This is a guide on how to change your sexual orientation from gay to straight. If you have ever wondered what goes on inside a ‘conversion therapy’ or ‘reparative therapy’ session, here are some of the techniques that claim to be able to ‘cure’ homosexuality. Judge for yourself.
1. ‘Cudde Therapy’ and Bioenergetics
In the following CNN news report, Richard Cohen demonstrates how he helps clients with unwanted same-sex attraction. This involves ‘touch therapy’ where he cradles the client in his arms. The video also shows how he uses a tennis racket to express anger towards his mum.
2. Pray the gay away
Some claim that praying and having faith in God can change a person from gay to straight. A year after this video was made, Alan Chambers of Exodus International who is featured in this clip renounced reparative therapy and claimed that it harms gay people. Full story can be found here.
3. Exorcism
A gay ‘exorcism’ is performed by some church groups to remove gay ‘demons’ from the body.
4. The ‘Sissy Boy’ Experiment
This video describes the ways in which ‘behavioural therapy’ is used to try and change a boys effeminate behaviour. It is based on early psychological studies of how human beings learn through classical conditioning.
5. ‘Rubber band’ therapy and aversion techniques
In this video clip produced by Truth Wins Out, a gay man describes two techniques that a therapist used to try and ‘cure’ his attraction to other men. This included ‘pinging’ himself with a rubber band around his wrist to cause pain every time he saw an attractive man. He was also asked to close his eyes and imagine having sex with another man. When he did this, the therapist would place ammonia under his nose.
6. Ice to inflict pain
A young gay man called Gerry talks about 7 years of conversion therapy that failed to make him straight. Part of his treatment involved holding out his hands on a table and blocks of ice where placed on top to inflict pain whilst he watched images of gay men on a projector screen.
7. Self-hypnosis and electric shock treatment
Electric shock treatment and self-hypnosis are another two ‘conversion’ methods described in this extended video clip.
Having watched these videos, ask yourself if conversion therapy really is a credible way for anyone to deal with ‘unwanted same-sex attraction’.
All of the major psychological and psychotherapy bodies in the UK and the US have issued statements opposing the use of reparative or conversion therapies. Homosexuality, bisexuality, and transgender identities are not ‘symptoms’ that need to be treated by psychotherapists or mental health professionals.
What does require treatment, perhaps, are the heterosexist and homophobic attitudes that prevail in society that stigmatise, marginalise and octracise those who do not fit into privileged heterosexual norms.
There are many people who do struggle to accept their same-sex attraction and may therefore seek out a therapist in the hope of being ‘cured’ or ‘converted’. However, the American Psychological Association (APA) has made it clear that there is no evidence that reparative therapies work and have urged mental health professionals to avoid offering such treatments to clients.
Trying to deny and suppress your feelings and your true identity is likely to cause physical and mental health difficulties in the long term. If you are struggling to accept yourself or feel distressed by your feelings, it would be useful to talk with a qualified counsellor or psychotherapist who has specialist training in sexuality and sexual orientation issues. For a list of both heterosexual and non-heterosexual therapists, check out the directory at PinkTherapy.com.
