jericeric

Another great episode. Particularly resonant was the discussion about quasi-conversion therapy. In the early 90s at age 15 I was ushered into therapy and enjoyed my own torture. The first experience was, I think, with a proper psychologist who truly had different motives than my parents. But I was weak and powerless and knew my parents' aims were to change me (and my therapist was the father of a classmate, which didn't help). The second experience was far more insidious - an orthodox Jewish (like my parents in their newfound glory) man who insisted on ~25 min of solo and ~25 min of group family therapy. In those group sessions I felt like I had three disapproving parents, with arms crossed and my worst fears reinforced by this mansplaining, asshole guest parent. It was hideous, demoralizing and nonconstructive - and a literal drain on my bar mitzvah funds (ha ha but no, really). Until hearing about this on the show I figured my experience was anomalous, and I explain it to the few friends and hyper select family I've shared it with as 'conversion therapy lite'. I hope this is even less frequent than it had been almost 30 years ago. I hope therapists are more vocal when the selfish motives of parents conflict with ethical treatment. I'm sorry for any minor (or anyone) who feels coerced into a homophobic or more generally hateful environment, masquerading as supportive. Thanks, Cam and Kit, for broaching this esoteric oddity in such a productive way.