Assignment task:
Compose a letter to a legislative member to persuade them to take a specific action on the topic of conversion therapy policy. In your letter, you should emphasize evidence and research-based reasoning to support your position. However, you should not completely disregard the use of anecdotal evidence from patients to emphasize the human and emotional elements of the subject. The use of rhetoric or other persuasive writing strategies is also recommended (see the Riverbend City: Making a Case With Solid Rhetoric media activity for extra practice if you have not already worked through the activity). Additionally, keep in mind that you are advocating from your role as a therapist on behalf of clients or populations you work with. While your personal feeling may or may not align specifically with the profession's platform on the issue, it is important that you are able to differentiate between your professional responsibilities and personal views.
In your letter, make sure to address the following:
Present your ethical obligation as a marriage and family therapist to advocate for marginalized populations, and scientifically grounded practice.
How do your professional and ethical codes guide you toward advocacy for marginalized populations and scientifically grounded practice?
Explain the risks to the identified population for which you are seeking legislative protection.
How do these risks endanger or negatively impact individuals from this population?
Why do these risks warrant legislative protection? Need Assignment Help?
Explain how therapeutic interventions grounded in best practices promote help-seeking and optimal development among individuals, couples, and families.
What are examples of systemic therapeutic interventions grounded in best practices?
What is the evidence that these interventions promote help-seeking and optimal development among individuals, couples, and families?
How is this relevant to the population and issue you are writing about?
Advocate for specific legislative or policy action on the grounds of its benefits for a specific population.
What is the specific legislative or policy action?
What are its benefits for a specific population?
Why are these benefits worthy of the time and resources to create new legislation or policy?
What are the risks of not taking legislative or policy action?
Present an argument for an advocacy issue that is persuasive and respectful, and promotes interdisciplinary collaboration between therapists and relevant governmental offices.
Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.
Apply the standard writing conventions for the discipline, including structure, voice, person, and tone.