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ISSN #1069-0484. Copyright (c) 1997 by the FMS Foundation
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The FMSF Newsletter is published 10 times a year by the False
Memory Syndrome Foundation. A hard-copy subscription is in-
cluded in membership fees (to join, see last page). Others may
subscribe by sending a check or money order, payable to
FMS Foundation, to the address below. 1994 subscription rates:
USA: 1 year $30, Student $15; Canada: $35 (in U.S. dollars);
Foreign: $40; Foreign student $20; Single issue price: $3.
3401 Market Street suite 130, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3315
This address and the phone numbers have changed as of July 15, 2000
Phone 215-387-1865, Fax 215-387-1917
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INSIDE:
Make a Difference
Legal Corner Notice
Book Review January/February 1998
From Our Readers will be a combined issue.
Pendergrast
Johnston
Bulletin Board
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Dear Friends,
$10.6 million settlement in the Burgus v Braun case.
New York Times, November 6, 1997 page 1
"'Memory' Therapy Leads to a Lawsuit and Big Settlement"
Pam Belluck
Criminal indictments brought against five mental health workers who
used "techniques commonly associated with mind control and
'brain-washing'" on psychiatric patients...
Houston Chronicle, October 29, 1997 page 1
"5 Psychiatric Workers charged in scam: Insurance allegedly
collected after patients linked to ritual abuse"
Mark Smith
These two important events bring 1997 to a dramatic conclusion in the
legal arena. The huge settlement paid in the Burgus v Braun case by
psychiatrists Bennett Braun and Elva Poznanski and by Rush
Presbyterian Hospital is evidence of society's recognition of the harm
caused by memory recovery practices. It is also highly significant
that a federal grand jury has brought criminal indictments against two
psychiatrists, a psychologist, a social worker and a hospital
administrator, all connected with Shadows Glen Hospital in Texas, for
fraud related to practices using memory recovery techniques. While
indictments are no indication of guilt, it is still the case that a
group of citizens believed there was sufficient evidence to warrant a
trial.
The message these events give is that the abuse of therapeutic power
will no longer be tolerated and that those responsible will have to
deal with both the civil and criminal judicial process. The message at
the end of 1997 is clear: the public expects therapy to be safe and
effective.
As we were reflecting on the significance of the legal changes that
have taken place in 1997, a lawyer who has worked on
recovered/repressed memory cases called. He brought a smile to our
faces as he gave a new definition to repressed memory:
"'Repressed' memory is a distant memory."
He explained:
"It's been beaten down so badly in the last few years that it's been
thoroughly discredited...But we are still by no means out of the
woods." (David Lentz, Esq, West Orange, NJ)
The observation that we are not "out of the woods" is,
unfortunately, true. There are several examples in this issue: the use
of government money that supports belief in an intergenerational
satanic cult conspiracy, including hiring witches; and the fact that
therapists are still being trained to conduct abreactions despite
their danger and despite the fact that there is no evidence for their
effectiveness. In November, the daytime television talk-show "Leeza"
featured a doctor who displayed his patient with 350 personalities. As
long as government money is being spent for witches, as long as
professionals continue to train each other in dangerous techniques of
unproven effectiveness, and as long as doctors and talk shows exploit
MPD patients for entertainment, we are in the woods.
While these examples show that there is no shortage of directions in
which educational efforts need to be made, the good news, the exciting
news is that we continue to see the positive results of past efforts.
Every week we receive more calls from families who tell us their
children have returned or retracted. Even families for whom this
problem had been dragging on for years and who had come close to
giving up hope, have called to share the happy news that they have
started to reunite. The first journal issue devoted to the topic of
retractors appeared in November: Psychological Inquiry. It features a
target article by Joseph deRivera, a social psychologist at Clark
University, and responses from many people including Steven Jay Lynn
et al., Harold I. Lief & Janet M. Fetkewicz, and Theodore R. Sarbin.
The good news is that outstanding articles and research continue to
appear. Do you need an article to explain the problem to a friend or
relative? Try "Creating False Memories" by Elizabeth Loftus in the
September, 1997 issue of Scientific American. Do you need an article
to give to a professional that shows the seriousness with which the
topic of false memories is held? Try "Theories of False Memory in
Children and Adults" by Reyna and Lloyd in Learning and Individual
Differences 9(2), 1997. Do you need a book to give as a present? Try
those listed in the box below or on page 4.
A few years ago families were dealing with their problem in silent
sadness. Today the problem of FMS is recognized and is on its way to
being solved. As this takes place it should ensure that scarce mental
health dollars are not wasted on creating FMS victims, and will
instead be available for true victims of abuse.
This has happened because families joined together to help each
other. In so doing they have helped themselves, their children, abuse
victims and the mental health profession. We exit 1997 knowing that we
have moved significantly closer to the end of the FMS problem.
Best wishes for the holidays.
PAMELA
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| Books Make Great Presents |
| Some Recent FMS Books |
| |
| MANUFACTURING VICTIMS: What the Psychology Industry is doing to |
| People. Dineen, T., Robert Davies Publishing. (1996, 1997). |
| |
| SMILING THROUGH TEARS. Freyd, P. & Goldstein, E. , |
| Upton Press. (1997). |
| |
| WHORES OF THE COURT. Hagen, M., Harper Collins. (1997). |
| |
| SPECTRAL EVIDENCE: The Ramona Case. Johnston, M., |
| Houghton Mifflin (1997). |
| |
| HOAX AND REALITY: The Bizarre World of Multiple Personality |
| Disorder. Piper, Jr., A., Jason Aronson, Inc. (1997). |
| |
| PSYCHOLOGY ASTRAY: Fallacies in Studies of 'Repressed Memory' and |
| Childhood Trauma. Pope, H., Upton Books. (1997). |
| |
| SECOND THOUGHTS: Understanding the False Memory Crisis and How It |
| Could Affect You. Simpson, P., Thomas. (1997). |
| |
| LOST DAUGHTERS: Recovered Memory Therapy and the People It |
| Hurts. Van Til, R., Wm. B. Erdmans. (1997). |
\____________________________________________________________________/
+----------------------------------------------------------+
| SPECIAL THANKS |
| |
| We extend a very special "Thank you" to all of |
| the people who help prepare the FMSF Newsletter. |
| |
| EDITORIAL SUPPORT: Toby Feld, Allen Feld, |
| Howard Fishman, Peter Freyd |
| RESEARCH: Merci Federici, Michele Gregg, Anita Lipton |
| NOTICES and PRODUCTION: Ric Powell |
| COLUMNISTS: Katie Spanuello and |
| members of the FMSF Scientific Advisory Board |
| LETTERS and INFORMATION: Our Readers |
+----------------------------------------------------------+
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| HAVE YOU MADE YOUR PLEDGE? |
| |
| Have you made your contribution to the Foundation's annual |
| fundraising drive? If not, please take a few minutes to think how |
| professionals now recognize what false memory syndrome is and how |
| it devastates families. If you are one of those families, try to |
| imagine what it would have been like if there had been no one to |
| call. Without your support, affected families, former patients, |
| professionals, and the media will have no place to turn. Please be |
| generous. Whatever you are able to contribute is deeply |
| appreciated. To those who have already returned your pledge card, |
| our thanks for helping to ensure that those who need the |
| Foundation's help will continue to receive it. |
\____________________________________________________________________/
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F M S N E W S
__________________________________________________________
Seminar: "Hypnosis, False Memory and Multiple Personality"
A 3-1/2 hour seminar entitled "Hypnosis, False Memory and Multiple
Personality" given by The Alfred Adler Institute was held on November
1 in New York City. The announcement had promised that "The seminar
participants will address the therapist's role in the retrieval of
(false) memory and the manufacture of multiple personality." It lived
up to its promise.
Dr. Herbert Spiegel showed a film from the 60's in which a
politically liberal young man was-within minutes-hypnotically
implanted with delusions of a massive American communist conspiracy.
Dr. Spiegel didn't let his subject remain long in the dark about the
nature of his delusion. He told the audience that if the subject had
not been adequately debriefed and had not returned to his usual
associates but had, instead, moved into an environment of others who
believed in the conspiracy, then chances were that he would have
become a firm believer.
But the most exciting promise in the announcement had been that
"This seminar will explore recently uncovered material on the most
famous case of multiple personality. Audiotapes of a discussion
between the author of the novel Sybil and Sybil's psychotherapist will
be played and analyzed." The tapes are, indeed, a bombshell. The
author of Sybil, Flora Rheta Schreiber, had taped her interviews with
Sybil's psychoanalyst, Dr. Cornelia Wilbur and had given the tapes to
Dr. Robert Rieber. Dr. Rieber recalled that fact only recently and was
able to find two of the original 14 tapes. Two are quite enough.
Dr. Wilbur described her use of hypnosis and sodium pentathol in
developing the "personalities." She described how she couldn't
undestand why Sybil didn't hate her parents. She described how she
succeeded in teaching Sybil to hate her parents. When the material in
these tapes is published, it is difficult to believe that anyone can
still take the Sybil case seriously. It is a sobering thought that
this is the case that started "The Wilburian Revolution" responsible
for today's popularity of multiple personality.
_________
Bewitched
Willamette Weekly News
by Bob Young, Oct. 22, 1997
Would you believe that in 1997 government money and hospital money is being
used to pay "witches?" It is in Oregon. Author Bob Young has documented
the extent to which a belief in the existence of satanic ritual abuse and
witches has penetrated social institutions in the state.
The article reviews the case of Patricia Rice, who was found guilty
of killing someone in a car accident after she had been treated by
witch Pat Mangis at Salem Hospital. (See FMSF Newsletters, 6/93, 3/95,
7/96.) Rice, who originally sought therapy with a hypnotherapist to
stop smoking, developed memories of satanic ritual abuse and Mangis
was brought in as a cult expert at the hospital when Rice was in a
critical state. Rice later sued the hypnotherapist and received a
$700,000 settlement. She then sued Salem Hospital and has received a
confidential settlement from them.
Mangis, self-educated in the occult, claims she can cast spells. She
says that she has worked with police departments in Lake Oswego,
Salem, Clark County, Dallas and Tualatin in addition to Salem Hospital
to help in satanic ritual abuse cases. Satanic ritual abuse is
believed to be a big problem in Oregon. Sergeant Helen Bicart, one
officer from the town of Lake Oswego,, has testified that she has
personally received 20 to 30 calls from psychotherapists who believed
their patients were victims of satanic cults.
Tess Wiseheart, for ten years the executive director of the Portland
Women's Crisis Line says "Oh yes, intergenerational satanic cults
definitely exist in Oregon." (The crisis line is a nonprofit
organization that receives almost $200,000 a year in federal, state
and local tax dollars.) Wiseheart says that the hot line receives
approximately 1,000 calls every year complaining about ritual abuse.
According to Michael Dwyer, who has helped two patients sue their
therapists for planting memories of satanic ritual abuse in their
minds, "You're just hitting the tip of the iceberg in the depth and
breadth of people's belief in satanic ritual abuse."
___________________________
False Memories or Politics?
In the September FMSF Newsletter, we noted that Chatelaine was the
first Canadian popular magazine to publish a serious critique of the
recovered/repressed memory problem. Reference was made in the
Chatelaine article to Canadian survivor Sylvia Fraser as having
recovered memories through therapy. In its November 1997 issue,
however, Chatelaine published a letter from Fraser and apologized for
making an error.
In the Chatelaine letter Fraser wrote:
"My memories first returned spontaneously, as I made clear in My
Father's House. I was not in therapy. Before my memories returned no
therapist ever suggested to me that I might have been sexually
abused..."
