Joseph Nicolosi

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Joseph Nicolosi, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, founder and director of the Thomas Aquinas Clinic, in Encino, California, and the President of the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH). For the last 15 years, his professional focus has been reparative therapy, a controversial psychotherapy that considers homosexuality a disorder that can be cured. His Ph.D. is from the California School of Professional Psychology.

He has written 3 books: Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality: A New Clinical Approach; Healing Homosexuality: Case Stories of Reparative Therapy and most recently, A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality, co-written with his wife Linda Ames Nicolosi. He and his wife have one son.

1 Criticism
2 Quotations
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Criticism

Reparative therapy, which is any therapy aimed at changing the sexual orientation of a patient, has come under some criticism in recent years. Popular opinion is that there is no solid evidence that it works, and some believe it may be harmful, particularly to young people. The American Psychiatric Association's official position statement on the issue states "In the last four decades, "reparative" therapists have not produced any rigorous scientific research to substantiate their claims of cure, although, all the studies on change have indicated no harm, and thus far, only one study with a biased sample has proven that harm is possible. Until there is such research available, APA recommends that ethical practitioners refrain from attempts to change individuals' sexual orientation, keeping in mind the medical dictum to first, do no harm." ^[1]

Groups that reject the idea of reparative therapy include The National Association of Social Workers, The American Psychological Association, The American Psychiatric Association, The American Counseling Association, and The American Academy of Pediatrics. ^[2]

Several high profile mental health professionals have come out against statments by the APA, and other mental health organisations, like past APA president Dr. Robert Perloff, who is incidentally, while heterosexual, a fellow in the Gay & Lesbian APA division. More detailed accounts of the political clash on this issue are documented in a book edited by 2 APA heavyweights, past APA president Nicholas A. Cummings, Ph.D., Sc.D. and Rogers H. Wright, Ph.D., Litt.D., titled Destructive Trends in Mental Health ^[3]

After the release of the APA's Just the Facts About Sexual Orientation & Youth: A Primer for Principals, Educators and School Personnel, NARTH released a response ^[4]

[edit] Quotations

"[On preventing homosexuality in young boys]

[T]he boy's father has to do his part. He needs to mirror and affirm his son's maleness. He can play rough-and-tumble games with his son, in ways that are decidedly different from the games he would play with a little girl. He can help his son learn to throw and catch a ball. He can teach him to pound a square wooden peg into a square hole in a pegboard. He can even take his son with him into the shower, where the boy cannot help but notice that Dad has a penis, just like his, only bigger. [emphasis added]"

Dr. Nicolosi, Focus on the Family