Engaging Clients in Effective Discussion of Healthy Sexuality: A Panel Discussion with Sexual Offense Prevention Experts Feature Image

Engaging Clients in Effective Discussion of Healthy Sexuality: A Panel Discussion with Sexual Offense Prevention Experts

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Please note: This webinar is not eligible for continuing education (CE) credit due to its informal, conversational format. Participants who attend the full live session will, however, receive a Certificate of Attendance.

When:  December 3, 2025
Time:   3:00 pm-4:00 pm ET
Audience:

This webinar is for mental health and treatment professionals of all experience levels seeking a supportive space to start building comfort, clarity, and skill for discussing healthy sexuality with clients. This includes psychologists, social workers, counselors, and educators.

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Talking about sex is rarely simple, even for professionals working in sexual offense treatment. Boundaries can feel unclear and often vary from one setting to another. On top of that, separating personal values, beliefs, and experiences from one’s professional role can present additional challenges. Every client brings their own history, perspectives, and interests into the treatment setting, making these conversations even more complex.

Yet, best practices necessitate that professionals develop confidence in directly addressing sexual topics with clients. Not only are these discussions essential for effective risk management, but also for supporting clients in developing healthy sex lives that are incompatible with offending.

Nikole Nassen, Bud Ballinger, Seth Wescott, and Katie Gotch—leading clinicians and educators in sexual offense prevention—join us to guide this panel discussion. Drawing on their diverse experiences across inpatient and outpatient settings, they share insights, strategies, and practical guidance for navigating the often-uncharted territory of healthy sexuality.

Who's Presenting


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Nikole Nassen, PhD

Clinical Psychologist and Director
Sex Offender Treatment Program at Naval Consolidated Brig Miramar

Nikole Nassen, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and the director of the Sex Offender Treatment Program at Naval Consolidated Brig Miramar. She has been involved in program development and implementation for Naval Corrections’ Violent Offender and Sex Offender Treatment Programs and has worked with individuals who have expressed non-traditional sexual interests in the context of these programs. Dr. Nassen is a Clinical Member of the Association for Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse (ATSA) and is a member of ATSA’s Adult Community of Practice. She is also the Training Coordinator for the California Association for Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse (CalATSA). Dr. Nassen received her doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from Alliant International University in 2008. She has assessed and treated individuals who have committed violent and sexual offenses, as well as individuals with mental health concerns, in community and in correctional settings. She has also completed clinical and forensic evaluations of adults and adolescents for the Delinquency and Dependency Courts in San Diego.

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Bud Ballinger, PhD

Director of Treatment Services
NYS Secure Treatment & Rehabilitation Center

Bud Ballinger is a clinical/forensic psychologist and the Director of Treatment Services for NYS Secure Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (New York’s civil confinement program). He has a passion for enhancing therapeutic work with people who have engaged in harmful sexual behavior. Since earning a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Texas Tech University in 2000 he has worked in inpatient, outpatient, correctional, and civil confinement programs providing treatment, supervision, consultation, evaluation, and courtroom testimony. He developed New York’s treatment program for incarcerated people who are likely candidates for civil confinement. He is a past president of NYS ATSA and an ATSA Fellow.

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Katie Gotch, LPC, CCSOT, ATSA-F

Clinician, Evaluator, Trainer, Educator, Safer Society Collaborator
Integrated Clinical & Correctional Services

Katie Gotch is a Safer Society Collaborator. She has worked in the field of sexual abuse prevention for well over twenty years as a clinician, evaluator, trainer, educator, and in the development of evidence-informed public policy. Katie currently maintains a private practice, Integrated Clinical & Correctional Services, which provides specialized clinical and consultation services related to individuals with sexual behavior problems and other forms of abusive/violent behavior. She frequently provides training to correctional agencies, treatment providers, policy makers, and other community partners on sexual abuse specific assessment, management and treatment; static and dynamic risk; public policy; public/media engagement; and related topics. She is a certified Static-99R/STABLE & ACUTE-2007 trainer and a local ODARA trainer. Katie has a long history of public policy and board involvement; She has served as the Public Policy Executive Board Member for ATSA, as a Board Member for NPEIV, and as the Policy Advisor for OATSA.

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Seth Wescott, LMLP, ATSA-F

Evaluator, Therapist, Trainer, and Adjunct Professor, Safer Society Collaborator

Seth Wescott is a Licensed Master’s Level Psychologist and has been working with individuals with problematic sexual behaviors since 2002. He has worked in maximum security prisons for both adults and adolescents as well as various community-based settings. In private practice, Seth conducts pre-disposition and pre-adjudication psychosexual evaluations of adults and adolescents. He serves as chair of the ATSA Public Policy Committee, and is an ATSA Fellow. He is a certified trainer for Static-99R, Stable-2007, and Acute-2007 risk assessments. Seth is a Professor of the Practice at the University of Kansas and an Adjunct Professor of Counseling at Mid-America Nazarene University.