THE CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY RELATIONSHIPS
Strengthening Relationships in the LGBTQ+ Community Since 2014
Jeff (he/him) has been in private practice for 36 years and is the Executive Director of The Center for Contemporary Relationships, which hosts the annual conference and the Queer and Trans Affirming Professional (QTAP) certification program. He is the author of Trailblazers in Love (Contemporary Relationships Press, 2023), a chapter in the Handbook of LGBT-Affirmative Couple and Family Therapy (2nd Edition, Routledge, 2022; 1st Edition, Routledge 2012), two chapters ni Affirmative Counseling with LGBTQl+ People (American Counseling Association, 2017), and Okin the Panda Bear Finds His Family - a children's book about family diversity (Creative House Press, 2011). His articles about LGBTQ relationships and families have appeared on The Bilerico Project and Therapy Matters. He has presented at the conferences of the American Family Therapy Academy, the American Association of Marriage &Family Therapy, the American Counseling Association, and the Texas Psychological Association. The former Executive Director of Soulforce; Jeff has spoken at universities, churches, and rallies around the country, and his social justice efforts have been covered by numerous media outlets, including NPR and CNN. He and his husband of 27 years, Gary, are now empty nesters after parenting three adopted children.
Emily Stone, PhD, LMFT-S
Emily (she/her) is a licensed marriage and family therapist with over 20 years of experience working with adults, couples, families, children, and adolescents. She is the owner of Unstuck Therapy Group. Her reputation as a therapist, supervisor, and professor is one of being open, courageous in dialogue, curious, and respectful of each individual and in awe of their unique, brutiful story. Emily has taught college and graduate school in the areas of psychology and counseling for almost 20 years and is currently on faculty for the Psychology Department at Keiser University and for the Queer and Trans Affirming Professional (QTAP) certification program. She also serves as the co-chair for the Contemporary Relationship Conference committee. Emily frequently speaks and presents at local and national conferences and training events on issues related to relationships, sexuality, trauma, and spirituality. She has written articles and books for community and church projects and training materials. Her work has been featured in articles about relationships and families in such places as Forbes Health and Healthline. Emily currently writes weekly at her Substack, “Letters from a Therapist.” Emily, who grew up in southeast Tennessee and has spent time living in California, the Czech Republic and the Carolinas, now lives in Austin, Texas with her wife, Kelly, and their full house of six kids in their lively, loving blended family that includes a very doodly golden doodle, Comet.