After Caleb Hill told his parents he was gay, he was kicked out of the house. He had been taught, growing up in a conservative Christian household in Tennessee, that his attraction to men was a grave sin.

Feeling isolated and depressed a few months later, Mr. Hill, then 22, thought therapy might help. He had heard podcast ads for BetterHelp, a company that provides therapy remotely and promises “a personalized therapist match that is tailored to your preferences and needs.”

His biggest concern was he missed his family. The therapist he was given, he says, recommended he try to stop being gay so he could go back to them. “He said if I chose to go back to who I was and deny those feelings, he could get me where I needed to be,” Mr. Hill said.

Mr. Hill had requested an LGBTQ+ therapist, a screenshot of his intake form shows. BetterHelp gave him one who didn’t specialize in LGBTQ+ issues, according to the provider’s profile on its website, and whose personal website says he practices Christian counseling.