Quick Takeaways

• "Conversion therapy" poses documented risks to children's mental health and family relationships

• Programs often mislead Christian parents with false promises while charging thousands of dollars

• These practices undermine parental authority by creating secrecy between parents and children

• Medical and mental health organizations universally reject these methods as harmful and ineffective

• Faith-aligned alternatives exist that protect children while honoring Christian values

When your child struggles with same-sex attraction or questions about their identity, the instinct to find help is natural. Christian parents want guidance that aligns with their faith while protecting their child's well-being. But "conversion therapy" carries serious risks that every parent should understand before making decisions that could harm rather than help.

What Research Shows About "Conversion Therapy" Risks

Major medical organizations, including the American Psychological Association and American Academy of Pediatrics, have reviewed decades of research on "conversion therapy." Their conclusion is consistent: these practices do not work and cause measurable harm.

Studies document increased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts among people who underwent "conversion therapy" as children. Research published in JAMA Pediatrics found that the economic and emotional costs of these programs far exceed any claimed benefits, with families often spending thousands on treatments that deliver no positive outcomes.

The Trevor Project's research shows that young people exposed to "conversion therapy" are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide compared to those who were not subjected to these practices. For Christian parents seeking to protect their child, these statistics reveal a sobering truth about what these programs actually deliver.

How "Conversion Therapy" Undermines Families

"Conversion therapy" creates patterns that damage the parent-child relationship God designed to guide and protect children. When programs promise to change attractions or identity, they set up expectations that cannot be met. Children internalize failure when change does not occur, leading to shame and self-blame.

Many programs encourage children to hide their true feelings from parents or report only what counselors want to hear. This secrecy directly undermines parental authority. You cannot guide your child wisely if they learn to hide their real struggles from you out of fear or shame.

Parents who pursued "conversion therapy" consistently describe the same outcome: their child pulled away emotionally. Trust eroded. Conversations became superficial. The very bond that should have helped their child navigate difficult questions was weakened by a program that promised help but delivered distance.

The Financial Reality Behind "Conversion Therapy"

"Conversion therapy" programs often function as financial scams targeting desperate parents. Families report paying anywhere from several hundred to tens of thousands of dollars for residential programs, intensive counseling sessions, or church-based interventions.

These programs make confident claims about outcomes they cannot deliver. When results do not materialize, providers blame the child for not trying hard enough or the family for insufficient faith. This shifts responsibility away from the program's failure and onto the very people who trusted them.

Courts have recognized this pattern. In landmark cases, juries found "conversion therapy" providers liable for consumer fraud, with judges comparing claims about changing sexual orientation to believing the earth is flat. For Christian parents concerned about stewardship and protecting their family's resources, these programs represent a clear financial risk alongside the emotional and relational harm.

What "Conversion Therapy" Actually Looks Like Today

Many Christian parents imagine "conversion therapy" involves extreme practices from decades past. While some historical methods were indeed shocking, today's programs often present themselves as gentle, faith-based counseling.

Current "conversion therapy" may involve talk therapy sessions, accountability groups, prayer-based interventions, or residential programs. Providers use Christian language and cite scripture. They may call their approach "sexual orientation change efforts" or "identity exploration" to avoid the "conversion therapy" label.

But underneath different terminology, the goal remains the same: changing attractions or identity. Research shows that even "gentle" approaches cause harm when they pressure children to suppress or change core aspects of themselves. The method matters less than the message, and that message consistently damages children and families.

The Impact on Faith and Church Connection

One often-overlooked risk of "conversion therapy" is its effect on a child's relationship with God and the church. Parents pursuing these programs want to strengthen their child's faith. The outcome is often the opposite.

Young people who undergo "conversion therapy" frequently report feeling rejected by God and the Christian community. Many withdraw from church entirely, associating faith with shame and pressure to be someone they are not. Others maintain spiritual lives but feel they must hide their authentic selves to remain in Christian spaces.

Parents describe heartbreak when their child distances from the faith they hoped to protect. The risk extends beyond immediate harm to potentially lifelong spiritual consequences.

Warning Signs of "Conversion Therapy" Programs

Christian parents can protect their children by recognizing warning signs that a program, counselor, or church-based intervention may actually be "conversion therapy" under a different name:

Programs that promise or suggest they can change sexual orientation or gender identity. Programs that frame same-sex attraction or gender questions as sin requiring correction rather than complex realities requiring compassion. Counselors who discourage open communication between parents and children or suggest that children need to confess or repent of attractions. Approaches that blame children when outcomes do not match promised results. Programs that require significant financial investment upfront with guarantees about transformation.

If you encounter these elements, you are likely looking at "conversion therapy" regardless of what the program calls itself.

Protecting Your Child While Honoring Your Faith

Christian parents face real tension between their faith convictions and protecting their child. But this tension does not require choosing harmful approaches. Scripture calls believers to love with patience, guide with wisdom, and trust God's work in each person's life.

Responsible pastoral counseling focuses on spiritual formation, family unity, and emotional well-being without promising to change attractions or identity. Certified therapists who practice exploratory therapy help young people understand their feelings without predetermined outcomes or pressure.

These alternatives allow parents to remain faithful while protecting children from documented harms. They preserve the parent-child relationship God designed to guide children through difficult seasons. And they trust God's timing rather than demanding immediate transformation through human effort.

Moving Forward With Wisdom and Care

Before seeking outside support, Christian parents should carefully evaluate any program against research evidence, talk honestly with their child about fears and hopes, consult multiple trusted Christian counselors or pastors, and prioritize approaches that strengthen rather than strain family relationships.

The risks of "conversion therapy" are real and well-documented. But parents have alternatives that honor both faith and their child's well-being. Protection and faithfulness can coexist when families choose wisdom over fear and patience over quick fixes.

FAQs

What are the main risks of conversion therapy for children?
"Conversion therapy" significantly increases the risk of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts in children. It damages family relationships by creating secrecy and shame, and often causes young people to withdraw from their faith and church community. Research shows these harms occur even with "gentle" talk-based approaches.

Is conversion therapy effective at changing sexual orientation?
No. Decades of research show "conversion therapy" cannot change sexual orientation or gender identity. Every major medical and mental health organization rejects these practices as both ineffective and harmful. Programs that claim success either misrepresent outcomes or rely on children learning to hide their true feelings.

How much does conversion therapy cost families?
Families report spending anywhere from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars on "conversion therapy" programs, counseling sessions, or residential interventions. Courts have found some providers guilty of consumer fraud for making promises about outcomes they cannot deliver.

What are safer Christian alternatives to conversion therapy?
Christian parents can choose exploratory therapy with certified counselors, pastoral support focused on spiritual growth rather than identity change, and parent-child communication frameworks. These alternatives honor faith while avoiding documented harms and false promises.

How can Christian parents support a child with same-sex attraction?
Parents can maintain open, honest communication with their child, seek pastoral counseling that focuses on family unity and spiritual formation, consult multiple trusted faith leaders before making decisions, and choose approaches that strengthen rather than strain the parent-child relationship God designed for guidance and protection.