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F M S F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R (e-mail edition)
July/August 2002 Vol. 11 No. 4
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ISSN #1069-0484. Copyright (c) 2002 by the FMS Foundation
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The FMSF Newsletter is published 6 times a year by the
False Memory Syndrome Foundation. The newsletter is
mailed to anyone who contributes at least $30.00. Also
available at no cost on www.FMSFonline.org
1955 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-5766
Phone 215-940-1040, Fax 215-940-1042
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Pendergrast
Legal News The next issue will be combined
Feld September/October
Conference Information
From Our Readers
Bulletin Board
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Dear Friends,
"What's the church-abuse problem doing to the FMS story?"
We get this question almost every day. Several months ago we
responded that for every article that appeared with confusion or
misinformation about memory, another article with excellent
information seemed to appear. That still appears to be the case. Some
events, however, are becoming worrisome. Following is an example that
crossed our desk as we began to write this column:
"Minnesota courts generally give victims of child sexual abuse only
until they turn 24 to file lawsuits. [Wayne] Eller is double that
age. His attorney, Jeffrey Anderson, said he would argue that the
statute of limitations didn't start to toll until recently because
of Eller's recollection of a repressed memory."
Associated Press, June 25, 2002, St. Cloud, Minn.
Will there be an increase in claims of recovered repressed memories as
lawyers seek ways to overcome the statutes of limitations? How will
the courts respond to these challenges?
A high-profile case of this sort is taking place now in Boston.
Middlesex District Attorney Martha Coakley has indicted Rev. Paul R.
Shanley on evidence from alleged victims who are said to have
"repressed memories." Rev. Shanley has come to epitomize the alleged
failure of the Boston Archdiocese to control sexually abusive
priests.[1] Whether there was wrong-doing in these particular cases
and whether they fall under the statute of limitations remain to be
determined. If the criteria of the statute of limitations are met,
will the courts allow recovered-memory evidence?
Over the years we have discussed the lack of scientific evidence
for repression and the uncertainty surrounding the accuracy of newly
recalled memories. We have chronicled the legal responses and noted
that the fad appeared to be waning. The current wave of passion for
holding wrong-doers accountable for long-ago deeds, however, brings
the risk that science and common sense could again be obscured. There
are two issues when claims of recovered repressed memories are
alleged. The first is the issue of the event itself. Did abuse occur
or did it not? Professional organizations have stated that the only
way to know the truth of an event is through external corroboration.
Often an actual event can be corroborated.
The second issue involves the claim of repression. How does one
corroborate an assertion of repression? How does one prove to others
that a memory was repressed? Just on one's say-so? That is the
fundamental problem -- the plaintiff has a difficult burden of proof:
showing that his memory was repressed. If a plaintiff is making a
statute of limitation argument, he or she should have the burden of
proof in showing his memory was actually repressed.
Some people have tried to claim that historical events are
corroborated by looking at symptoms exhibited by patients. We thought
that misconception had been laid to rest by statements from
professional organizations, but old ideas do not die easily. The
following appeared in June:
"But even if a survivor doesn't remember his or her abuse, the
psychological effects sometimes manifest themselves in the physical
body."
Temple, J.T., "Voices for change; Survivors of childhood sexual
abuse begin healing by making themselves heard."
South Bend Tribune, June 11, 2002.
What we are witnessing in a few of the priest-abuse cases,
unfortunately, is a resurrection of arguments that we had hoped had
been put to rest. Although we can't judge the guilt or innocence of
any of these men, we are concerned that the evidence used to make that
determination not deviate from science and the rule of law.
Families around the country continue to make a significant
difference in the way evidence in many new recovered memory
allegations is being handled in the media. The importance of
continuing your vigilance in this effort cannot be overstated. You
have been and continue to be effective and your efforts are critical
right now. Your letters and information can raise the level of
discussion in the media. The coverage of the Wright case (page 6) is
an example of this process. Please keep writing and speaking out.
Wonderful professionals have given us the tools for our work. This
month, we have a powerful new tool. Elizabeth Loftus, Ph.D. and Melvin
Guyer, Ph.D. have written an article that has the potential to change
public and professional understanding of both the nature of the
"memory debate" and the quality of the evidence used by proponents of
recovered memories.[2] The article, "Who Abused Jane Doe? The Hazards
of the Single Case History" is described briefly on page 3. Not
described are the personal and professional sacrifices that the
authors made in order to publish it. The Loftus and Guyer article
accompanied by a description of challenges in getting the article
published (written by Carol Tavris, Ph.D.) should be required reading
and disseminated as widely as possible. If you would like a copy, just
send us a stamped self-addressed envelope. You will not be
disappointed.
Elizabeth Loftus will speak about the "Jane Doe" paper at the
Chicago Conference on October 5 and 6. You won't want to miss her talk
or any of the other exciting presentations on the program. (See p.8).
(You should receive a copy of the printed program under separate
cover.)
We have come a long way since 1992. Few thought we could
accomplish so much in so little time. In the main, families have moved
beyond most of the emotions and problems associated with the initial
accusations and are now focused on the equal challenges of
reconciliation, the focus of most of the talks at the conference. At
the same time, we do not want to lose the gains that have been made.
Each of us needs to pick up our pen and calmly respond to any nonsense
about memory that we see. We can keep the recovered memory phenomenon
on the downward track if we continue to work together.
PAMELA
[1] Kurkjian, S. & Cullen, K. "Crisis in the church facing trial,"
Boston Globe, June 21, 2002.
[2] Loftus, E. & Guyer, M. "Who abused Jane Doe? The hazards of the
single case history" Skeptical Inquirer, Part 1 - May/June 2002,
24-32, Part 2 -July/August, 2002, 37-40. Available at:
faculty.washington.edu/eloftus/Articles/JaneDoe.htm
+----------------------------------------------------+
| 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, Janet |
| Fetkewicz, Howard Fishman, Peter Freyd |
| COLUMNISTS: August Piper, Jr. and members |
| of the FMSF Scientific Advisory Board |
| LETTERS and INFORMATION: Our Readers |
+----------------------------------------------------+
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| Telling the Truth: |
| Why Our Culture and Our Country Have Stopped Making Sense |
| and What We Can Do About It |
| Lynne V. Cheney |
| New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995 |
| |
| "It seems only common sense to say that when people claim to |
| recall events that they have not remembered for a long time, we |
| should not rush to judgment about whether what they recall is |
| true. And we should be particularly wary about charges that spring |
| from circumstances in which suggestion could play a role. But in |
| an important part of the therapeutic community what seems common |
| sense is viewed as heretical. The prevailing orthodoxy is that |
| people who say that they are victims of abuse are to be believed. |
| Particularly since we are a society in which guilt has long been |
| thought to be something that must be proved, it well worth asking: |
| How did we arrive as such a pass?" |
| |
| "Freud -- or rather reaction to him -- is part of the answer. |
| When, during the course of therapy, his female patients recalled |
| tales of how they had been seduced as children, usually by their |
| fathers, Freud at first believed them. He presented what they said |
| as true. But he subsequently changed his approach and argued that |
| these tales, which his patents had repressed until they came to |
| him for analysis, were fantasies. They were not about real events, |
| but about his patients' own incestuous desires." |
| |
| "Twentieth-century feminists, rightfully angered that Freud and |
| his followers tended to look upon female claims of childhood |
| sexual abuse as fantasies, have gone to the other extreme. The |
| Courage To Heal puts the feminist reaction to Freud succinctly, |
| "No one fantasizes abuse." But in trying to walk away from Freud, |
| feminists and others in the therapeutic profession may have, |
| instead, fallen into lockstep with him. As Frederick Crews has |
| observed, the key question to be asked about Freud is not "Were |
| those stories true? but rather, What stories?" As Crews and others |
| have noted, Freud was very aggressive about getting his patients |
| to recall childhood sexual incidents of fantasies that they had no |
| notion of before coming to him. Assuming that the sexual tale was |
| there, waiting to be uncovered, he would suggest what its nature |
| was, sometimes to patients under hypnosis -- precisely as many |
| therapists do today." |
| from Chapter 5 p. 169-170 |
| |
| "In writing this book, I discovered many examples of people who |
| are illuminating some aspect of American life, from citizens like |
| Sandra Stotsky and Robert Costrell in Brookline, Massachusetts, |
| who have stood up against letting their local schools succumb to |
| anti-Western faddishness, to psychologist Elizabeth Loftus at the |
| University of Washington in Seattle, who was one of the first to |
| object when some in her field began to urge patients to explain |
| all manner of adult behavior with "recovered memories" of |
| childhood abuse." |
| from Chapter 7 p. 196 |
\____________________________________________________________________/
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WHO ABUSED JANE DOE? THE HAZARDS OF THE SINGLE CASE HISTORY
Loftus, E.F. & Guyer, M. J.
