Gay conversion exposed!

After reading last year's report by Professor Michael King of University College London, that one in six UK psychiatrists and psychotherapists have sought to reduce or change a patient's sexual orientation. Journalist Patrick Strudwick - who describes himself as a happy out gay man - decided to infiltrated this network of therapists who are seeking "cure" lesbian, gay and bisexual people. 

Conversion and reparation therapy is more common in America, but a number of leading practitioners - like Dr Joseph Nicolosi the founder of National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH), one of the biggest international conversion organisations - have delivered key note speeches at UK conversion conventions.

Strudwick states that over the course of his investigation he found evidence to suggest that UK based conversion therapists, "plan to gain credibility, university backing and government funding."

The investigation began at a conversion conference in London last year where Strudwick met a number of psychiatrists and therapists who were interested in reorientating their patients, in simple, "curing" them of their homosexuality.

At the Conference, Strudwick approached a psychiatrist and a psychotherapist to "help" him with his homosexuality. The psychiatrist, David, runs a clinic which helps men "reach their heterosexual potential", he also says that he has resolved his own sexuality. The psychotherapist, Lynne, is a fully accredited member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP), the largest of the psychotherapy bodies.

Chris Murchison, Counselling Officer at The Lesbian & Gay Foundation highlights that conversion therapy has been discredited by the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists: "Reparative therapy or conversion therapy has been around for many years and though it is frightening that some so called professional therapists still offer this type of intervention, it is discredited and dismissed by all professional organisations such as the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists as well as British and American Psychological Associations. Often the people or organisations that offer conversion therapy will have links to right wing groups or religious groups that will have an agenda that is primarily homophobic." 

During Strudwick's consultations with Lynne, as well as praying for him, she revealed "that she gets most of her clients through an NHS GPs' surgery near her home. She says they refer people to her for treatment for their homosexuality. I tell her I know someone in that area that wants referring, should he just say its for anxiety and depression? "I think it would be better to say anxiety and depression initially and then we can take it from there," she replies. "He can usually get four sessions with the practice, which are paid for by the NHS."

During his sessions with David, the psychiatrist reveals that he still gets "echoes" of his feelings towards men. David reveals to Strudwick that his supervisor is involved with "Richard Cohen's organisation".

Strudwick later finds out that Cohen founded the International Healing Foundation, a conversion organisation, and "has been permanently expelled from the American Counseling Association".

Strudwick also discovers that the heads of every major British conversion organisation - some of whom are also therapists are meeting regularly to discuss ideas for forming a training programme for conversion therapists.

David tells one meeting: "If I could get trainees doing a PhD in this area that would help, because that brings funding in...It's difficult to access money, but if we're clever there are ways." He goes on to talk about his conversion practice, and how it's funded. "We use people's private medical insurance," he says.

At the end of his investigation, Strudwick contacts both Lynne and David to tell them that he has reported them to Professor Michael King of University College London.

King says of Lynne's treatment of Strudwick: "This is grossly improper practice. She's imposing prayer and using evidence-free techniques. She should not be able to get referrals from a GP. Her membership of the BACP should be immediately revoked."

Strudwick has now lodged a complaint with the BACP about Lynne.

As for David, King says: "None of this would be recognised within psychiatric practice. I wonder what he's doing with patients - that he is at risk of crossing the line. My personal opinion is that he is going against every code of practice from the RCP. The College should withdraw his membership."

Strudwick has now reported David to the GMC.

Strudwick stresses the negative impact that the conversion therapy had on him: "the purpose of this investigation was to find out how conversion therapists operate. What I didn't expect was that I would learn how their patients feel: confused and damaged."

"I began to constantly analyse why I found particular men attractive. Does that man represent something that's lacking in me? Do I want him because he looks strong which must mean I feel weak? Did something happen in my childhood? The therapists planted doubt and worry where there was none."

Chris Murchison from the LGF recognises that support is needed not conversion: "At the LGF we have an established team of therapists offering a range of therapeutic approaches from Client Centred, Gestalt, Transactional Analysis and Integrative.

"Most of our counsellors identify as gay men or women, though we also have some heterosexual and bisexual counsellors too. All of our counsellors will offer Gay Affirmative Therapy (GAT) which means none of our counsellors would ever pathologize (characterise as abnormal) an individual's sexuality. LGF counsellors would always work with clients in ways that will help the client accept and affirm their sexuality rather than battle against it."

WE'RE HERE IF YOU NEED US! The Lesbian & Gay Foundation offer Face 2 Face Counselling to individuals between 10am to 8pm Monday to Friday. For more information, click here.

FAQ: If you are thinking of using the FACE 2 FACE counselling service, you might find these frequently asked questions useful. Click here to view the FAQS.

Useful links

Treatments Homosexuality a superb website that chronicles the history of medical and psychological treatments of gay men and women at www.treatmentshomosexuality.org.uk

To read Patrick Strudwick's full account in The Independent, click here.

The names of the psychotherapist and the psychiatrist involved in this study have been changed.