It seems that Fraser had false memories, either when she wrote her
letter in 1997 or when she wrote her book. This is what Fraser said in
My Father's House:
"...I felt drawn to read about, and to experiment with, various
psychological disciplines. Through Freudian and Jungian analysis, I
learned how to interpret dreams as messages from my unconscious.
Through primal and massage therapy, rolfing, bioenergetics, yoga,
meditation, I grew more in touch with my body and my emotions...
Unbeknownst to me, I was approaching time when I would remember. The
obsession of a lifetime was drawing to a close. My path of
revelation was to be the path of dreams."
Later she consulted a Toronto hypnotherapist to whom she said:
"...So far, most of my regurgitated memories are physical and
emotional rather than verbal or visual...I ask myself: did this
really happen?"
And later, under hypnosis:
"...After several false starts I begin: 'I am a child in my
father's house. My father sits on the bed in his underwear...'"
Then:
"...On subsequent visits, I produce other childhood memories in
which I express a growing sense of panic..."
(My Father's House (1988) pp 211, 12, 225-228)
__________________
Aaron Beck Honored
Almanac: University of Pennsylvania,, October 27, 1997
Dr. Aaron T. Beck, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry [and member of the
FMSF Scientific Advisory Board], has won the Cummings PSYCHE Award of
the Nicholas and Dorothy Cummings Foundation in collaboration with the
Institute for Behavioral Healthcare, for "significant contributions
which have reshaped the fields of psychiatry, psychology, social work
and behavioral health." The presentation, consisting of $50,000 and a
bronze statue of the Greek goddess Psyche, honored him as "one of the
major figures of 20th Century psychotherapy" and one who "permanently
altered the face of psychotherapy" through his development of goal-
directed treatment. In the course of his work, which continues at the
Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research in Bala Cynwyd,
Dr. Beck has published 11 books and some 350 articles in addition to
delivering patient care.
___________
Abreactions
At the October 1997 Midwest Conference on Child Sexual Abuse and
Incest, cosponsored by the University of Wisconsin and the Family
Sexual Abuse Treatment, Inc. there was a session entitled "Beyond
Abreaction" offered by Charme Davidson, Ph.D. and William Percy, Ph.D.
The following came from the handout for their session:
"We schedule abreactions with lead time, at least 3 weeks. We
schedule longer session than usual to allow for technique to fall
apart and come back together. Schedule at least 3 hours for first
abreaction. Later abreactions get scheduled based on experience of
earlier ones. The abreaction must be undertaken seriously but not
too seriously.
"Prepare! Make office safe: move potentially dangerous things;
rearrange furniture; have blankets to contain. Have barf bag
available; bring towels as necessary; bring water (drink) and food
as necessary; wear comfortable clothes; bring stuffed animals; have
all calls on hold; prepare office members for potential problem like
noise (particularly for first abreaction); have back-up; turn on
white noise machine; check distractions. Pee before you begin.
"Additional preparations necessary. Review disaster plan. What of
hospitalization? Who is driving: (after trance sessions how oriented
is client?) Does patient need a ride? Where is car parked? Does
patient need time to cool down? Do you need time to cool down? Who
will be at home later? What expectations made for patient later? Who
do you talk to later?"
____________
Not Accurate
We received a telephone call from someone who was concerned that we
had released our files to researchers and had not informed members.
The caller had read the following passage:
"Pope has pointed out that the FMSF claims to have 12,000 documented
cases of allegedly falsely accused family members where false
memories were implanted mainly in therapy. From a scientific
perspective that is a large sample. However, the FMSF has yet to
provide information on what sort of "documentation" constitutes
their scientific proof. In fact, an independent investigation of
these data by the British Psychological Society found them to be
largely incomplete, poorly documented, and more often than not
failing to support the claim that allegations were the result of
therapeutic suggestion." (page 425)
Memory, Trauma Treatment, and the Law
Brown, Scheflin, & Hammond
W.W. Norton & Company, 1998
We informed the caller that: The British Psychological Society has
never examined the FMSF data, has never asked to examine the FMSF data
and, indeed, has never communicated with the FMSF about anything.
_________________
Protests Continue
Picketers continue to make life lively for Elizabeth Loftus. The most
recent demonstration was at a November presentation in Canada at the
prestigious Whidden lectures, named in honor of a former president of
McMaster University. Inside the hall was the largest attendance in the
lecture series history. Outside the hall were picketers. The picketers
handed out a "fact" sheet that said that traumatic memory is different
from normal memory, inferring that courts and therapists do not need
to heed what is known about normal memory. Relying on van der Kolk,
1994, they wrote "There is a growing body of evidence to suggest the
existence of physiological differences which can be documented through
medial tests such as PET scans." Clearly the writers were unaware of
the methodological and theoretical problems with the claims they so
desperately want to embrace.
Thirty sexual assault organizations endorsed the fact sheet that
also attempted to tar Loftus because she is a member of the FMSF
Scientific and Professional Advisory Board. How do they describe the
Foundation? "It's membership includes thousands of accused
perpetrators and their supporters." Note that the accused are not
"accused people" but "accused perpetrators." It is a sad commentary
on our times that organizations such as Catholic Family Services and
the YWCA, associate themselves with a written statement that
stigmatizes people by using the term perpetrator.
Editor's comment on terminology: The difference between "accused
person" and "unaccused person" seems clear. It should be just as
clear between "accused perpetrator" and "unaccused perpetrator."
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| "If our courts had only observed the law instead of allowing |
| themselves to become politicized, they would never have held that |
| a mental flashback, uncorroborated by other evidence-a flashback |
| by anyone, let alone a patient suffering from an emotional |
| illness-could possibly meet the threshold of proof beyond a |
| reasonable doubt."| |
| George Jonas, Nov. 9, 1997 |
| 'Recovered memories' led to mass hysteria |
| The Gazette, Montreal |
\____________________________________________________________________/
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| Books Make Great Presents |
| Some FMS "Classics" |
| |
| THE MYTH OF REPRESSED MEMORY |
| Loftus, E. & Ketcham, K . |
| St. Martin's Press. (1994). |
| |
| MAKING MONSTERS: False Memory, Psychotherapy and Sexual Hysteria |
| Ofshe, R. & Watters, E. |
| Charles Scribner's Sons.(1994) . |
| |
| VICTIMS OF MEMORY: Incest Accusations and Shattered Lives |
| Pendergrast, M. |
| Upper Access Books (1994, 1996). |
| |
| SATANIC PANIC: The Creation of a Contemporary Legend |
| Victor, J. |
| Open Court Publishing (1993). |
| |
| RETURN OF THE FURIES: Analysis of Recovery Memory Therapy |
| Wakefield, H. & Underwager, R. |
| Open Court Publishing. (1994). |
\____________________________________________________________________/
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M A K E A D I F F E R E N C E
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall |
| one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle. |
| Edmund Burke |
| Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontent Vol. i. p. 526. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
This is a column that will let you know what people are doing to
counteract the harm done by FMS. Remember that three and a half
years ago, FMSF didn't exist. A group of 50 or so people found each
other and today more than 18,000 have reported similar experiences.
Together we have made a difference. How did this happen?
NEW MEXICO: I received a phone call this summer from some parents in
another country. Their adult daughter was participating in a cult-like
group in Santa Fe which specialized in recovering memories.
The parents did not know the address or phone number of that
organization. Several of our families here in New Mexico got together
and did a little detective work. Soon, the parents were able to phone
their daughter and they convince her to see a psychiatrist with an
outstanding reputation.
We are happy to report that the adult daughter is no longer with
that cult-like organizations. Teamwork and networking pay off!
FLORIDA: In shock after being falsely accused by their daughter, the
parents told few people. But two of those they told gave them the 800
number for the FMS Foundation.
The foundation told them about a support group for parents similarly
accused. "We drove 185 miles each way once a month to go to the
meeting," the parents said.
They said talking to others and spreading the word about false
memory has helped them deal with the anguish of being estranged from
their youngest daughter.
"Those meetings saved our sanity and kept us going. Thank God other
families were there for us to talk to."
CALIFORNIA: A Dad wrote to say that he had learned about the
Foundation through an ad that some parents had placed in a local
paper. He is sure that there are other parents out there who are
hurting who would want to know about FMSF. He said that there is a
"Penny Saver" paper in his area that places public service notices at
no cost. Check your local paper and place your notice.
INDIANA: The Indiana Association for Responsible Mental Health
Practices worked closely with Indiana legislators in passing the
Indiana Informed Consent Bill. As a result of this close and respected
association, IARMHP was asked to testify at a hearing in the state
house to license Drug and Alcohol Counselors.
With only a few days notice, Pat Knight agreed to attend and to
testify. Among other things, Pat testified to the following:
"No mental health worker who loses his license because of
malpractice or a violation of ethics or any other reason, may continue
to work in any area of the mental health field for at least as long as
the suspension lasts. If a mental health worker loses his/her license
permanently, he/she would never be allowed to work in the mental
health field.
"No one can call himself/herself a psychiatrist, psychologist,
social worker, counselor, therapist or psychotherapist unless they
have proof of having graduated from a bona fide college or university,
with the appropriate education expected in each of these professions,
none of which may be less than a bachelor's degree in counseling or a
closely related subject.
"No federal or state dollars may be spent on so-called
psychotherapies until they are proven safe and effective by scientific
research."
Send your ideas to Katie Spanuello c/o FMSF.
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Notice |
| |
| An FMSF member is searching for families who belong to the Morman |
| church, particularly those who may have been affected through the |
| book, Confronting Abuse, An LDS Perspective. |
| Contact: Lee Holmes |
| 3860 McHugh Drive |
| Helena, MT 59602-7440 |
| phone: 406-443-3189 |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
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L E G A L C O R N E R
FMSF Staff
___________________________________________________
U.S. Grand Jury Indicts Mental Health Professionals
United States of America v. Peterson, Seward, Mueck, Keraga, Davis
U.S. Dist. Ct., Southern Dist. Texas, No. H-97-237. [1]
A federal grand jury in Houston returned a 60-count mail fraud and
conspiracy indictment against the administrator and four medical
practitioners at the former Spring Shadows Glen Hospital in Texas. The
criminal charges accuse five mental health professionals of
exaggerating diagnoses and the need for expensive treatments in order
to collect insurance payments. Named in the indictment are hospital
administrator George Jerry Mueck; psychologist Judith Peterson;
psychiatrists Richard Seward and Gloria Keraga; and therapist Sylvia
Davis.
The five are accused of collecting millions of dollars in fraudulent
insurance payments in 1992 and 1993 by convincing patients that they
had been involved in satanic cults. Patients with large insurance
policies and their children were treated for MPD supposedly caused by,
what the grand jury called, "unsubstantiated and unrealistic"
allegations of sexual and satanic ritual abuse. According to the
indictment, the employees used "techniques commonly associated with
mind control and 'brainwashing'." The grand jury also charged
defendants with conspiracy to defraud U.S. insurance companies through
the U.S. mail and interstate wire communication systems. The
defendants are accused of using hospital funds to pay patients'
insurance premiums.
Reference:
[1] For copy of indictment, see FMSF Brief Bank #176. Summaries of
cases involving defendants found in FMSF Newsletters, 10/93, 11/94,
4/95, 3/96, 1/96, 9/96, 1/97, 10/97. See also, Gangelhoff, B. (1995)
"Devilish Diagnosis" Houston Press; Pendergrast, M. (1996) "Multiple
Personalities and Satanic Cults," Victims of Memory, Upper Access.
FROM THE INDICTMENT
It was further part of the conspiracy that:
... the defendants and others would and did fraudulently treat the
insured patients for MPD caused by unsubstantiated and unrealistic
allegations and abuses, including satanic ritual abuse and cult
activity, while at the same time creating medical records to
substantiate such treatment: and the defendants did issue unnecessary
physician orders and otherwise fraudulently create in medical records
entries falsely indicating the need for expensive treatments, such as
suicide watches and similar staff-intensive treatments, in order to
conduct their fraudulent insurance payment enterprise.