Skeptical Inquirer, Part 1 - May/June 2002, 24-32,
Part 2 -July/August, 2002, 37-40.
Available at: faculty.washington.edu/eloftus/Articles/JaneDoe.htm
Although all research involves sleuthing, this important article by
Elizabeth Loftus and Mel Guyer reads as much like a detective story as
a psychological study. In it the authors describe what they learned
when they set out to check the facts presented in the 1997 case study
written by David Corwin and Erna Olafson.[1] The case study had been
presented as proof that repression/dissociation exists and that
traumatic memories can eventually be reliably recovered.[2]
The case study began in 1984 when Dr. Corwin was asked to
interview 6-year-old "Jane Doe" in the context of a custody dispute in
which the father claimed that the mother had sexually and physically
abused Jane. Before Corwin's first interview, Jane told of abuse in
interviews with a police investigator and with Jane's therapist.
Corwin's initial interview supported Jane's sexual abuse allegation.
Interviewed again at age 17 in 1995, Jane was renewing a relationship
with her mother and appeared to have forgotten her earlier claims of
abuse. When shown a videotape of her earlier interview and asked
directly about the accusations, Jane then did remember.
That the article was taken very seriously in the profession was
evidenced in the comments that were published with the article. For
example, Paul Ekman,Ph.D. who is the leading psychological expert in
detecting deception from facial expressions of emotion, believed
Jane's early reports of abuse. Psychiatrist Frank Putnam, M.D. was
impressed by Corwin's awareness of the risks of leading questions.
Psychologist Jonathan Schooler, Ph.D. wrote that he hoped skeptics
would be persuaded by this case that individuals really can have
repressed memories of real abuse.
Loftus and Guyer note that the article has also been taken very
seriously in legal circles: "Lawyers presented the case at
conferences, assuming it was authentic .... Expert witnesses began
presenting the case in court as concrete proof of the validity of
repressed memories...."
We will not spoil the mystery by commenting on what Loftus and
Guyer found beyond repeating the authors' general comment: "Our
investigation produced much valuable information that should assist
scholars in making their own decisions about whether Jane was abused,
and if so, by whom.
We believe that this is a particularly important paper, not only
for what it says about the recovered memory phenomenon in particular,
but also for what it says about the use of case studies in general.
[1] Corwin, D. & Olafson, E. "Videotaped Discovery of a Reportedly
Unrecallable Memory of Child Sexual Abuse: Comparison With a
Childhood Interview Videotaped 11 Years Before,"
Child Maltreatment, Vol 2 (2) May 1997, 91-112.
[2] See FMSF Newsletter Vol 6 No. 8, September 1997.
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| "The great enemy of truth is very often not the lie -- deliberate, |
| contrived, and dishonest -- but the myth -- persistent, |
| persuasive, and unrealistic." |
| Kennedy, J.G. June 11, 1962 |
| Commencement Address at Yale |
| Quoted by Biesterveld, Wisconsin Law Review, 2002 |
\____________________________________________________________________/
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A PERFECT SYMMETRY?
A Study of Retractors' Experiences of Making and
Then Repudiating Claims of Early Sexual Abuse
Ost, J., Costall, A. & Bull, R.
Psychology, Crime & Law, 2002, Vol. 8, 155-181.
Research on retractors' experiences has been criticized on the grounds
that their experiences do not qualify as reliable evidence because
retractors themselves may be highly suggestible or unreliable
witnesses. The Ost et al. study attempts to provide better
information by comparing retractors' experiences of both recovering
and retracting claims of abuse. Twenty self-reported retractors
completed a 62-item questionnaire. The analysis of the responses
showed that retractors took significantly longer to give up their
beliefs than they did to acquire them. They also reported that there
was more social pressure to recover "abuse memories" than to retract
them. Retractors indicated that the experiential qualities and the
logical inconsistencies of the recovered abuse memories were more
important than pressure in prompting them to question the validity of
their abuse claims.
This informative study has limitations: first it is retrospective
in nature; second some of the questions could be construed as
themselves containing pressure; and third, the response rate was small
(23%).
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| Kaplan & Sadock's |
| COMPREHENSIVE TEXTBOOK of PSYCHIATRY |
| Seventh Edition (1999) |
| Lippincott Williams & Wilkins |
| |
| Diagnosis and Psychiatry, page 682 |
| FALSE MEMORY |
| |
| A person's recollection and belief by the patient of an event that |
| did not actually occur. In FALSE MEMORY SYNDROME persons |
| erroneously believe that they sustained an emotional or physical |
| (e.g., sexual) trauma in early life. |
\____________________________________________________________________/
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BBC BIAS?
You Be the Judge
On January 27, 2002, BBC Five Live aired a program in England that we
believe unfairly represented the FMS Foundation. We wrote to the
Controller of the program pointing out examples of misinformation and
distortions.
The reply from Controller Bob Shennan defended the program.
Perhaps to hammer his belief that the the FMS Foundation was not a
worthy group, he stated that "They [American Psychological
Association] withdrew approval for the FMS Foundation as a continuing
education provider shortly after approving a CE license in 1995."
We replied that Shennan should check that accusation with the APA
office. His response:
"We are satisfied our information and sources are entirely reliable
and correct. In relation to the point you make in your letter, that
was evidenced to us by an e-mail from the American Psychological
Association's Continuing Education Department in the following
terms: `The False Memory Syndrome Foundation is not currently an
approved provider of continuing education credits.' We stand by our
programme and have no intention of making an apology."
How does the controller get from the APA statement to his accusation?
It is both surprising and deeply disappointing to see the BBC take
such a cavalier approach to accuracy.
For the Record: The FMS Foundation was granted approval as a
continuing education provider in 1995. Several years later, the
Foundation decided not to renew its accreditation because there were
sufficient programs offered by professional organizations about the
risks of creating false memories. There was no longer a need for FMSF
to serve as a catalyst in this area. At no time was the Foundation
threatened by the American Psycho-logical Association to have its
accreditation removed.
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| "The like frailties are to be found in the Memory; we often let |
| many things slip away from us, which deserve to be retain'd; and |
| of those which we treasure up, a great part is either frivolous or |
| false; and if good, and substantial, either in tract of time |
| obliterated, or at best so overwhelmed and buried under more |
| frothy noting, that when there is need of them, they are in vain |
| sought for." |
| Robert Hooke |
| Micrographia, 1665 |
\____________________________________________________________________/
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FALSE MEMORIES AND THE PUBLIC POLICY DEBATE:
Toward A Heightened Standard of
Care for Psychotherapy
Biesterveld, K.A.
