The book “A Parent’s Guide to Preventing Homosexuality” by Joseph Nicolosi, published by InterVarsity Press in 2002, has been reprinted by Liberal Mind Publishers for a 2016 edition.
Maximizing the possibility of a heterosexual outcome is important to most parents. No one can guarantee such an outcome, but there is much a parent can do to lay the critically important foundation for a secure gender identity. When a boy joyfully embraces his own maleness, heterosexuality will likely follow. In this book, Dr. Nicolosi offers not only the best parenting techniques, and he adds a sobering new chapter on the health hazards associated with a gay lifestyle.
Below are the comments of some of his colleagues.
What Others are Saying About A Parent’s Guide to Preventing Homosexuality
As a parent of a once gay-identified daughter, I can vouch for the wisdom and value of a loving but truthful approach to this predicament.
No truly loving parent would wish a gay identity on any child. In those societies where gayness has been celebrated for many years, we see the same poor health outcomes, instability, high suicide rates, and shortened lives associated with the gay lifestyle which are seen today in our own society. The good news is that social science shows that over the lifespan, gay people of all faiths and no faith tend, in many cases, to gradually move toward heterosexuality. Life experiences and completion of the task of maturation and emotional development often delayed for a variety of reasons, are the likely driving facilitators of this process. In the end, those years represent lost potential for knowing the enjoyment of the kind of relationships for which individuals are designed.
Parents should never give up hope, nor become a part of the gay- affirming culture. A loving parent remains true to what is true about sexuality, and supportive of all welcomed means of help for their children. Such a parent remains a vital part of their child’s life and that of their child’s partners, regardless of where that takes them. Dr. Nicolosi’s book provides hope and much-needed scientific medical facts to guide them.
— Keith Vennum, MD, LMHC, Licensed physician practicing psychiatry; President-Elect, National Assn. of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality
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Dr. Nicolosi's book should be required reading for all future parents. His philosophical, psychological and scientific knowledge and experience are up-to-date and accurate on the topic of same-sex attraction and how to build young boys into strong men. I refer to his work many times during my work with psychiatric patients throughout the week. Dr. Nicolosi is truly an asset to the world community of psychology.
—Anthony Duk, MD, Psychiatrist; Board member, National Assn. of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality
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According to a 2016 CDC report, men who have sex with men are 79 times more likely to become HIV-positive than heterosexual men. This fact alone makes Dr. Nicolosi's book, Preventing Homosexuality, an invaluable resource for parents. The importance of gender-affirming parenting by mothers and fathers upon their children's emotional development cannot be underestimated.
This book should be required reading by all medical students, students of mental health, and healthcare providers alike.
— Michelle A. Cretella, MD, FCP, Board-certified pediatrician; Vice President, American College of Pediatricians; Board member, National Assn. of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality
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For over a decade I have shared Dr. Nicolosi's insights in media outlets, seminars, classrooms, and on-on-one therapy sessions. Over the years, countless parents have expressed immense appreciation for the difference this information has made in both preventing and transforming gender confusion in their children. All parents need this vital information, and not having it can be detrimental. In fact, I'll never forget one mother of a homosexual teenager who said, with tears streaming down her face, “Why didn't someone tell me this when my son was two years old?”
The pain of gender confusion is preventable. This book is the solution to that deep level of pain and regret. It is my hope that all parents will have the opportunity to read this book!
— Julie Harren Hamilton, Ph.D., LMFT, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist; Former President of the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality; co-editor of The handbook of therapy for unwanted homosexual attractions: A guide to treatment; former President, Palm Beach Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
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Too often in contemporary society, parents are confused about the important role they have in their children’s sexual-identity development and the potential consequences of overlooking that role. Joseph Nicolosi does a masterful job of presenting relevant scientific literature and clinical insights that may not be politically correct, but certainly will help many parents navigate this challenging terrain more successfully.
—Christopher Rosik, Ph.D., psychologist, Director of Research at Link Care Center, Fresno, CA, Clinical faculty member, Fresno Pacific University; author of over 45 peer-reviewed professional journal articles; former President of the Western Region of the Christian Association of Psychological Studies (CAPS); former President, National Assn. of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality
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This book is an invaluable resource for parents seeking guidance in raising children with the proper self-image. I have personally recommended it to parents who have come to me seeking guidance. In a world where there is so much distortion, confusion and misinformation regarding same-sex attraction, Dr. Nicolosi stands as beacon of light and truth regarding this critically important issue.
— Rabbi Avrohom Stulberger, President, Yeshiva Principals Council of Los Angeles, CA
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In this second edition of A Parent’s Guide to Preventing Homosexuality, Joseph Nicolosi boldly and effectively provide parents with research-derived information and practical strategies. It is aimed at parents who seek to advocate for their children against the limiting cultural narrative of a permanent sexual-attraction identity.
I don't know of a more important parenting book for our times.
—Carolyn Pela, Ph.D., psychologist, Chair of the Behavioral Studies Dept. and the Institutional Review Board at Arizona Christian University; President, National Assn. of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality