Sexual Identity Therapy
Encyclopedia
Sexual Identity Therapy is a framework to "aid mental health
practitioners in helping people arrive at a healthy and personally acceptable resolution of sexual identity
and value conflicts." It was invented by Warren Throckmorton
and Mark Yarhouse, professors at small conservative evangelical colleges. It has been endorsed by former American Psychological Association president Nick Cummings, psychiatrist Robert Spitzer
, and the provost of Wheaton College, Stanton Jones. Sexual identity therapy puts the emphasis on how the client wants to live, identifies the core beliefs and helps the client live according to those beliefs. The creators state that their recommendations "are not sexual reorientation therapy protocols in disguise," but that they "help clients pursue lives they value." They say clients "have high levels of satisfaction with this approach". It is presented as an alternative to both sexual orientation change efforts
and gay affirmative psychotherapy
.
Work for developing the framework began with the establishment of the Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity in 2004. The announcement of the framework for Sexual Identity Therapy were first released on April 16, 2007. In June 2007, the guidelines were presented at the American Psychological Association
convention in San Francisco. In 2008 the authors announced they were going to review the framework because of "continual changes that are occurring in the area of therapy for individuals experiencing same-sex attractions."
in 1973, endorsed the project, saying it was "a work that transcends polarized debates about whether gays can change their sexual orientation." Michael Bussee, an outspoken critic of the ex-gay
movement endorsed the project. It has also been endorsed by several other professionals, including Nicholas Cummings, a former president of the American Psychological Association
and keynote speaker at the controversial organization National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH).
values in order to determine their preferred course of action. This must be individualized.
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
practitioners in helping people arrive at a healthy and personally acceptable resolution of sexual identity
Sexual orientation identity
Sexual orientation identity describes how persons identify their own sexuality. In addition, they may choose not to identify their sexual orientation, or dis-identify with a sexual orientation.This may or may not relate to their actual sexual orientation...
and value conflicts." It was invented by Warren Throckmorton
Warren Throckmorton
E. Warren Throckmorton is an associate professor of Psychology at Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania. He is a former advocate of sexual orientation change efforts and the creator of the documentary I Do Exist, about people who say they have changed their sexual orientation.Throckmorton...
and Mark Yarhouse, professors at small conservative evangelical colleges. It has been endorsed by former American Psychological Association president Nick Cummings, psychiatrist Robert Spitzer
Robert Spitzer
Robert Spitzer may refer to:* Robert Spitzer * Robert Spitzer, SJ, American Jesuit priest, philosopher, educator and author* Robert Spitzer * Robert R. Spitzer, American industrialist and educator...
, and the provost of Wheaton College, Stanton Jones. Sexual identity therapy puts the emphasis on how the client wants to live, identifies the core beliefs and helps the client live according to those beliefs. The creators state that their recommendations "are not sexual reorientation therapy protocols in disguise," but that they "help clients pursue lives they value." They say clients "have high levels of satisfaction with this approach". It is presented as an alternative to both sexual orientation change efforts
Sexual orientation change efforts
Sexual orientation change efforts are methods that aim to eliminate a same-sex sexual orientation. They may include behavioral techniques, cognitive behavioral techniques , psychoanalytic techniques, medical approaches, religious and spiritual approaches.The longstanding consensus of the...
and gay affirmative psychotherapy
Gay affirmative psychotherapy
Gay affirmative psychotherapy is a form of psychotherapy for gay and lesbian clients which encourages them to accept their sexual orientation, and does not attempt to change them to heterosexual, or to eliminate or diminish same-sex desires and behaviors. The American Psychological Association ...
.
Work for developing the framework began with the establishment of the Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity in 2004. The announcement of the framework for Sexual Identity Therapy were first released on April 16, 2007. In June 2007, the guidelines were presented at the American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
convention in San Francisco. In 2008 the authors announced they were going to review the framework because of "continual changes that are occurring in the area of therapy for individuals experiencing same-sex attractions."
Endorsements
Gay psychologist Lee Beckstead spoke about his "middle-ground" approach to working with those in conflict with their sexual orientation and religion. He spoke about his approach along with others who spoke about Sexual Identity Therapy at an APA conference. Robert L. Spitzer, who was instrumental in removing homosexuality from the DSMDSM
-Business:* DSM , an international life science and performance materials company from the Netherlands* Delhi school of music, a music school in India...
in 1973, endorsed the project, saying it was "a work that transcends polarized debates about whether gays can change their sexual orientation." Michael Bussee, an outspoken critic of the ex-gay
Ex-gay
The ex-gay movement consists of people and organizations that seek to get people to refrain from entering or pursuing same-sex relationships, to eliminate homosexual desires, to develop heterosexual desires, or to enter into a heterosexual relationship...
movement endorsed the project. It has also been endorsed by several other professionals, including Nicholas Cummings, a former president of the American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
and keynote speaker at the controversial organization National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH).
Steps
Its purpose is to help clients align their sexual identity with their beliefs and values, which in some cases means celibacy, if chosen by the client. At any point during the therapy, a previous step may be revisited for further investigation or to explore a new direction in the therapy.Assessment
The first step is to discover the reasoning of a client requesting therapy. Clinicians should determine whether the motivation is internal or external, followed by an open dialogue about motivations while respecting the client's world view. They should assist the client to clarify theirvalues in order to determine their preferred course of action. This must be individualized.