The Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity (ISSI) was established at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in the spring of 2004. The mission of ISSI is to further our understanding of sexual identity, its development and synthesis, and to be a resource to students in training and those in the community who are stakeholders in these discussions. We do this through research, training, and clinical services/consultations.

Mark A. Yarhouse, Psy.D., is the Rosemarie Scotti Hughes Endowed Chair of Christian Thought in Mental Health Practice and Professor of Psychology at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he is a core faculty member in the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology.

You can now view a series of short video clips in which Dr. Yarhouse discusses tough questions related to sexual identity concerns that many people in church communities face. These video clips were produced by media services at Regent University on behalf of ISSI and can be viewed below.   What Causes Homosexuality? What are the chances of me changing?   Is it my fault that my child is...

If you provide services to clients sorting out sexual identity concerns, and if you follow the Sexual Identity Therapy Framework as a general guide to your work in this area, please consider contacting ISSI to post your contact information on our Referrals Page. We regularly receive requests for services in areas around the U.S., and posting information on this page will allow people interested in services in your area to can get directions (and a map) and contact...

ISSI team members conduct research on a variety of issues related to sexual identity. We have conducted studies of milestone events in sexual identity development, the experiences of couples in mixed sexual orientation marriages, whether sexual orientation can change, and so on. These studies are often presented at professional conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. Also, because most ISSI core team members are doctoral students in clinical...

Sexual Identity Therapy (SIT) provides a place for clients to sort out how they wish to live and form an identity in light of their beliefs and values. The focus of this approach is to assist clients as they seek congruence – so that their behavior and sexual identity line up with their beliefs and values. The SIT Framework developed by Dr. Warren Throckmorton and Dr. Mark Yarhouse identifies four phases of therapy: (1) assessment, (2) advanced or expanded...