Within the population that seeks for counseling and psychotherapy, there is a significant segment that is largely invisible. These are those homosexuals who, for whatever reasons, seek to change their orientation. They have been intentionally ignored and/or re-defined by the psychological community to eradicate their problem and even their existence from the therapeutic scene.

These homosexuals seeking change may be referred to as “ego-dystonic” homosexuals: it is disagreeable to them to have the same-sex desires that they do and therefore want - often desperately - to change. “Ego-syntonic” homosexuals, in contrast, find the desires to be natural and normal: they do not show up for “reorientation therapy.”

These ego-dystonic homosexuals have been rendered non-existent or diagnosed by the American Psychiatric Association for non-clinical reason. Over the course of 50 years the “disorder” of homoerotic desires has been gradually eliminated; thus, the problem no longer exists. In its place has arisen a new disorder: those who seek to change their orientation are deemed to be the ones with the problem and the goal of therapy is to get them to accept who they “are.”

So much for “value-free” counseling. It is, always has been, and always will be a myth.

Those of us who work with this invisible population - or those of us who sit next to them in church week after week, whether we know it or not - should find an interview in Christianity Today to be of great interest. It is a brief discussion with a self-described Jewish atheist who supports the belief that homoerotic individuals can change their orientation. To read the interview (”Therapeutically Incorrect”), click here.
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2 Cor 1.13