Wisconsin Law Review 2002:169-210
The negligent employment of controversial recovered memory therapies
has created a new class of third-party victims, those who have been
falsely accused and who are now struggling to find judicial redress
for their injuries. Most third-party cases around the country have
floundered because of public policy issues that center on patient-
therapist confidentiality. The author discusses these issues in the
context of the Sawyer and Johnson cases in Wisconsin. Biesterveld
argues that breaching confidentiality would rarely be necessary in
bringing a successful cause of action in false memory cases. She
writes: "[Even] in cases in which statutory protection is available
and the plaintiff must rely on protected medical records to
substantiate a claim of negligence, public policy arguments still
favor extending liability over protection of confidentiality. These
arguments focus on the significant harms of negligent therapy, the
need for a heightened standard of care in recovered memory therapy,
and the lack of legal redress for injury caused to those falsely
accused."
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice |
| |
| New Journal examines questionable mental health claims. |
| Published by: |
| Prometheus Books |
| 59 John Glenn Dr. |
| Amherst, NY 14228-2197 |
| |
| for more information: |
| http://www.scientificmentalhealth.org/SRMHP.html |
\____________________________________________________________________/
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DUTCH TV APOLOGIZES
Reformatorisch Dagblad
National News, June 11, 2002
HILVERSUM (Netherlands)
Translation: Adriaan Mak
http://www.refdag.nl/website/artikel.php?id=23207
The Dutch NCRV-TV network has again offered apologies for its incest
documentary: "Hidden Mothers." An earlier apology had been extended to
the Broere family and now the network has also settled with the Kok
family. The family will receive payment for damages the amount of
which has not been made public.
NCRV-TV will further place a rectification in its program guide,
admitting that it had been guilty of libel. The family earlier had
lodged a legal complaint against the network, but as a result of this
settlement has now withdrawn this. Justice officials had indicated
that they were ready to prosecute.
In the documentary "Hidden Mothers", broadcast two years ago, a
female member of the Kok family, Annemarie, had stated that as child
she had been ritually and sexually abused for many years. She alleged
that her children had been either sacrificed in rituals or sold.
The program had announced that her father had perpetrated the
incest. The family consistently maintained that Annemarie's stories
were confabulations which arose as a result of her visits to a
therapist who believed in recovered-memory therapy. The family
reproached NCRV and its documentarist Verheul for not making an effort
to hear the family's side of the story.
"Hidden Mothers" had been broadcast in two segments. In the other
part another woman, the daughter of G. Broere, minister emeritus in
the Reformed Church, had maintained that she also for many years had
been sexually abused by her father. Although NCRV initially ignored
the protests of the Broere family, the network took heed when the
Reverend Broere started legal action. In its network publication NCRV
admitted that the incest allegations had no basis in fact and offered
its apologies to the family.
+--------------------------------------------+
| "Memory believes before knowing remembers. |
| Believes longer than recollects, |
| longer than knowing even wonders." |
| William Faulkner, Light In August, 1932 |
+--------------------------------------------+
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| Theophostic Counseling - again! |
| Time Warp |
| |
| "We are excited to announce that we have a few more training |
| opportunities available......The Advanced Training in using TP |
| [Theophostic Counseling] with Satanic Ritual Abuse (SRA intensive |
| training) will be held July 16 - 20, 2002 at Alathia Equipping |
| Center, near Campbells-ville, KY. Must have completed the Basic |
| and Advance levels of training prior to attendance. The cost will |
| be $895.00 per person. This includes lodging, breakfast and |
| lunch. Training will begin at Noon on Tuesday and conclude at Noon |
| on Saturday. (Lunch will be provided for those 2 days as well). |
| Seating is limited to a small group. " |
| Excerpted From: "Theophostic Office" |
| |
| Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2002 12:09:59 -0500 |
\____________________________________________________________________/
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B O O K R E V I E W
THOUGHT WE'D NEVER SPEAK AGAIN:
THE ROAD FROM ESTRANGEMENT TO RECONCILIATION,
by Laura Davis.
HarperCollins, 2002. ISBN: 0-06-019762-5. $24.95. 342 pages
Reviewed by Mark Pendergrast
A shorter version of this article appeared originally in the
Philadelphia Inquirer
"Maturity is part of everyone's reconciliation story," Laura Davis
writes. "It can humble us and wear our sharp edges away." I Thought
We'd Never Speak Again is compelling evidence that this is so. Davis
is the co-author of The Courage to Heal, originally published in
1988. In that book, she encouraged women to "remember" supposedly
repressed incest memories and to cut off all contact with their
families. Davis herself had come to believe that her maternal
grandfather molested her, and as a result she severed relations with
her mother. "For ten years of my life," she recalls, "the fact that I
had been sexually abused was the principle around which I organized my
existence," and anyone who doubted her abuse memories -- such as her
mother -- was jettisoned.
Today, Laura Davis and her mother, Temme, have re-established a
warm, trusting relationship. "Temme is no longer my enemy; she is a
vulnerable, sincere human being who wants to love us and be loved in
return." They have agreed to disagree about the abuse allegations --
they just don't talk about this volatile issue.
Davis is similar to many who came to believe in "recovered
memories" of abuse but who still miss their families. Some have
retracted their allegations, asked for forgiveness and understanding
from accused parents, and have fully reunited. Others have, with
considerable courage and trepidation, resumed contact without taking
anything back. And most parents, with an equal amount of patience,
love, and forbearance, have joyfully accepted their returning children
and are trying to rebuild shattered relationships, without demanding a
discussion of the past.
I Never Thought We'd Speak Again is in many ways a wise, hopeful
book. "Identifying with past injuries can be limiting," Davis advises.
Through case studies stressing the need for nonjudgmental listening,
we hear of reconciliation between parents and children, estranged
siblings, victims/offenders, Jews/Palestinians, children of Nazis and
Holocaust survivors. "When we grow large enough to embrace our own
faults and to honor the flawed humanity of another human being, we
open the door to connection, integration, and love," Davis writes. "We
seek to understand the mistakes we made -- and that the other person
made."
But Laura Davis has only come so far. She herself cannot admit the
tremendous mistake I believe she made, and she may never be able to
admit the harm her previous book did by encouraging what I believe are
illusory memories of abuse. Throughout this new book, she continues to
assume that real incest occurred in cases of recovered memory, and she
urges such accusing children to hold on to their "truth."
It would have helped if she had interviewed more parents to get
their side of the story. "I made no attempt to tell both sides of the
story, to be fair, or to objectively portray reality," Davis candidly
admits. "I chose not to question the veracity of people's stories
[or] the accuracy of their memories."
Why? Since these are stories of reconciliation, why not interview
both sides? Why not at least acknowledge that there is some question
about the veracity of "recovered memories" and that perhaps some of
them were the result of suggestive modalities such as hypnosis, dream
analysis, journaling, or so-called "body memories"?
Davis does interview a few parents. "I thought I was a great
mother. It was inconceivable to me that one of my sons would consider
me such a terrible person that he wouldn't want anything to do with
me." But this woman wasn't accused of sexual abuse. Davis never
attended a False Memory Syndrome Foundation meeting or heard the
stories of grieving FMSF parents. She apparently assumes their
guilt. Thus, when she demands that those who committed incest offer a
"sincere apology" before any reconciliation, she presumably includes
those accused on the basis of recovered "memories" of abuse. "True
reconciliation requires a deep acknowledgement of the injury we have
suffered," Davis writes.
