Treatment Makes a Difference in Providing Community Safety
James Prager, MSW & Matthew Rosenberg, LMSW | September 22 | 11:15 am-12:15 pm
Topic: Direct Service| Knowledge Level: Intermediate
Child sexual abuse is often referred to as a parent’s worst nightmare. People who abuse children are often considered monsters who can never change. At last year's IHTSJ Conference, one comment expressed surprise that pedophilia might be incurable but is treatable. This presentation focuses on how treatment works, barriers to successful treatment, and promoting community healing and safety. This can be a difficult population to work with due to existing stereotypes among professionals as well as the public. Those relatively few therapists who do work with pedophilia feel responsible not only to the clients but to the community at large because recidivism is unacceptable. It is also a challenge to work with individuals who engage in such behavior. Even other therapists and family may question the motivation of therapists working with child sexual abusers. It is equally true that child sexual abusers have learned how to manage and redirect these impulses and it is very satisfying to see the major changes in thinking and behavior over time. These successful individuals have the ability to become ambassadors to how therapy works and share this with family, friends, and community. The goal becomes working with a difficult population, confronting denial and minimization, and developing the social, cognitive, and emotional qualities needed to manage sexual impulses and provide an improved quality of life. The use of a demonstration therapy session will clarify how to break through denial and promote pro social thinking and behavior bringing to participants why treatment is a critical component of community safety.
Presentation Objectives:
· Demonstrate the importance of working with child sexual abusers
· Demonstrate the implementation of treatment goals
· Address the unique challenges of working with this population
Address the importance of preventing future abuse