Conference Program
8:30 – 8:45am: Welcome – ILATSA President Chad Brownfield, Ph.D
8:45am – 12:00pm: Keynote
Title: Assessing and Building Protective Factors when Working with Men who have Committed Sex Offenses
Presenters: Dr. David Thornton
Room: Building E, E121 Dining Room
Summary: This three-hour presentation will explain the Protective Factors approach and contrast it to the traditional risk-focused approach to assessment and treatment. The main forms of empirically identified protective factors will be described and their relation to risk factors explored. Information about existing measures of protective factors will be briefly summarized. The SAPROF-SO (Structured Assessment of Protective Factors against Sexual Offending) will be described in more detail. Particular emphasis will be on whether there is really evidence that protective factors assessed through the SAPROF-SO are associated with lower rates of sexual recidivism and whether this really adds to risk assessment based on static actuarial instruments like Static-99R. Ways of using the SAPROF-SO in case management, therapy planning and the assessment of progress will be described and illustrated with case examples. The presentation will consider whether assessing protective factors could replace dynamic risk assessment. Finally, a model that integrates assessment of protective factors with the Good Lives framework will be explained and illustrated with a case example.
12:00 – 1:00pm: Lunch Break – Provided with conference registration
1:00 – 2:30pm: AFTERNOON BREAKOUTS
Session A: Projecting to Lifetime Sexual Recidivism
Presenter: Dr. David Thornton
Room: Building E, E121 Dining Room
Summary: One of the functions afforded by the Time-Free Calculator (Thornton et al. 2021) is to allow an evaluator to project a lifetime sexual recidivism rate from a fixed short-term sexual recidivism rate. This session seeks to better equip evaluators to use the Time-Free Calculator to project a lifetime sexual recidivism rates. More specifically it will: (1) Review, explain, and clarify the underlying research; (2) Explain how projection works and what aspects of the research it is based on; (3) Offer ways of describing projection that may be more intelligible to a judge or a jury; (4) Evaluate common critiques of this method of projection and suggest ways of responding to them; (5) Identify genuine limitations of the method and suggest kinds of future research which could be helpful in refining it.
Session B: Understanding Problematic Sexual Behavior in Individuals on the Autism Spectrum: Clinical Approaches and Ethical Considerations
Presenter: Kate Sutton, LCSW, LSOTP, LSOTE, MEd
Room: Building E, E100 Breakout Room
Summary: This session explores the intersection of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and problematic sexual behavior (PSB), providing clinicians with a deeper understanding of the unique challenges faced by this population. We will examine common behaviors, contributing factors, and the neurodevelopmental differences that may lead to misinterpretations of social cues. Emphasizing ethical and effective treatment approaches, this presentation will offer strategies for managing PSB within the context of ASD, including behavioral interventions, psychoeducation, and the importance of clear communication and boundary-setting. Participants will leave with practical tools for assessment and intervention, as well as insights into promoting healthy, respectful relationships.
Session C: Building Bridges with Protective Factors from Custody to the Community
Presenter: Sarah Brown-Foiles, LCSW, LSOTP, LSOE
Room: Building E, E106 Breakout Room
Summary: This presentation will review the last five years of the Illinois Department of Corrections’ strategy for providing transitional housing for individuals on the sex offender registry – the Intensive Community Reentry Program (ICRP). The theoretical constructs, frameworks, most recent relevant research, and the many challenges will be discussed in regard to successful reintegration and lowering recidivism rates for individuals with a history of sexual offending.
Session D: Good Lives Model Life Plans & Art Therapy (3-hour session)
Presenter: Libby Fisher, ATR, LCPC; Dr. Mark Carich, LCPC
Room: Building E, E108 Breakout Room
Summary: Participants will learn an overview of the history of the GLM and its strengths-based approach. Presenters will expand on GLM needs for clients. This presentation will help clinicians assist clients in identifying and developing coherent life plans. Participants will learn about art therapy techniques to be used in conjunction with life plans and good lives model concepts. The focus of the presentation will be the clinical application of utilizing life plans in therapy.
