Gay rights and mental health advocates in South Florida are trying to come up with new ways to fight conversion therapy, the practice of mental health counseling aimed at “curing” teenagers with unwanted feelings of homosexuality or questions about their gender identity. Reeling from a recent federal ruling that cleared the way for psychologists in the southeastern U.S. to offer the counseling, opponents are openly questioning whether the legal momentum has shifted so far to the right that court battles are doomed to fail. Critics of conversion therapy and counseling say it’s damaging to the mental health of youths seeking counseling, leading to feelings of guilt, self-harm and suicide. But the prospects for local and statewide bans appear dim, especially in the wake of a Supreme Court decision siding with church groups over anti-COVID restrictions in New York. With conversion therapy bans against the ropes, advocates say they are left with two options. The other is to find another approach to stop therapists who think homosexuality and transgenderism are disorders that can be cured in willing patients — a position rejected by American Psychiatric Association and other mental health groups.”,”type”:”text “There is no evidence that changing someone’s identity is possible,” said Palm Beach psychologist Rachel Needle. “Many youths grow up believing there’s something wrong with them. As therapists, our goal should be to help them in accepting their orientation and identity.”