and physiological impacts of purity culture, specifically the development of systemic sexual shame and sexual dysfunction.
Apply trauma-informed interventions to assist clients in deconstructing harmful sexual narratives while respecting their spiritual autonomy.
Limitations, Risks, & Benefits
This online training presents a foundational overview of the subject matter and is not intended to be comprehensive; clinicians are encouraged to seek out supplemental resources and peer-reviewed literature. The virtual format may not fully replicate the interactivity of in-person learning, and role-play and interactive discussions may feel vulnerable for some participants. The evidence base may have limitations in generalizability across diverse populations, cultures, or practice settings, and content reflects information available at the time of its development; practitioners are encouraged to stay current with evolving research and regulatory standards. Participants may experience discomfort as they explore sensitive topics or challenge existing beliefs. Benefits include increased foundational knowledge of purity culture and its clinical impact, practical trauma-informed frameworks for supporting clients navigating religious shame and sexual identity, and enhanced ability to provide compassionate, inclusive, and affirming care across diverse faith backgrounds.
Cultural Sensitivity
This training explicitly addresses the influence of culture, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status on the topics discussed, recognizing that purity culture messaging intersects with and compounds other dimensions of identity and marginalization in ways that vary significantly across communities and individuals. Participants are invited to examine their own unconscious biases related to religion, sexuality, and gender — including assumptions about faith communities, sexual behavior, and what recovery from religious trauma looks like — and to consider how these biases may affect clinical decision-making, assessment, and the therapeutic relationship. The training incorporates case examples and scenarios that reflect diverse populations and lived experiences, and includes strategies for providing culturally responsive, affirming care that respects the full complexity of clients' spiritual and sexual identities. Participants are encouraged to reflect on how their own cultural background and professional training may shape their responses to this material, and to develop ongoing skills for culturally humble, self-reflective practice consistent with NASW Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice.
Course Content
This training presents foundational content on purity culture and its psychological and physiological impact through lecture, didactic instruction, case study analysis, and video and multimedia presentations. Drawing from current peer-reviewed literature and clinical experience, the course introduces the core tenets of purity culture — including abstinence messaging, the moralization of sexual thoughts, and rigid gender role enforcement — and examines how these messages become embedded in clients' identities, bodies, and relationships. The training explores specific clinical presentations associated with purity culture exposure, including sexual dysfunction and systemic sexual shame, and introduces trauma-informed frameworks and evidence-based approaches for supporting clients in deconstructing harmful narratives while honoring their spiritual autonomy. Practical clinical tools and frameworks — including the COMPASS acronym for integrating Sexual Health Principles into relationships — are woven throughout, supporting participants in translating the content directly into their clinical work.
Relevance
Clients raised within purity culture are showing up in clinical settings across all specializations — not just in sexual health or faith-based practice. Their presenting concerns, including anxiety, sexual dysfunction, body shame, relational distress, and religious trauma, are common enough that every clinician benefits from a working understanding of how purity culture operates and what healing from it can look like. Yet many providers feel underprepared to address the intersection of faith, shame, and sexuality with the nuance and competence these clients deserve. This training fills that gap by offering a trauma-informed, culturally humble clinical framework grounded in current research and best practices. It aligns with the NASW Code of Ethics, the profession's commitment to trauma-informed care and cultural competence, and the ethical imperative to provide affirming, evidence-based support to clients navigating complex intersections of identity, spirituality, and sexual health — equipping social workers, counselors, psychologists, and marriage and family therapists with foundational knowledge they can apply immediately and meaningfully in practice.
About the Presenter
Mike Fuller, LCSW, CCTP, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and therapist completing his Certified Sex Therapist training, specializing in healing the complex intersection of religious shame, identity, and sexual health. His clinical approach is deeply informed by his 20-year career as an LDS seminary teacher — a foundational shift he describes as moving from orthodoxy to compassion. This unique perspective allows him to address the specific cultural conflicts that affect intimacy with both insider knowledge and clinical expertise. Mike is the creator of the COMPASS acronym, a practical framework for teaching and integrating core Sexual Health Principles into relationships, and his mission is to guide individuals and couples toward sexual autonomy, integrity, and genuine, shame-free connection.
Course Details
Delivery method: Live interactive webinar via the Institute learning platform
Course interactivity: Interactive — participants will engage in case study discussion, video content, and Q&A
Posttest/quiz: Because this is a live interactive course, a standard posttest is not required. Participation will be monitored throughout the session.
