Addressing Problematic Sexual Behaviors in Children

Genevieve Naquin is a licensed professional counselor and lead therapist at Higher Ground Counseling, a clinic that specializes in working with those who have problematic sexual behaviors, illegal sexual behaviors, and who have experienced abuse and trauma. She is a certified clinical sexual offense therapist who started her time in the field working with adolescents who were adjudicated for sexual offenses. She has since developed expertise in working with young children who are engaging in problematic sexual behaviors, a specialization that closely aligns with her passion for sexual abuse prevention. Genevieve has presented on this topic in both educational and conference settings.

• PrefaceIntroduction to the ResearchSome Things to Note Before We Get StartedDefinitions at a GlanceDevelopmentTreatment StepsPart I: CurriculumChapter 1: Building RapportBuilding TrustChapter 2: The Foundation of Treatment: Safety Planning, Boundaries, and Types of Touch Basics of a Safety PlanThe Safety PlanBoundariesTypes of TouchChapter 3: Body AwarenessEmotional Recognition and RegulationBuilding Coping Skills and InterventionsLet’s Talk About Body PartsChapter 4: Client HistoryGathering Client HistoryTrouble ThoughtsChapter 5: OwnershipAccountabilityChapter 6: Healthy Relationships and Appropriate SexualityComponents of a Healthy RelationshipComponents of ConsentHelpful Tools to Teach C.E.R.T.S and F.R.I.E.SSafety in RelationshipsPsychoeducation Related to PornographyChapter 7: Empathy and AwarenessIntent vs. Impact and Empathy vs. SympathyPsychoeducation for Caregivers Regarding EmpathyVictim AwarenessCurriculum Chapter 8: Future Safety and Finishing StrongSafe Play PlanTreatment ReviewPart II: …Chapter 9: Multi-System InvolvementLet’s Talk About SchoolInvolvement in ExtracurricularsFunctioning within the HomeCommunity PartnersChapter 10: Common Characteristics, Barriers, and Challenges That Come Up When Working with This PopulationCommon Characteristics, Barriers, and Issues Seen in Children with Problematic Sexual BehaviorsCommon Challenges That Come Up When Working with the Families of Children with Problematic Sexual BehaviorsCommon Struggles and Issues Experienced When Working within Larger Systems While Treating Problematic Sexual BehaviorsConclusionChapter 11: Furthering the FieldLack of ResearchAssessmentsAppendix: Activity Worksheets and ExamplesReferencesIndexAbout the Author

There are a handful of useful resources for treating adolescents who have been adjudicated for problematic sexual behavior, but, with the exception of this book, none that address working with young children and non-adjudicated children with problematic sexual behavior. Genevieve Naquin’s excellent book is as timely as it is informative, expertly filling this gap and providing practical guidance to treatment providers working with this population. Written from a systemic perspective that considers family and other important contextual elements, Naquin’s book provides a useful framework for better understanding the unique issues surrounding the treatment and supervision of non-adjudicated children with problematic sexual behavior, and she offers a variety of easy to follow interventions targeted to this unique population and the systems within which they function. This is a book that will benefit seasoned treatment providers, therapists who are new to the field, and clinicians who are just starting to work with younger clients with problematic sexual behavior.