January 1, Supreme Court Ruling Shakes Up Youth Therapy Rules

Wyatt’s Take

• The Supreme Court protected a Christian counselor’s right to speak freely with clients.
• The 8-1 ruling struck down a Colorado law that restricted therapy options for minors.
• The decision challenges similar laws that limit talk therapy based on viewpoint.

The Supreme Court just protected the right of a Christian counselor to speak freely with her clients. In an 8-1 victory, the High Court struck down a Colorado law that tried to control what therapy options were available for minors.

Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote that the First Amendment serves as a shield against the government enforcing a specific way of thinking. He argued that every American has an inalienable right to speak their mind regardless of state mandates.

“But the First Amendment stands as a shield against any effort to enforce orthodoxy in thought or speech in this country. It reflects instead a judgment that every American possesses an inalienable right to think and speak freely, and a faith in the free marketplace of ideas as the best means for discovering the truth.”

The case centered on Kaley Chiles, a licensed professional counselor and committed Christian. She challenged the law because it prevented her from helping clients reach goals like becoming comfortable with their biological sex.

The Colorado law specifically banned any talk therapy aimed at changing sexual orientation or gender identity. However, the same law explicitly allowed and encouraged speech that supported gender transitions and identity exploration.

“As applied to Ms. Chiles, Colorado’s law regulates the content of her speech and goes further to prescribe what views she may and may not express, discriminating on the basis of viewpoint.”

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the lone dissenter, arguing that medical professional speech should be more strictly regulated by the state. The remaining eight justices agreed that the state cannot pick and choose which messages are legal for a counselor to share.

This ruling could impact similar laws in more than twenty other states across the country. Chiles stated she looks forward to helping young clients who want to grow comfortable with their own bodies without government interference.

“When my young clients come to me for counsel, they often want to discuss issues of gender and sexuality. I look forward to being able to help them when they choose the goal of growing comfortable with their bodies.”

Wyatt Matters

This is a major win for parents and people of faith who don’t want the government in the middle of private counseling sessions. It ensures that the state cannot force a radical agenda on our children by silencing common-sense Christian values.