Quick Takeaways

• Conversion therapy promises change in sexual orientation or gender identity, but research and survivor accounts show it does not work and often harms relationships

• Faith-based therapy focuses on spiritual growth, emotional health, and pastoral guidance without claiming to change someone's identity

• Christian parents can support a struggling child while staying rooted in scripture through listening, prayer, and trustworthy counseling

• Laws and legal debates like Chiles v. Salazar often confuse parents about what is allowed, but most faith-aligned support remains untouched

• The safest path forward protects the parent-child bond and rejects any practice that sells false outcomes

Understanding What "Conversion Therapy" Really Means

Many Christian parents first hear about conversion therapy during a moment of fear or confusion. A child may say they feel "different," question their identity, or share something about same sex attraction. Parents search for answers, hoping for clear solutions that honor both their faith and their love for their child.

Conversion therapy is often marketed as that solution. It refers to any practice that claims to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. These approaches can be framed as counseling, prayer-based programs, or "behavioral interventions," but the promise is the same. The underlying claim is that identity can be altered through specific techniques.

Families are rarely told that these claims are unsupported by credible research. An estimated 700,000 adults in the United States have received some form of conversion therapy, yet no credible evidence demonstrates that these methods work. Many people who entered these programs discovered that the promised outcomes never came. The deeper harm often came from feeling like they failed or from the distance created between parent and child. A solution that divides families is not a solution at all.

Why Conversion Therapy Fails To Deliver

Parents deserve honest information. Conversion therapy is widely recognized as ineffective because it treats identity as something that can be "corrected" rather than understood. In 2015, former clients of conversion therapy provider JONAH (Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing) won their lawsuit for fraud in New Jersey state court. The court found that JONAH's claims about changing sexual orientation constituted consumer fraud.

Practitioners often rely on personal theories or spiritualized language instead of established pastoral or psychological principles. In many conversion therapy stories, people describe shame, pressure, and false hope. Research documents that minors subjected to these attempts experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

These programs also tend to ignore the complexity of faith formation in young people. A child wrestling with questions is not a crisis to fix. It is a moment to guide, support, and remain present. When a program guarantees an outcome, especially one unsupported by evidence, it crosses into false promises. Conversion therapy often functions more like a sales product than a ministry of care.

What Faith-Based Therapy Offers Instead

Faith-based therapy takes a very different approach. It does not attempt to change identity. Instead, it integrates Christian values with emotional and spiritual care. This may involve pastoral counseling, Christian licensed therapists, or family-centered support.

A faith-aligned therapist helps parents and children explore questions about identity, belonging, and purpose while grounding the conversation in prayer, scripture, and healthy relational practices. These clinicians understand that parents hold God given authority in shaping their child's environment and values. They also understand that young people need space to express what they are feeling without fear of rejection.

The goal is not to steer a child toward or away from a particular identity. The goal is to encourage honesty, strengthen the family bond, and nurture a relationship with Christ that is based on trust rather than pressure. All major American medical, psychiatric, psychological, and professional counseling organizations support approaches that affirm the well-being of the individual without promising identity change.

What Works For Christian Parents Seeking Truth and Care

Christian families often ask if choosing faith-based therapy means compromising biblical teaching. The answer is no. Walking alongside a child with patience does not mean affirming every choice. It means protecting their heart while you model Christlike love. Parents can set boundaries, uphold scripture, and create a home grounded in faith while still rejecting harmful or coercive practices.

This approach strengthens parental authority rather than replacing it. Parents stay involved, provide context, and help a child understand the moral and spiritual framework of the home. Most importantly, they keep the relationship safe. When a child feels safe, they are more open to prayer, conversation, and spiritual mentorship.

The 2023 SAMHSA report, "Moving Beyond Change Efforts," brought together diverse mental health professionals, including those with faith-based perspectives on integrating faith with sexual orientation and gender identity. The expert panel rejected sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts and focused on safe, evidence-based interventions that are developmentally appropriate.

Why Legal Debates Like Chiles v. Salazar Confuse Parents

Recent cases, including Chiles v. Salazar, have stirred questions about what support Christian parents are allowed to seek. This Colorado case, supported by Alliance Defending Freedom, challenged the state's Minor Conversion Therapy Law. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law in 2024, affirming that states have a compelling interest in protecting minors from harmful practices by licensed professionals.

These cases often involve legal organizations raising concerns about "bans" that do not actually affect pastoral counseling. Most laws, including Colorado's, target specific practices by licensed mental health professionals that claim to change identity, not everyday conversations between parents, pastors, and children. The laws regulate professional conduct by state-licensed therapists, not religious speech or parental guidance.

Parents do not lose the right to guide their child's faith life. They do not lose the right to seek biblically grounded counseling. What these laws attempt to curb are programs by licensed professionals that sell outcomes that cannot be delivered. Many states now restrict or ban conversion therapy for minors because of documented risks, but faith-aligned pastoral care remains available.

Protecting the Bond at the Center of the Family

Parents facing difficult conversations are not failing. They are leading with courage. Faith-based therapy supports that courage by keeping the parent-child relationship at the center. Where conversion therapy fractures trust, faith-aligned care protects it. Where conversion therapy sells promises, faith-aligned care offers presence, wisdom, and steady spiritual formation.

Families can remain faithful, grounded in scripture, and committed to truth while choosing the path that honors both God and the child He entrusted to them.

FAQ

Is conversion therapy legal for minors?

Many states restrict practices by licensed professionals that claim to change sexual orientation or gender identity. These laws typically do not apply to parental conversations, pastoral care, or ordinary faith-based counseling.

Does faith-based therapy support biblical teaching?

Yes. Faith-based therapy integrates Christian values, scripture, and prayer but avoids promising identity change. It supports families without using coercive methods.

What is the main difference between conversion therapy and faith-based therapy?

Conversion therapy promises a change in identity. Faith-based therapy supports spiritual and emotional health without claiming to alter who someone is.

Does research show that conversion therapy works?

No. Available research and testimonies show it is ineffective and often harmful, especially when it creates shame or fractures family relationships.

Can Christian parents support a child with questions about identity while staying faithful to God?

Yes. Parents can guide their child through prayer, conversation, and faith-based counseling while upholding biblical convictions.