Session E: Applying the Concept of Moral Injury to Sexual Abusers
Presenter: Deb Nickerson, PsyD, LSOE, LSOTP
Room: Building E, E201 Breakout Room (second floor)
Summary: The breakout session will explore this recently highlighted phenomenon of Moral Injury. It has been described as: “the experience of sustained and enduring negative moral emotions – guilt, shame, contempt and anger – which results from the betrayal, violation or suppression of deeply held or shared moral values.” (www.durham.ac.uk/research/current/thought-leadership/understanding-moral-injury) It has been documented in persons working in many settings, including military, healthcare, veterinary services, first responders, law enforcement and others. But I posit that this experience and diagnosis has relevance for the sexual abusers that we in ILATSA work with. Integrating the research, concepts and treatment approaches used to work with others may be valuable for those of us working with sexual abusers, and provide us additional trauma sensitive resources to apply in our treatment.
2:30 – 3:00pm: Break with snack
3:00-4:30pm: AFTERNOON BREAKOUTS
Session F: Combining the STABLE with Static Actuarial Instruments
Presenter: Dr. David Thornton
Room: Building E, E121 Dining Room
Summary: The current Evaluators’ Workbook for the STABLE-2007 provides tables that allow five-year sexual recidivism estimates to be determined when combining STABLE-2007 scores with any of Static-99R, Static-2002R, or Risk Matrix 2000. The session explains limitations of these tables when used to estimate sexual recidivism rates and important biases that can result from these limitations. It then describes work undertaken to allow ways of combining instruments that are less subject to these biases. Improved methods for combining Static-99R and Risk Matrix 2000 with the STABLE-2007 will be demonstrated.
Session G: Clinical Supervision in the Field of Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse.
Presenters: Lindsey Liddicoat, LCPC, CADC
Room: Building E, E100.01 Breakout Room
Summary: Supervising probation officers requires a proactive approach to preventing burnout. This presentation provides supervisors with practical tools and strategies to foster a resilient team environment. Topics covered will include: identifying risk factors for burnout, promoting work-life balance, enhancing communication and support, implementing stress-reduction techniques, and fostering a culture of self-care.
Session H: Illinois State Police – Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act
Presenter: Captain Scott Watkins, Illinois State Police
Room: Building E, E106 Breakout Room
Summary: This presentation will cover Illinois compiled statutes related to the IL Sex Offender Registry and the Murder and Violent Offender Against Youth Registry. Sex offender registry requirements for adjudicated delinquents (juveniles) will be covered as well as residency and loitering restrictions for child sex offenders.
Session I: Good Lives Model Life Plans & Art Therapy, continued (3 hours)
Presenters: Libby Fisher, ATR, LCPC; Dr. Mark Carich, LCPC
Room: Building E, E108 Breakout Room
Summary: This is part 2 of this session. Participants will learn an overview of the history of the GLM and its strengths-based approach. Presenters will expand on GLM needs for clients. This presentation will help clinicians assist clients in identifying and developing coherent life plans. Participants will learn about art therapy techniques to be used in conjunction with life plans and good lives model concepts. The focus of the presentation will be the clinical application of utilizing life plans in therapy.
Session J: Applying the Concept of Moral Injury to Sexual Abusers, continued (3 hours)
Presenter: Deb Nickerson, PsyD, LSOE, LSOTP
Room: Building E, E201 Breakout Room (second floor)
Summary: This is part 2 of the session: The breakout session will explore this recently highlighted phenomenon of Moral Injury. It has been described as: “the experience of sustained and enduring negative moral emotions – guilt, shame, contempt and anger – which results from the betrayal, violation or suppression of deeply held or shared moral values.” (www.durham.ac.uk/research/current/thought-leadership/understanding-moral-injury) It has been documented in persons working in many settings, including military, healthcare, veterinary services, first responders, law enforcement and others. But I posit that this experience and diagnosis has relevance for the sexual abusers that we in ILATSA work with. Integrating the research, concepts and treatment approaches used to work with others may be valuable for those of us working with sexual abusers, and provide us additional trauma sensitive resources to apply in our treatment.