... the defendants and others would and did fraudulently elicit
statements of satanic ritual abuse and cult activities from the
admitted patients, through non-traditional treatment modalities,
including the use of leading or suggestive questions during therapy
sessions while the patients were: under hypnosis; under the influence
of a drug or combination of drugs; isolated from their families,
friends and the outside world; denied certain privileges and freedoms,
including uninterrupted sleep; held down by excessive or medically
unnecessary physical restraints; or, otherwise by employing the use of
techniques commonly associated with mind control and "brain-washing",
in order to conduct their fraudulent insurance payment enterprises.
... the defendants and others would and did assure the compliance of
the fraudulently treated, insured patients with the orders of the
hospital, its staff, psychiatrists, psychologist and related
psychotherapists by using non-traditional treatment modalities,
including the use of: hypnosis; drugs; isolation from family, friends
and the outside world, including the screening of visitors, mail and
telephone privileges; threats; excessive use of physical or medically
unnecessary restraints; and, otherwise by employing the use of
techniques commonly associated with mind control and "brain-washing",
in order to conduct their fraudulent insurance payment enterprise.
...the defendants and others would and did utilize the positions of
administrator and various directorships in the hospital to carry out
the policies and non-traditional treatment plans of these insured
patients, including threatening other psychiatrists, psychologists,
psychotherapists, nurses, and other hospital staff with the loss of
their jobs, positions or remuneration to attempt to coerce them into
creating or changing medial charts, records, observations of behaviors
and otherwise to create a fraudulent medical record for the patient,
in order to conduct the defendant's fraudulent insurance payment
enterprise.
...the defendants and others would and did instruct, coach, guide
and encourage the patients and children of patients to fraudulently
inform Child Protective Services of alleged satanic ritual abuse, cult
participation, and unsubstantiated and unrealistic abuses of children
and others, in order to give an air of legitimacy to statements being
made by the defendants and others to insurance companies, and related
review companies, that official child abuse investigations were under
way, in order to conduct their fraudulent insurance payment
enterprise.
... the defendants and others would and did instruct, coach, guide
and encourage the insured patients through leading questions,
suggestions, availability of books on cult-related topics, group
discussion, and allowing discussion among roommates and unit-mates, to
relate "stories" during therapy sessions of alleged satanic ritual
abuse and cult participation, and unsubstantiated and unrealistic
abuses of children and others, so that the "diagnosis" of the insured
patients would be backed up with medical records in the form of charts
and therapy notes and tapes in order to make it difficult or
impossible for the insurance and review companies to question the
diagnosis or to request an independent medical opinion.
________________________________________________________
Outcomes of Recent Malpractice Suits against Therapists
Brought by Former Patients Claiming Negligent Encouragement or
Implantation of False Memories
As part of our Legal Survey, the FMSF has collected information on 105
malpractice suits [2] filed by former patients against their mental
health providers which claim the use of suggestive therapeutic
techniques led to the development of false memories. The filings FMSF
has collected from these cases show serious, long-lasting injury from
improper therapy -especially where patients are led to falsely believe
they had a horrendous history of sexual abuse at the hands of their
family.
The FMSF Brief Bank contains copies of Complaints and other filings
from many malpractice lawsuits.[3] Even a cursory reading of the
Complaints shows that certain actionable wrongs are all too common in
Recovered Memory Therapy. Most Complaints state that the defendant
therapist failed to treat the presenting problem, failed to accurately
diagnose or develop and document an appropriate treatment plan, and
failed to correct the treatment program despite clear evidence of the
deteriorating clinical status of the patient. Nearly every complainant
was diagnosed with multiple personality disorder (MPD), supposedly the
result of a previously unknown abuse history. The Complaints detail
techniques, such as hypnosis, guided imagery and a heavy reliance on
medications which may increase the risk of suggestibility.
Despite the seriousness of the supposed past abuse, many
Complainants charge that the defendant therapist failed to consider
the need for corroboration and discouraged the patient from seeking
it, even when disconfirming information could have been found. Most
complainants were encouraged to cut off contact with family members.
Some were hospitalized in dissociative units for long periods. Some
were instructed to "detach" from all contacts outside the therapy
group. The techniques found in many Complaints are quite similar to
the practices described in a recent U.S. Grand Jury Indictment as
those "commonly associated with mind control and 'brainwashing.'"
Despite the fact that obtaining informed consent has long been an
accepted part of proper care, nearly every Complaint charges the
defendant therapist with failure to inform the patient that the
techniques used were unsupported by any reliable scientific evidence
or that the diagnoses were controversial. The patient, therefore,
lacked information necessary to make reasoned and informed consent to
the treatment or to consider an alternative form of therapy.
In each of these malpractice suits, the negligence cause of action
includes the implantation or encouragement of false memories of
childhood abuse through the use of suggestive techniques. Of the 105
claims, 1 was dropped, 42 settled out of court, 53 are still pending,
and 9 went to trial. Of the cases that went to trial every one ended
in a verdict in favor of the plaintiff against the defendant
therapist. A number of those suits received a great deal of press
attention. (See box "Trial Outcomes").
The overwhelming majority of these suits were resolved when they
were settled out of court, many on the eve of a scheduled trial. A few
settled during trial after the plaintiff presented her case. The most
recent case ended when a $10.6 million settlement was finalized on the
day trial was scheduled to begin. Most agreements stipulated that the
amount of the settlement be kept confidential, but a partial list of
recent cases for which the amount is published is listed in box below.
As far as we know, no malpractice case has been dismissed in its
entirety as time-barred. Defendants often argue that if their
patient's condition deteriorated as the therapy progressed, the
patient should have been on notice at that time. To date, as far as we
are aware, no court has accepted this argument. (One might ask, if
the patient's condition deteriorated during therapy, shouldn't a
prudent therapist meeting a minimal standard of care take that as a
sign that the treatment plan needed reconsideration and revision?)
Few published opinions on this question exist. However, the U.S.
District Court [4] has twice rejected defense motions to dismiss a
malpractice claim as time-barred. That court concluded that the nature
of the injury could render the patient unable to distinguish between
true and false memories and that the patient "quite typically may have
assumed her psychiatrist was providing proper treatment and may not
have become suspicious" until sometime after the treatment ended.
While juries in some states have considered the question of
comparative negligence which may be attributed to the patients
themselves, other courts have rejected that notion. For example, a
Pennsylvania trial court judge in a detailed post-trial ruling [5]
affirmed a jury verdict and specifically rejected defense claims of
contributory negligence by the patient or her parents. The judge
concluded that it is precisely because of the patient's presenting
psychological problems that her representations to her treating
therapist cannot be seen as contributory negligence. Texas malpractice
attorney Skip Simpson pointed out that it must be expected that a
mental health patient enters therapy for a reason, whether it is
depression, marital problems or something else. Because individuals
enter therapy in a vulnerable state, ready to rely on the advice and
treatment given by their therapists, those therapists must be held to
a high standard of care.
Some defendants have claimed that their treatment met the current
standard of care or, at least, met the standard of care at the time
the treatment was given. As psychologist and attorney R. Christopher
Barden points out, it has been long known that hypnosis is not a
reliable means of retrieving accurate memories. Professional
organizations have recognized the unreliability of "repressed
memories," especially when "recovered" with suggestive techniques.
Even lay juries quickly conclude that memory recovery techniques do
not meet a standard of care and are the direct cause of a patient's
injury.
Recent settlements and awards are being entered in staggering
amounts. Many more suits are still pending. Additional suits may be
expected as the number of reconciliations within families increases.
In October 1997, a federal grand jury brought what are believed to be
the first criminal charges in such a case. The indictment charges that
a hospital administrator and four therapists collected millions of
dollars in fraudulent insurance payments by exaggerating patients'
diagnoses and inducing false memories of being part of a satanic cult.
Dr. Barden is working with states to pass legislation to force
informed consent for this treatment. Barden also expects insurance
companies will soon stop reimbursing therapists for mental health
treatments not proven safe and effective.
References:
[2] This number represents only those lawsuits of which we have been
informed and clearly underestimates the total number of filings.
[3] For an index of the FMSF Brief Bank of malpractice suits, see FMSF
Publication #830.
[4] Lujan v. Mansmann, et al, 956 F. Supp. 1218 (E.D. Pa, 1997); Lujan
v. Mansmann, Neuhausel and Genesis Associates, 1997 U.S.Dist. LEXIS
14987.
[5] Althaus v. Cohen, Ct. of Common Pleas, Allegheny Co., PA, No.
GD92020893. See FMSF Brief Bank #2.
__________________________________________________
Record Settlement in False Memory Malpractice Case
Burgus v. Braun, Circuit Court, Cook County, Illinois
Case Nos. 91L8493/91L8493.[6]
Six years after filing, and on the day trial was expected to begin,
Patricia Burgus and her family agreed to accept $10.6 million from her
former therapists and hospital in what is believed to be a record
settlement amount for a false memory suit. Rush Presbyterian-
St. Luke's Medical Center agreed to pay $3.5 million based on
derivative charges concerning treatment of the Burgus children. The
remaining $7.3 million will be paid by psychiatrists Bennett Braun and
Elva Poznanski. The status of three additional defendants, Roberta
G. Sachs, Ph.D., Ann-Marie Baughman, ACSW, and Rush-Presbyterian as it
pertains to Patricia Burgus' treatment is currently on appeal before
the Court of Appeal, 1st Dist., Ill. Court documents [7] detail the
charges against defendants Braun, Poznanski, and the hospital. Burgus
was referred to the hospital for severe post-partum depression. She
received a diagnosis of MPD and was treated with various medications,
hypnosis, and occasionally kept in leather restraints during 6 years
of treatment that included 2 1/2 years as an inpatient. Burgus became
convinced that she was a member of a satanic cult, had participated in
ritual murder, and had sexually abused her two children, none of which
was true. Burgus was also persuaded to hospitalize her two healthy
children, then ages 4 and 5, for almost three years because doctors
believed her disorder might be genetic. Patricia and her husband
Michael had to obtain a court order to get their children released
from the hospital.
Zachary Bravos, one of Burgus's attorneys, said, "This case
demonstrates the tremendous influence people in authority can have
over a patient. While false satanic abuse memories are the most easily
attacked outgrowth of such therapy, we really shouldn't lose sight of
the fact that great harm can be caused when any false memory is
encouraged and accepted without corroboration. If they can do this to
adults, they can certainly do it to children." "Psychologists have
known for 100 years that false memories can be implanted using
hypnosis," said Christopher Barden, another of Burgus's attorneys.
Burgus was also represented by attorney Todd Smith of Chicago. Her
attorneys said that if the case had gone to trial, they were prepared
to call on experts to support their case. These experts were: William
Grove, Ph.D., James Hudson, M.D., Elizabeth Loftus, Ph.D., Paul
McHugh, M.D., Richard Ofshe, Ph.D., and August Piper, M.D.
The defendants made no admission of negligence in the settlement.
Dr. Bennett Braun, director of the hospital's section of psychiatric
trauma, called the settlement a "travesty" and said that it was done
over his objections. Dr. Braun said Mrs. Burgus raised the stories
herself and exaggerated the use of hypnotism. Braun said he used
"standard psychotherapy" and any hypnosis was for pain control. Braun
is quoted in the New York Times as saying, "Yes the kids did see
handcuffs. They did see a gun. But it was for therapeutic reasons."
Psychiatrist Elva Poznanski, the hospital's section chief of child and
adolescent psychiatry, treated Ms. Burgus's sons from 1986 to 1989.
