Treatment of Sexual Behavior Problems

Jennifer Shaw, Psy.D.

Program Goals

A comprehensive and specialized assessment process informs treatment planning for children with sexual behavior problems and their families.  This one-day intensive places special emphasis on guiding parents and caretakers to provide nurturing supervision and empathic care, and offering specific ways to engage children and caretakers in treatment designed to enhance their relationships.  A variety of play therapy strategies are provided and practiced as well as integrative, family-focused approaches to treatment. A 12-session treatment model (Boundary Project) is discussed and practiced session by session.  A copy of the Boundary Project curriculum will be provided to all participants.

Specifically, this program will:

  • Define sexual behavior problems
  • Differentiate between normative sex play and problem sexual behaviors
  • Discuss the family context of problem sexual behaviors, that is, look at factors that might increase or decrease risk factors
  • Describe a child-friendly assessment process that utilizes play therapy for young children with sexual behavior problems
  • Provide a treatment model with specific play therapy approaches and activities designed to engage children in self disclosure and self exploration of sexual behavior problems
  • Discuss the advancement of treatment goals using a combination of play therapy and CBT-based approaches
  • Discuss a number of play therapy resources for working with children’s sexual behavior problems

Program Schedule

9:00- 09:30 Introductions and review of assessment of sexual behaviors
09:30 -10:00 Atypical vs. Typical psychosexual development and behaviors
10:00 -10:30 Boundary Project curriculum: Rationale and research-informed components of session structure, format, and target concepts
10:30 -10:45 BREAK
10:45 - 12:00 Review of play therapy and CBT strategies with parents and children
12:00 - 01:00 LUNCH
01:00 - 2:30 Continue session by session Boundary Project model
02:30 - 2:45 BREAK
02:45 - 4:00 Continue session by session training, including use of play and expressive arts strategies to engage children, parents, and promoting parent-child relationships; case illustration and discussion

Course Objectives

By the end of the course participants will be able to:

  • Define problem sexual behaviors
  • Provide four criteria for differentiating between normative sexual play and problem sexual behaviors
  • List four play therapy treatment strategies
  • Give a rationale for the integration of play therapy and CBT-based strategies when working with children with sexual behavior problems
  • Describe two research-informed components included in the boundary project model
  • List two ways to address safety and supervision concerns
  • Discuss pros and cons of individual play therapy versus group play therapy

Participant References

Friedrich, W. N. (2007). Children with Sexual Behavior Problems. New York: Norton

Gil, E. & Johnson, T. C. (1993). Sexualized Children: Assessment and Treatment of Sexualized Children and Children who Molest. Launch Press.

Gil, E., & Shaw, J. (2014). Working with Children with Sexual Behavior Problems. New York, Guildford Press.

Silovsky, J. F., Swisher, L. M., Widdifield, Jr., J. & Burris, L. (2011). Clinical considerations when children have problematic sexual behavior. In Paris Goodyear-Brown (Ed.), Handbook of child sexual abuse: Identification, assessment, and treatment (pp. 401-428). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

General Course Information

This course is limited to 15 participants and is designed to facilitate experiential work, group discussion, and processing of clinical material.  Participants will have ample opportunity to discuss their specific needs and clinical questions.  Participant feedback will be sought out throughout the day.

Clinical case discussions will adhere to HIPPA regulations regarding client confidentiality.

Target audience is Mental Health Professionals: Social Workers, Psychologists, Licensed Professional Counselors and Licensed marriage and Family Therapists.

The program is Beginning Level

This event is sponsored by Starbright Training Institute.  Starbright Training Institute is approved by the Association for Play Therapy to offer continuing education specific to play therapy (APT Provider No. 96-029).

Continuing Education Credit is pending through Commonwealth Educational Seminars for the following professions:

It is the participant's responsibility to check with their individual state boards to verify CE requirements for their state.

Psychologists:

Commonwealth Educational Seminars is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Commonwealth Educational Seminars maintains responsibility for these programs and their content.

Licensed Professional Counselors/Licensed Mental Health Counselors:

Commonwealth Educational Seminars (CES) is entitled to award continuing education credit for Licensed Professional Counselors/Licensed Mental Health Counselors. Please visit CES CE CREDIT to see all states that are covered for LPCs/LMHCs. CES maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Social Workers:

Commonwealth Educational Seminars (CES) is entitled to award continuing education credit for Social Workers. Please visit CES CE CREDIT to see all states that are covered for Social Workers. CES maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

If applicable: Social Workers – New York State

Commonwealth Educational Seminars is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers. #SW-0444.

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists:

Commonwealth Educational Seminars (CES) is entitled to award continuing education credit for Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists. Please visit CES CE CREDIT to see all states that are covered for LMFTs. CES maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Grievance Policy

Commonwealth Educational Seminars (CES) seeks to ensure equitable treatment of every person and to make every attempt to resolve grievances in a fair manner. Please submit a written grievance to: Myriam Goldin, LCSW; RPT-S, Director of Starbright Training Institute.  Phone:  703-980-2886.  Email: starbright.inst@outlook.com   Web Page: starbrighttraininginstitute.com

Grievances would receive, to the best of our ability, corrective action in order to prevent further problems.

Accommodations for the Differently Abled

Starbright Training Institute’s training facilities are handicap accessible. Individuals needing special accommodations please contact the Director of Starbright Training Institute. See contact information above.

For information about continuing education credit, fees, and deadlines for cancellations/refunds, please see https://starbrighttraininginstitute.com/. It is the participant's responsibility to check with their individual state boards to verify CE requirements for their state.

Myriam Goldin, LCSW; RPT-S, is Director of Starbright Training Institute.

Phone:  703-980-2886.

Email: starbright.inst@outlook.com

Web Page: starbrighttraininginstitute.com

Course Instructor Contact Information

Name: Dr. Jennifer Shaw

Bio: http://www.gilinstitute.com/about/team/shaw.php

Website:  www.gilinstitute.com

Email:      jshaw@gilinstitute.com

Phone:     704.402.7232