Critical Update: How New Laws in Colorado are Changing Sex Therapy in 2026

On March 31, 2026, the landscape of mental health and sexual freedom in Colorado shifted significantly. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy for minors, combined with the rollout of new age-verification laws, has left many people asking: Is conversion therapy legal in Colorado again? And more importantly, how do these political changes impact my ability to find safe, inclusive sex therapy?

If you have noticed a “nose dive” in the accessibility of sexual health resources or felt a new wave of anxiety about seeking support, you aren’t alone. These laws don’t just live in courtrooms; they also unfortunately live in our bodies, and in our bedrooms.

What the 2026 Supreme Court Ruling Means for Conversion Therapy in Colorado

The recent 8-1 Supreme Court decision ruled that “talk therapy” aiming to change a minor’s sexual orientation or gender identity is protected under First Amendment free speech. While this was argued as a win for “counselor speech,” the reality for the LGBTQ+ community is much more complex.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the lone dissenter in the March 2026 Supreme Court ruling that weakened Colorado’s conversion therapy ban in Chiles v. Salazer. Jackson warned the ruling “opens a dangerous can of worms” that risks “grave harm to Americans’ health and well-being”. She argued it could usher in “unprofessional and unsafe medical care” and threatens to impair states’ ability to regulate professional medical practices.

For years, major medical and mental health organizations have stood against conversion therapy (APA, 2009). Why? Because research consistently shows it is not only ineffective but deeply harmful. Previous studies on conversion therapy have linked the practice to:

• Significant increases in depression and anxiety.
• Higher risks of self-harm and suicide.
• Long-term post-traumatic stress (PTSD).

By overturning the ban on conversion therapy in Colorado in 2026, the court has created a climate that feels much less safe for vulnerable youth. Therapy should be a place of unfolding personal truth, not a place where you are forced back into a box that doesn’t fit.

Photo by Getty Images, from the BBC article “US Supreme Court strikes down Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy”

How Age-Verification Laws are Impacting Sex Therapy

While the headlines are focused on the Supreme Court, another set of laws is quietly making it harder for adults to access sexual health information. Since 2023, nearly half of U.S. states, including Colorado, have moved toward mandatory age verification for sites containing material deemed “harmful to minors.”

While these laws are marketed as a way to protect children from pornography, the definitions are often so vague that they catch sex educators and therapists in the crossfire. According to a recent report by the Woodhull Freedom Foundation (2026), the collateral damage is already happening:

• 73% of sex educators are concerned these laws will directly impact their practice or resources.
• 1 in 3 educators in states with mandates say their work has already been hindered.
• 58% of professionals fear these laws will be used to restrict access to non-explicit, vital information about gender and sexual health.

Dr. Rosalyn Dischiavo, founder and director of the Institute for Sex Education and Enlightenment, stated that early in 2026, several online resources used for educational purposes were no longer available, likely due to increased censorship in this current climate of tightening restrictions. There have been previous waves where we have seen similar tightenings, for example, the “Don’t Say Gay” curriculum movement between 2022 and 2024.

Why is it Harder to Find a Sex Therapist Lately?

If you’ve been looking for a therapist and noticed fewer options, or if you are a practitioner and have felt a dip in the “energy” of the field, your intuition is correct. Both therapists and clients may feel a sense of “bracing” in their nervous systems during this time. This bracing makes it harder to reach out for help. This can show up in the form of real world challenges such as:

1. Privacy Concerns: Age-verification often requires digital IDs or facial biometrics, making people feel “watched” when they seek sexual health resources.
2. Censorship: Therapists who provide life-saving education online are being flagged or hidden by algorithms trying to comply with vague “harmful to minors” definitions.
3. Accessibility: As it becomes harder for educators to host resources, the menu of available options for intimacy and education shrinks. Abstinence-only education, which is shown to be ineffective at delaying sexual initiation or reducing teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates (Silva, 2018), becomes more prevalent.

We all deserve better sex education than the abstinence-only options that Coach Carr offered in the 2004 film, Mean Girls.

Protecting Your Access to Sexual Wellness

Sex therapy is an essential part of holistic wellness. When our right to speak freely about our bodies is challenged, our overall health suffers. It is all connected.

The good news is that even in a shifting political climate, inclusive, somatic-centered sex therapy remains a space for healing. My practice continues to prioritize your privacy, your autonomy, and your right to an identity that feels like home.

If you are feeling the weight of these changes, whether it’s anxiety over the conversion therapy Colorado 2026 ruling or frustration with digital barriers, know that your desire for a healthy, vibrant sex life is still valid and still worth fighting for.

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Seeking a Safe Space for Therapy?

In light of these changes, finding a provider who understands the social, political, and somatic nuances of sexual health is more important than ever. I offer therapy for individuals and couples looking to navigate these complexities in a safe, non-judgmental environment.

Book a free 20-minute consultation here to start your journey.

To learn more about the impact of these laws, or how to become an advocate, visit the Woodhull Freedom Foundation.

References:

American Psychological Association, Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation. (2009). Report of the Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation. https://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/therapeutic-response.pdf

Dischiavo, R. (2026, January 16). Sexual Attitude Reassessment [Live presentation]. Institute for Sex Education and Enlightenment. https://instituteforsexuality.com/.

Silva, J. M. (2018). Abstinence and abstinence-only education. Journal of Adolescent Health, 61(3), 273–280. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5913747/.

Woodhull Freedom Foundation. (2026, April 2). Report: Age-Verification Laws Impacting Sex Educators. https://www.woodhullfoundation.org/press-release/report-age-verification-sex-educators/.