(Originally published here. Thanks to @Teridactyl for the tip!!) In December 2020 Transgender Trend sent a letter by post to CEO Dr Sarah Niblock, Chairman Martin Pollecoff and every member of the board of trustees of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) regarding the Memorandum of Understanding on Conversion Therapy. We also sent an email to Dr Niblock alerting her to this letter and asking her to ensure that all board members would see it. After no response, we emailed again in January 2021 and received the reply that UKCP had not been picking up post due to the pandemic. We were asked to email the letter, copying in Alex Crawford, the Governance Manager, who would ensure that everyone would see it. We received confirmation of receipt of our letter and that it had been passed on. Over a month later we emailed again, asking when we might expect a reply and received this response from Alex Crawford:
I googled Pink Therapy which struck me as a curious name for a professional organisation wanting to be taken seriously. Maybe it is (professional/serious/reputable), I don't know. However I was struck that among their list of "those who are engaged in consensual, albeit transgressive sexualities who are seeking a place to understand and be understood" they included "celibate"! Among the "polyamorous, non-monogamous, or swingers and those involved in BDSM or Kink lifestyles or practices" oh, and of course "plus intersex people and those living with variations in sex development". I think that's quite offensive.
On January 7, 2021 the our Canadian Minister of "Justice" @David Lametti tweeted:
"Today, so-called conversion ‘therapy’ is finally illegal, making Canada's law among the most progressive in the world. This is a victory for Canada's LGBTQ2 community and our entire country. We are stronger when everyone can be who they are and love freely without fear. " Ha. This has nothing to do with "love", nor with everyone being "who they are." How ironic. In both cases.
To some extent, the organisations referred to here are already supporting and overseeing a form of conversion therapy, so it's difficult to believe they see it as something which is inherently unethical or unacceptable. They are reluctant to be curious and explorative, which is the basis of the psychotherapeutic approach, in case it compromises an ideology and agenda they've aligned themselves with. Instead they would prefer to compromise their integrity and their responsibility to patients and clients.
It isn't the job of a psychotherapist or psychologist to affirm or deny what their patients present them with. Their role is to help the patient examine what they're feeling and think about it with them, which obviously includes gender identity.
It's absolutely necessary to be mindful of this, particularly when working with children and young people. The lack of care being taken is staggering, and to make it policy is unbelievable. So many more people are going to be possibly irreparably damaged by this fear driven lack of care, and who are they going to look to for help then? There's every reason for them to have no confidence in the psychological and psychotherapeutic services.
Having observed the "treatment" my husband received from both a psychologist and a psychiatrist, it's about time professional therapists did affirm or deny their clients' truths or delusions. Most people in need of therapy grew up in families where truth was scarce and they need to be brought back to reality, however unpleasant. But from what I have observed most therapists are extremely lazy people who do not want to do the hard work of learning to look honestly at their clients, to perceptively hear what they are saying -- two qualities that perhaps male professionals can rarely learn -- to help them in facing truth.
Some therapists definitely make too many assumptions, and usually they're the ones who aren't listening intently to what their patients are saying and actually thinking about what they're hearing. It depends on the kind of therapy being offered, but some therapists will challenge their patienrs, and a lot of things will emerge as a result, authentic feelings and emotions that have been suppressed and withheld. This is what needs to be worked through in the therapy, much of it is going to be distressing for the person, this stuff was being suppressed for a reason, after all. This is a way of dealing with truths in a collaborative way, rather than the therapist leading the patient, perhaps into validating the therapists own conjecture.
How do you know it's strictly gender dysphoria? People can have body dysphoria from changes when you grow and age. Tbh if you aren't neurotypical, dysphoria of both types seems more likely. I'm not neurotypical and I'm not good with changes either. Plus we don't have a very strong sense of self and tend to copy other people to fit in (I think females especially this)
I didn't feel human growing up, I just didn't understand my species. I would even call that human dysphoria. And changing genders isn't going to help that. I think people with neurological differences should be told that.
I don't have neurological differences or dysphoria, and I feel very separate from my species, much preferring in general other species. Temple Grandin seems to be a good example of a neurologically different human who also prefers other species.
They are nothing other than cowards and should not be in their well paid positions. The lack of contact and obfuscation is the cowards way as we've all seen many times with other orgs. I suspect only court action will focus them.
