Our Safe Haven:
Helping Clients with Paraphilias and Paraphilic Disorders

Moderated by: David Prescott, LICSW, ATSA-F & Nikole Nassen, PhD

Please Note: This session is not eligible for CE credits due to its informal conversational format.

Understanding, assessing, and treating paraphilic disorders are vital to effective sexual abuse prevention. However, evolving definitions of “paraphilia” and ongoing misunderstandings in the field can make this work challenging. The high stakes involved have also discouraged many professionals from examining how to best support their clients.

This raises an important question: How can we more effectively assess, understand, and respond to paraphilic interests in ways that promote healthy, prosocial lifestyles and reduce risk?

Join us for a series of professional dialogues designed to address these pressing issues. Moderated by Nikole Nassen and David Prescott, these discussions provide a supportive space for professionals to share insights, develop strategies, and strengthen their ability to navigate the complexities of working with clients with paraphilias and paraphilic disorders. Each session will begin with a focused exploration of a specific topic, evolving naturally into an engaging, attendee-driven conversation shaped by shared experiences and professional insights:

• Session 1: Let’s Talk About Paraphilias and Paraphilic Disorders

  November 6, 2026, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm EST
  What are paraphilias and paraphilic disorders are and why is it essential to distinguish between them? We’ll explore the differences between anomalous target preferences and anomalous activity preferences and clarify the distinction between atypical and problematic sexual interests.
• Session 2: Let’s Talk About Understanding Paraphilic Disorders

  December 2, 2026, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm EST
  Identify and understand risk-relevant paraphilic interests, including how to maintain a sex-positive perspective on human sexuality while remaining attentive to potential risk indicators.
• Session 3: Let’s Talk About Treating Paraphilic Disorders

  December 16, 2026, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm EST
  Address safety planning, pharmacological interventions, and trauma-informed treatment approaches, along with the importance of therapeutic engagement and understanding individuals’ motivations for change and growth.

These sessions are more than a discussion—they are opportunities to network, build skills, exchange ideas, and contribute to shaping best practices in this field. Join us to connect with like-minded professionals, gain actionable insights, and make a meaningful impact in addressing the challenges posed by helping clients with paraphilia and paraphilic disorders.

To ensure that each session is workable, we will limit the number of attendees. Registration for each session will, therefore, be on a first-come-first-served basis. We are charging a non-refundable fee of $8.00 to reserve your spot.

Like any group discussion, everyone will have a responsibility to keep it a safe, professional, and confidential space. We will adhere to the codes of ethics of our professions, mandatory laws, and other professional standards. The Safe Haven series is intended to be supportive; not formal supervision, consultation, or legal advice.