UNITED KINGDOM COUNCIL FOR PSYCHOTHERAPY STATEMENT ON THE 'REPARATIVE' THERAPY OF MEMBERS OF GENDER AND SEXUAL MINORITIES

UKCP does not consider homosexuality or bisexuality, or transsexual and transgendered states to be pathologies, mental disorders or indicative of developmental arrest. These are not symptoms to be treated by psychotherapists, in the sense of attempting to change or remove them.

It follows that no responsible psychotherapist will attempt to 'convert' a client from homosexuality to heterosexuality ('reparative' therapy). Hence, the UKCP notes with concern research (Bartlett, Smith, King, 2009) indicating that as many as one in six therapists surveyed were willing to contract to reduce 'same sex attraction'. These therapists were not working on a religious basis; many were members of the main professional organisations.

To the contrary, UKCP honours and respects sexual diversity as part of our approach to diversity, equalities and social responsibility. In this regard, our position is the same as that of many other professional organisations such as the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, Royal College of Psychiatrists, the American Psychiatric Association (2000), the American Medical Association, and the American Psychological Association (2009).

UKCP considers that more work is needed to refine the clinical theories utilized by psychotherapists of all modalities. For example, practitioners should be careful when faced with male or female clients/patients who ask for conversion therapy as such requests often mask other pressing issues. Or, to give a further instance, there is evidence that uncritical acceptance by some psychotherapists that there is a specific kind of pathological family background to male homosexuality - 'possessive mother/distant father', or 'faulty attachments' - is being used to justify 'reparative' therapy. UKCP rejects this argument. To date, the 'causes' of both heterosexuality and homosexuality remain unknown.

Psychotherapists, educators and the media need to work more energetically and in partnership to prevent the re-pathologization of LGBT people. We call on our colleagues in other professional organisations of psychotherapists and counsellors to indicate their support for this statement.

United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy
February 2010

REFERENCES

American Psychiatric Association (2000). Commission on Psychotherapy by Psychiatrists (COPP): Position statement on therapies focused on attempts to change sexual orientation (Reparative or conversion therapies). American J. Psychiatry, 157:1719-1721.

American Psychological Association, Task Force on the Appropriate Therapeutic Response to Sexual Orientation. (2009). Report of the Task Force on the Appropriate Therapeutic Response to Sexual Orientation. Washington, DC.

Bartlett, A., Smith, G., King, M. (2009) 'The respnse of mental health professionals to clients seeking help to change or redirect same-sex sexual orientation'. Division of Mental Health, St George's Hospital, University of London; Department of Mental Health Sciences, University College Hospital, University of London

BACP Statement issued in Summer 2009

The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy is dedicated to social diversity, equality and inclusivity of treatment without sexual discrimination or judgmentalism of any kind, and it would be absurd to attempt to alter such fundamental aspects of personal identity as sexual orientation by counselling. All that so-called "aversion therapies" have ever achieved is to make people with gay thoughts suffer extra pain. For those who may have tried to respond positively to a client who asked: "I'm married but have unwanted gay desires - can you help me?", the ultimate goal of any such therapy ought to be acceptance of reality.