Certificate issuance: Certificates of credit will be issued immediately after course completion to participants who attend the full session and complete the course evaluation.
Contact for questions: institute@thehealinggroup.com
Accessibility accommodations: To request accessibility accommodations, please contact institute@thehealinggroup.com prior to the event. We are committed to making our trainings accessible to all participants.
ASWB ACE Statement:
The Healing Group Institute, provider number 2716, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 3/31/26 – 3/31/27. Social workers completing this course receive 1 continuing education credit.
AASECT CKA:
C. Socio-cultural, familial factors (e.g., ethnicity, culture, religion, spirituality, socioeconomic status, family values) in relation to sexual values and behaviors.
E. Intimacy skills (e.g., social, emotional, sexual), intimate relationships, interpersonal relationships, and family dynamics.
N. Learning theory and its application.
AASECT ST:
A. Theory and methods of sex-related psychotherapy, including several different models.
This presentation has been reviewed by Kristin Hodson, LCSW, CST, CSTS to ensure it meets AASECT standards.
The Intersection of Sexuality and Faith: Purity Culture 101
Presenter: Mike Fuller, LCSW, CCTP
Date: July 23, 2026 | 7:00 PM MST
Format: Live, interactive synchronous webinar | 1 hour
Content Level: Beginner
Target Audience: Clinical Mental Health Providers, Medical Providers, Health Providers
CE Credits: 1 continuing education credit
Certificates Available: ASWB, AASECT, THGI, UAMFT, UMHCA
Course Description
Purity culture — a movement that gained significant prominence in the 1990s within evangelical and conservative Christian communities — goes far beyond encouraging sexual abstinence before marriage. At its core, it ties a person's inherent worth to their sexual "purity," frames sexual curiosity and exploration as shameful, dangerous, or sinful, and enforces rigid gender roles that shape how individuals understand their bodies, their desires, and their relationships for years to come. For mental health professionals, clients recovering from purity culture present with a distinctive and often complex clinical picture — including deeply internalized sexual shame, religious trauma, sexual dysfunction such as vaginismus, erectile dysfunction, or low desire, and intense distress within intimate partnerships.
This one-hour live training offers an introductory foundation for understanding purity culture and its long-term impact on client mental health and sexuality. Through didactic instruction, case study review, video content, and psychoeducation, participants will learn to identify the implicit and explicit messages of the purity culture movement, understand how these ideologies intersect with an individual's faith and sexual identity, and recognize the specific clinical presentations associated with this form of religious trauma. The training offers a trauma-informed lens for supporting clients in deconstructing harmful sexual narratives, reducing sexual shame, and cultivating a healthy, self-determined sexual identity — while consistently honoring their spiritual autonomy throughout the process.
This training is grounded in the core social work values of dignity and worth, the importance of human relationships, and a commitment to social justice — affirming that culturally humble, trauma-informed care for clients navigating the intersection of faith and sexuality is both an ethical obligation and a meaningful clinical skill.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this training, attendees will be able to:
Identify at least three core messaging tenets of purity culture taught within conservative religious settings.
Describe the psychological and physiological impacts of purity culture, specifically the development of systemic sexual shame and sexual dysfunction.
Apply trauma-informed interventions to assist clients in deconstructing harmful sexual narratives while respecting their spiritual autonomy.
Limitations, Risks, & Benefits
This online training presents a foundational overview of the subject matter and is not intended to be comprehensive; clinicians are encouraged to seek out supplemental resources and peer-reviewed literature. The virtual format may not fully replicate the interactivity of in-person learning, and role-play and interactive discussions may feel vulnerable for some participants. The evidence base may have limitations in generalizability across diverse populations, cultures, or practice settings, and content reflects information available at the time of its development; practitioners are encouraged to stay current with evolving research and regulatory standards. Participants may experience discomfort as they explore sensitive topics or challenge existing beliefs. Benefits include increased foundational knowledge of purity culture and its clinical impact, practical trauma-informed frameworks for supporting clients navigating religious shame and sexual identity, and enhanced ability to provide compassionate, inclusive, and affirming care across diverse faith backgrounds.
