Richard A. Cohen

Richard A. Cohen (born 1952) is an author, and promoter of conversion therapy. Cohen founded Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and was its president, and founded the International Healing Foundation and promotes his theories on sexual orientation change efforts for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. Cohen, who lived with a gay identity in his youth, underwent years of psychotherapy in an attempt to heal childhood issues which he felt had led to his homosexual feelings. He says that his therapy and personal growth helped him to understand his same-sex attractions, and to eventually transition to heterosexuality.