Description:
Cloe Madanes will discuss some of the varieties of abuse which can occur in a family, with an emphasis on incest and sexual abuse. A method for dealing with such situations will be presented and illustrated with a videotape.
Educational Objectives:
*Sessions may be edited for content and to preserve confidentiality*
Outline:
Workshop Overview
Focus on applying therapy to prevent further harm to victims and offenders.
Emphasized complexity of treating juvenile sex offenders within a family context.
Therapist Training and Institutional Role
Therapists trained under a county contract to treat juvenile sex offenders.
An independent diagnostic team evaluates families.
Developed consistent therapy steps after supervising 85–90 cases with nearly 100% success.
Initial Therapy Steps
Gather entire family to openly discuss the offense using direct language.
No secrecy allowed; victimizer carries shame.
Provide children with materials to express themselves.
Subsequent Therapy Steps
Offender discusses why the offense was wrong with parental support.
Address spiritual pain of victim and offender.
Stay focused on current case even if other abuses surface.
Apology and Reparation
Offender apologizes on knees; family also expresses repentance.
Outline future consequences if offense recurs.
Assign a protector from extended family.
Restoring Love and Safety
Rebuild mother’s love for offender.
Establish a protective dynamic between victim and offender.
Encourage self-forgiveness and doing good deeds.
Adapting to Complex Cases
Modify approach for father-offender or historic abuse cases.
Address cultural sensitivity and legal consequences.
Prepare for family resistance or potential dropouts.
Therapy Dynamics and Case Examples
Case of a 16-year-old molesting a 9-year-old sister used to illustrate steps.
Emphasized therapist's role in guiding, supporting, and maintaining emotional safety.
Family Involvement and Resistance
Encourage extended family participation to break denial and collusion.
Deal with offender denial by focusing on behavior, not admission.
Use elders and respected family members to support change.
Therapy Outcomes
Long-term success with high rehabilitation rates.
Ongoing support and monitoring crucial to prevent relapse.
Group Therapy
Teen groups foster peer support and socialization.
Offenders share offenses and rehabilitation stages.
Therapists build positive relationships and celebrate progress.
Suicide Prevention
Give offenders hope through repentance and reparation.
Avoid institutionalization; keep youth in home environments.
Handling Special Cases
Bring together families of both offender and victim when possible.
For ritualistic abuse, involve safe relatives and avoid reconnecting with harmful individuals.
In cases of denial, proceed with family steps and identify alternate protectors.
Symbolism
Use metaphor (e.g., Ruthie representing the mother) to clarify dynamics.
Cloé Madanes, HDL, LIC, is a world-renowned innovator and teacher of family and strategic therapy and one of the originators of the strategic approach to family therapy. She has authored seven books that are classics in the field: Strategic Family Therapy; Behind the One-Way Mirror; Sex, Love and Violence; The Violence of Men; The Secret Meaning of Money; The Therapist as Humanist, Social Activist and Systemic Thinker; and Relationship Breakthrough. She has presented her work at professional conferences all over the world and has given keynote addresses for The Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference, the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy; the National Association of Social Workers, The Erickson Foundation, the California Psychological Association and many other national and international conferences. Madanes has won several awards for distinguished contribution to psychology and has counseled outstanding individuals from all walks of life.