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What Pastors Should Know Before Referring a Family to Counseling
Any program that promises to change who a child is attracted to is selling something it can't deliver.
Before referring a family to counseling, pastors should know three things. First, a "Christian counselor" title is not a license. Check that the counselor holds a state license. Second, state "conversion therapy" bans only cover licensed professionals working with minors, so a church-based counselor without a license answers to no licensing board. Third, no major national medical or mental health organization in the United States endorses "conversion therapy." A pastor's word carries weight. In a 2026 Trevor Project research brief, 53 percent of young people exposed to these practices said a pastor, priest, or other religious leader was involved. The safest referral is to a licensed professional who will not steer a child toward any set outcome and who keeps parents involved.
Quick Takeaways
Families trust their pastor's referrals, so those referrals carry real weight.
"Christian counselor" describes a faith, not a license. Verify the license.
State bans don't reach unlicensed church-based counselors.
Any program that promises to change who a child is attracted to is selling something it can't deliver.
The best referral keeps parents at the center of their child's care.
Why a Pastor's Referral Matters
When a parent learns their child is gay or transgender, the pastor may be the first call. That trust is a gift, and it carries responsibility. The Trevor Project's 2026 brief found that among young people exposed to "conversion therapy," 53 percent said a pastor, priest, or other religious leader was involved.
The combination is the most dangerous. A Family Acceptance Project study found that suicide attempts "nearly tripled" (63 percent) among young people who faced change efforts from both their parents and therapists or religious leaders.
What State Law Covers and What It Doesn't
According to the Movement Advancement Project, 22 states and the District of Columbia prohibit licensed health care providers from subjecting minors to "conversion therapy." The tracker adds, "These laws do not restrict the practice among religious providers."
CT4F's guide to where conversion therapy is banned explains, "Even in states with bans, a church-based counselor who does not hold a professional license is not subject to licensing board authority." That means a referral to an unlicensed ministry program leaves a family with fewer protections if something goes wrong.
A Title Is Not a License
Many good counselors are Christians. But as CT4F explains, a Christian counselor title is not a license, and it doesn't tell you whether someone is trained or accountable. Even a national credential is not enough. The National Board for Certified Counselors says counselors who hold its NCC credential "must still comply with all state laws regulating the practice of counseling," which "usually means that they must obtain a state license."
Before you refer, ask the counselor:
Which state board licenses you, and can I verify it?
Do you have an outcome in mind for who a child is attracted to or how they see themselves?
Do you promise change, or charge for programs that do?
How will you keep parents informed and involved?
Why "Conversion Therapy" Is a Bad Referral
"Conversion therapy" is a scam. McKrae Game led a faith-based program in South Carolina for two decades before he disavowed the movement. "Conversion therapy is not just a lie, but it's very harmful," he told The Post and Courier. "Because it's false advertising."
The medical community agrees. CT4F explains why major medical associations oppose conversion therapy, including the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry's view that these efforts "lack scientific credibility and clinical utility."
Keep the Family at the Center
Families, not counselors, know what is best for their children. A pastor's role is to walk beside parents, not to hand their child to someone else. A solution that divides families is not a solution at all. CT4F's guide to choosing a faith-based support group for parents can help you point parents toward faith-based support that keeps them close to their child and to their church.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should a pastor refer a family to a Christian counselor?
It can be a good choice if the counselor holds a state license, keeps parents involved, and does not steer a child toward any set outcome.
How can a pastor check whether a counselor is licensed?
Ask which state board issued the license, then confirm it with that board. A national credential such as the NCC does not replace a state license.
Are church counseling programs covered by state conversion therapy bans?
Usually not. State bans reach licensed providers working with minors, and the Movement Advancement Project notes they do not restrict religious providers.
What should a pastor avoid when advising a Christian parent with a gay child?
Avoid any program that promises to change who a child is attracted to or how they see themselves. Research links these efforts to more suicide attempts.
Do medical associations support conversion therapy?
No. No major national medical or mental health organization in the United States endorses it.
Sources and Further Reading
Research on Faith Leaders and Family Harm
The Trevor Project: who conducts conversion therapy and when young people are most at risk (2026)
Family Acceptance Project: change efforts by parents, therapists, and religious leaders (2018)
Law and Licensing
Movement Advancement Project: conversion therapy laws by state
National Board for Certified Counselors: why the NCC credential does not replace a state license
Voices from Inside the Movement
CT4F Resources for Families and Faith Leaders
What Pastors Should Know Before Referring a Family to Counseling
Any program that promises to change who a child is attracted to is selling something it can't deliver.
