Pray the Gay to Stay is a 31-day self-guided online course for LGBTQ+ people seeking to overcome the trauma of conversion therapy and integrate their faith and sexuality.
Created by therapist Candice Czubernat, LMHC, founder of The Christian Closet, and Tim Schraeder Rodriguez, author of Conversion Therapy Dropout, this course provides a trauma-informed roadmap and a supportive private community to help you stop fighting your own soul, reclaim your body from religious shame, and find a faith that finally feels like home.
Pray the Gay to Stay is designed for any LGBTQ+ person who has experienced the weight of conversion therapy or religious trauma and is seeking a practical, compassionate path to integrate their faith and sexuality.
Course begins June 1, 2026
What’s included
The full 31-day journey is hosted on a private, easy-to-navigate site, giving you a central "home" for all your videos, reflections, and resources.
31 Daily Reflections: Each morning, a bite-sized prompt will land in your inbox, designed to help you unlearn internalized shame, dismantle religious trauma, and re-wire your nervous system for peace.
Weekly "Big Idea" Videos: Deep-dive conversations with Candice, Tim, and special guests that bridge the gap between liberation theology and clinical trauma recovery, focusing on the practical "how" of healing.
A Private Community: You’ll be invited to join an exclusive Discord group to connect with others on the same journey. This is a safe space for shared reflection, moderated by members of The Christian Closet team.
Embodiment Practices: Guided exercises to help you move from "living from the neck up" to reclaiming your body as a sacred, trustworthy place of safety.
Prayers & Meditations: Throughout the course, you’ll be guided through breath prayers, grounding meditations, and affirmations to help you release the burden of "fixing" yourself and reconnect with the Divine.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Our course is a four-week journey (plus a final three-day integration) that combines clinical insights, personal experience, and affirming theology. Unlike programs that focus on "leaving LGBTQ behind," we focus on helping you find yourself and God in the same room. Each day includes a daily reflection and prompt, with weekly "Big Idea" videos that dive deep into the following themes:
Week 1: Coming Home to Yourself – Understanding the nervous system, unmasking survival skills, and moving from hypervigilance to safety.
Week 2: Reclaiming the Divine – Deconstructing fear-based theology (like the fear of Hell), re-evaluating the Bible, and expanding your image of God.
Week 3: The Weight of Truth – Processing the grief of lost time, navigating family dynamics, and turning "holy anger" into a tool for healing.
Week 4: Original Goodness – Stepping into your gifts, redefining "sin" as flourishing, and building a chosen family that sees the real you.
The Horizon (Final 3 Days): Writing your new narrative and creating rituals to leave the old messages behind.
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This course is a dedicated space for those who have spent years navigating the tension between who they are and what they’ve been taught. It is specifically designed for:
Those raised in Evangelical or non-affirming spaces: If your foundation was built on a theology that saw your identity as a "struggle" or a sin, this is a space to dismantle those harmful messages.
Conversion therapy Ssrvivors: Whether your experience was a formal program or a "self-imposed" effort to change, we provide a roadmap for the unique trauma that leaves behind.
Queer people healing from religious tauma: If "church" or "God" has become a source of anxiety, hypervigilance, or pain, we offer a trauma-informed path toward peace.
Queer people seeking integration: If you are tired of choosing between your soul and your skin, this course is for those ready to bridge the gap and finally integrate their faith and sexuality.
You may still be in the pews, you may be in the middle of deconstruction, or you may have left organized religion behind entirely. No matter where you are in your journey, this is about helping you find the freedom to be exactly who God created you to be.
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We believe that every person is created in the image of God and that your sexual orientation and gender identity are not "struggles" to be overcome, but inherent parts of your original goodness. We acknowledge that the Church has often used "truth" as a weapon to cause religious trauma, and we are here to offer a different path. We believe that LGBTQ+ people are not mistakes to be tolerated, but gifts to be celebrated, and that a fully integrated life—where faith and sexuality coexist—is where true flourishing begins.
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100% of the proceeds from your enrollment go directly to a fund that provides professional, affirming counseling through The Christian Closet.
When you invest in your own healing, you are literally paying for the therapy of another LGBTQ+ person who needs support. You are part of a cycle of community care.
If cost is an issue for you, it doesn’t need to be. Please contact us at info@praythegaytostay.com to inquire about course scholarships. -
We recognize that revisiting these stories can be heavy work. While this is a self-guided online course, you are never truly alone. We have built in two layers of support to ensure you stay grounded:
The Private Online Community: Upon joining, you’ll be invited into our exclusive Facebook group. This is a safe, moderated space where you can connect with others on the same journey and interact with Candice and Timothy.
Professional, Affirming Therapy: If you find that you need more personalized, one-on-one care, you can access The Christian Closet to find a licensed, LGBTQ-affirming therapist who understands the specific nuances of religious trauma and faith integration.
You are encouraged to go at your own pace and reach out to these resources whenever you need to.