Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Health Professions
 
Board
Board of Counseling
 
chapter
Regulations Governing the Practice of Professional Counseling [18 VAC 115 ‑ 20]
Action Unprofessional conduct - conversion therapy
Stage NOIRA
Comment Period Ended on 8/7/2019
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8/7/19  8:55 pm
Commenter: Erin

Ban conversion therapy
 

I support the ban on conversion therapy for minors. Mental health professionals are bound to standards of ethics that conversion therapy clearly violates. There is well-documented psychological risk for youth exposed to conversion therapy practices, including an increased risk of mental illness and suicide, damage to the person's existing support system (as this practice often places "blame" for homosexuality on the parents) and difficulty establishing healthy friendships in the future. Conversion therapy literally almost killed a dear friend of mine, and Virginia has a responsibility to protect the rest of our youth from this horrifying and unethical practice.

CommentID: 75595