Return to FMSF Home Page
**********************************************************************
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)
January/February 2004, Vol.13 No 1
**********************************************************************
ISSN #1069-0484. Copyright (c) 2004 by the FMS Foundation
**********************************************************************
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
**********************************************************************
IN THIS ISSUE:
Merskey
Survivor Newsletters
Legal Corner The next issue will be
From Our Readers March/April 2004
Dabbs
Bulletin Board
**********************************************************************
Dear Friends,
"What has happened to all the survivor newsletters that were around
when the Foundation started?" we were asked. As we begin the
thirteenth year of the FMSF Newsletter, the question seems
particularly appropriate. On page 5 is a list of more than 40 survivor
newsletters that includes what we were able to learn about their
current status. It appears that only a few are still active. If
nothing else, the Foundation and its newsletter have outlasted
most. Many Voices, a newsletter for people with a diagnosis of MPD/DID
that is supported by a several hospitals with dissociative units,
seems to be the most active survivor newsletter at this time. That
says a great deal about where things stand.
It is amazing that so many of us are still concerned about the issues
that originally drew us together. If any other medical product or
medicine had harmed even a handful of the number of families who have
contacted the Foundation, it would have been pulled off the shelves.
But the accusations of child sexual abuse tossed into the mix led
emotion to overwhelm reason in too many people. Professionals and
professional organizations that had a vested interest in dissociative
units and memory-recovery techniques provided leadership for
maintaining the status quo.
Fortunately, cultural support for the recovered-memory frenzy that has
uprooted our lives has been diminishing. Over the years, we have tried
to record some of the events, the publications, the actions, and the
ideas that have spurred this movement. That is the reason we believe
that the FMSF archives of letters, videos, books, articles,
advertisements, and other materials are so important. They provide the
data for understanding how the recovered memory problem developed and
how it began to be addressed.
On one point there is already general agreement: Legal cases against
misguided therapists, unacceptable investigations, and overzealous
prosecutions have exerted a tremendous force for change. In this issue
there are several cases that we have been following over the years in
which falsely accused people have been pushing boundaries in an effort
for accountability. The Parlato case in New York was brought by a
grandmother who wanted to be able to see her grandson after her
daughter recovered memories and forbade contact. The Klassen case in
Canada is based on the grounds of malicious prosecution. The Fairlie
case in England is based on implanting memories. The many Wenatchee
cases are being brought on civil rights violations.
These cases demonstrate the enormous burden to the courts and the
serious financial drain to municipalities for mishandling
investigations and prosecutions. The Wenatchee cases, for example, are
expected to go on for decades as the children who were taken away from
families become adults. It has been just over 10 years since the first
retractor cases were brought, and it will be 10 years this spring
since Gary Ramona won the first case of a third-party suit against his
daughter's therapist. The many legal cases described in the
newsletter during the past decade have changed law, called attention
to wrongs, and educated the public.
Converging evidence from different areas about recovered memories and
child sexual abuse must surely facilitate changes. The legal cases
could not have proceeded without the foundation of scholarly studies.
The many articles and books described in the newsletter during the
past decade have helped to change the climate. In this issue (page 3),
Dr. Harold Merskey describes a study in the British Journal of
Psychiatry that demonstrated that child physical abuse was associated
with adverse mental health measures to a greater extent than sexual
abuse. He cites an obvious observation made by Dr. Paul Mullen: "The
precedence accorded child sexual abuse has also had negative
consequences, socially and scientifically, particularly in distracting
attention away from physical and emotional abuse and from the whole
context of disadvantage and neglect in which the sexual abuse often
occurs." And on page 6 there are some quotes from a review of Richard
McNally's book Remembering Trauma in the current Journal of the
American Medical Association (JAMA). These are prestigious and
influential journals.
On page 4, there is an article about a social worker who was
sanctioned by the National Association of Social Workers. The social
worker in question may be familiar to many readers because she was
part of the Genesis group in Pennsylvania that was shown on the 1995
"Frontline" documentary Divided Memories. The complaint was filed by
another social worker after the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania had
already charged the therapist with 84 counts of unprofessional
conduct. These charges were brought by the state because of the
complaints of former patients and parents of patients in the group.
The NASW code violations should give other professionals cause to
think about how they practice, and this is another way in which change
is hastened.
While transferring videotapes to DVDs here in the office, change seems
literally fastforwarded. During the 1980s and early 1990s, we see only
token skepticism or none at all about claims of satanic ritual abuse
or multiple personality on television programs. In 1984, for example,
the "20/20" program, The People Inside Me, featured Richard Kluft,
M.D., Cornelia Wilbur, M.D. and a Dr. Berendy as figures of authority
who displayed their MPD patients. This particular program probably had
a significant effect on the acceptance of MPD and its roots in child
abuse. In the same year, the "Jane Wallace Program" People in Pieces
featured Bennett Braun, M.D. and Cornelia Wilbur, M.D. who displayed
more patients. In 1991, "Inside Edition" and several news programs
featured Pamela Klein, an abuse counselor who has been credited with
helping the spread of satanic ritual abuse beliefs. In 1991, Cory
Hammond, Ph.D. made his famous Greenbaum speech, and preacher and
radio host Bob Larson touted the reality of satanic rituals with
guests such as Catherine Gould, Ph.D. During this same period, the
Cavalcade Company made several videos to train professionals on how to
uncover satanic abuse in patients.
By 1992, programs showed "both sides of the story" about recovered
memories, satanic abuse, and multiple personalities. By 1995, however,
we begin to see a host of documentary programs exposing the logical
and scientific fallacies of recovered memory beliefs. The 1995
"Frontline" documentary Divided Memories is an outstanding example.
Producer Ofra Bikel let both sides speak for themselves ,and unless
one were already committed to a strong belief in recovered memories,
the evidence spoke. Alas (or maybe hurrah!), we have no crystal ball
to show us what the future holds in terms of the need for and the role
of the FMS Foundation. Practitioners of Theophostic Counseling and
other church-related counseling seem determined to keep FMSF active by
creating more families torn apart by recovered memories. Some
politicians, ignorant of the scientific evidence about the
unreliability of recovered memories, insist on proposing statute of
limitations laws based on incorrect information, and some plaintiffs
and their lawyers still cling to their claims of recovered memories.
The ongoing and widespread use of recovered-memories and multiple
personality in literature and drama probably means that the cultural
shift away from belief in the accuracy of recovered-memories will not
be as fast as we would hope.
At a practical level, your response to our question about how you
would prefer to receive the newsletter indicates that we are very
rapidly approaching the time when the FMSF Newsletter will be fully
electronic, perhaps a year or two at most. Readers who prefer to have
a formatted paper version in their hands can now easily print out a
copy with just a few keystrokes. If there are some individuals for
whom this seems difficult, we will find a solution for them.
We thank you very much for your generous support to our annual fund
raising request, and we look forward to continuing our work together
in 2004.
