June 20, 2007
Media Contact: Rick Moore
415-314-8952
rmoore.rockway@alliant.edu

Rockway Institute to Participate in Ex-Gay Survivors’ Conference

Rockway Institute, a national center for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) research and public policy, will participate in the Ex-Gay Survivors’ Conference, co-sponsored by Soulforce, beyondexgay.com, and the LGBT Resource Center at the University of California, Irvine on June 29 to July 1, 2007.

Rockway Institute seeks to convey accurate scientific and professional information about LGBT issues to the media, lawmakers and the courts in order to improve the development of public policy. The Institute has assembled a group of prominent experts who can provide information based on the legitimate research findings for a variety of LGBT issues, including so-called “conversion therapy.”

“Rockway is pleased to work with Soulforce in its efforts to counter the false and misleading statements of right-wing groups about conversion therapy. During years of clinical practice, we have seen countless examples of the damage caused by these misguided efforts.  We can help the public and the news media understand that the scientific research has yielded overwhelming evidence that such methods do not work in terms of changing people’s underlying orientations, and the attempt to change can be harmful,” said Robert-Jay Green, PhD, executive director. 

Rockway Institute Fellows participating in the Ex-Gay Survivors’ Conference are:

Ron Durán, PhD, associate professor of psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP), a part of Alliant International University, in Los Angeles. CSPP is the largest non-profit doctoral program in psychology in the United States. Dr. Durán is the author of more than 20 articles and book chapters on health psychology related phenomena and has conducted research under grants from the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute and the Susan G. Koman Foundation. He is also a board member of the Los Angeles Latino Caucus on HIV/AIDS.

Robert-Jay Green, PhD, executive director of the Rockway Institute and distinguished professor in the Clinical Psychology PhD Program at CSPP. Among his more than 70 publications are two co-edited books:  R.-J. Green & J. L. Framo (Eds.), Family Therapy: Major Contributions (New York: International Universities Press, 1981); and J. Laird & R.-J. Green (Eds.), Lesbians and Gays in Couples and Families (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Wiley, 1996).  In 1998, Dr. Green received the award for Significant Contributions to the Study of Family Diversity from the Division of Family Psychology, American Psychological Association.  He also received the 2001 award for Distinguished Contributions to Family Systems Research from the American Family Therapy Academy. 

Dr. Durán will participate in Survivors’ Conference activities on Saturday, June 30 and again Sunday, July 1. Dr. Green will participate in a panel discussion on mental health issues on Sunday, July 1.

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Media interested in talking to Drs. Green and Durán should contact Rick Moore, rmoore.rockway@alliant.edu or 415-314-8952.