A man goes to see a counsellor because he is afraid of spiders. The councillor asks the man if he would like to be cured of his fear of spiders; the man says, “Yes”; the doctor asks the man if he was frightened by a spider as a child; the counsellor prays for the man.

After the session, the man, who had been recording everything, complained to the General Medical Council because the counsellor had done what he had asked him to do. The counsellor had failed to take into account that, in the land of the loonies, arachnophobia is a preferred lifestyle choice, a protected human right – and, anyway, there is an arachnophobia gene. The man won and the counsellor was roundly condemned, sanctioned and suspended: the verdict was unanimous.

Preposterous? Of course.

From here:

Two years ago, Patrick Strudwick began challenging therapists who claimed they could change a patient’s sexuality. This week he won his battle against one.

They described her as “reckless”, “disrespectful”, “dogmatic” and “unprofessional”. They said she showed “no empathy” towards her client. Why? Psychotherapist Lesley Pilkington had tried to turn a gay person straight.

In a landmark ruling this week, Pilkington, 60, was found guilty of “treating” a patient for his homosexuality. A hearing of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy – the largest professional body for therapists – concluded that the treatment she gave constituted “professional malpractice”.

The unanimous verdict came with heavy sanctions. Pilkington’s accreditation to the organisation was suspended. She was ordered to complete extensive training and professional development. If she does not file a report in six to 12 months, satisfying the board that she has complied, she will have her membership fully revoked: she will be struck off.

The report concluded: “Mrs Pilkington had allowed her personal preconceived views about gay lifestyle and sexual orientation to affect her professional relationship in a way that was prejudicial.”

The client Pilkington tried to cure was me. I am an out, happily gay man. I was undercover, investigating therapists who practise this so-called conversion therapy (also known as reparative therapy) – who try to “pray away the gay”. I asked her to make me straight. Her attempts to do so flout the advice of every major mental-health body in Britain.