There have been many positive changes since the days when not being heterosexual was viewed as a disease. However, other areas like gender identity are unfortunately sometimes still viewed through a pathological lens. Some of the main points to remember are:  Being LGBT is not an illness, and those who say it is are in disagreement with the findings of the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Medical Association. No science has backed up theories that being LGBT results from having parent problems during childhood. Therapists who still advocate that view are not only on dubious scientific footing, but are reinforcing the negative messages about being LGBT. Attempts to change someone's sexual orientation or gender identity are ineffective and harmful. Being LGBT in and of itself has not been found to be a source of mental illness or to result in rates of mental illness higher than the general population. Instead, stresses an individual faces from homophobia cause a great deal of mental anguish for LGBT people. Therapies that ignore this can increase rates of suicide, anxiety, and depression in the those being treated. Counselors who advertise as working within a certain religious structure are outwardly advertising that they will be using this as their value scaffolding in their therapy. This is not to say you cannot find a therapist who is both religious and LBGT-affirming, nor is it to say you can't be of a certain religion and also be LGBT. Talk to a potential therapist about their beliefs and values, and whether or not they have a moral stance on LBGT issues. If they are not supportive, then this is not the counselor for you. Do not allow anyone to try to change you to conform to their own religious morality. There are many therapists, religious and non-religious, who specialize in making you “normal” and turning you heterosexual. Be aware of their tactics and their terminologies so you can identify them. If your therapist does use any of these tactics or terminologies, you should probably go elsewhere. To help identify gay-conversion therapists, consider these questions:  Does the therapist insist you're a "confused heterosexual" and not respect your gender or sexual identity? Does the therapist spend a lot of time talking about how your parents treated you when you were very young? Does the therapist ignore your mental health concerns and insist you engage in gender “appropriate” activities? Does the therapist reject the idea that it's okay to be LGBT? When looking for a therapist, you need to be aware that not all therapists will be open and sympathetic to LGBT issues. If they are not sympathetic, your experience will probably not be a positive healing experience. There are a number of things you should consider and be aware of when you choose a therapist:  It's not safe to automatically assume potential therapists will be knowledgeable or sympathetic to LGBT issues. There are still many therapists and psychiatrists who may view LGBT people as inherently mentally ill, or troublesome, or in need of a "cure" for their identity. Therapists might not openly lead with their biases, but if you ask them directly you should be able to get a sense of where they stand on LGBT issues or the issues closest to your needs. You might also want to ask a potential therapist whether or not they themselves are comfortable sharing what their orientation is, and whether or not they are out of the closet. Some therapists will adhere to a professional standard of never disclosing their own orientation to their clients, and you may have to decide whether you would be okay with this.
Educate yourself on the current views of LGBT issues in the psychological community. Looks for a therapist who shares your values. Identify the terminology and techniques used by illegitimate, gay-conversion therapists. Look for signs that a therapist might not be sympathetic.