Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Health Professions
 
Board
Board of Counseling
 
chapter
Regulations Governing the Practice of Professional Counseling [18 VAC 115 ‑ 20]
Action Unprofessional conduct - conversion therapy
Stage NOIRA
Comment Period Ended on 8/7/2019
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8/4/19  7:20 pm
Commenter: Christopher Dangerfield

Interference with Counselors Violates Client Privacy Rights and Everyone's First Amendment Rights
 

Telling a counselor how they can and cannot help their clients interferes with the clients' rights as Americans, the counselors' abilities as trained professionals to help their patients, and all of our First Amendment rights as Americans to practice religion as we see fit. If the patients or their parents do not want to have a counselor with this mindset to help them, they are free to choose whomever they wish. But, the government should not have the ability to put their "hands" into these situations and tell someone what they can or cannot say or believe. That is only forcing someone to believe how they wish them to believe, think, speak, and act. This type of bullying is prevented by the First Amendment.

CommentID: 74995