Dr. Poznanski issued a statement saying, "On the basis of the
knowledge available at that time, I would not change the treatment of
these boys."
"I nearly died," Burgus said. "The memories I was being told were in
my mind were so terrible that I could not live with myself as that
kind of person." The "physical and psychological torture" drove her to
attempt suicide. "They have taken my past, rewritten my past,
contaminated all of the memories that I have as a person, and I'm
supposed to go on and live my life as though this has never happened.
It's just not possible." Burgus said, "Our family was tortured for
years at Rush. No amount of money can make up for what we went
through." She said her family is still recovering from the ordeal.
Burgus, who is now president of the Mental Health Association of
DuPage Co., Ill. said, "I hope that five or 10 years from now, history
will reflect that this was a terribly dark period of psychiatry and
that we did something to stop it."
References:
[6] See also, FMSF Newsletter, Nov. 1997; PBS Frontline, "The Search
for Satan" (11/1/95) produced by Ofra Bikel; Ofshe, R. and Watters,
E., (1994) "Therapy of a High Priestess,"Making Monsters, Scribners;
Belluck, P. (11/6/97) "'Memory' Therapy leads to a lawsuit and big
settlement," The New York Times; Rotzoll, B. (11/5/97) "Settlement
ends woman's ordeal; $10.6 million for 'psychological torture.'"
Chicago Sun-Times; Gregory, T. (11/7/97) "$10 million award in
psychiatry suit, new blot on therapy," Chicago Tribune.
[7] FMSF Brief Bank #4 contains Complaints and many of the filings
from the 6 year history of this suit.
[8] See FMSF Brief Bank #178.
________________________________________________________________
Five Malpractice Suits Against Therapists and Genesis Associates
Settled
Within the space of four days, five former patients at Genesis
Associates in Pennsylvania accepted out-of-court settlements for their
malpractice suits. At least eight other malpractice suits brought by
former patients are still pending against psychologist Patricia
Mansmann, social worker Patricia Neuhausel, and the Genesis Associates
clinic. The amounts of the settlements are confidential. Four of the
suits are summarized below:
____________________________________________________
Lujan v. Mansmann, Neuhausel, and Genesis Associates
U.S. District Court, Eastern Dist., Pennsylvania
Case No. 96-5098.[8]
This suit, filed by Brook Lujan in July 1996, has been reported in
this newsletter several times. In March 1997[9] and again in September
1997,[10] the U.S. District Court rejected defense motions to dismiss
the charges against them as barred by the statute of limitations.
Padova concluded that Lujan may have naturally "assumed her
psychiatrist was providing proper care" and therefore the time it took
Lujan to discover her injury and its cause could not be considered
unreasonable as a matter of law. In so doing, Judge Padova cleared the
way for the case to go to trial October 16. The settlement with all
defendants was finalized on October 17th.
According to the Complaint, because of the cult-like nature of the
therapy she received, Lujan could not recognize that the techniques of
mind control and unethical practices were harmful. Only after she
began receiving information relating to a lawsuit filed by her parents
against Genesis Associates did she begin to understand her injury. The
Complaint states that Lujan suffered and continues to suffer an
ongoing interruption of her life due to the defendants' conduct in
fostering false memories of a satanic cult, and encouraging and
assisting her to leave the state and create a new identity.
Lujan was represented by Joseph Rizzo of Darby, Pennsylvania.
____________________________________________
Alton v. Genesis Assoc., Mansmann, Neuhausel
Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia Co., Pa.
Case No. 000159 [11]
The Complaint states that defendant Neuhausel advised plaintiff that
he would have to "detach" from his family of origin and from the woman
he had been dating because they were all "toxic." Although he was not
told how long the detachment would last, Alton was advised by
Neuhausel that he "absolutely had to" detach to continue therapy at
Genesis Associates.
___________________________________________________________
Saxanoff v. Genesis Assoc., Mansmann, Neuhausel, Fitzgerald
Court of Common Pleas, Chester Co., PA,
No. 96-4903 [12]
The Complaint states that plaintiff entered therapy for marital
problems, but was instructed to "detach" from her husband and to
curtail all sexual contact, which defendants claimed strained the
marital relationship. Ultimately, defendants encouraged her to divorce
her husband. She was permitted to have contact only with other clients
of Genesis Associates. After her teenage son entered individual and
group therapy at Genesis, he also was instructed to detach from his
parents and family, and instead to be guided by the Genesis "network."
Because of her therapy and the rewards for "recovering" "repressed"
memories of abuse, plaintiff began to believe that flashbacks and
dreams of satanic abuse might be real.
__________________________________________________________
Diament v. Genesis Assoc., Mansmann, Neuhausel, Fitzgerald
U.S. Dist. Ct., Eastern Dist. Penn.
No. 96-5342.
Late in October, Carol Diament's negligence suit against her former
therapists was resolved to the satisfaction of all parties. The suit
had been set for trial October 27 but was resolved within a week of
the trial date. She had claimed defendants negligently misdiagnosed
and treated her for MPD and satanic ritual abuse and encouraged her to
"detach" from her family.
References:
[8] See FMSF Brief Bank #178.
[9] Lujan v. Mansmann, et al, 956 F. Supp. 1218 (E.D. Pa, 1997) and
FMSF Newsletter, May 1997.
[10] Lujan v. Mansmann, Neuhausel and Genesis Associates, 1997
U.S.Dist. LEXIS 14987, Sept. 24, 1997 and FMSF Newsletter, Nov. 1997.
[11] See FMSF Brief Bank #179.
[12] See FMSF Brief Bank #180.
______________________________________
Malpractice Suit Settles in California
In August 1997, a malpractice suit brought in Superior Ct., El Dorado
Co., California by a woman against her former therapists and clinic
was settled 2 days before it was scheduled to go to trial. The woman
claimed that her therapists implanted false memories of childhood
sexual abuse through techniques such as guided imagery and the heavy
use of anti-depressants. Tapes of the therapy sessions documented the
suggestive questioning employed by her therapist. The terms of the
settlement are confidential.
______________________________________
Malpractice Trial Underway in Michigan
Champney v. Faller, Washtenaw Co. Circuit Court, MI
Reported by Jack Kresnak, Nov. 3, 1997, Detroit Free Press
Third-party claims of negligence against nationally recognized
University of Michigan expert in child abuse investigations Dr.
Kathleen Coulborn Faller went to trial November 3rd. The suit alleges
that Faller and sex-evaluators at the University of Michigan Family
Assessment Clinic operated by Faller, emotionally abused a young child
during an investigation. Just prior to trial, Judge Donald Shelton
rejected defense claims of immunity because they operated as state
employees.
Larry Champney says videotapes of interviews with his 3-year-old-
daughter show an interviewer at Faller's clinic using repeated and
suggestive questioning to get the child to say something bad about her
father. The interviewer used anatomical dolls and nude drawings and
allowed the mother to participate in the interview. The mother readily
admitted she was so concerned about sexual abuse that she sniffed her
daughter's genital area each day for signs of semen. Three
psychologists who tested the mother, including one appointed by the
court, one hired by the mother and one hired by Champney, said she had
a personality disorder characterized by paranoia. Champney, who now
has custody of his daughter, said the girl's mother's paranoia was fed
by Faller's report.[13]
Defendant Faller has written books, peer-reviewed articles and
trained interviewers on how to sort out the truth in cases of
suspected child sexual abuse. Faller defended her colleagues and their
techniques and says she stands by all of her final reports and
recommendations. "I've got a pretty thick skin," she said. "I have
learned to live with the stress of this kind of work."
The lawyer for Champney, Demosthenes Lorandos, said Faller's clinic
destroyed parent-child relationships with faulty work. "Faller and
her people are part of the industry of false validations that hurts
every child who has really been abused and devastates families," said
Lorandos.
Reference:
[13] Faller had written in her report that the child "can describe and
demonstrate explicit sexual acts," that the mother's personality "does not
indicate the mother is overprotective" and that Champney "appears to be a
suspicious person."
____________________________________________________________________
Lawsuit Claims False Memories; Woman Says Hospital Counselor Led her
to Believe She was Follower of Evil Cult
by Kim Barker, Nov. 2, 1997 The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA)
Avis v. Laughlin, Superior Co. King Co.
In a malpractice suit filed in Washington state, Robin Avis charged
her former counselor with altering her memories and coercing her into
believing she was the lifelong victim of an "intergenerational satanic
cult" that physically and sexually abused her. Named as defendants are
John Laughlin[14] and Lake Chelan Community Hospital.
Avis first sought treatment for depression from Laughlin. Over the
next two years, the lawsuit states that Laughlin used hypnosis and
suggestion to implant her false memories. She came to believe she had
helped torture and kill people and animals as part of a satanic cult.
She thought she had given birth to a stillborn baby which was supposed
to be sacrificed but was instead fed to dogs. Laughlin also convinced
Avis that she had 30 multiple personalities living in her.
As time went on Avis said she fell more and more under Laughlin's
spell. Eventually she went to his office four or more times a week
until her insurance policy was exhausted. Laughlin finally convinced
Avis to flee her family. According to Avis's attorney Michael
Bolasina, "She got to the point where she was totally dependent on him
and totally suspicious of everyone else in her life." Avis is also
represented by R. Christopher Barden.
Reference:
[14] Over three years ago, John Laughlin settled a lawsuit with
another former patient for an undisclosed amount of money. She accused
him of making her think she'd been sexually abused in a satanic cult.
He disputed the allegations, but the Washington Medical Quality
Assurance Commission charged him with unprofessional conduct for
allegedly inducing false memories of sexual and ritual abuse in a
client. That investigation is continuing. See FMSF Newsletter, June
1997, FMSF Brief Bank #142.
_____________
OTHER ACTIONS
_________________________
Amirault Appeals Continue
On October 30, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) refused
to consider a prosecution effort to send Cheryl Amirault LeFave back
to jail. Instead, the SJC said it would await a ruling by a lower
court judge on a defense motion for a retrial for both Cheryl and her
brother Gerald. Earlier this year, the SJC had rejected efforts to
have the Amiraults' verdicts overturned on a separate constitutional
question, saying the Amirault case merited "closure."
The defense motion for new trial charged that prosecutors bullied
and bribed children into making "wholly unreliable" sex abuse
allegations and was based on recent research by Maggie Bruck, a
professor at McGill University who studies the factors that influence
the testimony of children. According to Bruck, flawed investigative
techniques like the repetition of misleading information and peer
pressure created an atmosphere of fear which may have tainted
testimony that sent LeFave, her mother and brother to prison in 1987.
Prosecutors disagree, and have argued that the impact of the leading
questioning was already weighed at the first criminal trials, in 1986
and 1987.
__________________________
RECENT APPELLATE DECISIONS
____________________________________________________
Maine Supreme Court Declines to Apply Discovery Rule
in Repressed Memory Cases
Harkness v. Fitzgerald, 1997 ME 207, (Oct. 21, 1997).
The Supreme Judicial Court of Maine stated that it found no compelling
reason to reexamine its "carefully considered precedent" in which it
had declined similar requests in sexual abuse cases [15] to adopt a
judicially crafted discovery rule.
The plaintiff, age 32, alleged her father has sexually and
physically abused her from ages 2-14 and that her mother had allowed
the abuse to occur. She claimed continuous memory of physical abuse,
but states that her father's actions caused her to repress memories of
sexual abuse, thereby constituting fraudulent concealment.[16]
Plaintiff further claimed her parents misrepresented the wrongful acts
as punishment, knowing that the acts were not punishment, and did so
to prevent her from reporting the abuse. The Supreme Court of Maine
held that the father's alleged behavior does not constitute
misrepresentation of fact necessary to support a finding of fraudulent
concealment and dismissed the case.
