Warren Throckmorton

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E. Warren Throckmorton is an associate professor of Psychology at Grove City College, Grove City, Pennsylvania. He is also a Fellow for Psychology and Public Policy at Grove City College's Center for Vision and Values. He is a nationally known^{[citation needed]} counselor and psychology professor, best recognized for his research and writing regarding sexual orientation and religious conflicts. In professional counseling circles, he is also known for his promotion of mental health counseling as a clinical mental health profession.^{[citation needed]}

Throckmorton's academic work has been published by journals of the American Psychological Association, the American Mental Health Counseling Association and the Christian Association for Psychological Studies. Throckmorton is past-president of the American Mental Health Counselors Association and is past-chair of the Ethics Committee. For six years, he served on the National Provider Advisory Board of Magellan Behavioral Healthcare, the largest behavioral healthcare company in the world. In 2004, he wrote and produced the documentary, I Do Exist[1] about sexual orientation change and in 2005 followed up with a shortened version called Sexual Orientation: Is Change Possible[2]. Throckmorton has appeared on the O'Reilly Factor, FOX News Live, CNN, Prime Time America and numerous other TV and radio talk shows. His columns have been published by over 100 newspapers nationwide.[3][4]

His research interests include sexual orientation, anti-bullying policies, abstinence education and mental health service delivery and financing. He also runs a personal blog.^[1]

1 Education
2 Research
3 Controversies
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Education

Warren Throckmorton received his B.A. in Psychology in June, 1979 from Cedarville College, an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Central Michigan University in May, 1982, and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Community Counseling from Ohio University in June 1992. ^[2]

[edit] Research

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Throckmorton is best known^{[citation needed]} for his work on Sexual Identity Therapy, which is endorsed by Robert L. Spitzer.^[3] It is a usable, practical and respectful set of ethical standards for treating clients with sexual identity issues. Together with his colleague, Mark Yarhouse [5] of Regent University and the Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity[6], Throckmorton developed guidelines for practice with clients who experience sexual identity conflicts and desire therapeutic support for resolution. These recommendations aim to provide conceptual and empirical support for clinical interventions leading to sexual identity outcomes that respect client personal values, religious beliefs, and sexual feelings.^[4] Its purpose is to help patients line up their sexual identity with their beliefs and values. Therapy involves four phases: (1) assessment, (2) advanced or expanded informed consent, (3) psychotherapy, and (4) social integration of a valued sexual identity.^[5]

Throckmorton publicly disagrees with those who claim that the American Psychological Association says all efforts to align beliefs and sexuality are harmful. Rather, Throckmorton states that these organizations oppose therapies that take the stance that all gays must enter treatment because homosexuality is a mental disorder to be cured. Throckmorton calls unsubstantiated any broad statement which implies that seeking to live in accord with one's beliefs is ineffective.[7]

Throckmorton believes that sexual orientation is a murky concept and sometimes fluid, and often states that he is not a reparative therapist. Hence, to differentiate what he does with the more well known reparative therapy, he labels what he does as Sexual Identity Therapy since his attempt is to help a person integrate a sexual identity that is consistent with their total personal identity.[8]

Throckmorton does not think of same-sex attraction as a disorder. Although he believes that people can come to same-sex attraction via difficult histories, he does not see homosexuality per se as being a mental or emotional disorder.[9]

[edit] Controversies

Throckmorton had been invited to serve as a member of the National Provider Advisory Committee (NPAC) with Magellan Health Services [10] in 1999.

On February 14, 2005, He was informed by Magellan's chief medical officer, Alex Rodriquez by phone that he was being fired. Rodriquez followed up his phone call with a terse letter that gave no reason for firing Throckmorton.

When a Washington Times reporter asked why Throckmorton was fired, he was told by company spokesman Erin S. Somers that Throckmorton's views on homosexuality were "potentially controversial" not in "the best interests" of the company. "We made the decision ... out of concern that certain of his publicly expressed views could be potentially controversial to Magellan's stakeholders."

Throckmorton responded to Rodriquez in a Feb. 16, 2005 letter [11] that pointed out that he is a "champion of client self-determination, a value that I hope would also inform the values of Magellan."

Throckmorton told Rodriquez: "It is hard for me to believe that Magellan is best served by reducing diversity of perspective on a board as strategic as NPAC. I invite you to bring to me any concerns you have about my views. I further invite those who offered criticism of my views to approach me directly to get an accurate understanding."

