Statement of support: David Blakeslee
Drs. Throckmorton & Yarhouse:
Professionals of all disciplines have an obligation to thoughtfully apply ethical standards to their clients. Mental health providers are no different. Currently, professional mental health associations have explicit ethical standards for a variety of dilemmas and issues that therapists may face when treating their clients. What is sub-standard currently is the lack of guidance for therapists whose clients seek assistance dealing with their sexual identity. As it has always been in every professional organization, ethical clinicians must act on a higher standard which professional organizations then thoughtfully apply to guide all clinicians. Throckmorton and Yarhouse have created a useable, practical and respectful set of ethical standards for treating clients with sexual identity issues. By crafting this framework, Throckmorton and Yarhouse demonstrate that ethical integrity starts not with the professional associations, but with the ethically engaged clinician’s commitment to client welfare. That client welfare always supercedes the political ideology of the day, whether it is found in the larger culture or within the clinician’s own professional organizations. I believe the professional mental health associations should adopt this framework to guide practice with clients experiencing sexual identity distress.
David Blakeslee, PsyD, Private practice, Lake Oswego, OR; member of Oregon Psychological Association and the American Psychological Association.
Statement of support: Mike Rosebush
Dear Dr. Throckmorton:
I have studied the Sexual Identity Therapy guidelines thoroughly. These guidelines fill a very real need in the mental health professions and I endorse them as a template for the initiation of therapeutic services with people who have sexual identity concerns. I believe the guidelines authored by Dr. Throckmorton and Dr. Yarhouse are very sound and need to be widely available in order that therapists who conduct sexual identity therapy can do so on a solid basis.
Dr. Michael A. Rosebush is President of “Coaching Confidant” and holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of North Carolina. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), state of Colorado and a Nationally Certified Counselor with the National Board of Certified Counselors.
Statement of support: David Pruden
David Pruden writes:
I have had an opportuity to review the sexual identity guidelines and I think the work is outstanding. A clear, defined process has been lacking for many years. This should be of great benefit to practioners and clients alike. I intend to distribute the information to members listed on our referral database and suggest that they incorporate them into their current practices.
David C. Pruden, M.S.Executive DirectorEvergreen International
David Clarke Pruden is the Executive Director of Evergreen International, a non-profit Latter-day Saint organization that provides resources and educational services for same-sex attracted members, their families, and local church unit leaders. His M.S. in Family and Human Development is from Utah State University, and his B.S. in Psychology and Sociology was earned at the University of Utah. He speaks and writes extensively on subjects related to human sexuality and adolescent development, and is on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality.
