Meet the Guides
Pray the Gay to Stay is a unique collaboration between professional clinical expertise and lived experience.
It was co-created by Candice Czubernat and Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez to ensure that your journey is both therapeutically sound and spiritually resonant.
Candice Czubernat
Candice is a believer and the founder of The Christian Closet, an affirming online therapy practice for LGBTQ+ people of faith. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (WA) and MFTI (CA) with a Master’s in Counseling Psychology and over 20 years of experience in the mental health field.
Candice’s background is uniquely suited for this work; she attended The Moody Bible Institute for her undergraduate studies and later the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, where she focused on the integration of theology and psychology.
As a gay Christian, wife, and mom to 11-year-old twins, Candice is deeply passionate about helping others realize that being LGBTQ+ does not in any way separate them from God or God’s love.
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Tim Schraeder Rodriguez
Tim is a conversion therapy survivor and the author of the memoir Conversion Therapy Dropout and co-founder of Church Clarity.
Tim spent years on the inside of the system as a staff member at some of the world’s most influential megachurches. His perspective offers a rare "behind-the-curtain" look at the theology and culture of high-control religious environments.
Tim brings the raw, honest voice of someone who has walked the exact path you are on, from the "quiet torment" of trying to fix himself to the freedom of a fully integrated, affirming life as a gay Christian.
Tim lives in New York City, where he works as a digital strategist, writer, and advocate for queer people of faith.
he/himContact us
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