Forging a Sacred Weapon
Friday, June 26, 2026
3:30pm-8:30pm
(see time breakdown below)
4 CE credits
Rancho Cordova City Hall -- American River Room South
(2729 Prospect Park Drive, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670)
Description
LGBTQIA+ clients frequently encounter mental health concerns that are directly influenced by experiences of stigma, discrimination, family rejection, and religiously based messages regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. Research consistently demonstrates that rejection and identity invalidation are associated with increased rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidality, substance use, relational distress, and trauma-related symptoms.
Drawing upon Kathy Baldock's Forging a Sacred Weapon, this training explores how specific theological interpretations have historically contributed to social and familial rejection of LGBTQIA+ individuals. Clinicians will learn to recognize the impact of spiritual trauma, religious harm, and attachment injuries while maintaining ethical sensitivity to clients' faith traditions, cultural backgrounds, and personal values.
The training incorporates current research on minority stress, family acceptance, attachment, and trauma-informed care. Particular attention will be given to the role of belonging and acceptance as protective factors for mental health. According to The Trevor Project's 2025 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People, 36% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year, approximately 1 in 10 reported a suicide attempt, and 40% of transgender and nonbinary youth seriously considered suicide. Importantly, LGBTQ+ youth living in highly accepting communities attempted suicide at less than one-third the rate of those living in highly unaccepting communities. These findings underscore the profound mental health impact of acceptance, affirmation, and supportive relationships.
One of the central themes of Forging a Sacred Weapon is that the greatest harm often arises not from LGBTQIA+ identity itself, but from the rejection, stigma, exclusion, and shame imposed by social, familial, and religious systems. The Trevor Project findings support this conclusion by demonstrating that suicide risk is strongly associated with experiences of victimization, rejection, and lack of affirmation, while supportive families and communities serve as significant protective factors.
Educational Goals
Participants will develop practical skills for assessment, treatment planning, intervention, and referral that support client well-being, strengthen family relationships, reduce minority stress, and promote resilience while remaining within professional ethical standards and scope of practice.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:
- Analyze at least three historical, cultural, or theological factors discussed in Forging a Sacred Weapon that contributed to the weaponization of scripture against LGBTQIA+ individuals.
- Identify at least three mental health consequences associated with family rejection, religious trauma, identity invalidation, and minority stress among LGBTQIA+ individuals.
- Demonstrate the ability to apply at least three evidence-based, trauma-informed, and LGBTQIA+-affirming interventions when conceptualizing treatment plans for clients experiencing faith-identity conflict, spiritual trauma, family rejection, or religious harm.
Presenter(s)
Kathy Baldock, author, historian, researcher, LGBTQ advocate, international speaker and educator, and Executive Director of CanyonWalker Connections, is a leading expert on LGBTQ+ issues in the United States, especially dealing with historical and current discrimination faced from the socially conservative Christian church and political sector. Baldock is the author of Forging a Sacred Weapon: The 1946 Bible Mistranslation Behind Anti-Gay Theology and Walking the Bridgeless Canyon: Repairing the Breach Between the Church and the LGBTQ Community. Baldock is one of the researchers featured in the award-winning documentary 1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture. She lives in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, outside Reno, Nevada where she hikes with her dog, Finn twice a day, does yoga, reads lots of books and continues to ask hard questions and inviting others to do the same.
Other Details
Time: 3:30pm-8:00pm
3:30pm-4:00pm (checkin, networking)
4:00pm-8:00pm (CE event presentation)
8:00pm-8:30pm (Optional Q&A)
Location: Rancho Cordova City Hall -- American River Room South (2729 Prospect Park Drive, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670)
Cost:
Non-member $60
Licensed Member $50
Associate Member $40
Student Member $35
Early Bird (ends 2 weeks prior to event)
Non-member $55
Licensed Member $45
Associate Member $35
Student Member $30
For questions, more information, accommodations: contact us at sacramentocamft@gmail.com. You may also contact Programs Co-Chair Heather Moss at Heathermossmft@yahoo.com.
This is an introductory, intermediate, and advanced level course. This program will benefit LMFT, LPCC, LEP and LCSW licensees and pre-licensees. Open to all mental health professionals, both members and non-members.
This course meets the qualifications for 4 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. The Sacramento Valley Chapter of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (SVC-CAMFT), provider #62279, is approved by CAMFT to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs. SVC-CAMFT maintains the responsibility for the program and all its content.
CE credit will be awarded via email after the completion of the course in exchange for a course evaluation. No CE credits will be awarded to persons not attending the presentation in it's entirety. Partial CE credit will not be awarded.
Event Policies
