The Long Surrender: A Memoir about Losing My Religion by Brian Rush McDonald

This essay is the author's abridged version of his book-length memoir, The Long Surrender: A Memoir about Losing My Religion (Wisdom Editions, 2022), available wherever books are sold. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://secularhumanism.org/2025/11/the-long-surrender-a-memoir-about-losing-my-religion/ About the Author: Brian Rush McDonald is a psychotherapist in private practice in Alexandria, Virginia. After leaving the ministry, he worked in various capacities for a couple years, from university professor to Starbucks barista before completing all the requirements to be a licensed psychotherapist. He has now been in private practice for nearly twenty years. He treats individuals who are experiencing depression, anxiety, or life adjustment issues. He also provides couples counseling. He and Kathy have been married for forty-seven years and have three adult children and three grandchildren. McDonald enjoys playing trombone in several community groups, and he and Kathy enjoy sailing on the Chesapeake Bay. Subscribe to Free Inquiry: https://secularhumanism.org/subscribe/ Free Inquiry Audio Edition is a production of The Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry