There is hope for youthful sexual offenders if they receive intensive multifaceted treatment that targets their individual patterns and needs. Cove PREP, a treatment facility in Torrance, Pennsylvania, is committed to providing these services.
Types of Therapy
A variety of customized therapeutic interventions to help young residents at Cove PREP in Torrance, PA
Each resident’s treatment at Cove PREP may include a variety of therapeutic services and treatment modalities, including the following:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT sessions help residents understand how their history, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors can contribute to dysfunctional cycles. Through CBT, residents also learn to recognize the effects of their behaviors on their victims. The opportunity to change behavior is created once residents learn to identify the distorted feelings, thoughts, and beliefs that allow sexual offending to occur.
Process-oriented (psychodynamic) treatment: This type of treatment helps residents to better understand the impact that their personal history has on their relationships with others. As residents develop this awareness, they become more capable of participating in healthy interpersonal relationships. Process-oriented treatment allows residents to recognize the origins of their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, and to acknowledge the effects that these behaviors have on others.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): DBT is a systematic model that encourages improved self-management. DBT sessions help residents function in a healthier and more productive manner in areas such as emotional regulation, distress tolerance, conflict resolution, and acceptance.
Family education and therapy: The primary goals of Cove PREP’s family work are to help family members understand the resident’s sexual offense patterns, identify and address problematic behavior patterns, and make the changes that will help the resident successfully address their sexually abusive behavior. To support these goals, we encourage parents and guardians to participate in treatment with residents. Family services may be provided via phone calls or in-person sessions. When appropriate, we also advise family members to take part in outside counseling.
Psychiatric care and medication management: Frequently, young people who have histories of sexually abusive behavior are also experiencing one or more mental health disorders. Common diagnoses among Cove PREP residents include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD). While Cove PREP’s primary treatment focus is addressing sexual offending issues, we understand the necessity of helping residents achieve psychiatric stabilization so that they can effectively engage in and benefit from treatment.
Psychoeducational Curriculum
A multifaceted guided curriculum to reduce recidivism and encourage the development of positive behavior patterns
The psychoeducational component of treatment at Cove PREP is a skills-focused approach. We address a broad scope of topics, including anger management, social interactions, communication, consent, boundaries, the law, the pre-offense/offense cycle, and cognitive distortions (which are also known as “thinking errors”).
Our psychoeducational curriculum includes the following materials:
Pathways – This is a guided workbook for young people who are beginning treatment. This curriculum is designed to be incorporated into comprehensive programming for adolescents and young adults, ages 11-21, who have histories of sexual behavior problems.
Roadmaps to Recovery – This curriculum guides residents through the process of learning to control their bodies, thoughts, and feelings. At Cove PREP, the Roadmaps workbook is typically incorporated into treatment for residents who are suffering from learning disabilities and developmental delays.
Footprints: Steps to a Healthy Life – This curriculum is an ideal learning opportunity for developmentally disabled adults and adolescents who have demonstrated sexual behavior problems, as well as individuals who are living with learning disabilities, attention deficits, and certain cognitive challenges.
Good Lives Model – Commonly referred to as GLM, the Good Lives Model is an alternative approach to offender rehabilitation that is designed to reduce recidivism. The GLM takes a holistic and constructive approach to rehabilitation, with a focus on enabling offenders to live healthy and productive lives, as opposed to simply teaching them how to avoid behaviors that will lead to their incarceration. One of the primary goals of GLM is to help offenders develop productive skills, strengths, and capabilities.
Cybersex Unhooked – This practical workbook addresses compulsive online sexual behaviors. The Cybersex Unhooked curriculum can help adolescents and young adults overcome the compulsion to engage in problematic online sexual behavior. The curriculum also helps young people gain the skills and strategies that will support long-term recovery from such behaviors.
Cove PREP does not utilize any aversive conditioning techniques. Polygraph testing is available for use on a case-by-case basis.