In addition, some of the adult children Davis quotes approvingly
are incredibly self-centered and judgmental. For instance, Dana Roper,
50, finally reunites with her father, 90, on his deathbed. She didn't
accuse him of sexual abuse. His crime had been to be a "critical,
domineering man who ruled her life and invaded her psyche," though she
liked the fact that "he taught me massage. His touch always felt
comforting and loving; there were never any sexual overtones....
However, the kicker with him was that he'd make me massage him on
demand. I would always comply, but this rage would well up in me."
Roper had done "tons of therapy," but she finally found a "great
therapist." For twenty years she'd been talking about how mean her
father was, but now this therapist said, "It's deeper than that.
What's the real wound about?" And so on. This kind of story is all too
familiar to readers of this newsletter.
Now, as her father is dying, Roper cradling his head in her lap,
he murmurs, "Well, you can't get away from having to rub your old
father's head, can you?" His daughter takes this as a "sadistic little
jab" and says, "I wanted to smash my fist into his face."
Stories such as this assume parental guilt and applaud the
therapists who encourage it, and this is certainly unfortunate, to say
the least. Yet so much of this new book is also reasonable. I found
myself bouncing back and forth between marking good passages and those
that disturbed me. "Many people report that their relationships are
more precious and intimate after an estrangement than they were
before, but they don't get that way without a lot of hard work," Davis
writes. "We are all human, and at times, we're going to fail each
other." In one story, a daughter complained to her parents, "You've
been so mean and cruel to me. You've been judgmental of everything I
do!" But she was pulled up short when they said, "You've been mean,
too." They said she had been critical of how they lived and judgmental
about things they cared about. "It felt good to start recognizing my
part in what had happened."
Thus, the ultimate message of I Thought We'd Never Speak Again is
positive and helpful. "My hatred and bitterness are consuming me," one
child laments. "I feel disconnected from part of my history." Many
accused parents can identify with both of those statements, too. Let
us hope that fractured families will reconnect, even if the process
is, as Davis warns, often gradual and tentative.
Mark Pendergrast is the author of Victims of Memory: Sex Abuse
Accusations and Shattered Lives and other books. Readers can
contact him at markp@nasw.org.
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| "When memory dies a people die." Vijay asks Uncle Para, "But what |
| if we make false memories?" Uncle Para responds, "That's worse, |
| that is murder." |
| A. Sivanandan, When Memory Dies |
| Reprinted in "Editorial: Diversities and Linkages in Sri Lanka", |
| The Hindu, June 6, 2001 |
\____________________________________________________________________/
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L E G A L N E W S
________________________________________
Las Vegas Jury Rejects Son's Abuse Claim
Fortier v Fortier, A 426202 Clark County Nev Dist Ct, Jan 30, 2001
After a four-day trial in February 2002, a Las Vegas jury took less
than one hour to rule against a 48-year-old man who claimed his father
had abused him. Quincy Fortier Jr. had sued his father claiming that
he had recently recovered "long-frozen memories" of childhood sexual
abuse by his now 89-year-old father, a Las Vegas gynecologist. The
doctor, Quincy Fortier Sr. then filed a counterclaim against his son
alleging that the son had threatened to sue him if the father failed
to pay $430,000 the son had requested. The counter-claim was dismissed
during the trial.
Attorneys for the father were Tom Pitaro and Brent Bryson. Pitaro
said that he believed that the reason the son claimed to have
repressed his memory was so that he could get around the statute of
limitations that barred him from filing the case after he turned
28. "This case is really less about loss of memory than it is about
loss of money," Pitaro said. The son was represented by Randy Rumph.
______________________________________________________
Arrest of Maine Man Exposes Recovered Memory Practices
Tom Wright, 41, of Yarmouth, Maine was arrested on April 19, 2002 after
an 11-year-old boy claimed that Wright had abused him. The boy was a
member of Faith Baptist Church where Wright had been a Sunday school
teacher until two years ago.
Wright contends that the charge is a result of a bitter divorce, a
child custody dispute and memories his wife recovered during
counseling at the church. According to former church members, most of
the women who attend the church have unearthed memories of alleged
abuse during pastoral counseling with the minister of the church.
The facts in this case will seem familiar to those who have
followed problems from some church counseling. What makes this
situation different and worth mentioning is the excellent coverage in
the Portland Press Herald. Reporters Tom Bell and John Richardson have
done an outstanding job of placing the particular facts in this case
within the context of the recovered memory phenomenon and scientific
research. Richardson, J. "Recovered memory can be false" Portland
Press Herald, May 13, 2002.
Bell, T. "Religion, therapy, divorce fight complicate sexual-
assault case." Portland Press Herald, April 23, 2002.
[Added for the e-mail edition: On June 28 Tom Bell reported that
Cumberland County District Attorney Stephanie Anderson on Thursday
dismissed the sexual-abuse charges against [Wright] and instead
accused his former pastor of "spiritual abuse."]
_________________
Two Ongoing Cases
____________________
Daly v Monroe Clinic
in Monroe, Wisconsin is in its second week of an expected six-week
jury trial as we go to press. Marilyn Daly alleges that several mental
health professionals misdiagnosed her as having multiple personality
disorder and implanted false memories of physical and sexual abuse
through hypnosis, guided imagery and age regression between August 6,
1992 and May 13, 1993 at the Monroe Clinic where the doctors were
employed. William and Pam Smoler are the attorneys for Daly.
The Smolers have also represented Nadean Cool, and Joan Hess in
their high profile and successful suits against therapists as well as
the Sawyers and the Johnsons in third-party suits. These have been
covered in past newsletters. We will have a full report on the
decision in this case in the next issue of the newsletter. The
decision will be announced on the FMSF News email list. Daily stories
of case on: www.themonroetimes.com
_________
Wenatchee
Mark and Carol Doggett and three of their children have filed claims
totaling $100 million against Chelan County, Washington. Mr. and Mrs.
Doggett were accused of raping their own children and were two of the
43 adults accused in the 1994-1995 child sex-abuse investigations
headed by Bob Perez, former Wenatchee police detective. The children
later recanted and the convictions were overturned in mid-1998.
According to the Wenatchee World, the Doggetts "claim that the
allegations of child abuse were improperly investigated, that improper
and coercive child interviewing techniques were used, and that Chelan
County was negligent in the way in which it contracted with a public
defender."
Early last year, the Doggetts oldest daughter, Sarah, settled a
lawsuit against the city of Wenatchee receiving $52,500 from the state
and $25,000 from the city.
Gilstrap, K. "Doggetts file sex-case claims against county"
Wenatchee World, June 19, 2002
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| "Recovered memory had become a trend, practically a fashion, from |
| psychological conferences to talk shows." |
| Freedman, S.G., "Memory or Fiction?" |
| Newsday, Feb. 17, 2002 |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE RELATIONSHIP
Allen Feld
In the previous Newsletter (May/June 2002) I wrote about the
responsibility of therapists. This essay attempts to couple
"Responsibility" with "Relationship" and to delineate what should be
expected from a relationship with a therapist.
Although developing an "appropriate relationship" with a patient
is a cornerstone of virtually every approach to therapy, frequently a
complete definition of this relationship or its ingredients is not
given to social work students. The lack of clarity may result in the
confused understanding of "relationship" students often exhibit.
Developing appropriate relationships is also an important everyday
notion outside of therapy. People bring their unique personalities and
value systems to bear as they attempt to create a suitable
relationship. Less experienced therapists frequently rely on those
personal experiences and understandings when a new patient contact
takes place. Based on my classroom experience with Master of Social
Work (MSW) students, I speculate that many believe that developing a
relationship includes a heavy dose of "being liked." I used the term
"therapeutic relationship" in discussions with students, and
encouraged them to incorporate such ingredients as being accepted and
respected professionally and "liked" as therapists rather than as
friends.
