Michigan Bans "Conversion Therapy" for Minors

Dan Hitz is the Executive Director of Reconciliation Ministries of Michigan, Inc., a member-ministry of Restored Hope Network. He is a licensed professional counselor, an ordained minister, and an EMDR trained, certified clinical trauma professional. Dan began his journey out of homosexuality after surrendering his life to Jesus Christ in 1984.

Michigan is set to become the 22nd state to ban “conversion therapy” for minors when the law takes effect in late October, 2023. As the director of Reconciliation Ministries, I have had multiple people ask me how this law will affect the ministry. This article will look at the law and respond to the question of how it will affect the ministry.

House Bill 4616 prohibits “mental health professionals” from practicing “conversion therapy” with minors. You can read HB 4616 on the Michigan Legislature by clicking here.

House Bill 4617 defines the term “conversion therapy” and adds it to Michigan’s mental health code. You can read HB 4617 on the Michigan Legislature website by clicking here. It defines conversion therapy as “any practice or treatment by a mental health professional that seeks to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, including, but not limited to, efforts to change behavior or gender expression or to reduce or eliminate sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward an individual of the same gender.” The definition of a “mental health professional” according to Michigan’s mental health code includes licensed therapists such as a licensed professional counselor, social worker, marriage and family therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, and registered nurse.

It is unfortunate that Michigan’s conversion therapy ban forbids licensed therapists from helping minors overcome unwanted same-sex attraction, and forbids licensed therapists from helping minors work toward embracing their biological gender. The law clearly states that mental health professionals are only allowed to help minors embrace same-sex attraction and/or embrace a transgender identity. This law applies even if the minor states that he or she does not want to embrace his or her LGBTQ feelings, and attributes them to trauma endured during childhood sexual abuse.

We have looked at the misleading nature of the term “conversion therapy” in past newsletter articles such as “The Equality Act and Cancel Culture”. The effectiveness of change allowing therapy has been explored in the articles “The Truth About Counseling” and “What Does Research Conclude About Counseling for Unwanted Same-Sex Attraction or Gender Dysphoria?” These articles and more are available on the Reconciliation Ministries website at www.recmin.org/newsletter-archives.

In response to the question of how this will affect the work we do at Reconciliation Ministries, we will continue to explore our legal options and stand fast on the Word of God. We uphold the belief that God ordains physical sexual expression to be practiced exclusively within the marriage covenant between one biologically born male and one biologically born female.

Through the years, the number of minors that we have worked with has been a small percentage of our participants. We have only worked with minors under the conditions that the parents fully explain the focus and values of the ministry before the minor comes to the first session. We have only met with teens who were freely willing to come in and talk with us. We maintained a respectful atmosphere and invited anyone we work with to disagree with us, ask questions, and make their own decisions. There have been teens who have agreed with our convictions and those who have not. Through it all, biblical seeds have been planted and mutual respect has been maintained.

Reconciliation Ministries will continue to work with adults who seek change allowing therapy to overcome unwanted LGBTQ feelings. We will continue to work with minors experiencing heterosexual struggles, including pornography addiction and recovery from sexual abuse. While the conversion therapy ban applies to “mental health professionals”, it does not apply to “biblical discipleship”. We will work within the parameters of the law to provide the best biblical care possible to anyone seeking to align their sexuality with their Christian faith. Please pray for us as we uphold the calling the Lord has given us.

© 2023 Reconciliation Ministries of Michigan, Inc.

Current Events and Transformation

You may be aware of some issues that have been in the national news quite a bit lately. The enemy of our souls wants to thoroughly discourage us from being faithful to Scripture and living our lives for Christ. It is in the times of shaking that we need to remember First Corinthians 6:9-11. That section of Scripture lists many sins that will keep us from entering into the Kingdom of God. Fortunately, verse 11 gives those who surrender their lives to Christ precious promises. We can be cleansed. We can be made holy. We can be made right with God.

A former ministry leader who helped men and women overcome unwanted same-sex attraction for over twenty years has recently come out as gay. This man has been very public in his renunciation of any ministry that helps men and women overcomer unwanted same-sex attraction or transgender issues, and has been apologizing profusely for all the “harm” he has caused in his years of ministry. He has been giving multiple interviews on national media and has the stated goal to “ban conversion therapy wholesale”. He has joined the ranks of other former ex-gay ministry leaders who have abandoned the call to Biblical sexuality, many of whom now openly identify as gay.

Unfortunately, Christian leaders falling away from the faith and falling into sin is nothing new. Many heterosexual pastors have fallen into immorality. Nevertheless, we do not discount helping these men and women overcome their heterosexual sin, nor do we discredit the sanctity of heterosexual marriage because of the sinfulness of a few. However, when an ex-gay ministry leader falls back into homosexual sin, LGBTQ proponents quickly jump to the occasion and claim that such ministries were never valid in the first place, and in fact, cause great harm. This claim is not backed up by research and actually runs counter to research that does show benefit from working to overcome unwanted LGBTQ attractions, and that such efforts do not cause harm when practiced appropriately. Research affirms what I and countless others have experienced firsthand; Jesus Christ can and does transform hearts that are surrendered to Him. We must also recognize that the transformation process occurs at different levels for each person, and that anyone undergoing pastoral care or professional therapy will likely continue to experience some level of unwanted LGBTQ attractions while they are living in this fallen world.

The news media now uses the phrase “conversion therapy” in the context of any pastoral care or licensed therapy that helps clients overcome unwanted LGBTQ issues and align their sexuality with their Christian faith. Such care includes discipleship programs, clinical counseling, and Christian prayer and meditation. LGBTQ advocates fabricated the term conversion therapy to demonize legitimate care for unwanted LGBTQ issues, and to set those who promote LGBTQ issues at odds with the conservative Christian church. It is a strawman argument that uses guilt by association to equate any appropriate efforts to submit one’s sexuality to his or her Christian faith, with abusive methods such as electric shock therapy, ice baths, and shaming. None of these harmful practices are used by reputable therapists or pastoral caregivers. Neither Reconciliation Ministries, nor Restored Hope Network to which we belong, practice conversion therapy. Reconciliation Ministries practices biblical, compassionate care and mainstream counseling techniques to help ministry participants achieve their goals of overcoming sexual and relational brokenness. Our ministry team is composed of peer ministry volunteers and license professional counselors who respect each participant’s dignity and who are dedicated to walking with each person to Jesus Christ, the only one who can truly change hearts and transform lives.

Thank you for partnering with us to help men and women find deep healing and true freedom from sexual and relational brokenness. Please feel free to call us at 586.739.5114 if you have any questions, or if you or someone you know needs help. There is hope in Christ.