Clinicians' descriptions of their experiences as sex offender therapists

Abstract

Scope and Method of Study: The purpose of this study is to explore the experience of sex offender therapists. It is to have them tell what is going on. This study is about how being a therapist that works with sex offenders is an unusual undertaking. The nature of treatment for sex offenders is very different from that found in a more typical client/therapist relationship. Twelve sex offender therapists were interviewed and asked to describe what they think about sex offenders, what it is like to work as a sex offender therapist, what affects does the work have on them and how do they manage those affects.

Findings and Conclusions: The participants in this study discussed how they attempt to understand sex offenders and the nature of sexual deviancy. They described how they attempt to use that understanding in their work with sex offenders. They described difficulties they experience attempting to relate to other people who they see as non-supportive of their work. They also gave extensive descriptions of how recurrent exposure to the traumatic content related to sexual assaults has a negative impact on them personally. Those negative effects were consistent with the concept of vicarious traumatization. The therapists' descriptions were discussed in terms of the symptoms of PTSD which are proposed as consistent on sub-clinical levels with vicarious traumatization. The sex offender therapists also discussed the measures they employ to alleviate the effects of vicarious traumatization. The most important of these measures was accessing the personal support of other sex offender therapists.