What is ‘Conversion Therapy’ and How It’s Affecting the Latinx Community: Dr. VeroshK Explains

“We need to educate the professionals and also be proactive.” Dr. Veroshk

We spoke to mental health professional and astrologist Dr. VeroshK Williams, who shared her views on how the support towards the LGBTQ+ community has grown over the years. Some of the topics include conversion therapy, sexuality, religion and her views on how the mental health care community should get educated. Check out our Q&A with Dr. Veroshk. 

WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RELIGION AND SEXUALITY?

We have to agree that it is more of a religious thing. In the Latino community, a huge percentage of the Latino community identifies as religious or with a religious belief. So, our Latinx community, in terms of percentages is more likely to being exposed to the idea that, for example, homosexuality is a disease and it can be fixed. That’s where we are more in danger or more exposed to go to “conversion therapy.”

DO HEALTHCARE WORKERS NEED TO GET EDUCATED? 

We need to provide more mental health workers with the proper education necessary to treat those in the community. I feel like for the longest time we haven’t been responsible enough with the community to provide a healthy and safe environment for people to come into our clinics and to our offices to get the help they need. For the longest time, mixing, for example, psychology and religious belief has harmed the community. In history, psychologists have been part of those [conversion therapies] and that can no longer happen. 

WHAT IS CONVERSION THERAPY?

Conversion therapy has been around historically and some therapists have been part of it. We can’t do that! So, the APA is doing a huge effort to train mental health professionals and health professionals in general in order to understand the diversity in sexual orientation or gender.

Also, I would say that in terms of the mental health field we need to do more.  I feel like we should be able to go to people as well as them come to us. Because our ethics code is so strict, we are not able to ask some important questions. So if they sort of relax, we would be more out there. 

WHAT ARE THE STIGMAS AROUND HOMOSESXUALITY IN LATIN AMERICA?

In Puerto Rico, recently, we had a senator that proposed a bill [not to] ban conversion therapy.  These are things that are still in their roll; they sync their role to religion and government mandates. 

In my opinion, we need to separate everything in the LGBTQ + community, eradicate the idea of conversion therapy and ban it everywhere. Because even in research, you can see how it harms us more than it fixes us. To say the least about that. 

Just like Dr. Veroshk, several experts and LGBTQ+ activists have shared their view on different topics revolving around health and lifestyle. Our series My Health Agenda touches on every subject. Don’t miss it here.