I Stand with the American Counseling Association Against Conversion Therapy
As mental health professionals, our role is to help people live more authentically, not less. To empower growth, not suppress identity. To heal, not harm.
That is why I stand firmly with the American Counseling Association (ACA) in opposing conversion therapy in all its forms. This practice, which attempts to change or “repair” a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, is not therapy. It is coercion disguised as care.
At its core, conversion therapy violates the most fundamental principle of counseling: that every person deserves dignity, respect, and the freedom to explore who they are without shame or manipulation.
What Conversion Therapy Really Is
Conversion therapy refers to any practice that seeks to alter a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. It can appear in overt or subtle ways—through structured programs, spiritual counseling, or emotionally manipulative interventions disguised as “help.”
No reputable scientific or medical organization supports conversion therapy. Research consistently shows that these practices increase depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal ideation, particularly among LGBTQ+ youth.
In contrast, affirming therapy recognizes that identity is not a problem to fix. It is a truth to understand, support, and celebrate.
Why the American Counseling Association Opposes Conversion Therapy
The ACA’s Code of Ethics guides all ethical practice in counseling. It calls on clinicians to avoid harm, respect autonomy, and honor the worth of every individual. Conversion therapy violates all three of these principles.
According to the ACA, counselors must:
Affirm the dignity and promote the welfare of clients.
Avoid imposing their own values on clients.
Base practice on evidence and established scientific knowledge.
Conversion therapy fails on every count. It imposes ideology over identity and causes harm in the process.
Standing against it is not a political stance; it is a professional and moral one.
The Psychological Harm It Causes
People who have undergone conversion therapy frequently report deep emotional trauma. They describe feelings of shame, confusion, self-hatred, and betrayal. These experiences often lead to long-term psychological effects, including:
Chronic depression and anxiety
Difficulty trusting mental health professionals
Internalized stigma and identity conflict
Loss of self-esteem and belonging
In personal growth therapy, healing from this kind of trauma often involves rebuilding trust, reclaiming self-compassion, and learning that authenticity is not a flaw but a strength.
Therapy should never erase identity. It should help clients live freely and fully as themselves.
What Ethical and Affirming Therapy Looks Like
Affirming therapy is rooted in respect, empathy, and collaboration. It helps clients explore identity, relationships, and self-acceptance without judgment or agenda.
An affirming counselor:
Validates a client’s lived experience and identity
Supports self-exploration, not conformity
Creates a safe environment where shame cannot thrive
Focuses on empowerment, self-knowledge, and resilience
This is what real growth looks like. It is the foundation of personal growth therapy—the belief that people flourish when they are accepted, supported, and seen.
How Personal Growth Therapy Differs from Conversion Practices
Personal growth therapy is built on the understanding that self-awareness and authenticity are essential to mental health. Instead of trying to change who you are, it helps you strengthen self-acceptance, emotional regulation, and life satisfaction.
In personal growth therapy, the therapist is a guide, not a judge. Sessions may explore questions like:
How do I feel safest expressing myself?
What beliefs about myself need reexamining?
How can I create relationships that reflect who I truly am?
The goal is not to conform but to connect—to rebuild a sense of inner stability that allows you to thrive.
The Role of Counselors in Advocacy
Counselors have a responsibility to speak up when harmful practices threaten client safety. Advocacy is not separate from therapy; it is an extension of care.
Supporting LGBTQ+ rights and opposing conversion therapy aligns with the core mission of counseling: to promote wellness, authenticity, and justice.
By affirming this stance, we tell clients that they are safe, valued, and worthy of respect exactly as they are.
Final Thoughts
Conversion therapy has no place in ethical or compassionate mental health care. It causes harm where healing should happen.
As a therapist who practices through the lens of personal growth therapy, I believe that true healing begins with acceptance. Growth happens when clients are allowed to explore identity freely, without fear or shame.
Standing with the American Counseling Association against conversion therapy is not just a professional responsibility—it is a commitment to humanity, inclusion, and hope.
Every person deserves therapy that helps them live more fully, not hide more deeply. That is the heart of healing, and it is the future of our field.