Before referring a family to counseling, pastors should know three things. First, a "Christian counselor" title is not a license. Check that the counselor holds a state license. Second, state "conversion therapy" bans only cover licensed professionals working with minors, so a church-based counselor without a license answers to no licensing board. Third, no major national medical or mental health organization in the United States endorses "conversion therapy." A pastor's word carries weight. In a 2026 Trevor Project research brief, 53 percent of young people exposed to these practices said a pastor, priest, or other religious leader was involved. The safest referral is to a licensed professional who will not steer a child toward any set outcome and who keeps parents involved.
Quick Takeaways
Families trust their pastor's referrals, so those referrals carry real weight.
"Christian counselor" describes a faith, not a license. Verify the license.
State bans don't reach unlicensed church-based counselors.
Any program that promises to change who a child is attracted to is selling something it can't deliver.
The best referral keeps parents at the center of their child's care.
Why a Pastor's Referral Matters
When a parent learns their child is gay or transgender, the pastor may be the first call. That trust is a gift, and it carries responsibility. The Trevor Project's 2026 brief found that among young people exposed to "conversion therapy," 53 percent said a pastor, priest, or other religious leader was involved.
The combination is the most dangerous. A Family Acceptance Project study found that suicide attempts "nearly tripled" (63 percent) among young people who faced change efforts from both their parents and therapists or religious leaders.
What State Law Covers and What It Doesn't
According to the Movement Advancement Project, 22 states and the District of Columbia prohibit licensed health care providers from subjecting minors to "conversion therapy." The tracker adds, "These laws do not restrict the practice among religious providers."
CT4F's guide to where conversion therapy is banned explains, "Even in states with bans, a church-based counselor who does not hold a professional license is not subject to licensing board authority." That means a referral to an unlicensed ministry program leaves a family with fewer protections if something goes wrong.
A Title Is Not a License
Many good counselors are Christians. But as CT4F explains, a Christian counselor title is not a license, and it doesn't tell you whether someone is trained or accountable. Even a national credential is not enough. The National Board for Certified Counselors says counselors who hold its NCC credential "must still comply with all state laws regulating the practice of counseling," which "usually means that they must obtain a state license."
Before you refer, ask the counselor:
Which state board licenses you, and can I verify it?
Do you have an outcome in mind for who a child is attracted to or how they see themselves?
Do you promise change, or charge for programs that do?
How will you keep parents informed and involved?
Why "Conversion Therapy" Is a Bad Referral
"Conversion therapy" is a scam. McKrae Game led a faith-based program in South Carolina for two decades before he disavowed the movement. "Conversion therapy is not just a lie, but it's very harmful," he told The Post and Courier. "Because it's false advertising."
The medical community agrees. CT4F explains why major medical associations oppose conversion therapy, including the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry's view that these efforts "lack scientific credibility and clinical utility."
Keep the Family at the Center
Families, not counselors, know what is best for their children. A pastor's role is to walk beside parents, not to hand their child to someone else. A solution that divides families is not a solution at all. CT4F's guide to choosing a faith-based support group for parents can help you point parents toward faith-based support that keeps them close to their child and to their church.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should a pastor refer a family to a Christian counselor?
It can be a good choice if the counselor holds a state license, keeps parents involved, and does not steer a child toward any set outcome.
How can a pastor check whether a counselor is licensed?
Ask which state board issued the license, then confirm it with that board. A national credential such as the NCC does not replace a state license.
Are church counseling programs covered by state conversion therapy bans?
Usually not. State bans reach licensed providers working with minors, and the Movement Advancement Project notes they do not restrict religious providers.
What should a pastor avoid when advising a Christian parent with a gay child?
Avoid any program that promises to change who a child is attracted to or how they see themselves. Research links these efforts to more suicide attempts.
Do medical associations support conversion therapy?
No. No major national medical or mental health organization in the United States endorses it.
Sources and Further Reading
Research on Faith Leaders and Family Harm
The Trevor Project: who conducts conversion therapy and when young people are most at risk (2026)
Family Acceptance Project: change efforts by parents, therapists, and religious leaders (2018)
Law and Licensing
Movement Advancement Project: conversion therapy laws by state
National Board for Certified Counselors: why the NCC credential does not replace a state license
Voices from Inside the Movement
CT4F Resources for Families and Faith Leaders
What Pastors Should Know Before Referring a Family to Counseling
Any program that promises to change who a child is attracted to is selling something it can't deliver.
