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Sex, Shame, Addiction and the Church

Drawing on brand new research, Cat and Cindy will present Shame Containment Theory, applying it to sex addiction and betrayal. This session includes an interactive workshop, considering the ways in which ‘the church’ experiences shame responses around difficult topics like sex, addiction and betrayal and the common strategies used to re-contain shame. We hope to encourage participants to explore healthier responses to shame, for themselves and the wider Body of Christ.

Learning objectives:

1. Participants will be able to describe the 5 components of the shame process.
2. Participants will be able to assist clients in understanding the mechanisms of contained and uncontained shame.
3. Participants will be able to assist clients in understanding how shame containment strategies are used as self protection mechanisms within a persons attachment system.

4. Participants will be able to name their own shame containment strategies, and those they see expressed within the church as a whole and brainstorm ideas for healthier responses to shame in the church

Cat Etherington & Cindy Bajema

Director of Recovery, Naked Truth Project (Cat) & Head of Recovery, Naked Truth Project (Cindy)
Cat Etherington is the Director of Recovery for Naked Truth Project, an international Christian charity opening eyes and freeing lives from the damaging impacts of pornography and other problematic sexual behaviors. Cat is a Certified Professional Life Coach and Integrative Counsellor, overseeing a team of international practitioners working with individuals and couples impacted by problematic sexual behavior and betrayal. The first ever European practitioner to be certified by the Association of Partners of Sex Addicts Trauma Specialists (APSATS), Cat now serves on their Board of Directors and co-delivers their clinical training. With personal and professional experience of both addiction and betrayal, Cat has unique insight into the journey of recovery and healing and a passion to bring healing to individuals and the body of Christ.