References:
[15] Nuccio v. Nuccio, 673 A.2d 1331 (Me. 1996) and McAfee v. Cole,
637 A.2d 463 (Me. 1994).
[16] For cases involving similar claims, see, FMSF Working Paper,
VIII.2
______________________________________
Texas Court of Appeals reverses itself
and dismisses repressed memory claim
L.C. v. A.D., 1997 Tex. App. LEXIS 5522, October 23, 1997.
The Texas Court of Appeals vacated its earlier judgment[17] and
dismissed a repressed memory claim as time-barred. In 1994, the Texas
Court of Appeals had applied the "discovery rule" to the repressed
memory case, accepting the testimony of plaintiff's therapist as
corroborating evidence. Dissenting judges, however, maintained that
the court's opinion opens the door to fraudulent claims that would be
nearly impossible to defend.
Two years after this opinion, the Texas Supreme Court[18] held that
the discovery rule may apply in cases involving allegations of
childhood sexual abuse, but that determination must be made on a case
by case basis. In S.V., the supreme court made it clear that for the
discovery rule to apply, a plaintiff's claim must have been inherently
undiscoverable within the limitations period, and must be objectively
verifiable.[19]
In 1997, the court granted a motion for rehearing an appeal of
summary judgment. The Texas Court of Appeals in effect said that even
assuming in this case, without deciding, that the discovery rule
applied, the statute of limitations barred Plaintiff's claims. By
Plaintiff's own testimony she was aware over two years prior to filing
that some of her physical and emotional problems were attributed by
professionals to incest. Although she had not had any flashbacks of
abuse at that time, the court held that a reasonably prudent person
would be on notice that there might be sexual abuse in her background.
References:
[17] L.C. v. A.D., 1994 Tex. App. LEXIS 2729, March 21, 1994. See
also, FMSF Brief Bank #97.
[18] S.V. v. R. V., 933 S.W.2d 1 (Tex. 1996).
[19] The supreme court stated, "For purposes of applying the discovery
rule, expert testimony on subjects about which there is no settled
scientific view- indeed not even a majority scientific view- cannot
provide objective verification of abuse...Opinions in this area simply
cannot meet the 'objective verifiability' element for extending the
discovery rule."
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| TRIAL OUTCOMES |
| |
| ALTHAUS v. COHEN, Court of Common Pleas, Allegheny Co., PA, No. |
| GD92020893. In 1994, jury awarded $272,232 to 17-yr-old girl and |
| her parents. In 12/96 trial judge affirmed jury decision in |
| strongly worded ruling, noting that as girl's charges became |
| "progressively more outlandish," the stories were never |
| challenged, in fact, the therapist refused input from parents. |
| "Expert testimony demonstrates overwhelmingly that Cohen deviated |
| from that standard [of care]." The girl entered therapy when her |
| mother became seriously ill. Criminal charges of childhood sexual |
| and ritual abuse against parents were filed, but later dropped. |
| |
| HAMANNE v. HUMENANSKY, U.S. Dist. Ct., 2nd Dist., MN, No. |
| C4-94-203. In 1995, jury awarded over $2.46 million to woman after |
| finding psychiatrist negligently failed to meet recognized |
| standards and directly caused injury. Woman sought treatment for |
| anxiety after a move, but was diagnosed MPD, and told she |
| exaperienced childhood sexual and ritual abuse despite contrary |
| evaluations and lack of memories of abuse. Treatment included |
| hypnosis, guided imagery, sodium amytal, anti-depressants, lengthy |
| hospitalizations. No informed consent. Also awarded $200,000 to |
| husband for loss of consortium. |
| |
| HALBROOKS v. MOORE, Dist. Ct., Dallas Co., TX No. 92-11849. In |
| 1995, jury found therapist guilty of negligence and that his |
| actions were proximate cause of damage to his former client. |
| Awarded $105,000 and attributed 60% negligence to defendant |
| therapist. Woman had sought treatment for recurring depression and |
| familial conflicts, but claims therapy caused her to have false |
| memories of childhood sexual and ritual abuse and to be mis- |
| diagnosed MPD. The treating hospital settled prior to trial for |
| nearly $50,000. |
| |
| CARLSON v. HUMENANSKY, Dist. Ct., 2nd Dist., MN, No. CX-93-7260. |
| In 1996, unanimous jury verdict found that psychiatrist failed to |
| meet recognized medical standards and directly caused injury. |
| Awarded $2.5 million. Woman had entered therapy for depression and |
| marital problems, but claims therapy caused her to develop false |
| memories of childhood sexual and ritual abuse. Treatment included |
| sodium amytal, guided imagery, hypnosis. |
| |
| CARL v. KERAGA, U.S. Federal Ct., Southern Dist., Tex., Case No. |
| H-95-661. In 1997, jury found remaining defendant 24% liable |
| (individually and through her corporation) for injury to patient. |
| Awarded $5.8 million. Several jurors said they were concerned |
| about failure to warn of the risks of treatment. Woman claims she |
| was misdiagnosed MPD and told she had over 500 personalities to |
| cope with childhood abuse, ritual murder, cannibalism and torture. |
| She was instructed to report herself to the police as a child |
| molester, even though she had no memory of ever abusing her own |
| children. Her teenage children were also hypnotized and told they |
| were victims of a cult. All but 2 of other 25 defendants settled |
| out of court prior to trial. |
\____________________________________________________________________/
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| SETTLEMENT OUTCOMES |
| |
| MARK v. ZULLI, et. al., Superior Ct., San Luis Obispo Co., CA, No. |
| CV075386. In 1995, a settlement was reached with the primary |
| therapist who treated a woman for unexplained chest pains after |
| witnessing a serious accident. The therapist told her the chest |
| pains were body memories of childhood sexual and ritual abuse. The |
| therapy included hypnosis and relied on The Courage to Heal. |
| Eventually the woman was diagnosed MPD with 400 personalities. The |
| primary therapist had no insurance and settled for $157,000. |
| |
| FULTZ v. CARR and WALKER, Circuit Ct., Multnomah Co., OR, No. |
| 9506-04080. In 1996, two treating therapists settled out of court, |
| one for $1.57 million, the other for a confidential amount. |
| Patient had sought help for mild depression and weight problems, |
| but she claims the therapists misdiagnosed childhood sexual and |
| ritual abuse and MPD. Her preschool children were also treated and |
| persuaded they were abused by a cult. The treating therapist |
| assisted in obtaining restraining order against patient's parents |
| and siblings. |
| |
| RUTHERFORD v. STRAND, et al, Circuit Ct., Green Co. MO, No. |
| 1960C2745. In 1996, a church in Missouri agreed to pay $1 million |
| to a woman and her family who said that under the guidance of a |
| church counselor, the woman came to believe that her father had |
| raped her, got her pregnant and performed a coat-hanger abortion - |
| when in fact, she was still a virgin and her father had had a |
| vasectomy. |
| |
| COOL v. OLSON, Circuit Ct., Outagamie Co., Wisc. No. 94CV707. In |
| 1997, after 15 days of courtroom testimony, defendant agreed to |
| settle for $2.4 million. Testimony described how psychiatrist |
| induced horrific false memories of childhood sexual and ritual |
| abuse, including demonic possession and misdiagnosed MPD. Therapy |
| techniques included hypnosis, age regression, exorcism and drugs |
| which caused hallucinations. The patient had originally entered |
| therapy for bulimia and help after a traumatic event had befallen |
| family. |
| |
| BURGUS v. BRAUN, RUSH PRESBYTERIAN, Circuit Ct., Cook Co., IL, No. |
| 91L08493/93L14050 In 1997, on the day scheduled for trial, a $10.6 |
| million settlement was finalized. The patient originally sought |
| treatment for post-partum depression but was diagnosed MPD as |
| result of supposed childhood sexual and ritual abuse including |
| cannibalism, torture. She claims psychiatrist utilized suggestive |
| techniques, but failed to obtain informed consent. Her preschool |
| age children were also hospitalized, diagnosed MPD and treated for |
| SRA. |
\____________________________________________________________________/
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| The recommended statutory provisions authorize a lawsuit |
| where gross and irresponsibly hypersuggestive techniques and |
| verbalizations are utilized by a therapist; techniques that create |
| substantial risks of inducing specious memories and false |
| accusations of odious sexual crimes purportedly committed by the |
| plaintiff..... |
| |
| It is important to note at the start, that applying the |
| recommended remedial principles (principles of justice for a |
| wrongly accused person and a shattered family) should have very |
| little, if any effect on the very important work of providing |
| treatment for actual victims of childhood incest. |
| Joel Jay Finer |
| Journal of Law and Health 11 (1&2) 1996-97 |
| Therapists' Liability to the Falsely Accused for Inducing |
| Illusory Memories of Childhood Sexual Abuse |
| Current Remedies and a Proposed Statute |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
B O O K R E V I E W
_________________________________________________
Individual Differences in Posttraumatic Response:
Problems with the Adversity-Distress Connection.
By Marilyn Bowman
Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 1997. 189 pp hardbound $39.95
Reviewed by Loren Pankratz, Consultation Psychologist
and Clinical Professor, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland OR
"Sometimes psychological theories drive us in wrong directions.
Marilyn Bowman has now posted some clear signs that cannot be
ignored." With these two sentences I began the blurb that appears on
the back of her book. I am please here to provide readers some
additional thoughts on this important book.
Bowman teaches psychology at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby,
British Columbia, and in the acknowledgment section of her book she
expresses her appreciation to the pioneers of her northern upbringing.
I have never met Dr. Bowman, but in my mind I see her looking down
from Canada on the frenzy of psychology across the border. She sees
therapists throwing themselves into the assessment and treatment of
trauma. Calmly, she asks a series of questions, which she forms into
chapter headings: Do more terrible events lead to more serious
disorders? What are typical responses to direct exposure to toxic life
events? How powerful are individual differences in emotionality? Which
has more power in determining distress, the event or the person?
Our society seems to take for granted certain beliefs about PTSD.
Therapists, being dwellers in this society, have adopted these beliefs
and certainly contributed to them. However, Dr. Bowman disregards
popular belief, methodically exploring the research for answers to her
questions. Her books posts new signs on the landscape.
Far from being an intellectual exercise, her analysis glows with a
radiance of finding the truth. And that truth is heartwarming. The
human spirit, she shows, has a remarkable resilience to horrible
experiences. The book gives the reader an exciting journey down the
rapids of life. Most people do not respond to toxic events with
serious and long-term distress disorders in the way presumed by
professionals.
Why are clinicians reluctant to look for causes beyond the event?
Bowman answers the question of this chapter by providing a brief
course on human error. The problem begins with a faulty idea that
distress responses are an entirely natural, predictable reaction to an
awful event. Some therapists believe that looking beyond the event
smacks of blaming the victim.
Can professional treatment remedy event-attributed distress? An
explosion of treatment paradigms have been proposed, all with armies
of defenders, despite the lack of supporting research. Bowman gives
some fascinating and unexpected examples of how treatment can actually
create pathology rather than remedy it. However, there are few
guidelines here for professionals faced with distressed patients. In
some situations the best response is simply to stay out or to point
individuals back to their natural support systems. In the redirecting
process professionals must focus on resolution without buying the
distress-adversity connection or blaming the patient. These strategies
are available but yet to be articulated in the management of
posttraumatic distress disorder.
Between the chapters on the problems of therapy is another chapter
that asks the question: How important are emotions as a guide to
well-being? In this chapter we discover what Bowman's northern
upbringing made of her. She answers this question by considering
Hitler's Mein Kampf, the tears of Ivan the Terrible,
deconstructionism, classical Greek culture, Liberation Theology, and
other unexpected ideas. In the midst of this landscape I found an
important historical landmark. "The whole history of improving
well-being in humankind has been advanced by detecting and abandoning
error with the help of the scientific method, which seeks increasing
objectivity in nature."
