Date: January 27, 2026
Time: 11:00 am – 2:15 pm ET / 8:00 am – 11:15 am PT
Format:   Live interactive training offered via Zoom

CE Eligibility: 3 Clinical CE Credit Hours

Presented by: Christopher Lobanov-Rostovsky, LCSW (See Bio), Leslie Barfknecht, LCSW, ATSA-F (See Bio), & David Prescott, LICSW, ATSA-F (See Bio)

You must attend the entire live training and complete an evaluation to be eligible for CE credits. If you seek only psychology credits, the evaluation is optional, and you can remain anonymous.

Online Training Description:

Working with clients who deny their past behaviors has long presented dilemmas for practitioners. Requiring full disclosure of past offenses has been a source of recent debate in sex offense treatment, particularly since the late 1990s. Historically, accountability for sexual offending was required as a pre-condition for treatment participation and completion, as well as for successful release from supervision. This approach has its roots in Western criminal justice models, which have emphasized punitive and retributive approaches that require demonstration of accountability and remorse as indicators of change and readiness to transition from incarceration to community supervision. In addition, accountability for offending has often been viewed as supportive of victims in their quest for justice, with the caveat that the government represents the interests of victims/survivors.

More recently, however, perspectives have shifted. Research indicating that denial is not a risk factor for future sexual offending, along with concerns for the therapeutic alliance and questions regarding potential violation of the right against self-incrimination, has led clinicians to begin modifying their approach to addressing denial. As a result, many programs no longer require those who offend to be accountable as a precondition of treatment entry or completion. Instead, the focus has shifted toward utilizing the therapeutic process and relationship to reduce denial and foster engagement.

Christopher Lobanov-Rostovsky, Leslie Barfknecht, and David Prescott designed this training to:

• Explore different perspectives on accountability by examining historical dialogues and debates over the years.  
• Examine victim/survivor interests in offender accountability and how this impacts prevention of sexual violence on multiple levels (i.e., primary, secondary, and tertiary).
• Highlight the various approaches employed in sex offense treatment to address denial in treatment.
• Offer a checklist of considerations that clinicians and supervision officers may use when determining whether or how to address denial of sexual offending.

The benefits and drawbacks of the different approaches are discussed, with the goal of the session being to provide attendees with a framework for making informed decisions about how to address denial as a treatment and supervision target. Participants have the opportunity for reflection and share perspectives related to this important sex offense treatment topic. Your ideas will be welcome!

As a result of this training, participants will be able to:

1) Discuss categorical denial’s relationship to the principles of effective correctional communication (risk, need, and responsivity).
2) Identify past practices by sex-offense treatment programs with respect to denial and accountability. 
3) Describe common concerns expressed by abuse survivors about their experiences with sex-offense treatment and the criminal justice system.
4) List common clinical considerations in addressing denial.

Interactive Follow-Up Meeting

Attendees are invited to join an open discussion 15 minutes following the end of the training, where you can engage with fellow attendees by turning on your camera and microphone. This is an opportunity to share your experiences and contribute to a meaningful exchange of ideas. Time will be allocated to address questions or insights from the training. Please note that attendance is optional and will not affect your eligibility for a training certificate.

We can refund your training fee up to 24 hours prior to the start of the training.

To view all training details and review our list of frequently asked questions, please click here to visit the promotional page.