PAMELA
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| We Want to Hear From You |
| |
| We rely on our readers to keep us abreast of local news and events |
| relevant to the FMSF, so please take a moment to send us items of |
| interest in your local media. |
| |
| Newsletter readers tell us how much they value the letters from |
| other readers. If you have a comment about an article, about your |
| own situation or about other FMSF-related topics we would like to |
| hear from you. |
\____________________________________________________________________/
+------------------------------------------------------+
| SPECIAL THANKS |
| |
| We extend a very special `Thank you' to all of |
| the people who help prepare the FMSF Newsletter. |
| |
| EDITORIAL SUPPORT: Janet Fetkewicz, Howard |
| Fishman, Peter Freyd |
| COLUMNISTS: Members of the FMSF Scientific advisory |
| Board and Members who wish to remain anonymous |
| LETTERS and INFORMATION: Our Readers |
+------------------------------------------------------+
**********************************************************************
IN MEMORIAM
Margaret Thaler Singer
FMS Advisor
Margaret Singer, Ph.D., died on November 23, 2003, at age 82 in
Berkeley, California, after a long illness. Dr. Singer was one of the
world's leading experts on cults and brainwashing. She testified in
many high-profile cases about the types of behavior manipulation that
various groups exerted on their members. Her investigations included
everything from the techniques used by the North Koreans against
American soldiers in wartime to the influence of the Symbionese
Liberation Army over Patricia Hearst. "Her testimony would help people
understand the clinical impact of a cult's manipulation and
exploitation," according to Richard Ofshe, Ph.D.
Dr. Singer's 1994 article with Richard Ofshe about "Recovered-Memory
Therapy and Robust Repression"[1] was critical in formulating the
description of false memory syndrome. A talk she gave at the first
FMSF Conference in Valley Forge in 1993 grew into her book Crazy
Therapies (1996) written with Janja Lalich. Singer & Lalich had
previously written Cults in Our Midst (1995).
According to Daniel Goldstine, chief psychologist of the Berkeley
Therapy Institute, Margaret Singer was most famous in the scientific
community for her work in schizophrenia. "There are simply very few
people anywhere who had the clinical skills that she had," he said.
One of the 15 founders of the FMSF Scientific and Professional
Advisory Board, Dr. Singer always found time to help the hundreds of
FMS families and former patients who turned to her during the past
decade. Her gentle stalwart presence -- always with a refreshing humor
and joie de vivre -- graced 11 years of faithful service to the
Foundation. She will be very much missed.
[1] Ofshe, R.J. & Singer, M.T (1994, October). Recovered-memory
therapy and robust repression: influence and pseudomemories.
International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis XLII
(4) pp. 391-408.
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| "People still say `we'll never know what happened at McMartin.' |
| That's like saying `we'll never know if there were witches in |
| Salem." |
| |
| "The tragic legacy of our case is that there are still people |
| serving life sentences from cases borne out of the McMartin |
| hysteria." |
| Ray Buckey |
| Cody, K. (2000, December 21) |
| Ray Buckey recalls mother's life as spiritual and joyful |
| Easy Reader, p. 20 |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL ABUSE, AND SEXUAL ABUSE
Harold Merskey
An article in the October 2003 issue of The British Journal of
Psychiatry (Coid, et al., 183:332-339) examines abusive experiences
and psychiatric morbidity in women. The sampled women who were
visiting their family doctors in the East End of London, England. A
total of 1,207 native-born English and immigrant Turkish or
Bangladeshi patients were interviewed about past and present
experiences and given a self-report questionnaire to assess anxiety
and depression.
The authors found that 9% reported unwanted sexual intercourse and 11%
reported unwanted sexual activities before the age of 16 years, while
17% were severely beaten once, or more than once, in childhood. Among
those beaten severely more than once, 21% reported experiencing
unwanted sexual intercourse and 27% reported unwanted sexual
activities. Two percent reported all three forms of abusive
experiences before the age of 16 years.
Eight percent of women reported that they had experienced rape at the
age of 16 years or older, and 9% reported sexual assaults of other
types. Forty-one percent fulfilled the study definition for domestic
violence.
These proportions fit with the common experience of many psychiatrists
and other physicians. They are probably higher than would be found in
a representative sample of the general population because abuse
generally is more common among those more socially disadvantaged,
while among those who visit primary-care doctors, the rates for both
abuse and psychiatric illness tend to be higher than in a random
sample of the overall population.
The authors themselves note that they found strong cross-section
associations between adult mental health and certain abusive
experiences in both childhood and adulthood. However, in contrast to
previous research their study demonstrated "...that childhood abuse in
the form of a severe beating by a parent or carer was independently
associated with several adverse mental health measures, whereas
childhood sexual abuse was not associated. These findings also
confirmed adult response relationship between repetition of physical
abuse and anxiety, depression, PTSD, para-suicide, and other
deliberate self-harm." They note that there is much literature that
finds a stronger association between adult misery and childhood sexual
abuse, but suggest that those other studies may have been compounded
by physical abuse in many instances.
The author of one of those studies, Dr. Paul Mullen, Professor of
Forensic Psychiatry at Monash University in Australia, provided an
invited commentary in the same BJP issue (pp. 340-341) in which he
remarked: "The precedence accorded child sexual abuse has also had
negative consequences, socially and scientifically, particularly in
distracting attention away from physical and emotional abuse and from
the whole context of disadvantage and neglect in which the sexual
abuse often occurs." However, he found fault with the sample as a
non-random, convenience sample, investigated retrospectively, and
emphasized that "Nobody should conclude on the basis of this paper
that a real doubt has now been cast over the association between
childhood sexual abuse and subsequent adverse mental health outcome."
He concluded with impeccable political correctness -- perhaps
displaying more emotion than is appropriate -- "There are still those
who would obscure and obviate the dreadful consequences of childhood
abuse in general, and sexual abuse in particular, and it would be
shameful if such people were encouraged, however inadvertently, by
this study." It would indeed, but it is also valuable that the
physical abuse from which patients often suffer will not be neglected
at the expense of an over-emphasis on another tragic topic.
Harold Merskey, D.M. is Professor Emeritus in Psychiatry at the
University of Western Ontario and a member of the FMSF Advisory Board.
He is the author of The Analysis of Hysteria: Understanding Conversion
and Dissociation, 2nd ed.
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| SAVE THE DATE |
| |
| Science and Pseudoscience in Clinical Psychology and the Courtroom |
| Featuring |
| CAROL TAVRIS, Ph.D., |
| SCOTT LILIENFELD, Ph.D., |
| CHRISTOPHER BARDEN, Ph.D., J.D. |
| APRIL 17, 2004. |
| |
| Sponsored by |
| University of Washington School of Law and Education Plus |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
PENNSYLVANIA SOCIAL WORKER SANCTIONED BY NASW
According to the October 2003 issue of National Association of Social
Workers (NASW) News, Patricia Neuhausel, a Pennsylvania social worker
who was one of the leaders of the Genesis group shown in the 1995
"Frontline" documentary Divided Memories, has been sanctioned by NASW.
A member who acted as a surrogate complainant filed the complaint
against Neuhausel in 1999, based on information from the Pennsylvania
Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs after they charged
Neuhausel with 84 counts of unprofessional conduct.
Neuhausel and her psychologist partner, Patricia Mansmann, violated
the NASW Ethics Code. One of the techniques they used was
"detachment," in which clients were instructed to detach from all
family, including small children. Another technique, "rage work,"
required clients to hit a pillow with a bat and envision the person or
problem that was causing them difficulty. This was done regardless of
diagnosis, symptoms, or therapeutic progress.
