Acclaimed queer faith memoir earns top honor from Kirkus Reviews for its story of surviving conversion therapy and finding faith, healing, and belonging

The part of leaving high-control environments or religious trauma that people don’t always see is the long, quiet process of unlearning. Learning to trust your own gut after being taught that your instincts are inherently wrong takes time. It’s not just about getting out; it’s about learning who you are when you stop following a script that was never yours to begin with.

Conversion Therapy Dropout was named one of six finalists for the inaugural Kirkus Indie Awards in the memoir category.

“Many folks think that they had to have gone to some big retreat or conference to say that they’ve encountered conversion therapy, but its tenets are actually everywhere within conservative evangelical communities, and it’s important that we expand our definition to include the harm that happens in more subtle and insidious ways.”

“Many folks think that they had to have gone to some big retreat or conference to say that they’ve encountered conversion therapy, but its tenets are actually everywhere within conservative evangelical communities, and it’s important that we expand our definition to include the harm that happens in more subtle and insidious ways.”

"I want to use my experience, my strength, and the hope that I found through my healing, to do whatever I can to ensure that no one has to go through what I went through... and realize that it is possible for them to be gay and loved by God."

In this conversation, Tim shares how he was drawn into the ex-gay movement, the hidden realities of conversion therapy today, and the challenges of navigating faith, sexuality, and belonging. He talks about the lasting impact of religious shame, the connection between queer identity and recovery, the search for affirming spiritual community, and the ongoing fight against Christian nationalism and anti-LGBTQ theology.

Whether you’re navigating questions of faith, sexuality, identity, or healing from religious trauma, this episode offers a compassionate and honest exploration of what it means to belong.

“Clarity is kindness. Ambiguity can be harmful.” (@brenebrown) This should also apply to churches.”

Debutiful named Conversion Therapy Dropout one of their picks for the best debut nonfiction of 2026 (so far).

The Advocate calls Conversion Therapy Dropout "a powerful memoir... heartfelt and heartbreaking."

"My failure to change when it didn't work wasn't looked at as something that was wrong with me. I viewed it as divine rejection..."

"A lot of these churches wanted their pastors to become influencers, their churches to become lifestyle brands... they were willing to work with me as long as I was, like, signing NDAs."

Check out my conversation with THE Nick Laparra on the Let’s Give a Damn podcast.

“Treating conversion therapy as an act of speech, rather than an evidence-based medical treatment, is an invitation to abuse. Conversion Therapy Dropout may help us understand the painful consequences of this decision, while offering a better way forward.”

Debutiful named Conversion Therapy Dropout one of their 20 debut books to discover from May 2026.

I loved getting to sit down with Dillon (Dill) to talk about conversion therapy, religious trauma, and how to be gay and a Christian.

I was honored to talk about the memoir writing process with Ronit Plank on Let’s Talk Memoir.

"I realized that the problem wasn’t us. The problem was the program itself and what we were being told to believe about ourselves."

“You can’t argue with lived experience.”

Here’s the full clip from my interview on NBC News Now with Joe Fryer. We covered everything from the recent SCOTUS ruling to the historic report out of the Vatican this week, and why I decided to write Conversion Therapy Dropout.