Abstract: Understanding and Treating Impulses, Urges, and Fantasies

This workshop will explore the factors that have been found, in a recently completed study of hypersexuality, to drive the experiencing of urges to engage in maladaptive sexual behavior, difficulties with impulse control, and the experience of intrusive fantasies. Drawing from this understanding of underlying cognitive and psychophysiological mechanisms, this session will cover the medications that can be used off-label to treat those who have strong urges to act out sexually with either paraphilic or non-paraphilic behaviors..

Dr. Miner received his Ph.D. in Psychology from St. Louis University, Missouri. He is currently Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health. Dr. Miner began his work in sex offender research in 1986 as the research psychologist for California’s Sex Offender Treatment and Evaluation Project and joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota’s Program in Human Sexuality (PHS) in 1992. Dr. Miner coordinated sex offender treatment at PHS until 2008 and currently coordinates forensic assessment services. He was Vice President of the International Association for the Treatment of Sexual Offenders until September 2008 and is President of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers. Dr. Miner is a recipient of the Professional Services Award from the Minnesota Chapter of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers. Dr. Miner’s research has been supported by the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Justice, and the National Institute of Mental Health.

Nancy Raymond, MD is a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Minnesota. Her research areas include disorders on the impulse disorder spectrum such as binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa and compulsive sexual behavior. She has served at the psychiatric consultant to the Program in Human Sexuality for over 20 years. Dr. Raymond is also the director of the Center for Women’s Health at the University of Minnesota.