Following are the specific sections of the code that were violated:
* I.B.1, by practicing outside the boundaries of acceptable social
work practice and her own competence.
* I.C.2, by using treatment modalities that caused grave harm to
clients and their families.
* I.D.2, II.F.2 and II.F.4, by providing treatment devoid of time-
measurable goals that promoted continued dependency and exploiting
the professional relationship by employing clients as nutritional
counselors, massage therapists, and financial counselors.
* II.F.1, by failing to take proactive steps during a crisis.
* II.F.7, by failing to inform clients about the potential risks
associated with "rage work" and "detachment" and failing to offer
alternative treatment options.
* II.G.3, by divulging information without the client's permission.
* V.O.1 and V.O.2, by using practice methods that were not based on
knowledge relevant to or evaluated by the social work community.
Two social workers are sanctioned. (2003, October)
NASW News, p. 8.
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| A false allegation of sexual abuse causes a "chain reaction that |
| is as inevitable and as lethal to the entire family as that of a |
| nuclear explosion." |
| Michael Yapko, Ph.D. (1994) |
| Suggestions of Abuse |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
RECOVERED MEMORIES CRITICAL TO PLOT OF NEW NOVEL
"Recovered Memories"
Elaine Hatfield and Richard Rapson
Brief Review by FMSF Staff
Thirteen-year-old Reza Guerrero and the slightly older Sam Chavez were
deeply in love, but because of a long-time feud between the Guerrero
and Chavez families, the lovers were dramatically and tragically
separated. They went their separate ways and grew up. A decade later,
however, when Reza and Sam meet by chance, their love immediately
rekindles.
Unfortunately, the feud between the families threatens once again to
keep them apart. When Reza's sister recovers "memories" of being
abused by their father and then confronts him, all the Guerrero family
relationships are set on edge, and the feud with the Chavezes is
greatly exacerbated. All kinds of family secrets exist, and the past
is a confusing puzzle. Reza notes:
"What a family! Her mother, obsessing with what might have been,
J.B. [her dad] trying to forget what once was, and Aurora [her
sister] dredging up memories of things that never were. She sighed.
Such an odd thing. So much love. Such strangers." (p. 33)
The novel Recovered Memories, set in 1999 in San Francisco and San
Jose, is a Mexican-American Romeo and Juliet. Unlike the young lovers
of old, however, the mature Sam and Reza are able to figure out a way
to be together in spite of their sparring families. Reza and Sam's
fight to come to terms with Mexican family pride, and at the same time
to be with each other, motivates this fast-paced love story.
FMSF Newsletter readers will find the many sections about recovered
memories to be eerily familiar. The reactions of the family members
and the confusion that ensues after the confrontation are experiences
that most readers will recognize. Undoubtedly, the accurate
descriptions of the recovered memory contexts and the resulting
devastation is due in good measure to the fact that author Elaine
Hatfield is a professor of psychology at the University of Hawaii. Her
co-author is a professor of history at the same university.
Hatfield, E. & Rapson, R. (2003). Recovered Memories. Philadelphia:
Xlibris. The book (ISBN [softcover] 1-4010-8715-9) can be ordered
from:
www.Xlibris.com
Orders@Xlibris.com
1-888-795-4274
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| There are those occasional books that restore faith in reason, |
| whose authors have the courage to take on the professional and |
| scientific ideologies of the age. Remembering Trauma, by Richard |
| McNally, is such a book. |
| * * * |
| In Remembering Trauma, we are treated to a brief but well |
| condensed and precise summary of the major theories of memory, |
| their essential constructs, and their empirical support. |
| * * * |
| The book [asks] the deceptively simple question, do people |
| experience amnesia for their traumatic experiences? The answer is |
| no! |
| * * * |
| Readers will be particularly interested in the "striking parallels |
| between assumptions in Freud's early work and those of today's |
| recovered memory therapists" (p. 168). Readers will find McNally's |
| critiques of the work of a number of clinicians and scientists, |
| such as Lenore Terr, Jennifer Freyd, and Bessel van der Kolk, |
| particularly ... informative. |
| * * * |
| I recommend this book to all those working in the field of memory |
| and trauma and to lay readers with an interest in the intriguing |
| field of psychological amnesia. McNally has set a standard for |
| application of experimental and observational data to notions and |
| hypotheses about memory and trauma. The book informs the current |
| public and professional debates, clarifies battling ideologies, |
| and avoids the "political correctness" that has been so damaging |
| to scientific inquiry. The reader, whether lay or professional, |
| will emerge more knowledgeable and more skeptical of many |
| scientific and clinical assertions about memory and particularly |
| amnesia. |
| Davis, G.C (2003) |
| Remembering trauma |
| [Review of Remembering Trauma by Richard McNally] |
| JAMA, 290 (22), pp. 3006-3007 |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
SURVIVOR NEWSLETTERS:
Where are they now?
In the summer of 2002, the Foundation received a letter from a member
asking what had happened to the many survivor newsletters that existed
during the early years of the Foundation. In order to answer the
question, the FMSF staff decided to try to contact as many of these
newsletters that we knew about. There may be many more.
We first examined the survivor newsletters in the Foundation archives
looking for addresses; then some volunteers wrote to them. We also
searched the Web for information.
It appears that only a small fraction of the newsletters that
flourished in the early 1990s are still publishing. Except for
Survivor Activist, we did not include newsletters that originated
because of abuse by clergy, assuming that they are very active at this
time.
Of the more than 40 listings below, we are aware of only a few that
continue to produce newsletters; Of those, even fewer appear to mail
printed copies on a regular basis.
If you have any information that can add to what is known about the
newsletters below or other newsletters that should be included, please
be sure to send it to the Foundation.
Above and Beyond
(no forwarding address)
Ann Arbor, MI
Accuracy About Abuse
(last issue July 2001)
Washington, DC
Adult Survivor
(still active)
Denton, TX
Along Together
(no information)
Norris, MT
B.E.A.M. -- Being Energetic About Multiplicity
(no information)
Louisville, KY
Believe the Children
(no longer published)
Chicago, IL
Body Memories
(no forwarding address)
Seattle, WA
Breaking the Silence
(no forwarding address)
Afton, MN
C.A.R.E., INC
Treating ritual abuse survivors to live full and rewarding lives
(no forwarding address)
Kokomo, IN
Coalition of Accuracy Against Abuse
(no newsletter at this time)
Jackson, MS
Cutting Edge
(no information)
Cleveland, OH
For Crying Out Loud
(active)
Cambridge, MA
Grapevine
(newsletter by email or diskette only)
Charlotte, NC
Healing Path
(no forwarding address)
Coos Bay, OR
Healing Woman
(no longer published)
Moss Beach, CA
HOPE Newsletter
(no information)
Irving, TX
Incest Survivors Resource Network International
(no forwarding address)
Las Cruces, NM
International Council on Cultism and Ritual Trauma
(not active since 1999)
Dallas, TX
Many Voices
(continues to be active with support from several dissociative
units: Del Amo Hospital, Torrance CA; Forest View Hospital,
Grand Rapids, MI; River Oaks Hospital, New Orleans, LA;
Timberlawn Mental Health system; Dallas, TX; Two Rivers
Psychiatric Hospital, Kansas City, MO.)
