Where do you belong when the place you called home no longer wants you?
John Wesley Wilson survived a childhood of violence and poverty in the backwoods of South Alabama to become a man he was proud to be: husband to his high school sweetheart, father to two daughters, and pastor of a Pentecostal church.
He loved his family. He believed what he preached.
And he was certain that, if he remained faithful, God would heal his secret attraction to men.
Then his brother Terry's death shattered that certainty, and questions John had spent years silencing became impossible to ignore.
When he could no longer hide from the truth, the life he had spent decades building collapsed, and he was banished him from the only world he had ever known.
Straight to Hell is an award-winning memoir of faith, family, and exile—of loving a world that cannot accept you, and searching for home when you can no longer stay.
About the Author
Hi, I'm John.
I'm a clinical psychologist, former Evangelical pastor, and author of Straight to Hell, a memoir about the search for belonging—and what it costs when belonging requires abandoning yourself.
For much of my life, I became the person everyone needed me to be: husband, father, pastor, leader. I spent years trying to earn love, acceptance, and a place to belong. When that life unraveled, I lost far more than I ever imagined. What I found on the other side was something I had been searching for all along: home.
That experience changed not only my life, but the way I understand suffering, healing, and the courage it takes to become yourself.
Today, I help adults navigate anxiety, depression, religious trauma, life transitions, identity concerns, and the quiet ache of feeling disconnected from themselves. My approach combines clinical expertise, genuine compassion, and the belief that healing begins when we stop fighting who we are and start living more honestly.
When I'm not working, you'll usually find me making music, staying active, enjoying the outdoors, or having meaningful conversations with people I love.
If you're struggling to find your footing, reconnect with yourself, or find your way home, I'd be honored to help. I offer virtual therapy for adults across the United States.
