Program Philosophy and Purpose

​

Through the use of best practice models based on the most current research to reduce offender recidivism and increase offender accountability to victims and the community. To assist clients in successfully integrating into society with supervision, increased knowledge and understanding of healthy human sexuality, and safety for others.  To provide victims and families with the most effective treatment and healing processes.

​

It is clearly understood that clients enter this program only after understanding they have a problem or engaged in problem sexual behavior through actual behavior or fantasy.  Clients understand that they are expected to fully cooperate with treatment, will avoid all further sexually abusive behaviors, and will commit to a lifestyle in which all sexual activity is legal, age-appropriate, consenting, and motivated by a genuine concern for the emotional welfare of all persons involved. Participating in this program requires extensive investment in learning the traumatizing impacts of abusive sexual behaviors.

​

It is our philosophy that each client who enters this program has the ability to change and increase his/her safety to the community.  We also believe that clients already have some inherent strengths that will assist in being successful in this process. 

​

It is also the belief of this program that problem sexual behavior is not accidental, spontaneous or out of character in your life.  While alcohol, drugs, stress and other factors may be used as excuses or disinhibitors, problem sexual behavior is caused by a “deviant” sexual interest and by your decision to put personal pleasure goals above any concern for the welfare of the potential victims involved.  Problem sexual behavior is, for the most part, preplanned and reflect a broader pattern of self-defeating behaviors and attitudes in your life.  Unless corrected, these patterns tend to be cyclical.  Treatment requires an understanding of each stage of the “acting out” cycle and identification of the attitudes and behaviors with respectful, self-empowering alternatives designed to increase potential for healthy forms of intimacy and decrease risk of relapse into offense-related behaviors. 

​

The program is divided into 5 modules.  Each module focuses on a different aspect of the treatment.  The modules consist of:

​

Module #1: Engaging in Treatment, Early Childhood Foundation and Full Disclosure of Sexual Behavior

The objectives of this module are as follows:

​

• Get oriented to the treatment program

• Gain a personal investment in the treatment program

• Understand how change happens

• Exploring early experiences that have shaped who you are

• Fully disclosing past sexual misbehavior

• Take and pass either sex history polygraph or instant offense polygraph
   

Module #2: Identifying and Understanding Patterns of Offending and Managing Deviant Arousal

​

The objectives of this module are as follows:

​

• Clarifying what was inappropriate and “abusive” about your behavior

• Identifying how the offender may have engaged and groomed victim(s)

• Fully disclose the extent of sexual misbehavior with victim(s)

• Understanding and identifying how the offender may have planned and schemed to commit your sexual misbehavior

• Understand and control any deviant sexual arousal that may be present. Develop scripts to assist in this process

• Conduct minimal arousal conditioning sessions or other strategies to redirect inappropriate sexual interests

• Begin to develop healthy sexuality through fantasy and scripting
   

Note regarding this module:  Not all offenders will engage in arousal re-conditioning.  This is decided on a case by case basis.  Minimal arousal conditioning is typically used with offenders where deviant or paraphillic arousal is present.  This module is individualized for each offender.

​

Module #3: Understanding Thinking Errors, Mistaken Beliefs and The Offense Cycle

​

The objectives of this module are as follows:

​

• Continue to understand the change process

• Understanding Mistaken Core Beliefs and Thinking Errors

• Connecting thinking errors used to commit sexual misbehavior

• Understanding the origins of mistaken core beliefs

• Identify and use clear strategies to intervene in thinking errors and mistaken core beliefs

• Clearly understand each stage of the offense cycle

• Identify thinking errors that go with each stage

• Identify how the offender experienced the offense cycle…then…and now

• Identify clear strategies to recognize and intervene in the offense cycle
   

Note: This module has 2 parts: the second section focuses specifically on the offense cycle.

​

Module #4: Victim Empathy

The objectives of this module are as follows:

​

• understanding the effects the abusive behavior has had and will continue to have on victim

• Understanding the effects of the abusive behavior on the secondary victims and the community

• Taking steps toward reunification with family when appropriate

• Take full responsibility with victims through the clarification process when appropriate
   

Module #5: Relapse Prevention and Healthy Lifestyle Changes (The “Good Lives” focus)

​

The objectives of this module are as follows:

​

• Developing a life long plan to manage sexual misbehavior, thinking errors and faulty beliefs

• Maintaining healthy sexuality and healthy relationships

• Identifying a plan or project that is consistent with community responsibility and/or “giving back” to society

• Make efforts to engage in healthy lifestyle behaviors
   

It is estimated that if a client works at a reasonable pace and has no “interfering” circumstances, the offender can complete the primary treatment program within a year to 18 months.  

​

The Use of Clinical Polygraph:

​

It is understood that during this program, a summary of past sexual behaviors and self-reporting of ongoing sexual activity will be reviewed through clinical polygraph.  It is understood that the primary purposes of such polygraphs are to assist in staying motivated, honest, to avoid further problem sexual behaviors and to help gradually regain the appropriate trust of family and community.  It is understood that inability to produce a non-deceptive polygraph may be cause for involuntarily terminated from treatment.  It is understood that clients must be completely honest in treatment or treatment may not be effective.

​

Assessment and treatment of Deviant Arousal: 

​

It is understood that physiological assessment of arousal patterns utilizing the Abel Assessment and penile plethysmography is a component of this program.  It is understood that counter-conditioning of deviant sexual arousal is also a component of this program.  Clients are expected to seriously invest in the tasks of identifying and counter-conditioning deviant sexual arousal.  Treatment may involve the utilization of an erotic short script, covert sensitization, and offense re-enactments are to amplify the responsibility of offense and to prepare for clarification, and emotional restitution.  Clients may be asked to undergo arousal re-reconditioning through use of olfactory aversion treatment. 

​

Group treatment is the primary delivery of this program.  Individual and family therapy is strongly encouraged.  Chaperon training is available and encouraged as well.  Most people who enter this program are mandated by an oversight agency to participate in sex offender treatment, however, we do accept clients who are voluntary and not mandated to treatment.