“This ruling is a major victory for free speech and religious liberty in Virginia,” said Josh Hetzler, legal counsel for the Founding Freedoms Law Center. “Counselors should not be punished for having conversations that align with their faith and professional judgment.”
Under the court-approved agreement, the Virginia Board of Counseling and other regulatory bodies are barred from penalizing licensed professionals for offering such counseling, so long as it remains non-coercive and talk-based. Practices involving physical harm, like electric shock or aversive treatments, remain prohibited.
Virginia became the first Southern state to ban conversion therapy in 2020, joining more than 20 other states in outlawing the practice for minors. The ban was supported by major medical organizations—including the American Medical Association and American Psychiatric Association—which deem conversion therapy ineffective and psychologically harmful. These groups have expressed concern over the ruling, warning that it could endanger vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth.
“This decision could open the floodgates for counselors to impose harmful ideologies under the guise of care,” said Dr. Marcus Lewis, a Richmond-based child psychologist. “We know from research that such practices increase anxiety, depression, and even suicidal ideation in young people.”
Advocates of LGBTQ+ rights have condemned the court’s decision, calling it a dangerous regression that undermines hard-won protections. “This is not about free speech—it’s about protecting children from pseudoscience and prejudice,” said Equality Virginia in a statement. “We will continue to fight to reinstate these vital protections.”
The court ruling echoes a recent national conversation about the limits of government regulation versus individual liberties. It follows a broader trend of legal challenges to conversion therapy bans in other states, including cases in Florida and Colorado, some of which may soon reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
As of now, the ruling applies to all licensed counselors in Virginia. While it may not entirely dismantle the ban on conversion therapy, it strikes at its core by allowing the most common form—verbal counseling—to continue without legal consequence.
