Psychologist Association concludes ex-gay therapy virtually useless: Go find a new church
”We’re not trying to encourage people to become ‘ex-gay. But we have to acknowledge that, for some people, religious identity is such an important part of their lives, it may transcend everything else.” — (Wall Street Journal)
”At most, certain studies suggested that some individuals learned how to ignore or not act on their homosexual attractions. Yet, these studies did not indicate for whom this was possible, how long it lasted or its long-term mental health effects. Also, this result was much less likely to be true for people who started out only attracted to people of the same sex.” — (CNN)
Judith M. Glassgold, chair of an American Psychological Association task force that has for six years reviewed over 80 studies of of so-called ex-gay therapies, most of which were found to have “serious methodological problems.” Part of the conclusion seems to be a suggestion for psychology professionals to direct their conflicted gay and deeply religious patients to seek out new, friendlier avenues of religious accommodation or even celibacy, rather than to turn to ex-gay groups, like Exodus — organizations whose active and former members perpetually report on the ineffectiveness of the groups’ misguided intentions. Read the APA’s “Appropriate Therapeutic Resposnse to Sexual Orientation.” (APA)
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