SACRED ALTNESS:
Affirming Diverse and Non-Stereotypical Sex, Sexualities, Genders, and Relationships
Facilitated by: Rev. Dr. Deb Berman, Dmin, LCSW
Available by: Watch Online Recordings
Price: General Public: $ 100.00 | One Spirit Graduates and Students: $ 90.00
Elective Credit: 1
This workshop celebrates and affirms the rich spiritual lives, sacred presence, and holy journeys of people of diverse sexualities, genders, sexual practices, relationship constellations, kinships, and identities. This includes, but is not limited to, Alternative Relationships, Polyamory, Ethical Non Monogamy, Kink, BDSM, LGB, Chosen Families, Trans, Gender Nonbinary and Gender Expansive, Sex Workers, Questioning/In Discernment, and more.
The content of this course is richly grounded in Queer Theology, Radical Body Positivity, the modern Sacred Sexuality Movement, Buddhist Psychology, Yoga Therapy, and Feminist Theory.
Through these lenses, participants will:
Deepen their connection to Alt Affirming spiritual practice and ritual in their personal lives and/or professional work; learn key Alt concepts, explore myths vs. facts about Altness and Sprit, examine Alt Affirming liturgy, and explore the integral presence of Altness, Queerness, and Sacred Sexuality that already exists in theology and practices throughout diverse wisdom paths and global faith traditions.
This workshop aims to:
Deepen, honor, affirm, and enrich the experiences and spiritual lives of sex, sexuality, gender, and relationship non-stereotypical spiritual seekers; and
Provide Allies and spiritually motivated pursuers of justice and equality in counseling, ministry, education, and leadership with the knowledge and practical skills to make that crucial leap from feeling generally "accepting" and "welcoming" and move toward a deeper and more meaningful level of authentic Affirmation of Alfolx in spiritual and community settings.
FACULTY:
Dr. Deb Berman, DMin, LCSW
Rev. Deb (pronouns she/her) is a licensed psychotherapist, spiritual counselor, and relationship and life coach in private practice (via telehealth) serving diverse populations including Alternative Relationship, Alt Kinship, Kink, Poly, BDSM, Leather, Ethical Non-Monogamy, Monogamous, Queer, Genderqueer, LGB, Transgender, Questioning, Sex Workers, and Straight Allies. She served as Director of the Behavioral Health Program at Interfaith Hospital and was Clinical Director of The National Jewish Council for Disabilities. She holds an undergraduate degree in contemporary Jewish Studies, a master’s degree from the Columbia University School of Social Work, and a Doctorate in Ministry in Pastoral Counseling and Clinical Education from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion through which she conducted the first-ever research study on the faith community needs of people in Alternative Relationships. She is an ordained Interfaith/Interspiritual minister through the One Spirit Interfaith Seminary where she served as a dean and counseling supervisor in the Interspiritual Counseling Program and currently facilitates the One Spirit Alt Faith Collective, a discussion and worship group for ministers, spiritual counselors, and faith community leaders who identify as Alternative Relationship, Alt sexuality, Alt identity, and/or Questioning. Rev. Deb is the founder of PrideMinistry: An Affirming Spiritual Community for Alternative Souls that meets the lifecycle and spiritual needs of Alt Relationship individuals, families, and communities; authors Alt-friendly liturgy for personal and institutional use; and provides education and consulting services to faith communities who want more meaningfully deepen their allyship to Alt and Nonconforming spiritual seekers. Deb has spoken at more than 200 professional conferences and workshops around the world on topics spanning mental health, sexuality, pastoral counseling, theology, and disaster/crisis counseling.