Clinical Strategies for Changing Harmful Online Sexual Behavior
This webinar is designed for mental health clinicians, probation officers, forensic evaluators, and other professionals working with individuals who have engaged in CSAM-related behaviors. All interested participants are welcome.
People who view child sexual abuse material (CSAM) enter treatment with distinct clinical challenges, including intense shame, secrecy, and ambivalence about their actions. In this webinar, David Delmonico and Elizabeth Griffin introduce a structured, therapeutic approach to addressing these behaviors with clarity, compassion, and accountability. They further discuss its application in their newly released The Illegal Images Workbook.
Dr. Delmonico and Ms. Griffin outline six core domains frequently associated with CSAM use, which serve as a framework for effective intervention and support meaningful behavior change while fostering a strong therapeutic alliance:
- Emotional regulation
- Intimacy skills
- Deviant sexual interests
- Compulsive sexual behavior
- Problematic technology use
- Victim awareness
The presenters conduct an introductory exploration of these areas and demonstrate how their workbook provides practical tools for addressing these challenges.
Who's Presenting
David L. Delmonico, PhD, LPC
Dr. David Delmonico is a professor at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a passion for exploring the intersection of human behavior and the digital world. Holding a Ph.D. in Counseling and Human Development Services from Kent State University, he has spent over three decades studying Internet psychology, sexual addiction/compulsivity, and problematic/illegal sexual behaviors both online and offline.
In 2003, Dr. Delmonico co-founded Internet Behavior Consulting, LLC, with Elizabeth Griffin, MA, LMFT for problematic online sexual behavior. Through this work, he provides consultation and training for mental health professionals, law enforcement, and legal experts.
In addition to his latest work, The Illegal Images Workbook, Dr. Delmonico has co-authored four other books—In the Shadows of the Net, Cybersex Unhooked, Cybersex Unplugged, and Illegal Images
Despite his academic and professional achievements, Dr. Delmonico is best known among his colleagues and students for his approachable nature and ability to bring humor to even the most complex and uncomfortable topics. Whether unraveling the latest trends in cyber-behavior or sharing a lighthearted story, he strives to make learning both meaningful and enjoyable.
Elizabeth J. Griffin, MA, LMFT
Elizabeth Griffin, MA, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with forty years of experience in assessing and treating adolescents and adults struggling with problematic sexual behavior. She has worked in diverse settings, including inpatient and outpatient facilities, the military, prisons, and civil commitment programs.
Ms. Griffin lectures and consults nationally on the assessment and treatment of sexually compulsive behavior and sexual offense behavior. For the past 29 years, she has specialized in the evaluation and treatment of online sexual offense behavior. Ms. Griffin has also published numerous academic articles on issues related to problematic sexual behavior and is a co-owner of Internet Behavior Consulting.