MovieChat Forums > Prayers for Bobby (2009) Discussion > The 'therapist'

The 'therapist'

posted 13 years ago by Redhead420
15 replies | jump to latest

So, she encouraged the mother's belief that Bobby could be "cured" of his homosexuality if he "really committed himself to it"??? I know this took place over 20 years ago, but didn't the psychiatric community take homosexuality off the list of mental diseases in 1974 or something?

I don't know the real story beyond the movie well enough to know if that actually happened, but seeing that scene in the movie made me think that so-called psychiatrist was partially to blame for his suicide. If she had actually done her job and been someone he could talk to who wasn't trying to "cure" him, maybe he would have gotten a bit of the help he actually needed.

"Sincerity can't be planned! You have to make it up right on the spot." -Denny Crane

[–] marvin_el_martian 13 years ago

I believe the therapist was religious too. Even today, there are therapists and others that do believe homosexuality can be cured and they have programs, camps and the like for it, and they are mostly run by religions. Not sure if there are secular ones or not, but it wouldn't surprise me if there was(when this movie first came out, there was a poster named TheAdlerian that claimed to be a therapist that felt homosexuality should/could be cured, but I think he also said he wasn't religious).

[–] stefanheikel 13 years ago

Any therapist who subscribes to the belief that homosexuality can be cured won't get licenced by the APA, and rightfully so. Such programs are run by private organizations that are usually religious who teach people lies and make them hate who they are. It's funny though since Exodus International had admitted recently that there is no way to cure homosexuality.

Drew Grahm is a frequent poster on here who claims he went from gay to straight because he wasn't happy being gay. He is nothing more then a miserable closet case will slip up soon. Case in point, George Reekers, Ted Haggard, and many anti-gay politicians.

[–] marvin_el_martian 13 years ago

Ah ok, I didn't know they wouldn't get licensed. Guess that's a good thing, but yea, I don't think the people that run the "gay cure" programs really care if something like that keeps the guy/gal from being licensed.

I was raised to neither accept nor denounce homosexuality. To me, it just is, and I really don't see what the big fuss is all about. What's wrong with being homosexual? And I don't get the Bible being used either, it calls not being that religion a sin, and I don't see anyone trying to ban heretics, heathens, pagans, atheists, and the like from living happy, fulfilling and meaningful lives. I know they try to encourage their followers to marry only a fellow believer, but they aren't pushing for laws to prevent believers and non-believers or non-believers and non-believers from getting married. Oh well, guess I'm just too dumb to understand since I don't believe The Word(and yes, in a discussion I had a while ago, I did have someone tell me that)

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] stefanheikel 13 years ago

"The APA can stop someone based on his beliefs?"

Not their beliefs, but what they do with them, in this case projecting them onto patients in damaging ways.

"It's not a lie that homosexuality can be a problem for some"

No, people like you are the problem.

"Religion need not have anything to do with helping a person who wants out of homosexuality."

It seems to play a very big role though! Nearly every ex-gay program is religiously affiliated.

"You seem very angry and bitter to say that this Drew Graham person cannot change his life."

I'm angry at the fact that he smugly comes on here spreading lies and projecting blame on gay groups that promote acceptance, while not acknowledging the harm his side causes.

"Live yours and let others live theirs."

And you do the same. Don't bash me for who I am and deny me my civil rights.

"Try not to be a fascist if you can help it."

Tell that to the Christian fundamentalist groups. They censor everything that is not up to par with their beliefs.

While we're at it, lets see what the ex-gay movement is up to shall we?:

http://www.bilerico.com/2011/04/abc_news_christian_network_involved_in _lisa_miller.php

I don't think child kidnapping will help their cause!

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] stefanheikel 13 years ago

"If the client wants to change, the therapist is not projecting anything."

The APA states that homosexuality is not a choice, and cannot be consciously changed. If a client wishes to attempt it they must go to a non-APA affiliated therapist.

"Do you deny that some people do not want to be homosexual and should be allowed to change if that's what they want?"

Well sure, but it's usually due to public opposition, and not being gay itself. If they want to attempt to change that's there choice, but they should know said "rehibilitation" programs have high relapse and suicide rates.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] SpaceMountainMike 8 years ago

there are therapists and others that do believe homosexuality can be cured and they have programs, camps and the like for it,

There was a criminal minds episode where young men were found dead and their watches were set to the same time of day which turned out to be a chapter in the bible. They were somehow traced to a camp that "cured" homosexuality.

If homosexuality is a mental illness (I honestly don't know, the jury is still out) then that would, if anything, kill the Christians' case for persecuting them because it would be proof positive that it isn't a choice.

_______________

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[–] Kd5000 13 years ago

THe story took place in the early 1980's. Finding a doctor who believed in "conversion" wasn't that hard to find. Evangelical churches and the Catholic Churh both had doctors that they would recommend. I suppose it still goes on, but it was more prevalant back then. Every profession has it's cracks, including mental health professional.s

[–] coolkidm25 13 years ago

It shocks me that only about 40 years ago in the UK they gave gay people electric shock treatment to "correct" their behavior. It's just unbelievable.

[–] super-staff 13 years ago

I think it used to be like that in the US as well.

[–] tveron1 12 years ago

Not just electric shock

I recall reading an article on a young man who was chained in a room and forced to watch gay porn, and stimulated to vomit and defecate constantly, and left to sit in it for days, as a ridiculously over the top version of "aversion therapy".

Heck, they used to chemically castrate people.

Apathy on the rise, no one cares

[–] Fattycakes 8 years ago

Electro shock treatment is mild. In the 70s, gay people in America got lobotomies.

Today, the hearings for the Jonah conversion program in NJ... the methods used sounds like softcore porn scripts.

But in the context of the opener... even if the APA took homosexuality off their listing, they actually just shifted it to another part of the manual. Given the determination of the mother, she would have found one.

[–] DOPE-cinema 11 years ago

I think she was a conversion therapist. So her behavior towards him made sense.