April 1, 2026
This week, the US Supreme Court ruled to strike down a Colorado law that banned conversion therapy for minors. By lifting the ban, this ruling will allow licensed therapists to attempt to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of young people—subjecting LGBTQ+ youth to dangerous and discredited practices that may cause significant harm.
The number of LGBTQ+ youth subjected to conversion therapy is increasing. Reports of young people being threatened with conversion therapy doubled, from 11 percent to 22 percent from 2023 to 2025, according to a study from the Trevor Project. LGBTQ+ youth subject to these practices are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide compared to their peers.
As mental health professionals, art therapists aim to provide specialized, supportive environments that affirm a young person’s identity and help them explore their own identities through art. LGBTQ+ youth often face trauma—as well as bullying and discrimination—and the creative process helps them externalize these feelings in a safe, structured environment.
The Supreme Court’s decision to treat conversion therapy as constitutionally protected speech will put young lives at risk. These practices are proven to cause psychological harm. Such practices have been rejected by every mainstream medical and mental health organization, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the American Counseling Association, the American Psychological Association, and the National Association of Social Workers. Furthermore, more than 23 states (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) all have laws or regulations protecting youth from this dangerous practice.
The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) is deeply concerned by this decision. We embrace and affirm individuals within the LGBTQ+ spectrums of sexual orientation and gender-expansive and transgender individuals, as aligned in our Values Statement. AATA supports therapeutic interventions that foster healthy development across the lifespan of LGBTQ+ individuals—and strongly opposes so-called treatments claiming to alter sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.