The escalating use in professional roles of former patients and
others selected because of characteristics such as race or gender may
have altered somewhat the nature of the therapeutic relationship. One
of the assumptions that underlies this movement is that a person's
life experience or demographic characteristic will facilitate
understanding of similar patients, but this assumption should not be
applied automatically or universally.
I believe democratizing the helping professions was an important
evolution in education and in society. However, even good ideas have
unintended consequences -- -both good and bad. When special
accommodations are made for particular students, the result is a
change in standards for all.
It is not unusual for people new in a field or position to
consciously emulate a person in that field or in a position whom they
hold in high regard. As a result, the patient-turned-therapist might
select a former (or present) therapist as a model. The positive and
negative aspects of such a selection are fertile areas for discussion.
The large increase in the number of educational programs training
professional therapists may be contributing, although less visibly, to
the problem of defining professional relationships. I estimate there
are approximately twice as many MSW programs as when I instructed my
first class some 30 years ago. There were no accredited Bachelor of
Social Work (BSW) programs then and now there are several
hundred. This growth does not include the increase in DSW and PhD
programs. Similar trends can be found in other helping professions. It
is reasonable to question whether adequately prepared faculty were
available to keep pace with this growth. My personal observation is
that the faculty of Schools of Social Work reflected what was
happening in society. In selecting faculty, significant weight was
given to demographics and life experiences and less to educational
preparedness.
Therapeutic relationships require distinctness, separation and
knowledge factors that far exceed purely charismatic qualities. These
aspects should be more important to patients than the particular life
experiences therapists might have. The latter without the former does
not a professional relationship make. History has demonstrated that a
therapist need not be a former patient to be effective. However, with
proper education and training, being a former patient should not be a
barrier. While having experiences similar to those of a patient may
seem to be advantageous in establishing an initial comfortable climate
for therapy, the misuse of that life experience poses more possible
disadvantages to the patient than the hoped-for advantage. Most
important, it is not necessary.
The obligation of educational programs, accrediting bodies,
professional organizations, public funding sources and oversight
mechanisms in this area seems obvious. Unfortunately some of these
institutions have not adequately done that job. The best that could be
hoped for is that they will create clear and logical guidelines that
protect the public. It is the educational institutions that bear the
responsibility for imparting the knowledge and skills necessary for an
individual to become a competent professional. However, it is
ultimately the individual therapist who decides how to use the
learning and skills offered. A therapist needs to integrate both
professional and personal aspects in his or her relationships with
patients, but in my book the professional should be dominant.
Allen Feld is Director of Continuing Education for the FMS
Foundation. He has retired from the faculty of the School of Social
Work at Marywood University in Pennsylvania.
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| Looking for a Therapist? |
| Consider Dr. Zoe D. Katze |
| |
| "Credentialing: It May Not Be the Cat's Meow" |
| Steve K. Dubrow Eichel, Ph.D., ABPP |
| |
| Dr. Eichel tells how his cat became "Dr. Zoe D. Katze, Ph.D., |
| C.Ht., DAP." Dr. Katze possesses certificates proving she is a |
| Diplomate of The American Psychotherapy Association, a Registered |
| Hypno-therapist of the American Board of Hypnotherapy, a Certified |
| Hypno-therapist of the National Guild of Hypnotists, and a |
| Certified Hypno-therapist from the International Medical and |
| Dental Hypnotherapy Association. |
| To find out more about Dr. Katze: |
| http://users.snip.net/~drsteve/Articles/Dr_Zoe.htm |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
C O N F E R E N C E
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
All sessions in Glenbrook Ballroom unless otherwise indicated.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 4
7:00-9:00 p.m. Hospitality Suites hosted by
Illinois-Wisconsin FMS Society
7:00-9:00 p.m. Registration
SATURDAY OCTOBER 5
7:30-8:30 a.m Registration and coffee in Ballroom lobby
8:30-9:00 Welcome
PAMELA FREYD, Ph.D.
Executive Director, FMS Foundation
MARY SHANLEY, LARRY KOSZEWSKI, Ph.D.,
Presidents, Illinois/Wisconsin FMS Society
9:00-10:00 A Natural History of Reconciliation
PAUL R. McHUGH, M.D.
10:00-10:15 Break
10:15-11:30 Different Paths to Reconciliation: Retractor Panel
Moderator: JANET M. FETKEWICZ
11:30-12:30 Reconciliation: A Social Psychiatric Perspective
HERZL R. SPIRO, M.D., Ph.D.
12:30-1:30 Lunch in the Atrium
1:30-2:15 Navigating the Road to Reconciliation
HAROLD I. LIEF, M.D.
2:15-3:30 How therapists can be part of the solution:
Professional Panel
Moderator: HAROLD I. LIEF, M.D.
Panel Members: TERENCE W. CAMPBELL, Ph.D.;
CAROL MARKS, MFCC; MARY KAY PRIBYL, Ph.D.
3:30-4:00 Break
4:00-5:00 Round Tables
6:00-7:00 Reception -- cash bar (Atrium)
7:00-9:00 Dinner in the Ballroom
Special Acknowledgements: PAMELA FREYD, Ph.D.
Evening Hosts: JOHN and AUDREY WILSON
Sunday October 6
9:00-10:00 Illusions of Memory and the Hazards of Case Studies
ELIZABETH LOFTUS, Ph.D.
10:00-10:15 Break
10:15-11:30 Working with Professional Organizations and
Religious-Affiliated Counselors: Professional Panel
Moderator: CAS KOTOWSKI, Ed.D.
Panel Members: GARY ALMY, M.D.: CAROL NORTH, M.D.;
PAUL SIMPSON, Ed.D.
11:30-12:30 Third-party cases: An Alternative or
Means to Reconciliation
WILLIAM SMOLER, J.D.
12:30-12:45 Wrap-Up
PAMELA FREYD, Ph.D.
__________________
Hotel Information:
A special conference room rate is available at the DoubleTree Guest
Suites Glenview until September 20, 2002. This rate is $99 plus 11%
tax per night for a single or double. A triple is $109 plus tax. A
voucher for $5 per person is available to cover the cost of breakfast.
Parking is free. To make your reservations call the hotel at
847-803-9800 and specify DoubleTree Guest Suites Glenview, FMS
Illinois-Wisconsin conference rate.
The DoubleTree is located at 1400 Milwaukee Ave. in Glenview, IL,
which is a northern suburb about 20 miles from downtown Chicago. It
takes the hotel van about 30 minutes from O'Hare airport to the hotel
during non-rush hours. The hotel van costs $20 round trip per person
and leaves O'Hare hourly on the half hour from the Hotel-Motel Van
Shuttle Pickup, door no. 1. Those arriving at Midway airport can take
a cab to the hotel that should cost about $40.
Note: To avoid confusion with other DoubleTree hotels in the area,
please always include Glenview in the hotel name.
___________________
Driving directions:
I-294 from the south Exit at Willow Rd. Go right (east) to Landwehr.
Turn right (south) on Landwehr to E. Lake. Turn right (west) on E.
Lake to Milwaukee. Turn left (southeast) on Milwaukee to hotel.
I-294 from the north Exit at Willow Rd. Go right (west) to Sanders Rd.
Turn left (south) on Sanders Rd. to Milwaukee. Turn left (southeast)
on Milwaukee to hotel.