Cultural Sensitivity
This training explicitly addresses the influence of culture, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status on the topics discussed, recognizing that purity culture messaging intersects with and compounds other dimensions of identity and marginalization in ways that vary significantly across communities and individuals. Participants are invited to examine their own unconscious biases related to religion, sexuality, and gender — including assumptions about faith communities, sexual behavior, and what recovery from religious trauma looks like — and to consider how these biases may affect clinical decision-making, assessment, and the therapeutic relationship. The training incorporates case examples and scenarios that reflect diverse populations and lived experiences, and includes strategies for providing culturally responsive, affirming care that respects the full complexity of clients' spiritual and sexual identities. Participants are encouraged to reflect on how their own cultural background and professional training may shape their responses to this material, and to develop ongoing skills for culturally humble, self-reflective practice consistent with NASW Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice.
Course Content
This training presents foundational content on purity culture and its psychological and physiological impact through lecture, didactic instruction, case study analysis, and video and multimedia presentations. Drawing from current peer-reviewed literature and clinical experience, the course introduces the core tenets of purity culture — including abstinence messaging, the moralization of sexual thoughts, and rigid gender role enforcement — and examines how these messages become embedded in clients' identities, bodies, and relationships. The training explores specific clinical presentations associated with purity culture exposure, including sexual dysfunction and systemic sexual shame, and introduces trauma-informed frameworks and evidence-based approaches for supporting clients in deconstructing harmful narratives while honoring their spiritual autonomy. Practical clinical tools and frameworks — including the COMPASS acronym for integrating Sexual Health Principles into relationships — are woven throughout, supporting participants in translating the content directly into their clinical work.
Relevance
Clients raised within purity culture are showing up in clinical settings across all specializations — not just in sexual health or faith-based practice. Their presenting concerns, including anxiety, sexual dysfunction, body shame, relational distress, and religious trauma, are common enough that every clinician benefits from a working understanding of how purity culture operates and what healing from it can look like. Yet many providers feel underprepared to address the intersection of faith, shame, and sexuality with the nuance and competence these clients deserve. This training fills that gap by offering a trauma-informed, culturally humble clinical framework grounded in current research and best practices. It aligns with the NASW Code of Ethics, the profession's commitment to trauma-informed care and cultural competence, and the ethical imperative to provide affirming, evidence-based support to clients navigating complex intersections of identity, spirituality, and sexual health — equipping social workers, counselors, psychologists, and marriage and family therapists with foundational knowledge they can apply immediately and meaningfully in practice.
About the Presenter
Mike Fuller, LCSW, CCTP, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and therapist completing his Certified Sex Therapist training, specializing in healing the complex intersection of religious shame, identity, and sexual health. His clinical approach is deeply informed by his 20-year career as an LDS seminary teacher — a foundational shift he describes as moving from orthodoxy to compassion. This unique perspective allows him to address the specific cultural conflicts that affect intimacy with both insider knowledge and clinical expertise. Mike is the creator of the COMPASS acronym, a practical framework for teaching and integrating core Sexual Health Principles into relationships, and his mission is to guide individuals and couples toward sexual autonomy, integrity, and genuine, shame-free connection.
Course Details
Delivery method: Live interactive webinar via the Institute learning platform
Course interactivity: Interactive — participants will engage in case study discussion, video content, and Q&A
Posttest/quiz: Because this is a live interactive course, a standard posttest is not required. Participation will be monitored throughout the session.
Certificate issuance: Certificates of credit will be issued immediately after course completion to participants who attend the full session and complete the course evaluation.
Contact for questions: institute@thehealinggroup.com
Accessibility accommodations: To request accessibility accommodations, please contact institute@thehealinggroup.com prior to the event. We are committed to making our trainings accessible to all participants.
ASWB ACE Statement:
The Healing Group Institute, provider number 2716, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 3/31/26 – 3/31/27. Social workers completing this course receive 1 continuing education credit.
AASECT CKA:
C. Socio-cultural, familial factors (e.g., ethnicity, culture, religion, spirituality, socioeconomic status, family values) in relation to sexual values and behaviors.
E. Intimacy skills (e.g., social, emotional, sexual), intimate relationships, interpersonal relationships, and family dynamics.
N. Learning theory and its application.
AASECT ST:
A. Theory and methods of sex-related psychotherapy, including several different models.
This presentation has been reviewed by Kristin Hodson, LCSW, CST, CSTS to ensure it meets AASECT standards.
