John Wesley Wilson

John Wesley Wilson, PsyD, is an award-winning author, clinical psychologist, and former Evangelical pastor whose work explores shame, belonging, identity, and the cost of abandoning oneself in order to be loved.

Raised in poverty in the Deep South, he found safety and belonging in a Pentecostal church, only to discover that acceptance came at the price of denying who he was. For decades, he built a life as a husband, father, and pastor while concealing a truth he feared would cost him everything. When that carefully constructed world began to unravel, he faced the devastating consequences of choosing authenticity over acceptance.

His debut book, Straight to Hell: A Memoir, received a Gold Medal at the 2026 Illumination Book Awards and was named a finalist in the 2026 International Book Awards and the 2026 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards.

Today, Wilson maintains a private clinical psychology practice in Atlanta, Georgia, helping adults navigate religious trauma, identity conflicts, and life transitions. Both his writing and clinical work explore a deeply human question: What happens when the price of being loved is losing yourself?