About Me
Let me introduce myself. I teach psychology at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Since 1998 I have been part of the core faculty in the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology and have served as the founding director of the Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity since 2004. As for counseling services, I have a private practice in the Virginia Beach area, providing individual, couples, family, and group counseling. 
I graduated from Calvin College with degrees in philosophy and art and a minor in psychology. In art my focus was lithography, pen and ink drawing, and watercolor painting. I then went to Wheaton College and earned a master’s degree in theology and a doctorate in clinical psychology.
I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with several fine scholars over the past few years, leading to books such as Ex-Gays? A Longitudinal Study of Religiously-Mediated Change in Sexual Orientation (with Stan Jones) and Modern Psychopathologies: A Comprehensive Christian Appraisal (with Rich Butman and Barrett McRay). I recently completed two projects with Jim Sells: Family Therapies: A Comprehensive Christian Appraisal and Counseling Couples in Conflict: A Relational Restoration Model. My most recent solo project is Homosexuality and the Christian: A Guide for Parents, Pastors and Friends.
I am currently working on a Christian integration textbook on sexuality and sex therapy with Erica S. N. Tan, as well as a book on sexual identity and youth ministry.
I’m glad you came across this web site. The focus here is integration, which involves a meaningful dialogue between psychology and Christianity.
Michael E. Strohm
November 15, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and work.
U.S. Army Family Life Chaplain Training Program, Theological Integration, The Person of the Pastoral Counselor, Biblical Mandates and Theory of Change, Soldier and Family Ministries
AM
April 5, 2009 at 3:31 pm
I didn’t find an email contact, but I would like to discuss intersexism with you. There are many of us born intersexed (in various ways). The church has ignored us at worst and dismissed us as eunuchs at best. We are critical to study because we are the link between heterosexuality and homosexuality.
The issue of human sexuality/gender is forever opened to discussion at this point in history. I have been pleading with people to not let this bridge go unexplored. Not to speak evolutionarily, but we (the intersexed) truly are the missing link.
Thank you
AM
Ed Riddick
May 18, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Hi Mark,
I am an Evangelical Free Church pastor – Oakbrook EvFree in Oshkosh, WI.
I just graduated from TEDS with an MACM degree.
I attended your presentation at TEDS this year. You mentioned you had an extensive Informed Consent form. As I recall you were willing to share your Informed Consent form. May I have a copy? Thanks for any help you can provide.
Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Ed Riddick, ThM, MACM
Pastor
SallyParadise
June 19, 2010 at 11:54 am
Hi, I didn’t find an e-mail link. I am a Christian gender-dysphoric female. I made the change several years ago and I am very happy I did. I am a Bible believing Christian who attends church weekly. I am also a political/social conservative. I do not endorse homosexuality or the LGBT community. I was involved in many years of ‘Christian’ therapy, none of which proved helpful except to solidfy my need to make the change.
http://sallyparadise.wordpress.com
Mark
June 19, 2010 at 6:58 pm
I’ll send you an email if you wish to correspond.
Sandra Stewart
October 22, 2010 at 11:28 am
Invitation to the Transgender Religious Leaders Summit
Kevin Zimmerman
September 9, 2011 at 9:53 pm
Hello Mark,
I am researching commitment in mixed-orientation relationships. Could you please contact me regarding how best to go about recruitment?
Thank you!
Kevin Zimmerman
kevinz@iastate.edu
Kurt
March 21, 2012 at 9:39 am
Mark,
I read an 8-10 page article you wrote about 4-5 years ago written for parents and youth workers. Where can I find that or get a copy?
Kurt Boyland
Abilene, Texas
Mark
April 6, 2012 at 4:10 pm
Kurt,
Thanks for stopping by. I’m not sure. I have a couple of pamphlets I’ve written – one is for parents; the other is for youth workers (still others for spouses, student development staff, etc.). They are pamphlets that are available through the Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity, if you want to check out that web site: http://www.sexualidentityinstitute.org.
Mark
Vinnie
May 1, 2012 at 11:03 pm
Mark, you did a presentation with Sells at AACC in September on couples in conflict. I listened to the presentation and appreciated it. I bought the book as well, but I haven’t quite gotten down everything you said. Is there a powerpoint or word doucment on what your presented at AACC?
Mark
May 2, 2012 at 6:17 am
I’ll email Jim and cc you. He has the latest version, I believe.
Marcus Kilian, MDiv, PsyD, LP
August 28, 2012 at 10:31 pm
Hi Mark,
Do you have some info on “straight men having sex with males”? I came across a study in New York published by Annals of internal Medicine (2006), but would appreciate more clinical material. I am working with sexually addicted men and women in my practice. Thanks and nice to see your website.
David W
February 27, 2013 at 4:19 pm
http://www.sexualidentityinstitute.org/resources/media
Dr. Yarhouse -
You have a set of Q&A videos on the SII site (hosted on YouTube), I watched them earlier in the year but they are now marked private. We are prepping for you to speak this fall, and the question is relevant for our potential attendees.
The Question: Can You Be Gay and Christian?
- thanks
Mark
February 28, 2013 at 11:48 am
I don’t know where they went either. I wonder if AACC took them down. They were done for a series that was being developed by AACC, and they were not supposed to be on YouTube. You could contact AACC if you want a copy. I don’t have one. I did recently redo some of those questions to post in their place. I don’t think I did that question, though.
David W
February 28, 2013 at 6:20 pm
Thank you for the quick response. I’ll contact AACC.
Meanwhile, is there a link to the new videos you can send me? Also, there are some pamphlets on the site too, one for youth workers, etc. Is it possible to get digital copies of those? We are developing FAQ’s and trying to anticipate what might be asked.
David
YS
Nathan
March 16, 2013 at 4:51 pm
Hi Mark,
I really appreciate this website. I am a student at a Christian college and last November I recognized the need to address my sexuality, an issue that I had been ignoring for a long time. Unfortunately, I am studying abroad this semester and have nobody to talk to about the process of coming to terms with my sexual identity. I would greatly appreciate some correspondence with you as I try to figure things out. Your site is one of the few I have found that makes sense and has all of the words spelled correctly, so I figured you would be my best bet. Please shoot me an email when you get a chance.