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Content about psychotherapy

March 15, 2013
Proposed law in Tennessee would allow counseling students to refuse gay patients

A conservative Democrat has joined forces with Republicans in the US state of Tennessee to put forward a bill which would allow university students training to be counselors to deny care to people who are LGBT or having sex outside of marriage

University students training to be counselors could be allowed to legally refuse care to people in same-sex relationships and heterosexuals who have sex before marriage under a proposed law in Tennessee.

The law was drafted by the Family Action Council of Tennessee which passed it to Republican state Senator Joey Hensley and Democrat state Representative John J. DeBerry Jr (pictured) who agreed to sponsor it in both houses of the Tennessee legislature.

January 31, 2013
UK parliament opens its doors for gay cure debates

Core Issues, an organization advocating discredited and dangerous ‘gay cures’, was given space in Britain’s parliament for an informal debate to push its views

A Christian group was given a committee room in Britain’s Houses of Parliament yesterday (31 January) to debate therapy to ‘cure’ gay people.

The event, which took place in Committee Room 11 of the Houses of Parliament yesterday was set up and promoted by Core Issues, a Christian group that has previously written disparagingly on LGBT issues.

November 29, 2012
After controversial show, Dr. Oz says reparative therapy for gays can be harmful

'Trying to change who you are instead of loving who you are leads to broken spirits and broken hearts'

Under fire from LGBT groups for a show on so-called reparative therapy that attempts to turn gay people straight, Dr. Mehmet Oz has gone on the record saying he does not believe such therapy can work.

November 29, 2012
The Dr Oz Show under fire for ex-gay reparative therapy episode

GLAAD, GLSEN and PFLAG believe program provided a 'lengthy platform for junk science'

A trio of LGBT groups have joined together to condemn an episode of The Dr. Oz Show that aired on Wednesday (28 November) and dealt with ex-gay reparative therapy which that aims and purports to change sexual orientation.

November 28, 2012
'Sham' gay cure therapists in US sued for fraud

Gay men claim they are emotionally scarred after group asked them to strip nude and shove oranges down their pants to rid them of homosexual feelings

A group of gay men in the US are suing therapists for fraud, slamming their methods to 'cure' them of homosexuality as a 'sham'.

The lawsuit filed in New Jersey yesterday (28 November) claims Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing (JONAH) lied about being able to turn gay people straight.

JONAH claimed to be able to rid the four men of their homosexual desires using scientifically proven methods which, according to the plaintiffs, included stripping naked and beating effigies of their mothers.

October 5, 2012
UK shrink struck off for 'gay cure' therapy

Investigative journalist calls for tougher regulations for therapists, as BACP formally opposes 'gay cure' practices

A UK psychotherapist has been struck off for using 'gay cure' therapy, after a two and a half year battle by an undercover journalist.

Lesley Pilkington, a 61-year-old who had been a shrink for 20 years, had her membership suspended from the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) in May 2012 after she was found to be telling patients she could cure their sexuality.

October 4, 2012
Student who had 'gay cure' sues California over new law

A college student who claims he had same-sex attractions but was 'cured' after conversion therapy has filed a lawsuit against California, which has banned the 'treatments' for minors

A college student who claims he had same-sex attractions but was 'cured' after conversion therapy has filed a lawsuit against California, which has enacted a law that bans the so-called 'treatments' for under 18s.

Aaron Blitzer, who is studying to be a therapist in that field, believes the banning of the therapy intrudes on First Amendment protections of free speech, privacy and freedom of religion.

October 3, 2012
Group files lawsuit against new California law banning reparative therapy for LGBT minors

Pacific Justice Institute wants courts to halt law before it takes effect in 2013

Just days after California Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill into law that bans so-called 'conversation' therapy that attempts to turn gay kids straight, a conservative group is suing to keep the law from going into effect.

The Pacific Justice Institute filed a lawsuit late Monday (1 October) in federal court in Sacramento claiming that the law is a violation of free speech rights of therapists and of the privacy rights of patients and their parents.

July 25, 2012
New Archbishop of Glasgow links MP's death to being gay

The new Archbishop elect of Glasgow suggests the premature death of a Labour Member of Parliament was due to his sexuality

The new Archbishop-elect of Glasgow Philip Tartaglia, an outspoken critic of marriage equality, has linked a gay Catholic Member of Parliament's early death to being gay.

Tartaglia previously attacked the Scottish government’s and Westminster proposals to legalise gay marriage, but now it's emerged he linked the Labour MP’s death to his sexuality.

David Cairns MP, a former Catholic priest and member of the Scottish Labour Party, died in May 2010 from acute pancreatitis at the age of 44.

May 22, 2012
Shrink suspended for dangerous 'gay cures'

Lesley Pilkington exposed by journalist for preaching gay cures during therapy sessions

A shrink has been stripped of her accreditation for practicing dangerous ‘gay cure’ therapy.

Lesley Pilkington, a 61-year-old who had been a psychotherapist for 20 years, had her membership suspended from the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) after she was found to be telling patients she could cure their sexuality.

Award winning journalist Patrick Strudwick posed as a gay patient and secretly taped two therapy sessions with Pilkington three years ago.

March 16, 2012
Montenegro champions new law for gender reassignment

Montenegrin national healthcare now covers sex change procedures

Montenegro has joined countries like Cuba in covering gender reassignment procedures through their universal healthcare system.

The change in this Montenegrin law ensures that healthcare covers 80% of the three-step gender assignment procedure, which consists of: psychotherapy, hormone therapy, and the medical procedures in gender reassignment including changing genitalia.

January 30, 2012
Bishops support 'pray the gay away' therapist

A Christian therapist who was found guilty of professional misconduct for using 'gay cure' method has found support from the Church

Church of England bishops have supported a Christian counsellor who tried to 'cure' an undercover journalist who asked to be treated for his homosexuality.

Former archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, Bishop of Chester the Rt Rev Peter Forster and Bishop of Lewes the Rt Rev Wallace Benn are among senior church figures who have signed a letter of support for the 60-year-old psychotherapist Lesley Pilkington.

January 13, 2012
Male grooming and holistic therapies from the specialists at MSH

Gay Star News’ Matt Horwood reviews his first ever facial and massage at MSH in Angel, north London

As a spa treatments virgin, I was sceptical on whether a trip to Angel-based MSH Well Being would be wasted on me.

A couple of hours after arriving, as I danced my way back to the underground station, I realised I could not have been more wrong. I had been converted.