Cincinati, OH
Maze
(for MPD) (no information)
Bonney Lake, WA
Moving Forward
(no longer published)
Arlington, VA
MPDignity
(no information)
Boulder, CO
MPD Reaching Out
(no longer published)
c/o Public Relations Department Royal Ottawa Hospital, Canada
M.U.L.T.I.P.L.E.
Minds Uniquely Linked Together in a Productive Loving Existence -
(for people with MPD/DID)
(no information)
Marina Del Ray, CA
Mungadze Association
(no longer published. Web site under development.)
Bedford, TX
NEEDID VOICES
(no information)
South Hadley, MA
Roots of Healing
(no longer published)
Quincy, MA
Repressed Memory Psychlaw Newsletter
(Ottawa Recovered Memory Page last updated July, 1999)
Ottawa, Canada
S.M.A.R.T -- Stop Mind Control and Ritual Abuse Today
(remains active)
Florence, MA
S.O.A.R. -- Survivors of Abusive Rituals
New Hope Healing Institute
(no forwarding address)
Indianapolis, IN
S.O.M.A.N.
(No forwarding address)
Decatur, GA
Stone Angels -- (Survivors of Ritual Abuse)
(no information)
Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
Survivors and Victims Empowered
(took over publishing Treating Abuse Today , but then ceased)
Lancaster, PA
Survivors of Incest Anonymous
(continues as active group)
Baltimore, MD
SURVIVOR
(no forwarding address)
Knoxville, TN
Survivor Activist
(last issue in 1999; Survivor Connections Web page is active)
Cranston, RI
Survivor Network Newsletter
(no information)
Albuquerque, NM
Survivors and Advocates For Abuse Recovery (SAFAR)
(no information)
Malvern, PA
Survivorship -- Survivors of SRA and Mind Control
(published on web)
San Bruno, CA
Treating Abuse Today
(no longer published)
Seattle, WA
Truth About Abuse
(no forwarding address)
Renton, WA
Vision's Gateway
(no information)
Olympia, WA
VOICES In Action - Chorus
(last issue Sept/Oct 1998)
Chicago, IL
Working in the Vineyard
(No forwarding address)
Tega City, SC
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| IN MEMORIAM |
| Ralph C. Underwager, Ph.D. |
| |
| It is with sadness that we note the death of Ralph C. Underwager |
| on November 29, 2003, at the age of 72. Dr. Underwager began his |
| career as a Lutheran minister. After he received his Ph.D. in |
| psychology from the University of Minnesota in 1970, he taught at |
| St. Olaf College until 1975. At that time, he founded the |
| Institute for Psychological Therapies in Northfield, MN where he |
| served as director until his death. |
| |
| Many FMSF families learned about the Foundation through Ralph and |
| Hollida Wakefield (Ralph's widow). His calm advice gave comfort to |
| many who had been devastated by the loss of a child and an |
| accusation of decades-old child abuse. |
| |
| Dr. Underwager is the author of many articles and books. Return of |
| the Furies, written with Holly Wakefield, was one of the first |
| books published about the recovered memory phenomenon |
| |
| Holly Wakefield said that people "either thought [Ralph] was great |
| or he was the devil." That is because Dr. Underwager was one of |
| the first people to caution about the importance of careful |
| interviews with children so that false memories would not be |
| formed. Ralph was willing to be an expert in cases in which he |
| felt that a person had been falsely accused of child abuse, and, |
| as a consequence, he created many enemies. |
| |
| Mary Lou Robinson, an attorney in Wisconsin who consulted with Dr. |
| Underwager, commented that he could have made an easy living |
| writing about what people wanted to hear. But he didn't because he |
| was a children's advocate. He was deeply concerned about what |
| children were saying and about how their allegations might affect |
| their lives. |
| |
| Dr. Ralph Underwager will be greatly missed. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
**********************************************************************
L E G A L C O R N E R
____________________________________________________
Washington Jury Rejects Multiple Personality Defense
of William Greene
In 1995 William Greene was convicted of tying up and sexually
attacking a nurse who worked as his therapist, Maryalyce Stamatiou. He
was sentenced to life in prison under Washington's "three-strikes"
law. In March 2002, acting as his own attorney, Greene convinced a
federal appeals court that his trial had been flawed because experts
were not allowed to testify that Greene had been diagnosed as having
two dozen personalities. Greene said that it was one of his "alters"
who had attacked the therapist.
The 53-year-old therapist who was attacked by Greene is the first
person who diagnosed him with 24 personalities, as well as 15 fragment
personalities, including a dragon named "Smokey." Stamatiou was
working as a prison counselor at the time she diagnosed Greene, but
she resigned from that position when Greene was released. She
continued to treat Greene in private practice. Stamatiou testified
that she had gone to Greene's apartment in 1994 because she knew he
was stressed over work, and she feared he was suicidal. She said that
he was high on cocaine and behaving like "Tyrone." "Tyrone assaulted
me. [He] was one of the bad guys," she told the jury. The therapist
has always stood behind her former client and believes Greene should
be in a hospital, not a prison.
One of the defense experts was Dr. Marlene Steinberg, author of
The Stranger in the Mirror: Dissociation, the Hidden Epidemic (2002)
in which she explains Multiple Personality Disorder MPD in the same
way as she explains memories of space abduction and past lives: They
are all consequences of childhood sexual abuse. Dr. Steinberg, a
long-time vice-president of the International Society for the Study of
Dissociation (ISSD), told the jury that Greene fits the profile for
someone with MPD.
Dr. Robert Olsen, former president of the Washington Psychiatric
Association and an expert for the prosecution, had originally been
hired as a defense expert in 1995. He told jurors that in the years
since, he has learned more about identifying true cases of what most
experts agree is a rare condition. When he re-examined Greene this
year, he felt that Greene showed signs of faking.
Greene has been sentenced to life in prison. However, he also will be
tried for the murder of a young woman in which he is implicated
through DNA evidence.
State of Washington v. William B. Greene, No. 67250-4, Sup Ct. Wa.
137 Wn. 2d 64;984 P.2d 1024 Wash. LEXIS 637 Filed Sept. 30, 1999.
North, S. (2003, November 15). Doctor doubts mental illness. Daily
Herald [Snohomish, WA].
Roberts, G. (2003, November 21). Man found guilty for crimes he
blamed on other personality. Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Sullivan, J. (2003, November 21). Insanity defense fails for
attacker. Seattle Times, p. B1.
______________________________________
Update of Cases We Have Been Following
KLASSEN [SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN] Justice George Baynton decided that
the malicious prosecution lawsuit filed by 12 people in Saskatoon who
had been charged with ritualistic abuse of three children could
proceed. He noted that the evidence that had been presented so far
indicated that the police investigation consisted almost entirely of
unreliable interviews with the children in order to obtain a
confession. He wrote:
"Lacking a proper or at least more thorough investigation of the
horrendous and serious allegations made in this case against so many
individuals, I am satisfied that a reasonable person could conclude,
in these circumstances, that the plaintiffs were probably not guilty
of the host of serious offenses alleged against them."