8:30 – 8:45am: Welcome
8:45am – 12:00pm: Keynote
Title: Culturally Informed Practice: Where We Are We Heading?
(This session fulfills the requirement of Cultural Competence CEUs for clinical licenses)
Presenter: Tyffani Monford Dent, Psy.D.
Room: Building E, E121 Dining Room
Summary: Forget the public debates. Forget the culture wars. Don’t get caught up in the critiques that don’t cite research. All you have to do is look at the huge body of research showing the dramatic racial disparities in criminal justice, education, and even mental health. The take home point is that our clients, our communities, and many of our colleagues are suffering due to these disparities and the explicit lack of care, concern, compassion, and empathy. What’s worse is that this is not a controversial statement. All you have to do is ask.
12:00-1:00pm: Lunch break – Provided with Conference Registration
Session K: Culturally informed practices in family work
(This session fulfills the requirement of Cultural Competence CEUs for clinical licenses)
Presenter: Tyffani Monford Dent, Psy.D.
Room: Building E, Room E121 Dining Room
Summary: This workshop addresses the issue of adolescents sexually abusing others in their family. Decades of science and practice have shown that sexual abuse within families cannot be addressed effectively by any single discipline. Working with families (and other caretakers) in which sexual abuse has occurred can require expertise in many areas, including understanding the effects of abuse on those who are victimized as well as other family members. It also requires that we understand the elements of the adolescent’s life that led him or her to abuse. As well, professionals need to understand the factors that may contribute to further abuse if there is no intervention as well as the factors that can help to prevent it from happening again. This workshop will address the systemic collaboration necessary to work with families after sexual harm has occurred. It addresses areas such as addressing client responsibility, family therapy, and how to conduct family reunification. It will involve audience discussion and case examples.
Session L: The gap – Addressing the missing trauma component in sex offender-specific treatment
Presenters: Sacha Montgomery; Kimberly Reed
Room: Building E, Room E100.01 Breakout Room
Summary: This presentation explores the critical need to move beyond a standard trauma-informed approach, emphasizing the importance of deeper engagement and tailored strategies for addressing trauma within specific populations. Attendees will gain insight into the transformative outcomes that can be achieved when trauma is effectively addressed, including enhanced resilience, improved well-being, and better long-term recovery outcomes. By delving into practical applications and real-world examples, this session will equip participants with the tools to create meaningful, trauma-responsive interventions that drive impactful change.
Session M: Problematic Sexual Behaviors Among Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (3 hour session, Part I)
Presenter: Victor Kersey, Ph.D., SOTP-II
Room: Building E, Room E201 Breakout Room (second floor)
Summary: Problematic sexual behaviors among individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) present unique challenges for caregivers, clinicians, and support systems. These behaviors may stem from limited social understanding, poor impulse control, or inadequate education on appropriate sexual conduct. Addressing these issues requires a comprehensive, person-centered approach that considers the individual’s cognitive and emotional development, while ensuring their rights and dignity are upheld. Interventions often focus on improving communication, developing social skills, and implementing structured behavioral plans that emphasize appropriate boundaries. Education on consent, privacy, and relationships is essential, alongside strategies to address underlying factors such as trauma, emotional regulation difficulties, or environmental triggers. Multidisciplinary collaboration among therapists, educators, and support staff is key to providing consistent and effective interventions.
Session N: Fantasy and Sensory Sexual Interests of Autistic Individuals: Implications for Assessment and Treatment
Presenters: Suzanne Richards PhD, Tracy Tholin LCPC, LSOTP, LSOE
Room: Building E, E106 Breakout Room
Summary: Sexual relationships involve much more than sexual behavior. However, in media and academia, sex is primarily displayed as sexual activity or acts with and without a sexual partner. Sexual activity is difficult to separate from sensuality and sensory processing. An estimated 90% of individuals with autism have atypical sensory experiences. Autistic individuals intimate relationship experiences are affected by the different ways they may experience their sensory world. This may result in greater comfort with sensory experiences than social relationships. Further, as individuals with Autism explore their sexual interests, their social communication differences place them at a disadvantage in understanding others sexual needs and interests. This presentation will explore how the delay in the development of social communication differences, particularly shared interests (pretend play and fantasy) can contribute to sensory-based offending in Autistic individuals.
