Hypnosis and Reparative Therapy
For many, many years, I have been a vocal opponent to the quackery which is reparative therapy. For those who do not know what this is, it is using dubious therapy and prayer to “cure” people of their homosexuality. Obviously, homosexuality is not something to be cured, it is not a pathology it is simply what a person is, in the same way that straight people are what they are. I had always focused my disapproval on the misinterpretation of christianity to justify this homophobic and prejudiced treatment. However, I have noticed from research, that hypnosis is often something that is used as part of this quackery.
There is nothing that upsets me more than when I see hypnosis being used for purposes which it is not intended for. To use hypnosis to attempt to change a person’s sexuality is disgraceful and in my personal view is unethical practice which should bar a person from professional practice.
One of the key things I have noticed with people with psychological disturbance is an inherent negative feeling about who and what they are. When people are made to feel less than who they are is a very cruel thing. When professional therapists do that in the form of reparative therapy is an abomination.