More than 12 years ago, the plaintiffs were charged with abusing the
children in bizarre ways such as eating eyeballs, drinking blood, and
watching newborn babies get skinned and buried. Even an elderly woman
who was in a wheelchair was accused of chasing down a child and
forcing him to perform sexual acts. At the time, the police called it
the "scandal of the century."
Most of the cases did not go to court. The children, who are now in
their mid-20s, have since publicly said that they made up the stories.
Richard Klassen has been acting as his own lawyer while the other
plaintiffs have professional representation. With only a 7th grade
education, Klassen spent years writing to authorities and picketing in
order to gain attention for the case. The last arguments in the case
were given on November 14, 2003, and Justice Baynton said he hoped to
have a decision before Christmas.
Rempel, S. (2003, October 28). Judge refuses to dismiss lawsuit.
Star Phoenix [Saskatoon, Saskatchewan], p. A1.
Warick, J. (2003, November. 13). Sex case pursued `to save face,'
court hears. Star Phoenix [Saskatoon, Saskatchewan], p. A3.
WENATCHEE [WASHINGTON] Lawsuits resulting from the 1994-95
investigations and convictions spearheaded by detective Bob Perez are
likely to continue for years. According to the Wenatchee World, more
than three dozen lawsuits have been filed against the city of
Wenatchee, the state, and Chelan and Douglas counties. Most of the
lawsuits are based on civil-rights violations. The plaintiffs include
those people who were convicted and then exonerated of abusing
children. With 18 cases still pending, the defendants have agreed or
been ordered to pay plaintiffs at least $10 million to date. The state
of Washington estimates that it has spent about $1.3 million defending
itself, but the Association of Washington Cities has not disclosed the
amount it has spent defending Wenatchee. However, Wenatchee liability
insurance has risen from under $200,000 in 1994 to almost $700,000 in
2003.
Although the statute of limitations for filing suits has expired for
most adults who might want to sue, all of the minors who were taken
away from their parents or interrogated by police have until they turn
21 to file suit.
Salazar, M. (2003, November 11). When will it end? Wenatchee World,
p.1.
HOULT [MASSACHUSETTS] David Hoult, 68, was arrested and sent to prison
in October 2003. The now-retired MIT professor Hoult was originally
accused by his daughter, Jennifer, who had begun therapy in the fall
of 1984 with an unlicensed New York psychotherapist for problems that
included divided loyalties surrounding her parents' divorce. Jennifer
recovered memories that she had been abused, and she sued her father
in 1988, claiming she had been molested from the ages of 4 years to 17
years, hundreds if not thousands of times and sometimes with many
family members nearby. She claimed that she buried these memories
until she was 24 years old.
The case went to trial in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts (Hoult
v. Hoult, 1993). Jennifer Hoult was on the stand for three days and
had experts to support her. David Hoult's attorney had no experts or
even character witnesses. The attorney apparently believed that the
implausibility of the "memories" would be enough. He thought wrongly.
A Massachusetts jury awarded Jennifer $500,000 that David Hoult never
paid, the reason he is now in prison.
Loftus, E. (1995, Mar/Apr). Remembering dangerously. Skeptical
Inquirer, 19, pp. 20-29.
Former Wayland resident indicted for criminal contempt (2003, August
27). PRNewswire.
FAIRLIE [ENGLAND] In the first English case of an accused family
bringing legal proceedings against a clinic for the use of memory
recovery techniques, James Fairlie, the former deputy leader of the
Scottish National Party, is suing the National Health Service and
social services who treated his daughter. In 1994, Fairlie's daughter,
Katrina, was admitted to hospital to have her appendix removed, but
doctors found nothing wrong with her. When her pain continued, doctors
believed that the symptoms were psychosomatic and admitted her to a
psychiatric unit at Murray Royal Hospital in Perth, Scotland. She was
treated with mind-altering drugs, hypnosis, and prolonged interviews
-- techniques since condemned by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Katrina deteriorated rapidly, and she came to believe that her father
and 17 other men had raped her and that he had beaten to death a
six-year-old girl. Ms. Fairlie withdrew her claims in 1995.
Fairlie announced his case in 1998, and it has been slowly moving
through the courts. The case was adjourned on December 11, 2003,
pending further legal argument raised by the Council and NHS Trust. It
is likely to be back in court early next year. The judge has yet to
determine if the case can go forward.
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| These claims devastated my life and the life of my family." |
| Jim Fairlie, quoted in Simpson, C. (2003, December 12) |
| SNP man sues over "ruined life" claim |
| The Herald [UK] |
\____________________________________________________________________/
_________________________________________________________
New York Grandmother Wins Supervised Visits with Grandson
Parlato v. Gburek, State of New York Family Court: County of Erie.
Docket No. V-7015-2002. October 28, 2003.
Josephine Parlato sought reasonable visitation with her grandson,
Shane, who was born in 1991. The issues before the Court were whether
Mrs. Parlato had standing to seek court ordered visitation and whether
it was in the child's best interest to grant her request for
visitation.
According to Court documents, Shane resided with his grandmother
intermittently from his birth to 1994. Shane and his mother then lived
with her between 1994 and 1998. In 1998, Shane's mother remarried, and
she moved to her own home. Shane continued to visit with his
grandmother until the fall of 2001. At that time Shane's mother began
to decrease the time Shane spent with his grandmother. The evidence
shows that Shane and his grandmother had a loving relationship until
2001, and she played an active role in his life. All contact was
stopped in March 2002, and the relationship is now acrimonious.
Shane's mother had been receiving therapy due to depression and
anxiety, and recovered memories that Mrs. Parlato had abused her when
she was 7 years old. Shane's mother also claimed that Mrs. Parlato had
touched Shane in a sexual manner in 1999, and that was a reason for
stopping contact between Shane and his grandmother.
Shane told the Court that he did not want to visit his grandmother.
Family Court Judge Kevin M. Carter noted, however, that Shane's
testimony appeared to be rehearsed and staged and that it appeared
that his mother was pressuring him to view his grandmother negatively.
The Court found that Josephine Parlato did have standing to bring a
petition for visitation and that it would be in Shane's best interest
to "afford him an opportunity to visit his [his grandmother] in a
therapeutic supervised setting. The Court further believes that Shane
is torn between his parents and Petitioner.... and that a therapeutic
supervised setting monitored by a licensed psychologist would provide
for a safe and healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy
reunion between Petitioner and her grandson, who once had a warm and
loving relationship."
+------------------------------------------------+
| The palest ink is better than the best memory. |
| Chinese Proverb |
+------------------------------------------------+
**********************************************************************
F R O M O U R R E A D E R S
____________________
I Can't Even Imagine
Our problem began about a year and a half ago. The articles in the
newsletter that I often have the most difficulty with are the ones in
which a family is reunited with a returner who has not retracted but
who is willing to "forgive and forget." I don't understand how the
families do it.
Our daughter is out of contact with both my husband's and my extended
(and extensive) family -- except for rare, brief, superficial "instant
message" conversations with one of her sisters. This is by our choice
and also the choice of family members. When our daughter first sent
the accusing e-mail with copies to several family members, she was
shocked that the response was a cut-off of communication from the
people in the family. She had no concept of what she had done. To the
few people with whom she still had contact, her stories varied from
person to person and from day to day. For a few months she still had
contact with one of her sisters and her aunt. At one point she told
her aunt that even if the sexual abuse wasn't true, she had still been
mentally abused and that was just as bad.