Session O: Shame Language – What can Trigger a Shame Cycle and Ways to Make Adjustments
Presenter: Christopher Blakley, Psy.D.
Room: Building E, Room E108 Breakout Room
Summary: Understanding what shame is, how it distorts our view of the world, and using that knowledge to reduce the influence on our clients is important to living a healthier and happier life. Often verbal shame triggers, from ourselves or others, are the beginning of a shame cycle which creates unrealistic expectations and the focus on avoiding negative consequences. Focusing on goals, rather than avoiding negative outcomes, helps to choose words which can help shift one’s perspective and lessen the effect shame has on day-to-day living. Shifting our word choices, along with a better understanding of why certain words trigger shame, gives others a better understanding of why shame makes life difficult and how to reduce the effect shame triggering words have on them.
2:30 – 3:00pm Break with snack
3:00-4:30pm AFTERNOON BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Session P: Culturally Informed Practices with Survivors of Sexual Abuse
(This session fulfills the requirement of Cultural Competence CEUs for clinical licenses)
Presenter: Tyffani Monford Dent, Psy.D.
Room: Building E, Room E121 Dining Room
Summary: This workshop explores some of the most difficult aspects of culturally informed practice. Addressing sexual victimization is often traumatic and requires a level of trust/vulnerability from the survivor. Black women, for example, are often not given the space or “permission” to be vulnerable. We are expected to be strong and are praised only for that strength. As perpetrators often come from within our community, we are often told that our victimization does not matter as much as “saving” the ones who harm us. Yet, we also historically and presently are then asked to engage with a judicial and carceral system that has not cared about Black people— including Black survivors.
Black survivors need agency. They need places to be vulnerable, and to identify and incorporate what healing looks like for them. The opportunity for such is not often available. As a result, this workshop focuses on group interventions. It will discuss the need for sessions within this arena occur in a closed group vs. open group format. By doing so, group members know that they will not have to “retell” their stories or be concerned about becoming comfortable with new members. In addition, some session topics will build upon topics/knowledge addressed in a previous session.
Session Q: Best Practices and Case Studies: Enhancing Success in Probation Management of Individuals who have Sexually Offended
Presenters: Phoebe Heather, Kane County Probation
Room: Building E, Room E100.01 Breakout Room
Summary: An interactive panel with both presenters and audience members to discuss caseload problems and possible solutions in a safe environment. Supervising sex offenders is difficult and unique work that not everyone understands, but we are all in it together. Join us, as talk about real life examples past and present to figure out what worked and what did not work and brainstorm new ideas for supervising this difficult and challenging population.
Session R: Problematic Sexual Behaviors Among Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (3-hour session, Part II)
Presenter: Victor Kersey, Ph.D., SOTP-II
Room: Building E, Room E201 Breakout Room (second floor)
Summary: This is part 2 of the session. Problematic sexual behaviors among individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) present unique challenges for caregivers, clinicians, and support systems. These behaviors may stem from limited social understanding, poor impulse control, or inadequate education on appropriate sexual conduct. Addressing these issues requires a comprehensive, person-centered approach that considers the individual’s cognitive and emotional development, while ensuring their rights and dignity are upheld. Interventions often focus on improving communication, developing social skills, and implementing structured behavioral plans that emphasize appropriate boundaries. Education on consent, privacy, and relationships is essential, alongside strategies to address underlying factors such as trauma, emotional regulation difficulties, or environmental triggers. Multidisciplinary collaboration among therapists, educators, and support staff is key to providing consistent and effective interventions.