For further information: Bill Lanz, Illinois-Wisconsin FMS Society,
815-467-6041 or mail@FMSFonline.org
__________________
Round Table Topics
(Leader's name in parentheses)
1. The future of the FMS Foundation (Pamela Freyd, Ph.D.)
2. When siblings are caught in the middle (Sibling)
3. How to reach church counselors practicing RMT
(Paul Simpson, Ed.D. and Robert Lovell)
4. The part parents play in retractions
(Retractor and Parent)
5. Special concerns in welcoming retractors back to
the family (Family)
6. Returnee Families: Living with Ambiguity
7. Mediation by professionals, families or friends
8. When only one parent has contact (Family)
9. Risks and Benefits of Going Public
(Larry Koszewski, Ph.D.)
10. Legal Matters (Ken Merlino, J.D.)
11. Problems of recently accused families
12. Many forms of reconciliation (Mark Pendergrast)
CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
HAROLD I. LIEF, M.D. is a psychiatrist and Professor Emeritus at the
University of Pennsylvania and is a Founding Fellow of the American
College of Psychoanalysts. He played an important role in the
development of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation.
ELIZABETH LOFTUS, Ph.D. is Professor of Psychology at the University
of Washington and past president of the American Psychological
Society. An expert in eye-witness testimony, she is the author of many
books including Witness for the Defense and The Myth of Repressed
Memories.
PAUL R. McHUGH, M.D. is the Henry Phipps Professor Emeritus and
University Distinguished Service Professor of Psychiatry at the Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine. He has played a leading role in
the direction of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation and is the
author of numerous articles about the FMS problem.
WILLIAM SMOLER, J.D. practices in the Madison, Wisconsin area with his
wife and law partner, Pam. They do extensive work in medical
malpractice, but their primary focus is in false memory litigation,
representing retractors and families.
HERZL R. SPIRO, M.D., Ph.D. is a clinical professor at the Medical
College of Wisconsin. He is a prolific researcher and author who
reorganized the giant Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex. Dr.
Spiro has appeared as an expert witness in many high-profile FMS
cases.
SOME OF THE PANELISTS AND ROUND TABLE LEADERS
GARY ALMY, M.D recently retired as Associate Professor of Clinical
Psychiatry at the Loyola University School of Medicine and Chief of
Mental Health and Behavioral Science at the Edward Hines, Jr. Veterans
Hospital. He is now Director of Counseling Services at the Lydia Home
Association in Chicago.
TERENCE W. CAMPBELL, Ph.D. is the author of Beware the Talking Cure,
and Smoke and Mirrors, and co-author of Cross-Examining Experts in the
Behavioral Sciences. He specializes in family psychology and forensic
psychology and is in private practice in Sterling, Michigan.
JANET FETKEWICZ, M.A. has been an FMSF staff member since its
inception. She has been involved in retractor and family research
resulting in numerous published papers.
PAMELA P. FREYD, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of the False Memory
Syndrome Foundation and co-author of Smiling Through Tears.
CAROL MARKS, MFCC is a Marriage and Family Therapist and has been in
private practice in San Jose, California since 1974. Since 1985 she
has worked with many people who have been falsely accused of child
sexual abuse.
CAROL S. NORTH, M.D. is a Professor of Psychiatry at Washington
University School of Medicine in St. Louis. She is an international
expert in the mental health effects of disasters and terrorism. Dr.
North was pivotal in revising the American Psychiatric Association's
position statement on recovered memories.
MARK PENDERGRAST is the author of Victims of Memory: Incest
Accusations and Shattered Lives and is a frequent speaker on FMS at
conferences
MARY KAY PRIBYL, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist in
independent practice since 1974. She is a past president of the
Illinois Psychological Association and currently serves as Co-Chair of
the Legislative Committee. She has worked with both retractors and
accused families.
PAUL SIMPSON, Ed. D. is a licensed psychologist and professional
family mediator in private practice in Tucson, Arizona. He is the
author of Second Thoughts: Understanding the False Memory Crisis. In
1993, Dr. Simpson formed Project Middle Ground, the first program to
promote dialogue between regression clients and their estranged
families.
REGISTRATION
Please return promptly and no later than September 1st.
Capacity limited. First come first served.
Send with check made out to: Illinois-Wisconsin FMS Society,
and mail to: Illinois-Wisconsin FMS Society, P.O. Box 3332, Joliet, IL
60434.
Name(s): ______________________________________ Date:______________
______________________________________
______________________________________
Address: ______________________________________
______________________________________ Phone:____________
______________________________________
No. of persons attending: ______ $_______
($60 per person, includes lunch)
__Yes, I (we) will stay for dinner No. of persons:___ $_______
($25 per person for optional dinner)
Indicate dinner entre desired, by putting number of people wanting
each entre:
__ Chicken Wellington __ Broiled white fish w/ lemon dill sauce
__ London broil
Voluntary contribution to support conference:
__$50 Sponsor __$100 or more Patron $_______
Total check amount $_______
ROUND TABLE SELECTION: Because we need an estimate of the relative
interest in various round table topics, use the numbers of the Round
Tables, listed below, that you are most likely to attend:
1st choice: _______ 2nd choice: _______
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| Dear FMSF Families, Members and Retractors, |
| Thank you so much for the outpouring of love shared with me during |
| my recent illness and surgery. The doctor was able to remove all |
| of the cancer, along with 10 inches of my colon. I had such a |
| flood of flowers, cards, emails, calls and prayers from so many of |
| you - it literally overwhelmed me. God bless you all. I am so |
| glad to have been a part of this wonderful group of people for the |
| past 10 years of my life. God has surely blessed my life. |
| Sincerely, |
| Laura Pasley |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
F R O M O U R R E A D E R S
______________________
Returning is a Process
My nightmare started seven years ago when my only son had a major
nervous breakdown, and after entering a Treatment Centre in Arizona,
did the usual things: wrote abusive letters and cut all contact with
his father and me, returned my letters unopened, changed his telephone
number, informed me he was moving and would not give me his new
address.
At the time, I didn't know these were the usual things. I was in
such pain and despair, but there was no one to ask. Eventually I found
FMSF and suddenly, there was an explanation, there was contact with
others who'd been through it, and there were even some miracles of
reconciliation to wonder at and hope for.
That was four years ago. My son is now back in my life, and I see
him weekly. Last Sunday he came to lunch and afterwards helped move
some furniture and when I said "thank you" he replied "oh anytime you
want something done just give me a call," -- a miracle of normality.
To get to this point has been a long hard road. He made the first
move by sending me a Mothers Day Card. Then we corresponded for a long
while, and eventually he asked me over to his new flat. I met a new
girl friend and I thought, this is it, the bad period is over.
But I was wrong. He retreated again but we kept writing. (Later I
learned that his girl friend had left him.) Two and a half years ago,
he invited me again to his flat. There was no girl friend this time,
but I was horrified at how I found him. He was depressed, stooped, no
job, clothes dirty, flat dirty. He seemed totally without spirit and
had major financial and health problems.
This was a man who had his own company and sports car, who had
always cared about how he looked. He never mentioned what had happened
and neither did I. There seemed little point because he was in such a
bad state.
That year I helped him financially. Although I did wrestle over
that, I felt he needed someone to give him a hand. Nine months later,
he phoned and said that he needed some space and would not see me for
a while. I was devastated.
Again, I let go, but still kept in contact by writing. Two months
went by and he came for Christmas. And again I thought "The bad time
is over," but again he went away. He stayed away until Mother's Day
last year when he invited me for lunch. We have been seeing each other
regularly ever since.
There is a huge difference this time: now he is working, paying
off his debts, and is much more comfortable with me. He is still not
back to normal and he is still not in touch with his Father. He has
health problems, and, I feel, he still has a long way to climb back,
but he is doing it.