A few months ago, she told her sister that she misses her family and
that she has been reading articles about victims and their families
reconciling without either party admitting that they were wrong. I am
unable to even imagine doing something like that.
A sad mom trying to cope
_______________
We Sent Flowers
I want to let you know that our daughter has been in contact with us
for about a year, and we have just had a visit from her and our
grandson. It had been about 11 years since we had seen her.
I have loved reading the Newsletter, especially the letters from other
parents. I actually followed the advice of one of the letters. I sent
our daughter flowers on her 50th birthday, and that did the trick.
After one more birthday -- for which I sent only a card -- she wrote a
note thanking us for the card. The letter also contained a small bit
of news saying she would like to hear from us. After a few letters and
e-mails, she called and apologized -- said that she suddenly "woke up"
after years of being in a haze. That is all she has ever said about
it, and we don't push her.
Her sisters still will have nothing to do with her after all the nasty
things she said about their Dad, but we are happy to be in contact.
Thanks for all the support. It melted some of the ice in our hearts.
Happy parents
________________________________________
I Doubted We Would See Daughter's Return
I am a parent who has gone through the agony of losing a daughter to
repressed memory therapy. She was counseled while in a college in
America. When we first began to get references to "abuse even in
respectable Christian homes," we assumed she was referring to other
people. In 1992, when she cut off all contact with us after making
some rather broad sweeping statements about our parenting, we were
devastated.
We had no idea what was happening, and we were kept ignorant by the
people at the college. We flew half way around the world to see them,
but although we had made appointments to see the principal, he was
unfortunately out of town and unable to be contacted when we arrived.
We left the United States and went to South America very downhearted,
but while we were there, we were given a copy of a book called
Confabulations. After reading this, we realized what was happening. We
went back and confronted the people involved, but we had lost our
daughter.
In 1997 we went to the FMSF conference in Baltimore, and we were
challenged by the story from Beth Rutherford. We came home, determined
to find out if our daughter was alive, and where she was living and to
attempt to renew contact.
It has taken a long time and many failed attempts, but finally we
found her. Knowing where she lived was one thing. Establishing contact
was another. We began by sending flowers on her birthday and
eventually she responded. Last month, we visited her and met her face
to face for the first time. We met her husband, his family, and our
two grandchildren.
I have read many testimonies from other parents about this happening,
and I must say I doubted we would ever see it. In fact, after one
failed attempt to see our daughter, I became convinced we never would.
But things can change. Our church has been a wonderful support and has
offered many prayers about this. There is still a long way to go, but
we feel we are at least on a path towards reconciliation.
A mom and dad
Confabulations (1993) by Eleanor Goldstein and Kevin Farmer is
available through Upton Books.
____________________
Not Off the Hook Yet
Thanks so much for being there for so many of us during these past
horrendous years. We are now reconnected with our three estranged
children. The accusation is still there, but we've had some really
nice family times together. It was obvious that they missed family.
However, they are not off the hook yet -- we need to come to some
resolve.
A mom
_____________
Missing a Hug
Despite recent efforts to reunite with our daughter, we are still
separated from her., but we do have some contact with our
granddaughters through letter writing.
Recently one of our granddaughters represented our country in a world
competition, and she did very well. The local media picked up the
story, and she had many interviews on television. The articles and
television gave us a lot of information about her and her interests.
It was so wonderful to see her, even if on television, after 15 years.
Oh, how I wanted to give her a hug!
A longing Grandmother
______________
After 10 Years
After 10 years, our daughter wrote us a note in late August and has
written five letters since. Each letter sounds more like her "old
self." We respond, but do so very carefully thanks to advice we have
gotten from the Foundation. We were advised that it was a slow
process. So we understand much better now. We owe it all to the
Foundation.
Thankful parents
__________________
Unconditional Love
We had been estranged from our fourth daughter for more than a decade
when we had heard that she was having serious marriage problems. One
day, we happened to see her at our local supermarket. Taking courage
and a prayer, we went over to ask if there was any way we could help.
She looked at us for a moment and then asked if we would be willing to
meet with her at her church with two pastors. She said that we could
bring our pastor with us.
We met for one and a half hours. Her husband came, and we found out
that he had left her sometime earlier. She said that she still
believed that these "things" had happened, but she was forgiving us
and wanted to be reconciled. She then asked her husband to forgive her
for the years she had taken her bitter anger toward us out on him. Her
husband said nothing.
I said "It must be very hard to forgive us believing that these things
really happened. I commend you for this choice. We do not believe
these events happened, but we love you and are overjoyed to have
reconciliation."
She came to visit on Father's Day, and she brought me my favorite pie
that she had freshly baked. Since then we have talked, and she has
been to our house several times. The last visit was very encouraging.
We talked a little about how painful life can be. I said that it
sounds as though her husband has made up his mind to get a divorce. As
we talked she broke down and said, "I am so sorry. I am so sorry."
So it seems as we are together, and she sees how our other
grandchildren are always so glad to see us and as she feels the love
we try to give unconditionally, God is working to bring truth and
healing.
It has been 12 long, painful years. We are still praying for our other
daughters.
Thankful parents
__________________
Will It Never End?
A former co-worker dropped by my office to tell me about her youngest
son, who had told her and his dad, as well as his sister and brother,
that he no longer wanted to have any contact with them. He said he
needed to sever ties from them in order to heal. According to my
friend, the son had been in therapy, although the rest of the family
was not aware of it.
My co-worker friend had been scheduled to go and visit all three
children, who live in another state. She had made up her mind to visit
the youngest son and his expectant wife to see if they would talk with
her. But before she was scheduled to leave, she received an e-mail
from that son telling her that they had lost their baby. So the rest
of the family sent flowers and decided to leave the couple alone for
the time being.
When this friend contacted me, I think all the emotions and feelings
that I usually kept under wraps surfaced. I prayed and cried most of
the weekend. Those of us who have been through this ordeal hurt so
badly for each other. Many friends, co-workers, and relatives do not
understand what a family goes through. It is discouraging because they
don't even try to seek information, which is so plentiful now, to
understand the causes of false memories.
Another mess! It breaks my heart. Will it never end?
A mom
_____________________________________
More Thoughts on Wisconsin Conference
After hearing your reports, I am finally hopeful that the Wisconsin
recovered memory wars may be about over! Gone is the 1000+ attendance!
Largely gone, too, is the "survivors of incest and recovered memories"
hysteria ,which was fueled by invited speakers such as Marilyn Van
Derbur, Judith Herman, Laura Brown, Roberta Sachs, etc. To be sure,
there are still some presenters talking the recovered memory talk, but
most are defensive and cautious. To be fair, I must mention that
Elizabeth Loftus, Steve Lindsay, and Brooks Brenneis did appear in
1994, but they never returned again.
The conference no longer seems so focused on incest. (Until 2000, it
was called the Midwest Conference on Child Sexual Abuse and Incest.)