Session S: Mandated Reporting in Practice: Identifying, Supporting, and Reporting
(This training fulfills the required mandated reporter training to maintain clinical licenses)
Presenter: Department of Children and Family Services
Room: Building E, Room E106 Breakout Room
Summary: This training provides attendees with the knowledge and tools to effectively fulfill their role as mandated reporters. It introduces a trauma-informed, bias-aware framework while covering essential aspects of identifying, reporting, and addressing child abuse and neglect. Participants will also learn about new avenues of support for families, emphasizing a holistic approach to child welfare.
Session T: Nuts and Bolts of Conducting Effective Groups
Presenter: Dr. Mark S. Carich LSOTP, LSOE, Rachela Ranaldi, LCPC, LASOP
Room: Building E, Room E108 Breakout Room
Summary: Much of the treatment involving clients with sexual issues is conducted in group settings. The types of groups conducted and group dynamics make a significant difference in the effectiveness of treatment. This presentation focuses on the basic types of group content vs. process, including the appropriate use of manuals or workbooks. The classic core group elements are discussed in some detail and behaviors, including transference and counter-transference issues, have to be managed effectively. Therefore, group leadership styles and therapist characteristics are just as important. A large focus will be on effective group management skills and essential group techniques.
Keynote Speakers
Thursday Keynote Speaker: Dr. David Thornton
David Thornton is a forensic psychologist in private practice based in the state of Wisconsin in the USA. In this capacity, he has worked regularly in Iowa, and sporadically in other states such as Arizona, California, Missouri, Minnesota, New York, and Washington. Between 2001 and 2013 he worked as treatment director for a program providing clinical services for men assessed as presenting a high risk for sexual recidivism consequent on mental disorders. Between 2013 and 2016 he built up a research unit for this program before moving into private practice in 2016.
As a practitioner, he specializes in the assessment and treatment of men who present a risk for sexual and violent recidivism. As a researcher he has been involved in the development of statistical and psychological frameworks for assessing factors that contribute to different kinds of recidivism. This has led to the creation of statistical instruments like Static-99R, Static-2002R, and Risk Matrix 2000, as well as psychological models of risk like the SRA framework and the Theory of Dynamic Risk. He is currently involved in a project that seeks to improve measurement of protective factors and to develop better ways of incorporating a protective factor approach into treatment. He has published over 100 papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals. His work is widely cited by other researchers.
His Google Scholar profile is accessible at
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=LnzWJ64AAAAJ&hl=en
Friday Keynote Speaker: Dr. Tyffani Monford Dent
Dr. Monford is a licensed psychologist. She is the author of five books: Girls Got Issues: A Woman’s Guide to Self-discovery & Healing, You Got This! A Girl’s Guide to Growing Up, Black Girl: Unapologetically, and Reclaiming Me: Beginning My Journey to Overcoming Human Trafficking (free for therapists/agencies working with teen survivors of human trafficking). Her most recent workbook, Girl, Get Free: An Expressive Guide for Black College Women was just released in November 2023. She is also the co-author of two others works: Becoming Who I Want to Be: A Good Lives Workbook for Young Women and its accompanying Counselor’s Edition.
Dr. Monford has served on several national, state, and local boards/committees addressing sexual violence prevention/intervention as well as the emotional wellness of girls and women. Dr. Monford is the developer of two curricula geared towards work with Black women survivors of sexual assault: Sisters of Tamar Support Circle (SoTSC) and Sister Circle as well as the Culturally Informed Work with Black Women Survivors: Training & Self-inquiry Manual. Dr. Monford is the Owner of Monford Dent Consulting & Psychological Services, LLC. and the Co-Founder/Executive Director of Living At The Intersections, Inc. (LATI), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to intentionally provide space and education for and regarding Black girls/Emerging Adults and Black nonbinary youth; helping to create a world in which they can do more than exist. A world in which they can and truly LIVE and be seen as their authentic selves.
For questions regarding the conference, please contact ConferenceChair@ilatsa.org or 630-384-9887
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