I googled Pink Therapy which struck me as a curious name for a professional organisation wanting to be taken seriously. Maybe it is (professional/serious/reputable), I don't know. However I was struck that among their list of "those who are engaged in consensual, albeit transgressive sexualities who are seeking a place to understand and be understood" they included "celibate"! Among the "polyamorous, non-monogamous, or swingers and those involved in BDSM or Kink lifestyles or practices" oh, and of course "plus intersex people and those living with variations in sex development". I think that's quite offensive.
On January 7, 2021 the our Canadian Minister of "Justice" @David Lametti tweeted:
"Today, so-called conversion ‘therapy’ is finally illegal, making Canada's law among the most progressive in the world. This is a victory for Canada's LGBTQ2 community and our entire country. We are stronger when everyone can be who they are and love freely without fear. " Ha. This has nothing to do with "love", nor with everyone being "who they are." How ironic. In both cases.
Absolutely un-feckin-believable. My flabber is truly gasted
To some extent, the organisations referred to here are already supporting and overseeing a form of conversion therapy, so it's difficult to believe they see it as something which is inherently unethical or unacceptable. They are reluctant to be curious and explorative, which is the basis of the psychotherapeutic approach, in case it compromises an ideology and agenda they've aligned themselves with. Instead they would prefer to compromise their integrity and their responsibility to patients and clients.
It isn't the job of a psychotherapist or psychologist to affirm or deny what their patients present them with. Their role is to help the patient examine what they're feeling and think about it with them, which obviously includes gender identity.
It's absolutely necessary to be mindful of this, particularly when working with children and young people. The lack of care being taken is staggering, and to make it policy is unbelievable. So many more people are going to be possibly irreparably damaged by this fear driven lack of care, and who are they going to look to for help then? There's every reason for them to have no confidence in the psychological and psychotherapeutic services.
Having observed the "treatment" my husband received from both a psychologist and a psychiatrist, it's about time professional therapists did affirm or deny their clients' truths or delusions. Most people in need of therapy grew up in families where truth was scarce and they need to be brought back to reality, however unpleasant. But from what I have observed most therapists are extremely lazy people who do not want to do the hard work of learning to look honestly at their clients, to perceptively hear what they are saying -- two qualities that perhaps male professionals can rarely learn -- to help them in facing truth.
Some therapists definitely make too many assumptions, and usually they're the ones who aren't listening intently to what their patients are saying and actually thinking about what they're hearing. It depends on the kind of therapy being offered, but some therapists will challenge their patienrs, and a lot of things will emerge as a result, authentic feelings and emotions that have been suppressed and withheld. This is what needs to be worked through in the therapy, much of it is going to be distressing for the person, this stuff was being suppressed for a reason, after all. This is a way of dealing with truths in a collaborative way, rather than the therapist leading the patient, perhaps into validating the therapists own conjecture.
Scanned through but I know its about money!
More money for the unscrupulous!
These people are with a consciousness so seared and addled with materialism, or just not capable to think.
I remember when cosmetic surgery became a thing, it was Oh yes we explain and help people physiologically before we operate.
Whether you genuinely did... you do not now!
Take the money and run...you are criminals!
I don't think it's about money, well not in the UK. It seems more to be about the normalisation of sexual deviancy (or at the very least, fetishes).
No money where ever is the motivation...power follows money!
It’s cost me over £7,000 to transition so far – I’ll still have to spend thousands more
https://metro.co.uk/2022/01/03/its-cost-me-over-7000-to-transition-so-far-ill-have-to-spend-more-15750070/
I think the question becomes which is the frosting on the cake, the normalization or the money. Or are they both layers of the cake?
How do you know it's strictly gender dysphoria? People can have body dysphoria from changes when you grow and age. Tbh if you aren't neurotypical, dysphoria of both types seems more likely. I'm not neurotypical and I'm not good with changes either. Plus we don't have a very strong sense of self and tend to copy other people to fit in (I think females especially this)
I didn't feel human growing up, I just didn't understand my species. I would even call that human dysphoria. And changing genders isn't going to help that. I think people with neurological differences should be told that.
I don't have neurological differences or dysphoria, and I feel very separate from my species, much preferring in general other species. Temple Grandin seems to be a good example of a neurologically different human who also prefers other species.
That's interesting to know other people get that too. I don't feel so different now, which is a nice feeling :)
They are nothing other than cowards and should not be in their well paid positions. The lack of contact and obfuscation is the cowards way as we've all seen many times with other orgs. I suspect only court action will focus them.
Will this law allow these “professional” organizations to CHANGE what is acceptable AFTER the law passes?