About Dr. Marie Fang

Hi! I’m Dr. Marie Fang.

Pronouns: she/her

I’m passionate about empowering folks who are often misunderstood or marginalized by the church to fully embrace who they are and where they’re headed.

In particular, I have a special heart for LGBTQ+ Christians navigating the intersection of their faith and identity, folks deconstructing their faith, and church leaders dealing with burnout. I also really enjoy providing therapy for fellow therapists and trainees.

How my passion developed

Having grown up in a conservative evangelical context, as a young adult I didn’t know how to make sense of the stories I heard from friends who came out to me in college and during my early adult years.

The experiences my friends described to me didn’t seem to match the way I was taught to understand LGBTQ+ experiences as a child.

As a result, I went through a process of asking questions about my faith. At the time, I thought I might be wandering in an unhelpful direction, and friends and family didn’t know how to make sense of what I was going through.

I often needed to pull away from my community and go inwards. It was an extremely isolating experience.

In retrospect, I realize that by allowing myself to ask questions about my faith, my faith has really become my own.

Deconstructing my faith turned out to be an essential and healthy part of my development. And it enabled me to develop a sense of compassion towards folks often marginalized by their church community.

How I live out my passion as a therapist

I find a sense of fulfillment in walking alongside others in their journey. I don’t expect that any of our journeys will look the same, but I deeply value the importance of having someone to journey alongside - wherever the road may lead.

I want folks to know that there is no shame in exploring who you are, whether it be aspects of your gender, sexuality, faith, or values.

The process of discovering more about who you are is something to embrace and celebrate!

How I help others

I understand that as humans, we are always in an ongoing process of development, including our sense of who we are. But we often carry a sense of shame when we experience these shifts - particularly in church contexts where change can sometimes be perceived as a threat.

I want to help shift folks' perspectives to see change as a sign of growth, and our “in progress” process as a virtue!