The craze may be self-limiting, but I believe the changes are due, in
large part, to the enlightening work of education by the FMS
Foundation and to lawsuits. Perhaps economic factors are also playing
a role. And we should not forget the possible influence of some
persistent families who appealed for change.
It is great to know that at this year's conference FMSF literature was
distributed to hundreds of young criminal justice and family service
workers. The reports were heartening. I hope we will continue have the
energy to remind people that the Foundation and concerned families are
still here, to stamp out any fires that may flare up, and to fight for
those left behind.
To those of you who staffed the table, I thank you for your work and
your messages.
A mom
___________________________________
Have You Heard of a Case Like This?
The following is an excerpt from a letter my wife received from the
daughter of one of her cousins:
. . . And that is why I didn't want my father to have my address.
. . . In September 1999, psychotherapy enabled me to understand,
through reliving the experience, that my father had sexually
molested me and my sister when we were babies, at an age when we are
not supposed to remember it consciously and when only the body's
memory can keep a record of such events. The result of this abuse is
that my sister has been psychotic for more than 30 years and I lost
the sight in one eye when I was 10 months old.
Now, I happen to know that the writer was born blind in one eye
because of a cataract and that her sister takes after her mother, who
also was bipolar. What is interesting about this case is that she does
not actually remember the incident (i.e., no alleged repressed
memories were uncovered). She just believes what the psychotherapist
told her and now blames her poor father for her physical handicap and
her sister's psychosis.
Have any of your readers come across similar cases? It's hard to
imagine that this one is unique.
David Romney, PhD
Professor
Division of Applied Psychology
Education, University of Calgary
Alberta, Canada
___________________________
A Complexity of Experiences
Claudia Dabbs
As I was growing up, I was aware that some of my father's behavior was
damaging to our family, especially to my mother. I also knew that in
many respects my father was a courageous man who lived his life with
admirable integrity. He taught me many valuable lessons.
My mother suffered from extreme, chronic clinical depression from
childhood, and her five siblings had all been institutionalized with
diagnoses of schizophrenic disorder. She was a wise woman, however,
and despite the severity of her depression, she continued to take care
of our family. When I left home to go to college, I harbored no
feelings of neglect or abuse. I believed that both parents did the
best they could to support my five sisters and me.
Even before I attended graduate school from 1979 to 1981, I knew that
severe mental illnesses were neurobiological disorders. I attended
Tulane's MSW program, which was rigorous and demanding and required
the ability to think critically. I never heard about the concept of
"repressed memory trauma" or "memory retrieval therapy." Furthermore,
during my schooling and subsequent 15 years successfully practicing
social work in New Orleans, I never encountered a report of a patient
diagnosed with MPD.
In 1994, my partner and I decided to relocate. As we were in the
process of exploring our options, I received a call from one of my
sisters telling me that my father had committed suicide. Stunned,
confused, and full of grief, I quickly packed and drove home. As I
attempted to gather information, I learned that one of my sisters had
been hospitalized for one month at a private for-profit psychiatric
hospital in Shreveport for depression and anxiety. While in the
hospital, she was "informed" that her depression and anxiety were the
result of repressed traumatic memories of severe sexual abuse
allegedly perpetrated by both of my parents and that the abuse was
part of some sort of satanic cult ritual. At the end of her
hospitalization (i.e. when her insurance ran out), she was encouraged
to call my father and confront him with the accusations.
My sister was released from the hospital one day after my Dad killed
himself. She was released with increased depression, confusion about
her alleged memories, guilt because she felt responsible for Dad's
suicide, and no arrangements for follow-up care. My sister
disconnected from everyone in the family, and I heard several years
later that she had shot herself. As I write this, I do not know if she
is alive or dead. I do know that given our family history of mental
disorders, she should have been treated for depression -- not
repressed memories.
After these disheartening events, my partner and I moved to a city in
Wisconsin. Several weeks after I began working on an inpatient
psychiatric unit, I learned that there was a huge debate raging within
the local mental health community about "repressed memories of
traumatic sexual abuse" and the consequent treatment of clients who
were uncovering such memories. Most of the patients had previously
been diagnosed and treated for schizophrenia or bipolar disorders. The
psychiatrist in charge of the County Mental Health Services began
rediagnosing these clients with MPD and telling them that their
symptoms were the result of repressed memories. He advised them to
seek treatment that would help them uncover and relive the repressed
memories. He confidently told them that they would remain symptomatic
if they did not receive memory retrieval therapy and cease taking
their previous medications.
As I attempted to understand the dynamics of the debate, I saw that it
resembled a feud. The clients became revolving victims of inpatient
psychiatric units. After cessation of their pharmacological and
supportive mental health treatment, they would inevitably decompensate
and require inpatient treatment. They would again be diagnosed with a
psychotic or bipolar disorder and would resume medication and
supportive measures indicated for the diagnosis. After stabilization,
these clients returned to therapy at the County, stopped medication,
and repeated the pattern.
Eleven years ago, I developed psychiatric symptoms that I feared would
develop into a schizophrenic disorder, and I feared possible
institutionalization -- given my family history. I sought treatment
from a psychiatrist who accurately diagnosed me and began appropriate
pharmacological treatment. I was also referred to therapy for
supportive case management.
Due to the HMO that dictated which therapists they would cover under
their insurance plan, I was referred to a therapist at the County. I
was unaware that this person had been trained by the County
psychiatrist who diagnosed large numbers of clients with MPD. I did
not receive treatment for my diagnosed illness. Instead I was treated
as a victim of severe childhood abuse that I had obviously repressed.
At times I trusted this therapist and began to believe I had MPD, even
though my psychiatrist never agreed with that diagnosis. I began to
believe I had alters and that unknown to me, these alters would come
out in therapy sessions. At times I questioned the validity and
efficacy of the therapy. I continued to decompensate and over a 10
year period was hospitalized more than 25 times.
Eventually, I terminated therapy with this therapist, a difficult and
painful process. My therapist and I both behaved badly, but only I was
held accountable for bad behaviors. Finally, after an almost
successful suicide attempt, I began treatment with a psychologist who
actually treated me for the diagnosis I had been given by my
psychiatrist. Her primary therapeutic approach is based on cognitive
therapy and interventions to help me deal with anxiety and panic
attacks.
I contacted the FMS Foundation prior to my termination with my
previous therapist. The people with whom I spoke were helpful,
objective, and professional. When I saw a notice in the FMSF
Newsletter for a local conference, I decided to attend.
After attending the conference, I decided to write about my experience
for the Newsletter because I felt that some of the people attending
the conference seemed unaware of the variety and complexity of
experiences that could lead a person to false memories.
I heard people generalize about patients, using terms such as
"personalities prone to confabulate," "attention seekers," and "women
who brought grave pain on their families," as if these generalizations
were facts rather than opinions. There seemed to be acceptance that
these were the factors that resulted in FMS. However, my story does
not fit any of these stereotypes. I never blamed my parents. Just the
contrary, I attempted to help my family heal from the pain that
resulted from Dad's suicide and the loss of our sister. I had a
stable, satisfying career for 20 years, a stable relationship, and a
satisfying social life, and then I developed a neurobiological
disorder. Due to the severity of my disorder, I was not capable of
shopping around for a reliable therapist. I was also extremely limited
about my provider choices due to the mandates of my insurance.
