A Catholic Perspective on Conversion Therapy with Dr. Julia Sadusky

In this episode of Gotta Be Saints, Brendan Gotta welcomes back Dr. Julia Sadusky, a clinical psychologist and author of Emerging Gender Identities: Understanding the Diverse Experiences of Today’s Youth. Together, they unpack the complex and often misunderstood topic of conversion therapy—how it’s defined, what the law says, and how Catholics can approach questions of faith, sexuality, and identity with both compassion and truth.

From Colorado’s 2019 conversion therapy ban to the challenges faced by Christian clinicians, this conversation explores the balance between faithful accompaniment and clinical integrity, while offering hope for families navigating these sensitive issues.

Guest Bio

Dr. Julia Sadusky is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the integration of faith and mental health. She works primarily with sexual and gender minorities from Christian backgrounds and provides consultation and training to churches, schools, and clinicians. Julia holds a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Regent University and a B.A. from Ave Maria University. She is also the co-author of Emerging Gender Identities: Understanding the Diverse Experiences of Today’s Youth.
Website: juliasadusky.com

Instagram: @drjuliasadusky

Key Topics & Highlights

00:00 – Introduction and context for today’s discussion
00:03 – Defining conversion therapy: why it’s difficult to pin down
00:06 – What Colorado’s 2019 law actually says
00:10 – Why many Christian clinicians feel anxious about these laws
00:14 – How faith communities historically engaged with conversion therapy
00:18 – The impact of conversion therapy on faith, family, and trust in God
00:23 – The need for emotionally mature, well-formed Catholic clinicians
00:26 – The influence of culture and social media on identity formation
00:30 – Parenting with warmth and firmness rather than fear
00:36 – Building trust and walking with teens through difficult questions
00:39 – Finding common ground across divides and engaging others with charity

Key Takeaways

• Conversion therapy isn’t a single practice—it’s an umbrella term that covers any therapy seeking to change orientation or gender identity.
• Laws like Colorado’s don’t ban pastoral care or identity exploration—they restrict licensed therapists from pursuing fixed outcomes with minors.
• Effective Catholic counseling should help teens think critically and mature in faith, not react out of fear.
• Building trust and long-term relationships matters more than offering quick fixes.
• Faithful dialogue across political and ideological lines is still possible—and deeply needed.

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