Joseph Nicolosi
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'''Joseph Nicolosi''' (born [[January 21]], [[1947]]) is a clinical [[psychologist]], founder and director of the Thomas Aquinas Psychological Clinic, in [[Encino, California]], and the president of the [[National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality]] (NARTH). Nicolosi has advocated and practiced reparative therapy{{POV-statement|date=July 2008}}, which attempts to help people overcome or reduce unwanted homosexual feelings{{POV-statement|date=July 2008}}. Nicolosi has described his theories in ''Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality: A New Clinical Approach'' and two other books. Nicolosi has concluded on the basis of his study and professional experience that [[homosexuality]] is often the product of a condition he describes as "[[gender identity|gender-identity]] deficit" caused by an alienation from, and perceived rejection by, individuals of the subject's gender. <ref>Joseph Nicolosi, Ph.D., ''Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality'', Rowman & Littlefield, 2004, ISBN 0-7657-0142-1</ref> He holds a [[Ph.D.]] from the [[California School of Professional Psychology]].
== Theories ==
Nicolosi's first book was ''Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality: A New Clinical Approach''. It was published in 1991. This book introduced the expression ''reparative therapy''. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.glaad.org/media/guide/GLAAD_MediaRefGuide_7thEdition.pdf|title=GLAAD Media Reference Guide |author=GLAAD|accessdate=September 2006}}</ref> Nicolosi acknowledged in the preface that psychotherapy to change male homosexuality was not new, identifying his innovation as the integration of several strands of clinical research. These included research into the development of male gender-identity, histories of family dynamics, and techniques of psychodynamic psychotherapy of male homosexuality. <ref>Joseph Nicolosi, Ph.D., ''Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality'', Rowman & Littlefield, 2004, ISBN 0-7657-0142-1</ref>
The introduction summarized the main themes of the book. It defined non-gay homosexual men as men who, while sexually attracted to other men, reject a gay identity. Nicolosi argued that psychiatry's de-classifying of homosexuality as a mental illness has lead to the abandonment of these men. Nicolosi insisted that homosexuality is a developmental problem that often results from problems between a boy and his father, or between a boy and his male peers, leading to a failure to internalize male gender-identity. This disenfranchisement from males produces eroticization of maleness. Alienation from the body and deficits in the sense of personal power could also be factors. According to Nicolosi, homosexuality thus represents a drive to repair the original gender-identity injury. [[Biology and sexual orientation|Biological influences on sexual orientation]] were granted only a limited role; rather than being direct causes, they simply made gender-identity injury more likely. Nicolosi mentioned the problems he saw with gay relationships, including instability, [[promiscuity]], [[narcissism (psychology)|narcissism]], and an over-emphasis on sex.
Nicolosi complained that people who do not value homosexuality as much as heterosexuality were deemed [[homophobia|homophobic]], and wrote that it was legitimate to place higher worth on heterosexuality within the context of one's own value system. Nicolosi concluded the introduction with a description of reparative therapy. Nicolosi wrote that reparative therapy was based on [[object relations theory]] and empirical studies on gender identity. Nicolosi described its goals as including explaining the family dynamics that produced homosexuality, making peace with one's father, growing in self-acceptance, and building non-erotic friendships with people of the same sex. Nicolosi emphasised the importance of the [[transference]] relationship.
Nicolosi granted that female clinicians could play a role in treating male clients, but stressed that ultimately they must surrender them to male therapists. Nicolosi wrote that reparative therapy is not a cure in the sense of erasing all homosexual feelings, but that it could improve men's relationships with other men and strengthen masculine identification. It could also help some men to achieve their goal of [[celibacy]], and help others to become ready for heterosexual [[marriage]]. <ref>Joseph Nicolosi, Ph.D., ''Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality'', Rowman & Littlefield, 2004, ISBN 0-7657-0142-1</ref>
Nicolosi's second book was ''Healing Homosexuality: Case Stories of Reparative Therapy'', published in 1993. This book was written with the assistance of Lucy Freeman. Freeman was not listed on the cover as a co-author, but was mentioned on the title page. The book gave semi-fictionalized descriptions of the treatment of eight homosexual men: Albert, Tom, Father John, Charlie, Dan, Steve, Edward, and Roger. <ref>Joseph Nicolosi, Ph.D., ''Healing Homosexuality: Case Stories of Reparative Therapy'', Jason Aronson, 1993, ISBN 0-7657-0144-8</ref>
Nicolosi's third book was ''A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality'', published in 2002. Here Nicolosi corrected what he considered a misunderstanding about the meaning of ''reparative therapy'': "Over the years, gay activists have been angered by the term ''reparative therapy''. "You're trying to repair us," they tell me, "as you would fix a car or a transmission." In fact, "repair" does not apply to something being done to the client, but instead speaks of the nature of the same-sex erotic drive, which is itself a reparative attempt at health. Those authentic same-sex emotional needs are seeking fulfillment (and thus they are "reparative" in nature), but the person is approaching the task of reparation of the deficit in a self-defeating and ultimately unfulfilling way, namely through sex." <ref>Joseph Nicolosi, Ph.D. & Linda Ames Nicolosi, ''A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality'', IVP Books, 2002, ISBN 0-8308-2379-4</ref>
== Love Won Out Conference ==
[[Focus on the Family]]'s [[Love Won Out]] ministry aims to exhort and equip the church to respond to homosexuality from a biblical point of view. The conference bases its ''Prevention of Male Homosexuality'' session on NARTH research. Love Won Out suggests that homosexuality may be unhealthy.
