Return of the Furies: An Investigation Into Recovered Memory Therapy

By Hollida Wakefield

Book Overview

Recovered memory therapy, which has become a rapidly-growing industry in the past ten years, is based on the controversial theory that adults often suffer emotional problems because of forgotten childhood traumas. People who experience everyday difficulties like anxiety of overeating are now often told by therapists that the root of their trouble is a 'repressed memory' of abuse in childhood. The cure is to bring back the memory - a process that usually takes many months - and then publicly humiliate the alleged perpetrators of the abuse, most often the victim's parents. But are the supposed memories recovered in therapy genuine? Or are they concocted by therapists and clients in the course of therapy? Attempts to find independent corroboration of recovered memories have drawn a blank. Contrary to folklore, there is not a shred of scientific evidence for the notion that a memory can be repressed, and there is plenty of evidence that false memories can be created.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812692721
• ISBN13: 9780812692723
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Open Court
• Length: 419 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Excellent and Timely

Finally a book that is balanced, thoughtful and scholarly, and makes sense of the madness regarding some of the fantastic claims of child abuse and satanic ritual abuse. It offers understanding to the many victims who have been falsely accused of crimes they never committed, while it never loses sight of the problem of real child abuse in our society. This is a must-read for anyone involved in therapy or counselling.