Quick Facts:

• Conversion therapy is rejected by virtually every major medical and mental health organization in the United States, including the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Psychological Association.

• Research shows young people who experience conversion therapy face significantly higher rates of depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts compared to their peers.

• Conversion therapy often damages family relationships for years or even permanently, teaching children to blame their parents and severing trust.

• These practices frequently harm a child's faith, leading many to reject God after associating spiritual teachings with shame and rejection.

• Safe, effective alternatives exist that help families navigate questions about sexual orientation or gender identity while keeping relationships and faith intact.

When your child comes to you with questions about their sexual orientation or gender identity, some families are told that "conversion therapy" can help. Before making any decisions, Christian parents deserve to understand what research reveals about the actual risks.

Why Medical Professionals Oppose Conversion Therapy

Conversion therapy has been rejected by virtually every major medical and mental health organization in the United States, including the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychiatric Association, and American Psychological Association.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), conversion therapy is ineffective at changing sexual orientation and can "seriously harm mental and physical health." The American Psychological Association's 2009 task force review found these practices contribute to depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts.

The Health Risks

Research paints a troubling picture. Young people who experience high levels of family rejection, including being sent to conversion therapy, are 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide compared to peers who experienced acceptance. They're also 5.9 times more likely to report high levels of depression and 3.4 times more likely to use illegal drugs.

For transgender adults who experienced conversion efforts as minors, studies published in JAMA Psychiatry found a 2-times-greater likelihood of attempted suicide compared to those who had not experienced such efforts.

The Risk to Family Relationships

Perhaps the most heartbreaking consequence is what conversion therapy does to families. As Robert Cottrell, who works with thousands of Christian families affected by these practices, explains: "Family relationships often never heal or take decades to recover."

Paulette Trimmer, a Pentecostal mother whose son attended multiple conversion programs, saw this firsthand. "It killed it," she says of her relationship with her son. "It all but killed it. He didn't want to have anything to do with me."

These programs often teach participants to blame their parents. Many parents report: "We've been accepting for years, but our child still won't speak to us." When asked what happened before acceptance, the answer is almost always the same: conversion therapy.

The Risk to Faith

For Christian children, conversion therapy often destroys more than family bonds. It destroys their relationship with God.

Conversion therapy inflicts this profound harm because, for children raised in Christian homes, their parents and God represent the most important relationships in their lives. When both seem to be saying "you are broken and must change," and when that change never comes despite desperate effort, the damage runs deep.

Christian teaching tells us to examine the fruit. The fruits of conversion therapy include destroyed individuals, fractured families, and damaged faith. Even Exodus International, once the largest conversion therapy organization, shut down in 2013 after recognizing the harm it had inflicted on tens of thousands.

What Christian Parents Can Do Instead

Safe, research-supported alternatives exist. These approaches address any distress a young person experiences while emphasizing acceptance, support, and recognition of important family and faith values. They don't require parents to abandon their beliefs.

Research from the Family Acceptance Project shows that family acceptance promotes well-being and protects against depression, suicidality, and substance use. You can love your child, honor your faith, and protect your family all at the same time.

Martha Conley, whose son Garrard wrote the memoir Boy Erased (later adapted into a major film), knows this journey intimately. 

She and her husband sent their son to conversion therapy because, as she explains, "We went because we loved Garrard. We went because we wanted him to be happy and whole." 

They had no idea the program would become the source of trauma he carries to this day. Now, Martha and her husband remain deeply religious, and they have vowed to use Garrard's experience to help other families avoid the heartbreak they endured. 

Their faith didn't require them to harm their son. They simply didn't have the information they needed at the time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is conversion therapy considered harmful by medical professionals?

A: Yes. Conversion therapy has been rejected by virtually every major medical and mental health organization in the United States. These organizations cite research showing it is ineffective and can cause serious psychological harm, including depression and suicidal ideation.

Q: What health risks are associated with conversion therapy?

A: Young people who experience conversion therapy face significantly elevated risks of depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts. Studies indicate they are 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide compared to peers who experienced family acceptance.

Q: Does conversion therapy damage family relationships?

A: Yes. Many programs teach participants to blame their parents, and the experience often severs trust between children and the parents who sent them. Family relationships frequently take years or decades to recover, if they recover at all.

Q: Can conversion therapy affect faith?

A: Many survivors report that conversion therapy damaged or destroyed their relationship with God. When promised changes don't occur despite sincere effort and prayer, children often conclude they are fundamentally broken and rejected by God.

Q: What alternatives exist for Christian families seeking support?

A: Research-supported alternatives focus on acceptance and support while maintaining family and faith connections. Organizations like the Family Acceptance Project provide resources specifically designed for families navigating these questions without the documented risks of conversion therapy.