Do not ignore.
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| Good Grief! The Case for Repression |
| Emily Nussbaum, Lingua Franca, October 1997, p 48-51 |
| |
| This article describes the research of George Bonanno whose |
| experiments challenge the "grief-work" hypothesis--the assumption |
| that showing expressions of grief are necessary to well being. His |
| studies indicate that individuals who "express intense negative |
| emotions when discussing their loss appear to do worse in the long |
| term, while so-called repressors recover more successfully." |
| |
| "Psychoanalytic practice is based on the idea that spilling the |
| beans is the key to renewed health; as the patient releases his |
| denied feelings--especially negative ones, such as hatred for a |
| parent--the neurotic symptoms dissipate and the patient is able to |
| move on..." From his research, "Bonnano concluded that the |
| inhibition of negative emotion did not have a cumulative cost; |
| rather, it might be an undervalued coping skill. For that reason, |
| laughter, optimism, and inappropriate-seeming positive emotions |
| should not be simply stigmatized as 'denial.'" |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
F R O M O U R R E A D E R S
__________________________
Families of Murder Victims
"We, unfortunately, have all been asked to join this club that no one
ever wanted to join." The speaker is Richard Rosin. Like most parents
who have joined the False Memory Syndrome Foundation, he has lost all
contact with his young adult daughter and her husband to be. "There is
nothing in this world -- and may you never experience it -- that
compares with a sudden phone call that interrupts your life, changes
your life, and tells you very coldly, very bluntly...."
The feelings are similar, but the circumstances are even worse than
for most of our readers. Richard Rosin's daughter and her husband-to-
be were not victims of FMS, but of murder. He was speaking, along with
other bereaved family members who belong to the Philadelphia-based
Families of Murder Victims organization, on the Oct. 26, 1997 segment
of the TV news program 60 Minutes. As a father who has lost his two
daughters to "recovered memory therapy," I strongly identified with
the feelings of the grieving parents as I watched the show.
Their meetings echoed so many FMSF meetings I have attended. I heard
the same sorrow, the same relief to be able to share a similar story,
the same frustration with society for not doing anything to help.
Listen to some of their voices. They will sound familiar:
"My son was shot and killed. He was my only child, nineteen and a
half years old. It's really difficult because people expect you just
to go on with your life, and I have gone on -- as much as you can go
on with your life."
"Friends can't handle the answer, because it did not happen to them,
and they're not walking in these shoes. These are some hard shoes to
walk in."
"It almost hurt, like in my center, in the middle. I mean, you --
you could touch the pain. There wasn't anyone to hold our hand, or --
or give us a hug, or maybe explain something to us."
"I hear the word, 'Closure, closure.' And it's just a hurting
experience, because I'm still trying to get over it."
"I think this is what really hurts because people that haven't been
through it want you to get over it. They don't want to see your pain.
And so they say, 'Aren't you over that yet?''
"I feel anger more than I feel hurt. That's why I don't cry."
"It's still truly hard for me to believe. I keep thinking, 'She's
just going to come around the corner.'"
And there, of course, is the big difference in our situations. For
FMS families, our children really could come around the corner -- and
increasingly, they are doing just that. I would never say that losing
my children to FMS was worse than their being murdered or dying in
some other way. I always have the hope (indeed, expectation) that they
will come back into my life. Also, I imagine that they are getting on
with their lives, accomplishing things, experiencing life, and that
makes me happy.
On the other hand, the pain never goes away, and the very
expectation that they may come back any moment sometimes makes it
worse. For such as us, there truly is no closure. Also, when a child
is murdered, usually the circumstances are fairly clear-cut, whereas
when a parent has lost a child to FMS, people often compound the hurt
by viewing them as child molesters. The 60 Minutes program spoke of
"second wounds" beyond the loss of the child, inflicted by the media,
acquaintances, and a sometimes unfair justice system. For us, there
sometimes seem to be second, third, and fourth wounds.
In short, I agree with Richard Rosin, who said, "There are too many
scientists who tell you how to grieve. There is no right way. It's a
very personal thing. And I think sometimes people need the permission
from others, through support, to do it the way they feel best doing
it."
Mark Pendergrast
Author, Victims of Memory
________________________
Dear "Former Therapist,"
I'm writing to you to resolve some aspects of my therapy with you. You
should know that although I feel there was misconduct or negligence on
your part, I don't intend friction. I hope that we can come to a
peaceful, healing conclusion.
Just so you know where I'm coming from, I've been living in Israel
since I came here in June 1992, and am finding it a rich, meaningful
home with a profound sense of roots. I've gotten very involved in
traditional Judaism, which is providing me with a real spiritual
path. Six months ago I got married and we are building a strong,
solid, loving marriage together. I've been doing some teaching, but
mostly have been focusing on building a home with him.
In the time that passed since I left New York, after a lot of
self-scrutiny, I realized that the flashbacks and memories that I
experienced when I was in New York were false. Although they may have
made mistakes parenting, my parents and grandfather are not sexual
abusers, and the memories I experienced while I was your patient are
false. It is difficult to convey the magnitude of how much damage
these false memories caused. When I came to you seeking therapy, I was
already worried I was going crazy, and instead of becoming grounded,
your approach encouraged me to wander farther and farther away from
the truth. You are already aware of the suffering and trauma related
to the "flashbacks" themselves. Additionally, I've had to deal with
massive confusion about reality, sexual confusion, pain of a destroyed
family, and intense terror, all of which were based on things that
never happened. For years I couldn't trust myself to know whether or
not I was crazy, whether or not I had any kind of grip on reality. My
parents also suffered a huge deal, both from the loss of their
daughter, the hurt of the accusations, as well as my father's loss of
credibility in his profession. It's taken years of concentrated effort
to grope my way back to myself, which was time and energy that could
have been spent in many other areas of my life. Thank God, I've
reconciled with my parents and family, and we've all matured and grown
from the whole experience. But it was still a terrible, painful
rupture that could have taken me away from my family forever.
Even if you had no malicious intent, I believe your expectation to
find sexual abuse at the root of my difficulties distorted your
ability to see the truth, whether you were aware of it or not. You
were professionally responsible for the therapeutic process, and under
your care these false memories were created and nurtured. After a lot
of careful thought, I've concluded that what I need for resolution
from you is a written recognition of the damage that your therapy did
to me, and an apology. I also believe that it's appropriate to return
the money paid for the therapy. I don't have complete records, but I
know I paid you at least $7,110 over 1991-1992. If you can't do so
immediately, I'm happy to work with you to make other arrangements.
Again, my goals are peace and healing. There has already been
entirely too much pain everywhere, and the last thing I want is
more. I just ask for some form of reply by August 15 so I know where
we stand with each other.
Sincerely,
"Your former patient"
Editor's comment: "Former Therapist" did reply. She commented that
she saw herself as "serious, careful, and conscientious" with a goal
to "help others so that they could realize their own goals and be
happy in their lives." She noted that she had attended conferences
and workshops and paid for supervision and consulted with a
psychiatrist. "Former Therapist" returned the money "with love and a
wish that you can move on from whatever pain remains attached to
me."
___________________________________
Thoughts about a Returning Daughter
I know that we have said that we would refuse to "live with an
elephant in the living room" but little did we know that our
"elephant" would have to suffer a severe psychosis and nearly lose her
life over this horror. Having no experience with those who are exiting
cult therapy, I did not realize the depth of confusion and denial that
these FMS victims experience once the offending therapist is out of
their life. I truly believe that my daughter does not realize yet what
has happened to her as a result of so many years (!!) of "therapy."
She seems to be compartmentalizing the whole thing, waiting perhaps
until she can deal with the massive trauma which, like so many other
victims, she now describes as "IT."
Now our chief emotion toward our daughter is pity although we cannot
show this when with her. What a tragedy that we all have had to suffer
so terribly and so long. Neither she nor we will ever be able to make
up for all those lost years. There will always be a part of us all
that will never fully recover. What will happen to her when she
finally realizes her own role in this dilemma and the harm which has
befallen her and her family?
We have had our family member kidnapped, brainwashed, turned against
us and her loving family and made terribly ill. We have all been
terrorized and held as hostage to a theory and therapy which have no
basis in rationality or science. We have all been denied the
opportunity of a hearing or a trial. We, as parents, may be forever
stigmatized. How can anyone anywhere justify or sanction the horrors
which have befallen us and thousands of others across the country and
throughout the world? I weep for us all.
I wonder...Will her therapist who is the real offender, the real
predator ever be called to pay for his crimes? Will he be personally
called to account for his beliefs, his atrocious and flagrant
behaviors. Will he ever be able to admit to or acknowledge the harm he
has caused or will he just continue on his arrogant way, knowing he is
protected by the premiums he pays to his insurance company or by the
beliefs of his professional organization?
A Mom
_____________________
Our Son's Explanation
Our family all sat at the table at Christmas for the first time in
six years. We discussed inconsequential things -- peacefully. Our son
says he is able to do this because he considers that his sister had
been mentally ill.
A Mom
____________
A New Career
I've quit practicing Psychiatry: I've turned in my licenses, my
memberships, and am now retraining myself to do something less
lucrative, and far less damaging to others...
A Psychiatrist
_________________________
Dear Fellow FMSF Members,
We lost our daughter "K" when we sent her to a drug rehab to try to
save her life after a four-year drug addiction. When she left she
loved us. I remember the day that we hugged her good-bye, and
committed our precious child into the hands of counselors and
strangers.
Last Christmas was the second holiday that "K" would not spend with
us. Before the holiday, I was angry over our situation which had
resulted in all three children turning against each other. I wrote one
letter to all of them expressing rage and blame. I took it to a
counselor before mailing it and he advised me to tear it up and throw
it away.
I took that advice, went home, and re-evaluated how I wanted to
handle this situation. My husband and I together decided to forgive
all and keep our home and hearts open despite the challenges that
might bring. This is the letter we then drafted:
Dear "K"
Soon it will be Christmas. We anticipate that again you will decide
not to be with us to celebrate this holiday.
Although you have chosen to separate from this family, we want you
to know that we will never abandon you. As time passes, we hope you
will come to understand that we are not what others have said.
Today, we placed a red ribbon on the tree in our front lawn as a
symbol of our loving hope that someday you will return home. This
beckoning ribbon will keep vigil as the days, weeks, months or years
pass while we wait for you to renew the love you once felt for us
both. It will withstand wind, rain, storms, ice and intervals of
bitter cold and isolation-as will our commitment to you.
Love,
Mom and Dad
___________
What a Loss
In the fall of 1991 our daughter, then age 34 and in therapy with a
psychiatrist, made dreadful accusations of abuse that supposedly
occurred in the first three years of her life. Through the use of
hypnosis she came to remember this abuse. She was very angry and
hostile. According to her therapist, she had developed Multiple
Personality Disorder.
I am a counselor and we turned to a colleague to help us sort out
our terrifying thoughts. We learned we could not control our
daughter's behavior; we understood that we could get caught up in her
hysteria or we could "keep a light in the window and the latch string
out" for her and get on with our lives. We chose to do the latter. It
was not easy but we were determined not to let our lives be destroyed
by the false accusations.
Over the next three years, we heard very little from our
daughter. In the beginning she would tell of new horrifying emerging
"memories." Later, we would hear from her when she wanted something.
About three years ago we began hearing from her more often. Her tone
was lighter and sometimes she sounded normal. Later I found out that
the psychiatrist she had been seeing became angry when he learned that
she had been reading material that I had given her. He refused to do
any more therapy with her if she continued to distrust him. (This
event took place as he was starting a new position as head of
psychiatric services in a small hospital upstate...coincidence?)
