You may still feel the effects — even years later.
Hundreds of men have been subjected to gay conversion “therapy.” I put therapy in quotes because these practices are the opposite of therapeutic. Men were told they could change their sexuality through pseudoscientific techniques or given tools to suppress same-sex attractions. The result? Their sexuality didn’t change — but shame, distress, and despair increased.
Real therapy helps you heal. Conversion therapy harms.
The techniques used are manipulative, shaming, and abusive. Research from the Williams Institute shows conversion therapy doubles the risk of suicide.
Conversion therapy frequently impacts:
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self-trust
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emotional safety
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identity
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relationships
You may notice:
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difficulty with closeness
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internalized shame
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conflict around desire
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fear of rejection
These responses are not signs of failure — they are adaptations to harm.
Healing for Conversion Therapy Survivors
I offer therapy for conversion therapy survivors in Los Angeles and online throughout California and Florida. I specialize in helping conversion therapy survivors unpack the trauma they’ve endured.
This work is not about:
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Changing your sexuality
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Telling you what to feel
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Forcing an identity
It is about:
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Recognizing the abuse for what it was
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Deprogramming misinformation you were taught
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Overcoming internalized shame
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Reclaiming your voice and agency
Most men who have undergone conversion therapy were misled. Through trauma-informed, evidence-based support, you can heal, rebuild trust in yourself, and reclaim your life.
This work often overlaps with trauma therapy. You can learn more on my trauma therapy page.
Therapy can support:
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rebuilding identity
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reducing shame
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strengthening self-trust
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restoring emotional safety
Understanding the Impact More Deeply
If you'd like to explore these experiences further, the following articles reflect on how identity-based shame and relational harm can continue to shape self-trust, intimacy, and emotional safety.
RELATED THEMES:
Many survivors also explore:
➡️ Trauma recovery
➡️ Sexual identity and intimacy patterns
You can learn more here:
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What is gay conversion therapy?
Gay conversion therapy (also called “sexual orientation change efforts”) refers to practices that claim to change a person’s sexual orientation or suppress same-sex attraction. These practices can include talk therapy, religious counseling, behavioral conditioning, or spiritual interventions. Major medical and mental health organizations agree that conversion therapy is ineffective and harmful.
2. Does conversion therapy actually work?
No. There is no credible scientific evidence that conversion therapy can change someone’s sexual orientation. Numerous studies have shown that sexual orientation is not something that can be altered through therapy or discipline. What conversion therapy does change, however, is a person’s mental health—often for the worse.
3. What are the psychological effects of conversion therapy?
Research consistently links conversion therapy to higher rates of depression, anxiety, substance use, shame, internalized homophobia, and suicidal ideation. Many survivors report long-lasting trauma, difficulties with intimacy, and a fractured sense of self after being told their identity was disordered or sinful.
4. Is conversion therapy legal?
Laws vary by location. In many U.S. states and countries, conversion therapy is banned for minors but may still be legal for adults. These bans are based on medical consensus that the practice is harmful and unethical. Even where it remains legal, it is widely condemned by professional health organizations.
5. Why do some people still promote conversion therapy?
Conversion therapy is often rooted in religious beliefs, cultural stigma, or misinformation about sexuality. Some proponents frame it as “help” or “healing,” despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. In many cases, it reflects discomfort with LGBTQ+ identities rather than genuine therapeutic care.
6. Do you work specifically with LGBTQ+ survivors?
Yes. Supporting LGBTQ+ individuals healing from identity-based trauma is central to my work. Therapy can help reshape internalized shame and rebuild identity and self-trust.
Take The Next Step
If you’re a conversion therapy survivor ready to begin healing, keep in mind: You don’t have to navigate this alone. You are not broken. You were misled. Healing is possible.
My approach integrates:
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EMDR
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relational therapy
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attachment-based work
Much of my work focuses on LGBTQ+ individuals reclaiming safety and self-acceptance after harmful experiences. To Learn more, book a free call below.
