Therapist Awareness and Responsibility in Working With Sexual Offenders

Abstract

The article aims to address the ethical implications of therapist reactions to sexual offender treatment and, in doing so, increase awareness and understanding of the interaction between the clinician and the challenges of working with sexual offenders. The effects of providing psychological services in general, and to sexual offenders specifically, are reviewed, including the impact on services provided. Practice implications are also discussed as the authors consider the negative effects (e.g., burnout) that therapists experience due to treatment quality and the ethical issues and responsibilities surrounding clinical reactions. Finally, the authors summarize research on self-care and practice recommendations for effectively and ethically working with sexual offenders.