She started counseling with a therapist who has helped her get on
with her life. It has been three years since we have seen her act out
MPD behaviors. She has told me that she wants to be part of the
family again and that it's the hardest thing she has ever done, trying
to come back. She still doesn't call or return calls unless she wants
something. Her physical health is not good, though she works about
sixty hours a week as an RN in a hospital dialysis unit. She is very
Friendly with some people who are still caught up in their belief of
pervasive Satanic Cults and MPD.
At no time has our daughter expressed any remorse about her
accusations. She has never said that the accusations were false.
While she often greets us with hugs when she sees us, other times she
is aloof. She uses the phrase, "There are some things we will just
have to agree to disagree on." About a year ago she talked to our
older daughter, saying that she hoped that she (older sister) was
understanding and that their relationship had withstood all that had
happened in the past few years. Older daughter said that too much
damage had been done and, without a lot of conversation and
understanding and letting go, it could not be repaired.
We are busy with out own lives. We have no doubts that we did the
right thing in not losing our own future in this mess. Our hearts
still break for our daughter but we know that there is nothing we can
do about the past six years and certainly no way to change them. We
find it virtually impossible to trust our daughter, yet we make every
effort to respond in kind when she reaches out to us.
I don't believe that our relationship with our daughter will ever be
much better than it is right now. If I were to dwell on that, it would
break my heart every day. Instead, we take each meeting with her as it
comes and respond in what we deem an appropriate way. My God, what a
loss for us all! Most of all, for our daughter.
A Mom
__________
The Future
At the end of a momentous year in the memory wars, I want to thank the
FMSF staff for providing us, the media, with the steady flow of
breaking news and historical background which is indispensable to
reliable and balanced journalism. They have done so under constant
attack by those whose ideologically-based arguments are falling like
so many houses of cards before the tests of science, reason and
intellectual rigor.
If the tide turned with Ramona, it has crested to a tidal wave this
fall. It took three years for recovered memories to return to the
front page of the New York Times after the reports on the Ramona
trial, three years in which predictions that Ramona would trigger a
trend to lawsuits against therapists indeed proved prescient. But what
now?
I would like to add my support to what I sense is the swelling tide
of opinion that it is time to transcend the courtroom, where the
battle of experts has reached what Ramona judge Scott Snowden rightly
saw as a "level of sophistry" which overwhelms the capacity of juries
and judges to wisely weigh its merits. Daubert and Frye pre-trial
hearings help, but judges are neither memory scientists-nor God. I
think it is time to pick up and promote a theme raised at the Day of
Contrition conference in Salem in January-that investigation of the
recovered memory phenomenon by some non-aligned, neutral,
authoritative body was needed to give guidance to the courts and to
bring the memory wars to conclusion. This need for guidance cried out
from the California appellate court's recent dismissal of Holly
Ramona's case against her father: it sidestepped the seminal memory
issue and decided, instead, on the much easier, narrower issue of the
tainting of evidence by sodium amytal.
Three options have been suggested: Congressional hearings,
legislative initiatives, and a National Academy of Science panel.
Congressional hearings could be especially useful for the legal and
justice issues (wrongful jailings, e.g.) and consumer protection
issues (as in defective training, licensing, and practices of
therapists). Legislating informed consent and amending statute of
limitations laws would balance society's interest in higher standards
of evidence and claims of verified victims of child sexual abuse.
I strongly favor an NAS panel composed of unimpeachably credible
memory scientists and other relevant experts. Congress must request
the panel, which should be given a short time frame of no more than a
year to complete its work, and release its recommendations. Would we
not all rather have courts guided by a report coming from the hands of
distinguished scientists than by creative speculations on hippocampal
shutdown, traumatic amnesia and dissociation?
Perhaps all three initiatives are needed. If so, how do we move them
forward?
A happy New Year to all.
Moira Johnston
Author, Spectral Evidence
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS WANTED |
| |
| Psychologists at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine |
| are conducting a research study on "Memory for Facts and Contexts" |
| and are seeking volunteer participants. They are seeking adults |
| (age 18+) who have ever claimed to have first forgotten and then |
| remembered childhood physical or sexual abuse, regardless of |
| whether they now believe those memories to be true or false. |
| |
| The study involves learning obscure facts and trying to recall |
| them at a later time. It also involves taking several tests of |
| memory, problem-solving, and personality. The study will require |
| spending the better part of one day (4 hrs) at the Johns Hopkins |
| School of Medicine in Baltimore. All participants will be |
| reimbursed for their travel expenses. |
| |
| The study is approved by the Joint Committee on Clinical |
| Investigation of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine |
| and by the Ad Hoc Research Review Committee of the FMS Foundation. |
| |
| To volunteer for this study or for more information, contact |
| Ms. Manjula Ramareddy at 410-955-3268 or 955-3269. Leave your |
| name, telephone number, and the best time to reach you and she |
| will call you. |
\____________________________________________________________________/
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| ______________ |
| FLORIDA EVENTS |
| ____________________________ |
| International Cartoon Museum |
| Party and Reception |
| Friday February 13, 1998 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. |
| All FMSF Members and Professionals are invited |
| Hosted by SIRS to celebrate the publication of |
| Smiling through Tears |
| and Mort Walker, |
| President of the International Cartoon Museum Museum |
| 201 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, FL 33432 (that's in Mizner Park). |
| Telephone: (561) 391-2200. |
| ________________________________________________ |
| "Crisis in Counseling: In and Out of the Church" |
| November 14 & 15, 1997 |
| Rollins College, Winter Park |
| Presented by Central Florida Friends of FMSF and Rollins College |
| with the cooperation of the Florida Council of Churches. |
| Speakers: |
| PAUL SIMPSON, The RUTHERFORD FAMILY, |
| ELIZABETH CARLSON, DON RUSSO, ROBIN SYMONS |
| and |
| two parents whose daughters received regression therapy |
| by Christian counselors before accusing their fathers |
| of childhood sexual abuse. |
| |
| Advanced registration for the conference |
| $25.00 for the first person, and $15.00 for each additional person |
| from the same family or congregation (in the same mailing). |
| Students may register for $10.00 |
| ______________________ |
| Special Family Meeting |
| Friday night, November 14, 7:00 - 10:00 P.M. |
| There will also be a meeting for falsely accused families on the |
| Rollins campus. |
| Dr. Simpson and the Rutherfords |
| will discuss coping and reconciliation. |
| For a brochure or more information about these programs |
| please contact John and Nancy at 352-750-5446 or Email at |
| http://www.johnbell@totcon.com. |
| _________________________________________ |
| Public lecture featuring ELIZABETH LOFTUS |
| Saturday Morning February 14, 1998 |
| sponsored by: |
| Florida Atlantic University and Social Issues Resources Series |
| 777 Glades Rd. * Boca Raton, FL |
| _____________________ |
| False Memory Creation |
| Friday February 13, 1998 |
| Attendance limited to invited professionals |
| Drs. Stephen Ceci, Elizabeth Loftus, |
| Peter Ornstein, Daniel Schacter |
| (Florida Atlantic University) |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
F M S B U L L E T I N B O A R D
Key: (MO)-monthly; (bi-MO)-bi-monthly; (*)-see State Meetings list
Contacts & Meetings:
_____________
UNITED STATES
ALASKA
Bob (907) 556-8110
ARIZONA
Barbara (602) 924-0975; 854-0404(fax)
ARKANSAS
Little Rock
Al & Lela (501) 363-4368
CALIFORNIA
Sacramento - (quarterly)
Joanne & Gerald (916) 933-3655
Rudy (916) 443-4041
San Francisco & North Bay - (bi-MO)
Gideon (415) 389-0254 or
Charles 984-6626(am); 435-9618(pm)
East Bay Area - (bi-MO)
Judy (510) 376-8221
South Bay Area - Last Sat. (bi-MO)
Jack & Pat (408) 425-1430
3rd Sat. (bi-MO) @10am
Los Angeles County
Cecilia (310) 545-6064
Central Coast
Carole (805) 967-8058
Central Orange County - 1st Fri. (MO) @ 7pm
Chris & Alan (714) 733-2925
Orange County - 3rd Sun. (MO) @6pm
Jerry & Eileen (909) 659-9636
Covina Area - 1st Mon. (MO) @7:30pm
Floyd & Libby (818) 330-2321
San Diego Area
Dee (619) 941-4816
COLORADO
Denver - 4th Sat. (MO) @1pm
Art (303) 572-0407
CONNECTICUT
S. New England - (bi-MO) Sept-May
Earl (203) 329-8365 or
Paul (203) 458-9173
FLORIDA
Dade/Broward
Madeline (954) 966-4FMS
Boca/Delray - 2nd & 4th Thurs (MO) @1pm
Helen (407) 498-8684
Central Florida - 4th Sun. (MO) @2:30 pm
John & Nancy (352) 750-5446
Tampa Bay Area
Bob & Janet (813) 856-7091
GEORGIA
Atlanta
Wallie & Jill (770) 971-8917
HAWAII
Carolyn (808) 261-5716
ILLINOIS
Chicago & Suburbs - 1st Sun. (MO)
Eileen (847) 985-7693
Joliet
Bill & Gayle (815) 467-6041
Rest of Illinois
Bryant & Lynn (309) 674-2767
INDIANA
Indiana Assn. for Responsible Mental Health Practices
Nickie (317) 471-0922; fax (317) 334-9839
Pat (219) 482-2847
IOWA
Des Moines - 2nd Sat. (MO) @11:30 am Lunch
Betty & Gayle (515) 270-6976
KANSAS
Kansas City - 2nd Sun. (MO)
Leslie (913) 235-0602 or
Pat (913) 738-4840
Jan (816) 931-1340
KENTUCKY
Louisville- Last Sun. (MO) @ 2pm
Bob (502) 361-1838
LOUISIANA
Francine (318) 457-2022
MAINE
Bangor
Irvine & Arlene (207) 942-8473
Freeport - 4th Sun. (MO)
Carolyn (207) 364-8891
MARYLAND
Ellicot City Area
Margie (410) 750-8694
MASSACHUSETTS/NEW ENGLAND
Chelmsford
Ron (508) 250-9756
MICHIGAN
Grand Rapids Area-Jenison - 1st Mon. (MO)
Bill & Marge (616) 383-0382
MINNESOTA
Terry & Collette (507) 642-3630
Dan & Joan (612) 631-2247
MISSOURI
Kansas City - 2nd Sun. (MO)
Leslie (913) 235-0602 or Pat 738-4840
Jan (816) 931-1340
St. Louis Area - 3rd Sun. (MO)
Karen (314) 432-8789
Mae (314) 837-1976
Retractors group also forming
Springfield - 4th Sat. (MO) @12:30pm
Dorothy & Pete (417) 882-1821
MONTANA
Lee & Avone (406) 443-3189
NEW JERSEY (So.)
See Wayne, PA
NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque - 1st Sat. (MO) @1 pm
Southwest Room - Presbyterian Hospital
Maggie (505) 662-7521 (after 6:30 pm)
NEW YORK
Westchester, Rockland, etc. - (bi-MO)
Barbara (914) 761-3627
Upstate/Albany Area - (bi-MO)
Elaine (518) 399-5749
Western/Rochester Area - (bi-MO)
George & Eileen (716) 586-7942
NORTH CAROLINA
Susan (704) 481-0456
OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma City
Dee (405) 942-0531
HJ (405) 755-3816
Rosemary (405) 439-2459
PENNSYLVANIA
Harrisburg
Paul & Betty (717) 691-7660
Pittsburgh
Rick & Renee (412) 563-5616
Montrose
John (717) 278-2040
Wayne (includes S. NJ) - 2nd Sat. (MO)
(No meeting in Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar.)
