A joint memorandum renouncing the damaging ‘conversion therapy’ practices was published today by the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland, the Psychological Society of Ireland and the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. 

The three major Irish mental health organisations gathered today at Dublin’s Trinity College to sign the memorandum of understanding before Irish Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman. By condemning ‘conversion therapy’ practices, the organisations are hoping to advocate for and support Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community. 

According to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, so-called ‘conversion therapy’ refers to the assumption that “certain sexual orientations or gender identities are inferior to others and seeks to change or suppress them on that basis”.

In their joint statement, the three mental health organisations clarified that they do not “seek to deny, discourage or exclude those with uncertain feelings around sexuality or gender identity from seeking qualified and appropriate help”.

President of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland, Dr Lorcan Martin, spoke on the troubling trend in psychiatry, saying: “There is no place in a modern, progressive society for conversion therapy, which seeks to target and undermine certain people with potentially very serious results.

“The absence of societal inclusivity or acceptance can have a major negative impact on a person’s mental health, and we hope that today’s announcement helps inform the public of the risks of conversion therapy, ensures healthcare professionals are aware of issues related to this practice and, ultimately, that conversion therapy is fully eradicated on the island of Ireland”. 

Dr Martin was joined as today’s conversion therapy memorandum signing by Dr Ger McNamara, a senior clinical psychologist in adult mental health and a representative of the Psychological Society of Ireland. Speaking on behalf of her organisation, Dr McNamara added that the “aim of our work is to help reduce human suffering. We do this by using evidence-based assessments and therapies.

“The evidence base for conversion therapy shows at best it doesn’t work and at its worst is harmful, creating more suffering in those who undergo it.

“We come together today to unequivocally state, conversion therapy is not acceptable on the island of Ireland”. 

Jade Lawless, vice-chair of the Irish Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (IACP), rounded out the trio of representatives at today’s memorandum signing. Lawless claimed that her organisation “stands with out colleagues, the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland and the Psychological Society of Ireland, in renouncing the practice of conversion therapy. 

“The IACP supports out member counsellors and psychotherapists to provide therapy using highly ethical practice standars that are appropriately informed and which seek to prize individuality and autonomy in the spirit of our caring and empathic profession.

“We believe that conversion therapy creates lasting psychological damage and must not be practised in Ireland or in any country”.