May 23, 2012

Excerpts from Christian Concern article May 23, 2012: – “The British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) has this week informed a Christian counsellor that, following her appeal, she will still lose her senior accredited status, after she was tricked into provided counselling to a fake client who was secretly an undercover journalist.”

“However, the Appeal Panel reversed much of the original decision against the counsellor, Lesley Pilkington, and has now lessened the original sanctions against her.” …

“Although Mr Strudwick [the gay activist posing as a client] initially tried to use his complaint against Lesley to stop reparative therapy taking place in the UK, he was later forced to drop this approach and he told the BCAP in the appeal hearing that he was not seeking to challenge the efficiency of therapy for same-sex attraction. He had no evidence to establish that such therapy is not beneficial to some clients.”

“This leaves councillors free to continue providing this therapy to motivated clients. Mr Strudwick also failed to get Lesley’s membership of the BACP revoked.” …

“Andrea Minichiello Williams, CEO of the Christian Legal Centre, said: ‘An experienced counsellor who has spent so many years helping people has been put under investigation and dragged through the press following the deceit and aggression of a homosexual activist. Lesley has been penalised because she was targeted as a Christian and because she believes that people are free to choose to change their behaviour if they wish. For Patrick to seek to take away her professional accreditation and malign her in this way exposes the more sinister side of the homosexual lobby. It’s incredibly intolerant.’”

The full text can be found at http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/sexual-orientation/appeal-panel-rules-on-lesley-pilkington-case.