In this episode, Tom Bruett (he/him) interviews Kit Morgan (he/they), a queer and trans religious trauma-informed educator, licensed clinical social worker, and therapist. Together, they explore how religious trauma continues to shape queer and trans lives long after leaving faith communities. From purity culture and internalized shame to the ways stigma around mental health keeps people stuck, Kit unpacks how belief systems can quietly influence identity, relationships, and self-worth in ways many people don’t even realize.

They dive into the difference between conflict and abuse in religious families, how “Midwest nice” can mask deeper harm, and why so many people struggle to name their experiences as trauma. The conversation also examines how these early messages show up in dating, attraction, and desire, along with what therapists and allies often get wrong when supporting queer and trans clients. If you’ve ever felt like you left religion but it didn’t fully leave you, this episode offers language, insight, and a path toward understanding what’s still lingering beneath the surface.

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About Kit:

Kit Morgan is a queer and trans religious trauma informed educator, licensed clinical social worker, and therapist, working with clients in New York, Virginia, and Indiana. Kit’s work began with advocacy and research for people at high risk of incarceration. From Kit’s background of growing up in the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist and Southern Baptist denominations during his girlhood years, Kit noticed how institutionalization, including the institution of religion, impacts the way people relate to their gender and sexuality. This inspired Kit to study Christian Counseling, the science of psychology, and social work in their time at university. Kit focuses their work on liberation from shame induced by institutionalization impacting people’s relationship to their queerness.

Connect with Kit:

Website: www.theliberatedporch.com

TikTok: @theliberatedporch

Instagram: @theliberatedporch

Connect with Tom:

website: www.queerrelationshipinstitute.com

Instagram: @queerrelationshipinstitute

Get his book: https://a.co/d/0gtUEAC5