I would never have reached this point without FMS. Many many times
when I alternated between depression and anger, only the voices of
reason and compassion from my FMSF friends kept me going and on the
right path. So thank you all for being there.
A Mom
_________________________
Response to "Another Dad"
(November/December 2001)
I agree with "Another Dad" that an accuser/retractor ultimately is
responsible for herself and that she is in no way totally innocent in
the process of creating false memories and destroying lives. However,
I do not agree with him that she does these things to communicate her
message of anger and hate.
I went to a national FMSF conference in New York a few years ago
and found myself very uncomfortable with many of the other retractors
because I felt that they just swung from being alleged victims of
their parents to being victims of their therapists. I also found that
they seemed to enjoy the celebrity that the conference afforded them.
I was disappointed that not one retractor spoke that she shared part
of the responsibility of the false memories and pain caused to loved
ones and that the main focus of the group was on how to get
retribution from therapists.
I know that something in my personality caused me to be drawn to
the whole false memory phenomenon. I know that I loved my father
dearly and I felt a tremendous amount of pain placing such terrible
accusations at his feet (I have daily logs and artwork saved from that
time that clearly demonstrate this.) Lastly, I know that if I could
have done something different at the time, I would have. I thank God
that my father and I (and family) have come through this and are
closer than ever.
I have come to the conclusion that any stance taken on this issue
that is at one extreme of the spectrum or the other (i.e.: retractors
are innocent victims or retractors chose to hurt parents and family in
the most effective manner available to them) misses the mark and
cannot possibly define every situation.
Sincerely,
Maryellen Ludwig
_________________
Avoid Embittering
I ran across two pregnant quotes that I wanted to share with readers.
The first from Soren Kirkegaard, The Point of View, London: Oxford U
Press, 1950, p.25:
A direct approach only strengthens a person in his[/her] illusion,
and at the same time embitters him[/her]. There is nothing that
requires such gentle handling as an illusion if one wishes to dispel
it.
The other is a Sufi story of the Watermelon Hunter, from Idries
Shah, The Way of the Sufi, NY: E.P.Dutton, 1970, p.207 ff.:
Once upon a time, there was a man who strayed from his own country
into the world known as the land of Fools. He soon saw a number of
people flying in terror from a field where they had been trying to
reap wheat. "There is a monster in that field," they told him. He
looked and saw it was a watermelon.
He offered to kill the "monster" for them. When he had cut the
melon from its stalk, he took a slice and began to eat it. The people
became even more terrified of him than they had been of the
melon. They drove him away with pitchforks, crying, "He will kill us
next, unless we get rid of him."
It so happened that on another time another man also strayed into
the Land of Fools, and the same thing started to happen to him. But,
instead of offering to help them with the "monster", he agreed with
them that it must be dangerous, and by tiptoeing away from it with
them he gained their confidence. He spent a long time with them in
their houses until he could teach them, little by little, the basic
facts which would enable them not only to lose their fear of melons,
but even to cultivate them themselves.
It's the kind of story that sticks with one. I can't help thinking
about both quotations' points, that the FMS Foundation has done well
in following the second man's approach, seeking not to embitter those
with FMS illusions. Keep up the good work.
Appreciative parents
____________
Another View
I spent a few minutes this morning reading through your retractor
stories. There is another group out here - one I'm not seeing much
from and one of which I can only hope you are aware. Though I am not
yet a member, I would like to contribute the following thoughts:"
Twelve years ago I visited a "therapist" (actually a LCSW, though
I didn't understand that licensing at the time) on the recommendation
of a domestic violence center. My main concern was providing a stable
mother figure for my children and learning how to do this after
leaving an abusive marriage that had warped my concept of "normal." To
make a long story short, I was asked the "were you sexually abused"
question. I had "very" clear memories of abuse and had carried them my
entire life. The therapist, however, was determined to expand those
memories -- i.e.: If I remembered these instances so clearly, there
must be even more terrible ones repressed in my mind. I could only
become a stable mother by finding and addressing those instances. I
was put in the "abuse" groups, received almost daily therapy, etc. etc
...the standard fare. Rather than make me more stable, this woman
almost literally destroyed me and my family -- making us more unstable
during the worst period of our lives. Here I am years later. I still
do not know what is true and what is not - except for those few
memories I had always carried, of course.
My point: there is a middle ground. Those of us who were truly
abused but who have been encouraged to add to the story. Why are we
harmed in a different way? I think because we can't just say, "it
didn't happen -- I'm sorry for hurting you." We must instead find some
way to acknowledge what did occur and separate which feelings come
from the actual abuse and which merely remain as a result of the abuse
suffered at the hands of those we entrusted to help us heal (and, yes,
what these therapists do "is" abuse in and of itself).
My abuser died last night. Because I have never been able to
separate my feelings/hurts, I never confronted him directly (another
family member did and he admitted his behavior). This hurts. Here was
a man who I loved deeply (he taught me many good things), yet feared
even more. My "monster" has died without me ever looking under the bed
and finding out I could conquer him/it and resolve the love/hate
issue. I fully blame the therapist for this. I am an adult and now
take responsibility for being misled, but also honestly believe
someone must pay attention to the group of us who are between the
"true victim" and "retractor" labels. I can't be the only one feeling
lost in the mix. Since we don't know how to help ourselves, perhaps
the professionals should begin finding a middle ground.
Thanks for listening...and acknowledging our existence.
MsShell1966@aol.com
___________
How to Heal
My wife and I received our letter early in 1990. Five or so years ago
our family's process of reconciliation began and it has led to regular
contact and civil behavior. I give thanks for that while not
necessarily expecting any further progress.
I find it curious that in all the issues of FMSF newsletters I
have read, I don't recall any allusion to or discussion of the false
premise on which the book The Courage to Heal is based, a premise
which some therapists seem to have adopted without question.
As I understand it, the book advocates -- and conforming
therapists advise or suggest to clients -- a number of adversarial
actions to achieve "healing." These actions include militant
confrontation and demand for immediate acknowledgment of guilt plus
enforced separation and, if the victim wishes to go further, criminal
charges and/or civil legal action. Pursuing revenge, or retaliation by
the infliction of hurt on others, may well bring some satisfaction,
but how can this be construed as healing?
These are violent actions. They are not what a reasonable
therapist should advise if emotional healing is defined as the process
of finding inner peace. Such healing is achieved by eliminating fear,
anger, envy, rancor, resentment and other negative feelings, because
they divorce us from those to whom we should be closest.
We heal when we are able to forgive, to renew our bonds, to love
again. Every major religion tells us that, and collectively those
religions include most of the people on Earth. Is our common wisdom,
the wisdom of ages, to be so easily denied?
Even apart from religion, sociology teaches us that to be human is
to associate. As humans we want to be with others, to be liked, to be
appreciated. When those bonds are broken we need to be reconciled. Our
happiest moments are those we experience in loving companionship.
