Full Description
Despite an abysmal "success rate," practitioners still use reparative therapy in an attempt to turn gays and lesbians straight. This text exposes the pitfalls that should be considered before gays embark on this journey that typically leads nowhere.
Although homosexuality is becoming less stigmatized in American culture, gays and lesbians still face strong social, familial, financial, or career pressures to "convert" to being heterosexuals. In this groundbreaking book, longtime psychiatrist Martin Kantor, MD—himself homosexual and once immersed in therapy to become "straight"—explains why so-called "reparative therapy" is not only ineffective, but should not be practiced due its faulty theoretical bases and the deeper, lasting damage it can cause.
This standout work delves into the history of reparative therapy, describes the findings of major research studies, and discusses outcome studies and ethical and moral considerations. Author Kantor identifies the serious harm that can result from reparative therapy, exposes the religious underpinnings of the process, and addresses the cognitive errors reparative therapy practitioners make while also recognizing some positive features of this mode of treatment. One section of the book is dedicated to discussing the therapeutic process itself, with a focus on therapeutic errors that are part of its fabric. Finally, the author identifies affirmative eclectic therapy—not reparative therapy—as an appropriate avenue for gays who feel they need help, with goals of resolving troubling aspects of their lives that may or may not be related to being homosexual, and of self-acceptance rather than self-mutation.
Contents
Introduction
PART I: DESCRIPTION
Chapter 1: An Historical Overview
Chapter 2: Problems with Research Studies
Chapter 3: Outcome
Chapter 4: Ethical, Moral, and Practical Considerations/on Banning Reparative Therapy
Chapter 5: Harm
Chapter 6: The Role Played by Religion and Religious Beliefs
Chapter 7: Personal Problems of Reparative Therapists/Homophobia
Chapter 8: Cognitive Errors (Erroneous Beliefs) of Reparative Therapists
Chapter 9: Positive Aspects of Reparative Therapy
PART II: THEORY
Chapter 10: Speculative Causal Theories
PART III: THERAPY
Chapter 11: Obtaining Informed Consent
Chapter 12: Destructive Therapeutic Mindsets
Chapter 13: Reparative Therapeutic Mantras
Chapter 14: Serendipitous Positive Effects/Unintended Positive Consequences
Chapter 15: Therapeutic Errors
Chapter 16: Diverse Therapeutic Approaches to SOCE
Chapter 17: Therapy for Children and Adolescents
Chapter 18: Affirmative Therapy
Chapter 19: Treating Compulsive Homosexuality
Chapter 20: Treating Self-Homophobia (Ego-Dystonic Homosexuality)
Chapter 21: Parental Issues
Notes
Index