Nicolosi, on [[November 4]], [[2006]],<ref>Focus on the Family's Love Won Out Conference Agenda; Atlanta, Ga., November 4, 2006</ref> represented NARTH at the Love Won Out Conference speaking on ''Prevention of Male Homosexuality'' and on ''The Condition of Male Homosexuality''.<ref>Focus on the Family's Love Won Out Conference Guide (copyright 2005-2006)</ref>
== Medical view of conversion therapy ==
{{main|Conversion therapy#Mainstream medical view on changing sexual orientation}}
The American Psychological Association Committee on Lesbian, Gay, & Bisexual Concerns states that therapy to change sexual orientation is rejected by most medical and [[mental health]] associations that have taken a position on the topic, on the grounds that it is often damaging to people's well-being.<ref name="apa">[http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/publications/justthefacts.html Just the Facts About Sexual Orientation & Youth: A Primer for Principals, Educators and School Personnel]</ref> The American Psychiatric Association states that "ethical practitioners refrain from attempts to change individuals' sexual orientation."<ref>Jason Cianciotto and Sean Cahill (2006). [http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/reports/reports/YouthInTheCrosshairs.pdf Youth in the crosshairs: the third wave of ex-gay activism]. New York: National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute.</ref> Major organizations that reject reparative therapy{{POV-statement|date=July 2008}} include the [[American Psychiatric Association]], the [[American Psychological Association]], the [[American Counseling Association]], the [[National Association of Social Workers]], the [[American Academy of Pediatrics]], the [[American Association of School Administrators]], the [[American Federation of Teachers]], the [[National Association of School Psychologists]], and the [[National Education Association]].<ref>[http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/publications/justthefacts.html Just the Facts About Sexual Orientation & Youth: A Primer for Principals, Educators and School Personnel], 1999, American Psychological Association</ref>.
== Bibliography ==
* ''Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality: A New Clinical Approach''
* ''Healing Homosexuality: Case Stories of Reparative Therapy'' -- written with the assistance of Lucy Freeman.
* ''A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality'' -- co-written by Nicolosi and his wife, Linda Ames Nicolosi.
== See also ==
* [[Same-sex attraction]]
* [[Sexual orientation]]
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* [http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/publications/justthefacts.html#2 American Psychiatric Association site ''Just the Facts About Sexual Orientation & Youth: A Primer for Principals, Educators and School Personnel''] which explains the condemnation of reparative therapy by most health and mental health organizations.
* [http://www.narth.com/docs/repair.html Book Excerpt: ''Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality''] by Dr. Joseph Nicolosi.
* [http://www.narth.com/docs/cases.html Book Excerpt: ''Healing Homosexuality: Case Stories of Reparative Therapy''] by Dr. Joseph Nicolosi.
* [http://www.narth.com/docs/excerpt.html Book Excerpt: ''A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality''] by Dr. Joseph Nicolosi and Linda Nicolosi.
* [http://www.narth.com/docs/preventing.html Author Interview: ''A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality''] by Dr. Joseph Nicolosi and Linda Nicolosi.
* [http://math.ucsd.edu/~weinrich/NCLSWNRC.HTML Review: ''Therapy Terminable and Interminable: 'Non-gay Homosexuals' Come Out of the Closet''] by professor James Weinrich. A scholarly review of Dr. Nicolosi's book on Reparative Therapy.
* [http://www.nd.edu/~amanier/leftjab.html Science, politics, and morality] by professor Ed Manier. Claims about Joseph Nicolosi's lack of scientific evidence.
* [http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/050629/050628_LWO_hmed_10p.h2.jpg Image of Dr. Joseph Nicolosi]
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[[Category:1947 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Ex-gay movement]]
[[Category:Sexual orientation and medicine]]
[[Category:American psychologists]]
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