Reparative & other therapies for homosexuals

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Calming distressed gays;
Converting gays into ex-gays.

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Quotation:

Dr. Robert Spitzer: "They have a choice whether to go into therapy, about whether they adopt a gay lifestyle, whether they tell their friends and their family. They don't have a choice as to whether their basic sexual orientation is gay or straight -- that they don't have a choice about." Dr. Spitzer's response to a question posed Scientific American Mind magazine in 2004-FEB: "Do gays have a choice?" 7 [Presumably to "adopt a gay lifestyle" means to choose to be sexually active rather than celibate.]

Mental health therapies directed at homosexuals:

The two main types of therapy or counseling directed at gays and lesbians -- and to a lesser degree, bisexuals:

	Gay Affirmative Therapy (GAT) directed at helping gays and lesbians become content with their sexual orientation; we will only discuss this briefly.
	Reparative therapy (a.k.a. Conversion Therapy) or Transformational Ministry programs often imply that they can change a gay's or lesbian's sexual orientation. However, their programs are actually directed at changing clients' sexual behavior. Almost all of the essays in this section discuss these two programs.

Topics on homosexual counseling and therapy in this section:

• The two main types of therapy
  
  
• Reparative therapy, and transformational ministries:
  
  
  • Introduction:
    • Part 1: Quotations, overview, terminology
    • Part 2: History, health insurance aspects, is a change in sexual orientation possible?
    • Part 3: Acceptance, Email inquiry, safety, effectiveness
      
      
  • Overview of results of formal studies by reparative therapy and transformational ministries.
    
    
    • Details of these studies
      
      
    • Analysis of Dr. Robert Spitzer's 2001 study
      
      
  • Anecdotal observations on Reparative Therapy. What a proper study might look like
    
    
• Estimates of the success rate of reparative therapy and transformational ministries
  
  
• Beliefs on reparative therapy expressed by:
  • Professional associations.
    
    
  • National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH).
    
    
  • Transformational Ministries (typically conservative Christian "ex-gay" ministries).
    
    
  • P-Fox.
    
    
  • Evangelical Christians and the rest of the public.
    
    
  • Ex-gay" newspaper & TV ads.
    
    
  • Our thoughts on persuing reparative therapy
    
    
• Recent Developments
  
  
  • Ted Haggard's problems reignite the reparative therapy debate
    
    
  • Controversy over therapy; subsequent events
    
    
  • American Psychological Association task force on reparative therapy
    
    
  • Conflict over Ipod "apps," mainly involving Exodus International, LGBT's and Apple
    
    
• Books about changing or accepting one's sexual orientation
  
  
• Resolving differences in beliefs about homosexuality and reparative therapy, etc.
  
  

Related essays & menus on this web site:

	Homosexuality menu
	Statements by professional groups etc. about homosexuality.
	Religious beliefs of ex-gay and similar ministries about homosexuality

External link:

	Mark Benjamin, "My gay therapy session:" A reporter pretended to be gay and received an introductory session of reparative therapy by a Christian counselor. The cost to "either turn straight or get significant relief" would be $14,560. See: http://dir.salon.com/
	"Reparative or 'Conversion' Therapy," Public Health, Boulder County Colorado, at: http://www.co.boulder.co.us/

References:

1. "Christian Ex-gay ministry hosts Chicago conference," Charisma. Online at Maranatha Christian Journal, at: http://www.mcjonline.com/news/news3280.htm 
2. APA response copied from a reader's Email
3. Stuart Shepard, "Ex-gays protest APA," Focus on the Family, at: http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/A0011512.html
4. G.M. Herek, "Attempts to change sexual orientation," at: http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/html/facts_changing.html 
5. "Aversion Therapy - Letter to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, " Outrage!, at: http://www.outrage.cygnet.co.uk/quintat2.htm
6. Joe Kort, "So you'd like to learn about Gay Affirmative Therapy (GAT) at: http://www.amazon.com/ Kort has provided a list of 43 books on the topic.
7. David Roberts, "Previously unreleased Spitzer video gives candid results," Ex-gay Watch, 2007-APR-05, at: http://www.exgaywatch.com/

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Copyright © 1996 to 2010 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Latest update: 2010-DEC-06
Author: B.A. Robinson

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