This presentation considers important variables for the treatment of clergy/religious sexual abuse survivors from a Catholic perspective. We review the pathology of clergy who abuse by an insidious ‘grooming’ process. Defenses that often emerge from traumatic abuse, especially PTSD and repetition compulsion are covered, as well as treatment strategies, countertransference issues, and restorative justice.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn the narcissistic pathology of offending clergy as well as symptoms and defenses which are commonly the consequence of early and severe sexual abuse by clergy/religious—PTSD and the engrained problems with repetition compulsion.
• Participants will learn important clinical strategies in the treatment of clergy/religious sexual abuse, including the importance of a therapeutic frame, validation, obstacles to talking about the abuse, and common countertransference issues.
• Participants will learn about victim/survivor’s need for restorative justice as part of his/her recovery, as well as the restorative justice due to the larger faith community, which is also deeply wounded by clergy sex abuse.

This program does not qualify for NBCC credits