Jim & Jo (610) 783-0396
TENNESSEE
Wed. (MO) @1pm
Kate (615) 665-1160
TEXAS
Houston
Jo or Beverly (713) 464-8970
El Paso
Mary Lou (915) 591-0271
UTAH
Keith (801) 467-0669
VERMONT (bi-MO)
Judith (802) 229-5154
VIRGINIA
Sue (703) 273-2343
WASHINGTON
Phil & Suzi (206) 364-1643
WEST VIRGINIA
Pat (304) 291-6448
WISCONSIN
Katie & Leo (414) 476-0285
Susanne & John (608) 427-3686
_____________
INTERNATIONAL
BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
Vancouver & Mainland - Last Sat. (MO) @ 1- 4pm
Ruth (250) 925-1539
Victoria & Vancouver Island - 3rd Tues. (MO) @7:30pm
John (250) 721-3219
MANITOBA, CANADA
Winnipeg
Joan (204) 284-0118
ONTARIO, CANADA
London -2nd Sun (bi-MO)
Adriaan (519) 471-6338
Ottawa
Eileen (613) 836-3294
Toronto /N. York
Pat (416) 444-9078
Warkworth
Ethel (705) 924-2546
Burlington
Ken & Marina (905) 637-6030
Sudbury
Paula (705) 692-0600
QUEBEC, CANADA
Montreal
Alain (514) 335-0863
St. Andre Est.
Mavis (514) 537-8187
AUSTRALIA
Irene (03) 9740 6930
ISRAEL
FMS ASSOCIATION fax-(972) 2-625-9282
NETHERLANDS
Task Force FMS of Werkgroep Fictieve
Herinneringen
Anna (31) 20-693-5692
NEW ZEALAND
Colleen (09) 416-7443
SWEDEN
Ake Moller FAX (48) 431-217-90
UNITED KINGDOM
The British False Memory Society
Roger Scotford (44) 1225 868-682
________________________________________________
Deadline for the Jan/Feb Newsletter is January 5
Meeting notices MUST be in writing
and should be sent no later than TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO MEETING.
**********************************************************************
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Do you have access to e-mail? Send a message to |
| pjf@cis.upenn.edu |
| if you wish to receive electronic versions of this newsletter and |
| notices of radio and television broadcasts about FMS. All the |
| message need say is "add to the FMS-News". You'll also learn about |
| joining the FMS-Research list (it distributes research materials |
| such as news stories, court decisions and research articles). It |
| would be useful, but not necessary, if you add your full name (all |
| addresses and names will remain strictly confidential). |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
**********************************************************************
The False Memory Syndrome Foundation is a qualified 501(c)3 corpora-
tion with its principal offices in Philadelphia and governed by its
Board of Directors. While it encourages participation by its members
in its activities, it must be understood that the Foundation has no
affiliates and that no other organization or person is authorized to
speak for the Foundation without the prior written approval of the Ex-
ecutive Director. All membership dues and contributions to the Founda-
tion must be forwarded to the Foundation for its disposition.
**********************************************************************
Pamela Freyd, Ph.D., Executive Director
FMSF Scientific and Professional Advisory Board, December 1, 1997
AARON T. BECK, M.D., D.M.S., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,
PA; TERENCE W. CAMPBELL, Ph.D., Clinical and Forensic Psychology,
Sterling Heights, MI; ROSALIND CARTWRIGHT, Ph.D., Rush Presbyterian
St. Lukes Medical Center, Chicago, IL; JEAN CHAPMAN, Ph.D., University
of Wisconsin, Madison, WI; LOREN CHAPMAN, Ph.D., University of
Wisconsin, Madison, WI; FREDERICK C. CREWS, Ph.D., University of
California, Berkeley, CA; ROBYN M. DAWES, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon
University, Pittsburgh, PA; DAVID F. DINGES, Ph.D., University of
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; HENRY C. ELLIS, Ph.D., University of
New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; GEORGE K. GANAWAY, M.D., Emory University
of Medicine, Atlanta, GA; MARTIN GARDNER, Author, Hendersonville, NC
ROCHEL GELMAN, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, CA; HENRY
GLEITMAN, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; LILA
GLEITMAN, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; RICHARD
GREEN, M.D., J.D., Charing Cross Hospital, London; DAVID A. HALPERIN,
M.D., Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY; ERNEST HILGARD,
Ph.D., Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA; JOHN HOCHMAN, M.D., UCLA
Medical School, Los Angeles, CA; DAVID S. HOLMES, Ph.D., University of
Kansas, Lawrence, KS; PHILIP S. HOLZMAN, Ph.D., Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA; ROBERT A. KARLIN, Ph.D. , Rutgers University, New
Brunswick, NJ; HAROLD LIEF, M.D., University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA; ELIZABETH LOFTUS, Ph.D., University of Washington,
Seattle, WA; SUSAN L. McELROY, M.D. , University of Cincinnati,
Cincinnati, OH; PAUL McHUGH, M.D., Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, MD; HAROLD MERSKEY, D.M., University of Western Ontario,
London, Canada; SPENCER HARRIS MORFIT, Author, Boxboro, MA; ULRIC
NEISSER, Ph.D., Emory University, Atlanta, GA; RICHARD OFSHE, Ph.D.,
University of California, Berkeley, CA; EMILY CAROTA ORNE, B.A.,
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; MARTIN ORNE, M.D.,
Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; LOREN PANKRATZ,
Ph.D., Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR; CAMPBELL
PERRY, Ph.D., Concordia University, Montreal, Canada; MICHAEL A.
PERSINGER, Ph.D., Laurentian University, Ontario, Canada; AUGUST T.
PIPER, Jr., M.D., Seattle, WA; HARRISON POPE, Jr., M.D., Harvard
Medical School, Boston, MA; JAMES RANDI, Author and Magician,
Plantation, FL; HENRY L. ROEDIGER, III, Ph.D. ,Rice University,
Houston, TX; CAROLYN SAARI, Ph.D., Loyola University, Chicago, IL;
THEODORE SARBIN, Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz, CA;
THOMAS A. SEBEOK, Ph.D., Indiana University, Bloomington, IN; MICHAEL
A. SIMPSON, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., M.R.C, D.O.M., Center for
Psychosocial & Traumatic Stress, Pretoria, South Africa; MARGARET
SINGER, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, CA; RALPH SLOVENKO,
J.D., Ph.D., Wayne State University Law School, Detroit, MI; DONALD
SPENCE, Ph.D., Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center, Piscataway, NJ;
JEFFREY VICTOR, Ph.D., Jamestown Community College, Jamestown, NY;
HOLLIDA WAKEFIELD, M.A., Institute of Psychological Therapies,
Northfield, MN; CHARLES A. WEAVER, III, Ph.D. Baylor University, Waco,
TX.
**********************************************************************
Membership/Subscription Form
FALSE MEMORY SYNDROME FOUNDATION
3401 Market Street, suite. 130, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-3315
This address and the phone numbers have changed as of July 15, 2000
The FMS Foundation has been granted tax exempt status by the IRS. Only
contributions are tax deductible (not membership or subscription
fees). The identity of donors is confidential.
Membership dues include: a Basic Info Packet for new members (#15 on
bibliography), an update article for renewal members, a 1-year sub-
scription (10 issues) to the newsletter, access to the Foundation's
legal resources, announcements of local meetings, discounts on printed
materials & the annual conference.
Membership dues cover less than half of the Foundation's operating
costs. Contributions are essential if we are to continue the services
to families and follow up on the effects of FMS, sustain research into
the best treatment for victims of FMS and family restoration, encour-
age new research into the phenomenon, plan conferences, and write and
publish materials.
Please consider becoming a Friend of the Foundation by giving $500.
If appropriate , please find out about matching gift programs at your
work place.
**********************************************************************
Please check all appropriate items & mail payment to:
FMS Foundation, 3401 Market Street, Suite 130,
This address and the phone numbers have changed as of July 15, 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3315
__ Annual dues for family: $100.00
(Includes subscription)
__ Annual dues for professionals: $125.00
(Includes subscription)
__ Contribution (tax deductible): $________
(Does not include membership or subscription)
__ Subscription to FMS newsletter: $________
(USA-$30; Canada-US$35; Foreign-US$40)
Student (include photocopy of valid student ID)
(USA-$15; Canadian & Foreign-US$20)
TOTAL ENCLOSED: in U.S. dollars $________
Method of payment:
___VISA: Card: #________-________-________-________ exp. date ___/___
___MASTER CARD: #________-________-________-________ exp. date ___/___
___Check or Money Order: Payable to FMS FOUNDATION IN U.S. DOLLARS.
Attn.: All Foreign & Canadian payments may only be made with a Credit
Card, a U.S. dollar money order, or a check drawn on a
U.S. dollar account.
______________________________________________________________________
Signature (for credit card payment only)
______________________________________________________________________
Name (PLEASE PRINT)
______________________________________________________________________
Street Address or P.O.Box
______________________________________________________________________
City State Zip+4
(_____)_____________________________(_____)___________________________
(H) Phone (W) Phone
(_____)_______________________________________________________________
FAX E-mail
Note: All information will remain confidential.
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| I am contacting the Foundation because: |
| |
| ___ I have, or someone in my family has, been accused of abuse. |
| Please complete SECTION A. |
| |
| ___ I have (or have had) memories of abuse. |
| Please complete SECTION B. |
| |
| ___ I have a professional interest. |
| Please complete SECTION C. |
| |
| ___ I have a general interest in this topic. |
| |
| |
| SECTION A |
| For those who have been accused. |
| |
| Your relationship to the accuser: Parent __ Sibling __ |
| Grandparent__ Other: |
| Accuser's gender: Male__ Female__ |
| |
| Accuser's year of birth: _______ |
| |
| Who is accused? Mother __ (age ___) Father __ (age ___) |
| Sibling __ Grandparents __ Other: |
| |
| What year were you informed of the accusations? _______ |
| |
| Do the accusations involve recovery of "repressed" memories? |
| Yes __ No__ Don't know __ |
| |
| Do the accusations involve satanic ritual abuse? |
| Yes__ No __ Don't know __ |
| |
| Is there contact with the accuser? Yes __ No __ |
| If yes, who has contact? Accused __ Other: |
| |
| Is legal action involved? Yes __ No __ |
| |
| Has the accuser retracted? Yes __ No __ |
| |
| |
| SECTION B |
| For those who have, or who have had, memories of abuse. |
| |
| Your gender: Male __ Female __ Your year of birth _____ |
| |
| Did you have memories of abuse that you always remembered? |
| Yes __ No __ |
| |
| Did you recover memories of abuse while you were in therapy? |
| Yes __ No __ |
| |
| What was your reason for entering therapy? ______________________ |
| |
| Which of the following best describes your current view of your |
| recovered memories? Accurate ___ False ____ Uncertain ___ |
| |
| Did the memories include satanic ritual abuse? Yes __ No __ |
| |
| Did your diagnosis include MPD? Yes __ No __ |
| |
| Is legal action involved? Yes __ No __ |
| |
| Please add anything else you think is important: |
| |
| |
| SECTION C |
| For those with a professional interest in the Foundation. |
| |
| Check the category that best describes your professional field: |
| Business __ Clergy __ Education __ Government __ |
| Law Enforcement __ Legal __ Medical __ Mental Health __ |
| Other: |
| |
| If you checked legal which of the following is most accurate? |
| Attorney __ Judge __ Paralegal __ Other: |
| |
| If you checked mental health which of the following is |
| most accurate? |
| Psychiatrist __ Psychologist (Ph.D. level) __ |
| Psychologist (masters level) __ Social Worker __ |
| Counselor (LPC, MFCC, MA) __ Other: |
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+