Some Therapists Still Treat Homosexuality: Study

Hindustan Times ^ | March 26, 2009

[nickcarraway]

A small but significant minority of mental health professionals in Britain offer treatments to lesbians and gays so they can become heterosexual, according to a study released on Thursday.

Responding to a survey, psychiatrists and psychologists reported using techniques ranging from counselling to aversion therapy, despite a lack of evidence that such treatments are beneficial, the study said.

A team of researchers led by Michael King of University College Medical School questioned over 1,400 therapists.

Four percent said they would attempt to change a client's sexual orientation if asked to do so. And one in six, or 17 percent, said they had assisted at least one client to reduce gay or lesbian feelings.

There was no indication that, among this group, use of such therapies had decreased over time.

"There is very little evidence to show that attempting to treat a person's homosexual feelings is effective and in fact it can actually be harmful," said King.

"So it is surprising that a significant minority of practitioners still offer this help to their clients."

Most of these therapists said they were responding to anguished pleas from the clients themselves.

"The individuals I have worked with have all been very unhappy about their sexuality and wish they were heterosexual," said one anonymously quoted therapist from the British Psychological Society.

"This has been because of responses from friends, family and the local community -- which, outside London, is still very homophobic," the therapist added.

"We have a responsibility to assist our patients with self-determination," another health professional, a psychiatrist, is quoted as saying.

[bpjam]

A small but significant minority of mental health professionals in Britain offer treatments to lesbians and gays so they can become heterosexual,....

And???

These people wouldn’t be seeking treatment if they didn’t think they were either mentally ill (or more likely) doing something incredibly wrong and suffering because of it. You can’t counsel somebody who doesn’t see a need to change their behavior.

If you doubt this truth, see: Keith Olbermann.

[Graybeard58]

outside London, is still very homophobic

Somebody needs to tell those folks "outside London", not to have an irrational fear of the queers.

[BoneHead]

The Hindustan Times: Reporting on the things the British reporters won't.

The British Press: Reporting on the things the American Press won't.

[hinckley buzzard]

A number of homosexuals do not want to be homosexual. They seek counseling to achieve normal heterosexual feelings, desires, behaviors and relationships. The therapy is reasonably effective, if the therapist knows what he is doing. It is not harmful. Michael King is a dishonest and unethical mouthpiece for the homo lobby.

[hinckley buzzard]

That quote came from a therapist who does not attempt to treat homosexuals. If he did he would not have made such a misinformed statement about the clients in question, nor such a bigoted statement about normal people.

[Hardastarboard]

Keith Olbermann

Come on, everyone knows that you can't treat severe brain injuries with psychotherapy.

[Liberty1970]

Back in college I picked up a psych text by Marc Galanter on the psychological impact of cults. It was a very objective, unbiased look at the ability of cults to alter the thoughts and behavior of cult members. I still remember how he described studies showing that several cults that disapproved of homosexuality (I think the Moonies were one) successfully treated homosexuals and turned them into normal heterosexuals that, after a time, were indistinguishable in their surveys from always-heterosexuals.

The notion that homosexuality is built in and can't be changed in one of the Big Lies of our culture. It's not something casually chosen, but it is something that lies within the realm of the will and as such homosexual can be both cultivated or rooted out.