A spokesman for Magellan told the Times that Throckmorton's video, "I Do Exist" about ex-gays, had stirred up controversy among LGBT groups. "There is a high percentage of gay men in the behavioral health world, and Warren's views are considered a threat," said a spokesman who wished to remain anonymous.^{[citation needed]}

Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX) has also responded to this firing of Throckmorton. In a press release issued on March 24, 2004 PFOX Executive Director Regina Griggs said: "Individuals struggling with unwanted same sex attractions have the right to self-determination, to seek counseling and to be represented at all levels of society, especially health care advisory councils. Does this mean that Magellan will now dismiss any employees who are ex-gay if they dare to come out of the closet?"

PFOX continued: "On behalf of the ex-gay community, PFOX asks Magellan Health to immediately reinstate Dr. Throckmorton and place ex-gays in advisory positions at Magellan." Griggs said, "We want to ensure that ex-gay Americans and their friends and families can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in society."^[6]

However, two months after being dismissed, Throckmorton was rehired to his former position. On April 20, 2005, he received a call from Magellan's chief medical officer Alex Rodriguez, inviting him to rejoin the company's National Professional Advisory Council.^[7]

Throckmorton believes the move to reinstate him may have been triggered by the hundreds of phone calls and e-mail messages Magellan received from conservative activists, employer groups, self-described former homosexuals, and other supporters. The upshot of all that has happened, the psychologist says, "is that a very positive statement has come out of this from the company -- that a person has a right to explore a variety of therapies when they're grappling with sexual orientation issues."^{[citation needed]}

Throckmorton believes that this reversal lends even more credence to his contention that homosexuals can bring their sexual behavior in line with their opposing moral or religious beliefs. He believes this change of heart sends a message to those the mental health organization exists to serve -- particularly those who struggle with unwanted sexual feelings.^{[citation needed]}

Throckmorton has also been involved in the controversy over the origins and treatment of individuals with variations in gender identity. The Feb. 14, 2008 issue of Christianity Today mentions that he has advised transgendered people, who are in absolute agony over their state, that their desires don’t align with the Bible. “Even if science does determine differentiation in the brain at birth,” Throckmorton says, “even if there are prenatal influences, we can’t set aside teachings of the Bible because of research findings.”

Throckmorton has subsequently argued that these comments were quoted "out of context." On his blog, he stated that people should consult physicians, specialists and spiritual advisors in resolving their feelings. If someone decides sexual reassignment violates faith, then this may guide their decisions. ^[8]

More recently, Throckmorton, assembled a coalition of about 400 counselors who are having difficulties with a ruling made by the American Counseling Association (ACA) that members must not help homosexual clients change their sexual orientation. Throckmorton and other counselors took issue with a ruling from the association concerning clients who seek help in clarifying their sexual orientation as that matching their physical characteristics.^[9] Throckmorton questioned the organization's policy that requires that clients need to be met with a "gay affirmative" response, and if a client insists on seeking such treatment, a counselor who even refers a client to anyone offering reparative counseling could be violating the association's ethical guidelines.

Throckmorton wrote a letter (signed by hundreds of other counselors) noting that the ACA Ethics Committee opinion in question "is prejudicial toward clients and counselors who hold traditional beliefs and values regarding sexuality."^[10]

"We write because we believe the ACA opinion takes a side against people of conservative and traditional beliefs about sexuality, a domain where social and professional consensus is not clear," the letter said.

The letter noted the ethics committee opinion stated as fact: "Conversion therapy as a practice is a religious, not psychologically-based, practice. The premise of the treatment is to change a client's sexual orientation. The treatment may include techniques based in Christian faith-based methods such as the use of 'testimonials, mentoring, prayer, Bible readings, and Christian weekend workshops.'"

The ethics committee, instead, demanded the use of "treatments" endorsed by the "association for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Issues in Counseling," which it described as "a division of the American Counseling Association and the American Psychological Association."

Throckmorton's letter noted, "Essentially, the entire opinion discourages counselors and clients from attempting to do anything about homosexual desires except affirm them." The letter went on to say that such narrow opinions "stigmatize religious people who might use testimonials, mentoring, prayer, Bible reading and Christian teachings to enable them to live sexually in ways which conform to their beliefs … The teachings of many religions discourage homosexual practice (not Christianity alone) and for the ACA to isolate these practices and in essence to discourage these teachings is prejudicial". Throckmorton argued that the ethics committee opinion clearly makes a statement "of preference for one religious belief regarding homosexuality over another" and in doing so violates the ACA's policy.

Throckmorton essentially argues that Christian counselors and the people who receive their counseling shouldn't be penalized for abiding by their beliefs and that people have the right to choose the counselor they want, and counselors have the right to suggest what they believe will help. Professional freedom of conscience a crucial element in ensuring that clients receive the help they need.^[11]

Officials of the American Counseling Association have yet to comment about the letter.^[12]