Therapeutic Research

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Recommended: Discrimination against the LGBT community

Introduction to literature Review

As understandings have developed over time about the human condition regarding gender, class, and race; we see in the world a large manifest of homosexual rights. However, “each of the major religious groups traditionally have only sanctioned intimate sexual relationships between married person” (Malony, 2005, p. 361). Regarding the influence major religions, those who associate themselves with both homosexuality and religion seek after a solution to the conflict. This solution often comes as reparative or conversion therapy. Due to the nature of the therapy, it is imperative to discover more insight into the ethical implications of the conversion perspective.

The scenario that gets presented is that a therapy client reports to their counselor that they are homosexual. The client asks the counselor what can they do in their sessions to become not gay. After discovering conversion therapy, they decide to persuade their counselor to help them through conversion therapy. The counselor then becomes placed in a difficult position, if they choose to pursue reparative therapy with the client then they are communicating that they see homosexuality as abnormal which “is in opposition to the position taken by national health organizations, including ACA (Whitman, Glosoff, Kocet, & Tarvydas, 2006, 2). If they do not pursue the therapy or they refer the client to another counselor then they can be viewed as abandoning the client. The ACA has stated that they oppose “portrayels of lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals as mentally ill due to their sexual orientation” (2). The ACA code of ethics also states “counselors do not abandon or neglect clients in counseling” (ACA governing council, 2005, 6). In ...

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...is either approaches a counselor and asks for help to alter to what they desire, would it be wrong to help them achieve what they seek? Some may argue that if an individual is born one way they shouldn't change. However, if either sexual orientation is normal and acceptable then there would be no issue with them interacting within the world. If an alcoholic came to counseling and complained that they struggle with drinking and so does their family, how can they seek help? A therapist could not respond by expressing that the client born potentially an alcoholic and they should accept the way they are. The concluding thoughts are that the issue of reparative therapy will not be resolved easily. People are constantly experiencing stigma and societal pressure to believe and feel certain notions of understanding. It is a therapists job to help individuals navigate life.

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