Before referring a family to counseling, pastors should know three things. First, a "Christian counselor" title is not a license. Check that the counselor holds a state license. Second, state "conversion therapy" bans only cover licensed professionals working with minors, so a church-based counselor without a license answers to no licensing board. Third, no major national medical or mental health organization in the United States endorses "conversion therapy." A pastor's word carries weight. In a 2026 Trevor Project research brief, 53 percent of young people exposed to these practices said a pastor, priest, or other religious leader was involved. The safest referral is to a licensed professional who will not steer a child toward any set outcome and who keeps parents involved.
Quick Takeaways
Families trust their pastor's referrals, so those referrals carry real weight.
"Christian counselor" describes a faith, not a license. Verify the license.
State bans don't reach unlicensed church-based counselors.
Any program that promises to change who a child is attracted to is selling something it can't deliver.
The best referral keeps parents at the center of their child's care.
Why a Pastor's Referral Matters
When a parent learns their child is gay or transgender, the pastor may be the first call. That trust is a gift, and it carries responsibility. The Trevor Project's 2026 brief found that among young people exposed to "conversion therapy," 53 percent said a pastor, priest, or other religious leader was involved.
The combination is the most dangerous. A Family Acceptance Project study found that suicide attempts "nearly tripled" (63 percent) among young people who faced change efforts from both their parents and therapists or religious leaders.
What State Law Covers and What It Doesn't
According to the Movement Advancement Project, 22 states and the District of Columbia prohibit licensed health care providers from subjecting minors to "conversion therapy." The tracker adds, "These laws do not restrict the practice among religious providers."
CT4F's guide to where conversion therapy is banned explains, "Even in states with bans, a church-based counselor who does not hold a professional license is not subject to licensing board authority." That means a referral to an unlicensed ministry program leaves a family with fewer protections if something goes wrong.
A Title Is Not a License
Many good counselors are Christians. But as CT4F explains, a Christian counselor title is not a license, and it doesn't tell you whether someone is trained or accountable. Even a national credential is not enough. The National Board for Certified Counselors says counselors who hold its NCC credential "must still comply with all state laws regulating the practice of counseling," which "usually means that they must obtain a state license."
Before you refer, ask the counselor:
Which state board licenses you, and can I verify it?
Do you have an outcome in mind for who a child is attracted to or how they see themselves?
Do you promise change, or charge for programs that do?
How will you keep parents informed and involved?
Why "Conversion Therapy" Is a Bad Referral
"Conversion therapy" is a scam. McKrae Game led a faith-based program in South Carolina for two decades before he disavowed the movement. "Conversion therapy is not just a lie, but it's very harmful," he told The Post and Courier. "Because it's false advertising."
The medical community agrees. CT4F explains why major medical associations oppose conversion therapy, including the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry's view that these efforts "lack scientific credibility and clinical utility."
Keep the Family at the Center
Families, not counselors, know what is best for their children. A pastor's role is to walk beside parents, not to hand their child to someone else. A solution that divides families is not a solution at all. CT4F's guide to choosing a faith-based support group for parents can help you point parents toward faith-based support that keeps them close to their child and to their church.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should a pastor refer a family to a Christian counselor?
It can be a good choice if the counselor holds a state license, keeps parents involved, and does not steer a child toward any set outcome.
How can a pastor check whether a counselor is licensed?
Ask which state board issued the license, then confirm it with that board. A national credential such as the NCC does not replace a state license.
Are church counseling programs covered by state conversion therapy bans?
Usually not. State bans reach licensed providers working with minors, and the Movement Advancement Project notes they do not restrict religious providers.
What should a pastor avoid when advising a Christian parent with a gay child?
Avoid any program that promises to change who a child is attracted to or how they see themselves. Research links these efforts to more suicide attempts.
Do medical associations support conversion therapy?
No. No major national medical or mental health organization in the United States endorses it.
Sources and Further Reading
Research on Faith Leaders and Family Harm
The Trevor Project: who conducts conversion therapy and when young people are most at risk (2026)
Family Acceptance Project: change efforts by parents, therapists, and religious leaders (2018)
Law and Licensing
Movement Advancement Project: conversion therapy laws by state
National Board for Certified Counselors: why the NCC credential does not replace a state license
Voices from Inside the Movement
CT4F Resources for Families and Faith Leaders