Forensic Clinical Practice
Clear Path has a team of therapists that are certified to conduct risk assessments and provide therapeutic treatment to individuals 18 and over, who have committed sexual/violent offences.
Legal Issues and Workplace Difficulties
Our team members, who are trained in domestic violence risk assessment and anger management, are experienced in assessing problematic behaviour and providing therapeutic treatment as well as reports predicting risk and recidivism for individuals who have sexually offended. After assessment is complete, we provide access to specialized programs including group psychotherapy, individualized therapy, and intervention treatment. Our services have been acknowledged within the criminal justice community since 1994. We can be contacted directly via self-referral, or through Criminal Defence Lawyers, Workplace Human Resources, Probation/Parole Officers, Children’s Aid Society and/or Direct Accountability.
As an experienced and qualified Expert Witness, Sharon Sleiman and her partners provide forensic counselling when legal involvement occurs. Detailed risk assessment gives defence lawyers and other legal professionals the information needed to assist in their decision-making when having to place judgement. This information is necessary so that appropriate supervision, counselling, and treatment can be arranged for each client. The goal is to lower the risk of re-offence and increase public safety.
The Treatment Process
After the client completes an intake assessment, a recommendation for either individual or group therapy will be provided based on the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) principles. Our services are offered throughout the Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent areas. In addition to in person treatment, virtual treatment can be offered throughout Southwestern Ontario. Every part of treatment is voluntary. Clients never have to do anything they do not want to do.
Victim & Family Services
This service involves mediated interactions for family members of an individual who committed a sexual offence of some kind. Treatment addresses the emotions and impact of the offence for both family members and the client. If both family members and offenders agree, this service will help re-integrate the offender back into the family unit. However, therapy respects the wishes of any individual who wants to end the relationship.
Professional mediated victim-offender interactions are also offered, but at the initiation of the victim. This form of treatment encourages victim empathy and remorse, understanding, and social development within the offender.
Problematic Sexual Behaviours and Interests
Sexual offending behaviours and interests are complex and varied, and can sometimes result in illegal sexual activity when acted upon. Among these illegal sexual activities are pedophilia (sexual interest in children), use of Child Sexual Exploitation Material (child pornography, including some forms of Anime, Exhibitionism, Voyeurism, and images published without consent).
Sexual behaviours that are problematic and concerning do not always lead to criminal charges. Such problematic sexual behaviours can include sexually compulsive behaviours that overwhelm an individual and disrupt life, work, and relationships. Problematic sexual interests can sometimes lead to sexual offences and criminal charges, if acted upon. Some of these behaviours include but are not limited to: cybersex, production and distribution of pornographic images, and hypersexuality. These behaviours can be the result of accidental conditioning, past traumas, losses/unresolved grief, self-soothing, attachment disruptions, and early exposure to sexualized environments, and much more.
Our goal is to help clients reduce problematic sexual behaviours, and to treat individuals with more severe issues before they act on illegal sexual interests.
Legal and healthy sexual experiences can be beneficial and fulfilling. It is not our goal to completely eliminate a client’s sex drive or interest in sex. Instead, we work to help clients change their problematic sexual behaviours and increase the ability to enjoy a healthy and legal sex life.
*Please note that we are private practitioners and there are fees for those services. Contact us for a cost schedule.