A Sorrowing Father
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| "Is it the fact that the offenders who practice Memory Retrieval |
| Therapy have dug themselves a hole so deep it cannot be gracefully |
| exited? Is it better, therefore, to be quiet, embarrassed, and/or |
| ashamed than it is to be honest, ethical, rational, or just?" |
| A Mom |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
* N O T I C E S *
**********************************************************************
* *
* TRAUMA AND MEMORY: *
* ACCUSATIONS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE *
* *
* A One-day Seminar Offering CE for Psychologists, Attorneys, *
* Social Workers, and Law Enforcement Personnel *
* *
* FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2002 *
* UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SCHOOL OF LAW *
* Sponsored by *
* The University of Washington School of Law and Education Plus+ *
* *
* AUGUST T. PIPER, Jr., M.D. *
* "Treatment" -- At What Cost? *
* *
* ELIZABETH LOFTUS, Ph.D. *
* Memory Creation and Science *
* *
* TERENCE W. CAMPBELL, Ph.D. *
* Children, Suggestibility and Autobiographical Memory *
* *
* DEMOSTHENES LORANDOS, Ph.D., J.D. *
* The Roles of the Legal System and Experts: An Ethical Perspective *
* *
* Students and interested non-professionals are welcome. *
* *
* FOR MORE INFORMATION *
* Kathy Begert at 330-263-7798 or KBegert846@aol.com *
* *
* To register on-ling: www.uwcle.org *
* *
**********************************************************************
* Now Available on Web *
* *
* "Recovered Memories: *
* Fact or Fiction?" *
* By Paul Simpson, Ed.D. *
* PHYSICIAN MAGAZINE *
* www.family.org/physmag/issues/a0015977.html *
**********************************************************************
* *
* Eleanor Goldstein and Mark Pendergrast request help with a book on *
* family reconciliation following recovered memory claims. Those *
* who might contribute their stories and insights (preferably *
* writing it themselves) should contact *
* Eleanor at: eleanor@sirs.com *
* or *
* Mark at: markp@nasw.org. *
* *
**********************************************************************
* FREE *
* "Recovered Memories: Are They Reliable?" *
* Call or write the FMS Foundation for pamphlets. Be sure to *
* include your address and the number of pamphlets you need. *
**********************************************************************
_____________________________________
F M S B U L L E T I N B O A R D
Contacts & Meetings:
_____________
UNITED STATES
ALABAMA
See Georgia
ALASKA
Kathleen 907-333-5248
ARIZONA
Phoenix
Pat 480-396-9420
ARKANSAS
Little Rock
Al & Lela 870-363-4368
CALIFORNIA
Sacramento
Joanne & Gerald 916-933-3655
Jocelyn 530-873-0919
San Francisco & North Bay - (bi-MO)
Gideon 415-389-0254 or
Charles 415-984-6626 (am); 415-435-9618 (pm)
San Francisco & South Bay
Eric 408-245-4493
East Bay Area - (bi-MO)
Judy 925-376-8221
Central Coast
Carole 805-967-8058
Palm Desert
Eileen and Jerry 909-659-9636
Central Orange County - 1st Fri. (MO) @ 7pm
Chris & Alan 714-733-2925
Covina Area - 1st Mon. (MO) @7:30pm
Floyd & Libby 626-330-2321
San Diego Area
Dee 760-439-4630
COLORADO
Colorado Springs
Doris 719-488-9738
CONNECTICUT
S. New England
Earl 203-329-8365 or
Paul 203-458-9173
FLORIDA
Date/Boward
Madeline 954-966-4FMS
Central Florida - Please call for mtg. time
John & Nancy 352-750-5446
Sarasota
Francis & Sally 941-342-8310
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 or
Liz & Roger 847-827-1056
Peoria
Bryant & Lynn 309-674-2767
INDIANA
Indiana Assn. for Responsible Mental Health Practices
Pat 260-489-9987
Helen 574-753-2779
IOWA
Des Moines - 1st Sat. (MO) @11:30 am Lunch
Betty & Gayle 515-270-6976
KANSAS
Wichita - Meeting as called
Pat 785-738-4840
KENTUCKY
Louisville- Last Sun. (MO) @ 2pm
Bob 502-367-1838
MAINE
Rumbold
Carolyn 207-942-8473
Protland - 4th Sun.(MO)
Wally & Boby 207-878-9812
MASSACHUSETTS/NEW ENGLAND
Andover - 2nd Sun. (MO) @ 1pm
Frank 978-263-9795
MICHIGAN
Grand Rapids Area-Jenison - 1st Mon. (MO)
Bill & Marge 616-383-0382
Greater Detroit Area
Nancy 248-642-8077
Ann Arbor
Martha 734-439-4055
MINNESOTA
Terry & Collette 507-642-3630
Dan & Joan 651-631-2247
MISSOURI
Kansas City - Meeting as called
Pat 785-738-4840
St. Louis Area - call for meeting time
Karen 314-432-8789
Springfield - 4th Sat. Jan,Apr,Jul,Oct @12:30pm
Tom 417-753-4878
Roxie 417-781-2058
MONTANA
Lee & Avone 406-443-3189
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Mark 802-872-8439
NEW JERSEY
Southern
Sally 609-927-5343
Northern
Nancy 973-729-1433
NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque -2nd Sat. (bi-MO) @1 pm
Southwest Room - Presbyterian Hospital
Maggie 505-662-7521 (after 6:30 pm)
Sy 505-758-0726
NEW YORK
Manhattan
Michael 212-481-6655
Westchester, Rockland, etc.
Barbara 914-761-3627
Upstate/Albany Area
Elaine 518-399-5749
NORTH CAROLINA
Susan 704-538-7202
OHIO
Cincinnati
Bob 513-541-0816 or 513-541-5272
Cleveland
Bob & Carole 440-356-4544
OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma City
Dee 405-942-0531
Tulsa
Jim 918-297-7719
OREGON
Portland area
Kathy 503-557-7118
PENNSYLVANIA
Harrisburg
Paul & Betty 717-691-7660
Pittsburgh
Rick & Renee 412-563-5509
Montrose
John 717-278-2040
Wayne (includes S. NJ) - 2nd Sat. (MO)
Jim & Jo 610-783-0396
TENNESSEE
Nashville - 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
Mark 802-872-8439
VIRGINIA
Sue 703-273-2343
WISCONSIN
Katie & Leo 414-476-0285 or
Susanne & John 608-427-3686
_____________
INTERNATIONAL
BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
Vancouver & Mainland
Ruth 604-925-1539
Victoria & Vancouver Island - 3rd Tues. (MO) @7:30pm
John 250-721-3219
MANITOBA
Roma 240-275-5723
ONTARIO, CANADA
London -2nd Sun (bi-MO)
Adriaan 519-471-6338
Ottawa
Eileen 613-836-3294
Warkworth
Ethel 705-924-2546
Burlington
Ken & Marina 905-637-6030
Waubaushene
Paula 705-543-0318
QUEBEC, CANADA
St. Andre Est.
Mavis 450-537-8187
AUSTRALIA
Roger: Phone & Fax 352-897-9282
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
Madeline (44) 1225 868-682
__________________________________________________________
Deadline for the September/October Newsletter is August 15
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". 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, July 1, 2002
AARON T. BECK, M.D., D.M.S., U of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA;
TERENCE W. CAMPBELL, Ph.D., Clinical and Forensic Psychology,
Sterling Heights, MI;
ROSALIND CARTWRIGHT, Ph.D., Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's 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;
FRED H. FRANKEL, MBChB, DPM, Harvard University Medical School;
GEORGE K. GANAWAY, M.D., Emory University of Medicine, Atlanta, GA;
MARTIN GARDNER, Author, Hendersonville, NC;
ROCHEL GELMAN, Ph.D., Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ;
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., (deceased) 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, Westford, MA;
ULRIC NEISSER, Ph.D., Cornell University, Ithaca, NY;
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., (deceased) U of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
LOREN PANKRATZ, Ph.D., Oregon Health Sciences Univ., 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. ,Washington University, St. Louis, MO;
CAROLYN SAARI, Ph.D., Loyola University, Chicago, IL;
THEODORE SARBIN, Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz, CA;
THOMAS A. SEBEOK, Ph.D., (deceased) U of Indiana, 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 Ctr, 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
**********************************************************************
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**********************************************************************