Online Training: Pornography, Social Media, and Teens: What Could Go Wrong? And What Can Be Done to Make it Go Less Wrong?

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This program is co-sponsored by Safer Society Press and Continuing Excellence, LLC

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Social media is the method of communication preferred by adolescents and young adults, and many social media apps have become a primary means for viewing sexually explicit media. Rather than searching for content that matches their developing sexual interests, many adolescents simply scroll through whatever is on their feed, often finding sexually explicit material. What effect is this having on their mental health and concept of sexuality? How can professionals help them navigate the complexities of sexual development in a climate that encourages viewers to “like” and “subscribe.”

This workshop will address the impact pornography and social media are having on teens. The presenters will discuss current trends and ethical dilemmas such as:

• The role of social media apps and websites such as Snapchat, MeetMe, Yubo, Kik, and TikTok
• Limiting screen time versus teaching its best use
• The balance between encouraging healthy behaviors and discouraging unhealthy behaviors

The presenters will also discuss:

• Balancing the short-term versus long-term needs of adolescents (for example, stopping problematic behavior while setting the stage for healthy adult sexuality)
• How to talk with adolescents and young adults about sexually explicit media that depict violence, lack of consent, and gender and racial stereotypes
• Considerations regarding informed consent (for example, consenting to conversations but not to “sexting”)
• Healthy uses of social media

Topics to be covered include:
1) Recent research trends in pornography use by adolescents and young adults
2) Pornography’s movement from “tube sites” to social media
3) The impact of porn on adolescents and young adults
4) If pornography is a fact of life for young people, how can its harmful effects be reduced while also using the images in pornography as a way to understand true, healthy sexuality?

As a result of participating in this training, attendees will be better able to:
1) Analyze existing definitions of pornography.
2) Describe the impact of social media on teens’ understanding of sex.
3) Construct treatment plans with clients and families on topics such as consent, pornography use, sexting, and healthy sexuality.
4) Explain to parents, school counselors, and probation officers how to distinguish between problematic behaviors and those that are reflective of adolescent development.

Access to training materials and video will last for 10 days following the payment of the registration fee. All registrants will be eligible for a Certificate of Completion for 2 CE credit hours.

Training registration fees are non-refundable.

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Seth Wescott, LMLP
Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Rockhurst University, Adjunct Professor of Counseling at Mid-America Nazarene University

Mr. Wescott is a Licensed Master’s Level Psychologist and has been working with individuals with problematic sexual behaviors since 2002. He has worked in maximum security prisons for both adults and adolescents as well as various community-based settings. In private practice, Mr. Wescott conducts pre-disposition and pre-adjudication psychosexual evaluations of adults and adolescents. Mr. Wescott is a Clinical Member of the Association for the Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse (ATSA) and an Associate Member of the American Psychological Association (APA). He is an ATSA Fellow, serves as Co-chair of the ATSA Public Policy Committee, and is a member of the ATSA Adult Clinical Practice Committee. Mr. Wescott is an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Rockhurst University, and an Adjunct Professor of Counseling at Mid-America Nazarene University.

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David Prescott
Director, Continuing Education Center, Safer Society

A mental health practitioner of 38 years, David Prescott is the Director of the Safer Society Continuing Education Center. He is the author and editor of 25 books in the areas of understanding and improving services to at-risk clients. He is best known for his work in the areas of understanding, assessing, and treating sexual violence and trauma. Mr. Prescott is the recipient of the 2014 Distinguished Contribution award from the Association for the Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse (ATSA), the 2018 recipient of the National Adolescent Perpetration Network’s C. Henry Kempe Lifetime Achievement award, and the 2022 recipient of the Fay Honey Knopp Award from the New York State Alliance for the Prevention of Sexual Abuse and New York State ATSA. He also served as ATSA President in 2008-09. Mr. Prescott currently trains and lectures around the world. His published work has been translated into Japanese, Korean, German, French, Polish, and Southern Tutchone. He has served on the editorial boards of four scholarly journals.

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Additional Information

Audience
This training is for professionals working with people who have who have perpetrated abuse. Professionals who will benefit from this training include social workers, psychologists, clinical counselors, and interested paraprofessionals.

Content Level
Intermediate to Advanced

Disclosure
The presenters do have published materials related to the training from which they may benefit financially.