Not a day goes by that I don't feel guilty and stupid for failing to
leave this "therapy" before it caused grave damage. Nothing positive
resulted from what I can say was a sham in the guise of legitimate
therapy. I do not have a personality prone to confabulate, and I am
not attention seeking, and I do have strong critical thinking skills.
The catch-22 is that my disorder manifests in periodic disability of
rational thought processes.
I hope that in telling my story, Newsletter readers will remember to
consider the complexity of experiences that can result in false
memories.
Claudia Dabbs would be pleased to answer any questions She may be
contacted through the FMS Foundation.
Editor's Comment: It is unfortunate that statements regarding
"personalities prone to confabulate," "attention seekers," and
"women who brought grave pain on their families" were interpreted to
mean that the accuser engaged in these behaviors consciously or
intentionally. This is almost never the case. Young women, like the
writer, have experienced anguish and inordinate pain, as have their
innocent families because they were misled by misguided therapists.
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| Magnificent Memory Machine |
| Excerpt from computer game review |
| |
| "Joy has a strange talking mechanical device that was built by her |
| late father. The device, which bills itself as Miles the |
| Magnificent Memory Machine, challenges Joy to solve a series of |
| riddles with the goal of recovering repressed memories of her |
| long-dead mother; Nancy pitches in with the solutions. So Nancy's |
| deductive skills are needed not only to find a culprit, but also |
| to lead someone on a journey of self-discovery, making our heroine |
| what may be the world's only detective-therapist." |
| Herold, C. (2003, Dec. 4) |
| Game theory; A teenage sleuth in fine formula |
| The New York Times, p. C 5 |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
* N O T I C E S *
**********************************************************************
* *
* VICTIMS OF MEMORY: SEX ABUSE ACCUSATIONS AND SHATTERED LIVES *
* by Mark Pendergrast. *
* Upper Access Books. *
* *
* "An impressive display of scholarship...a comprehensive treatment *
* of the recovered-memories controversy.... Pendergrast offers a *
* broader portrayal of the social and cultural contexts of the *
* recovered-memories phenomenon [than other books on the subject]. *
* His treatment is also distinguished by some welcome historical *
* perspective....Pendergrast demonstrates a laudable ability to lay *
* out all sides of the argument....[He] renders a sympathetic *
* portrayal of recovery therapists as well-intentioned but *
* misinformed players in a drama that has veered out of control." *
* Daniel L. Schacter *
* Scientific American *
* To order: 800-310-8320 or *
* www.upperaccess.com/books.htm#226v2 *
* *
* **********************************************************************
* THE RUTHERFORD FAMILY *
* SPEAKS TO FMS FAMILIES *
* *
* The video made by the Rutherford family is the most popular video *
* of FMSF families. It covers the complete story from accusation, to *
* retraction and reconciliation. Family members describe the things *
* they did to cope and to help reunite. Of particular interest are *
* Beth Rutherford's comments about what her family did that helped *
* her to retract and return. *
* To order video send request to *
* FMSF Video, Rt. 1 Box 510 *
* Burkeville, TX 75932 *
* $10.00 per tape *
* Canada add $4.00 per tape *
* Other countries add $10.00 per tape *
* Make checks payable to *
* FMS Foundation *
**********************************************************************
* *
* 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. *
* *
**********************************************************************
* PSYCHOLOGY ASTRAY: *
* Fallacies in Studies of "Repressed Memory" and Childhood Trauma *
* by Harrison G. Pope, Jr., M.D. *
* Upton Books *
* *
* This is an indispensable guide for any person who wants or needs *
* to understand the research claims about recovered memories. A *
* review by Stuart Sutherland in the prestigious Nature magazine *
* (July 17, 1997) says that the book is a "model of clear thinking *
* and clear exposition." The book is an outgrowth of the "Focus on *
* Science" columns that have appeared in this newsletter. *
* To Order: 800-232-7477 *
**********************************************************************
* *
* "ASK AN EXPERT" *
* This American Life *
* June 14, 2002 *
* *
* About people who turned to experts and got horrible advice. *
* Features the Rutherfords and a retracting therapist. *
* *
* www.thislife.org. tapes@thislife.org *
* Tapes: "Ask an Expert," # 215, 6/14/02, $12 *
* Producer: Alix Spiegel *
* *
**********************************************************************
* WEB SITES OF INTEREST *
* *
* comp.uark.edu/~lampinen/read.html *
* The Lampinen Lab False Memory Reading Group *
* University of Arkansas *
* *
* www.exploratorium.edu/memory *
* The Exploratorium Memory Exhibit *
* *
* www.ctnow.com/memory *
* Hartford Courant memory series *
* *
* www.tmdArchives.org *
* The Memory Debate Archives *
* *
* www.francefms.com *
* French language website *
* *
* www.StopBadTherapy.com *
* Contains phone numbers of professional *
* regulatory boards in all 50 states *
* *
* www.IllinoisFMS.org *
* Illinois-Wisconsin FMS Society *
* *
* www.ltech.net/OHIOarmhp *
* Ohio Group *
* *
* www.afma.asn.au *
* Australian False Memory Association. *
* *
* www.bfms.org.uk *
* British False Memory Society *
* *
* www.geocities.com/retractor *
* This site is run by Laura Pasley (retractor) *
* *
* www.geocities.com/therapyletters *
* This site is run by Deb David (retractor) *
* *
* www.sirs.com/uptonbooks/index.htm *
* Upton Books *
* *
* www.angelfire.com/tx/recoveredmemories/ *
* Locate books about FMS *
* Recovered Memory Bookstore *
* *
* www.religioustolerance.org/sra.htm *
* Information about Satanic Ritual Abuse *
* *
* www.angryparents.net *
* Parents Against Cruel Therapy *
* *
* www.geocities.com/newcosanz *
* New Zealand FMS Group *
* *
* www.werkgroepwfh.nl *
* Netherlands FMS Group *
* *
* www.falseallegation.org *
* National Child Abuse Defense & Resource Center *
* *
* www.nasw.org/users/markp *
* Excerpts from Victims of Memory. *
* *
* http://www.rickross.com/groups/fsm.html *
* Ross Institute *
* *
* www.hopkinsmedicine.org/jhhpsychiatry/perspec1.htm *
* Perspectives for Psychiatry by Paul McHugh *
* *
* www.enigma.se/info/FFI.htm *
* FMS in Scandinavia - Janet Hagbom *
* *
* www.ncrj.org *
* National Center for Reason &tice *
* *
* LEGAL WEBSITES OF INTEREST *
* www.caseassist.com *
* www.findlaw.com *
* www.legalengine.com *
* www.accused.com *
* www.abuse-excuse.com *
**********************************************************************
* *
* REMEMBERING TRAUMA *
* by Richard McNally *
* Harvard University Press *
* The most comprehensive review of research about trauma and memory *
* *
* Highly recommended *
* *
**********************************************************************
* Several people have recently asked how to find books, such as The *
* Myth of Repressed Memories by E. Loftus, that are out of print. *
* Try Amazon.com or "Out of Print Books" at 800-563-1222. *
**********************************************************************
* *
* SCIENCE and PSEUDOSCIENCE in CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY *
* *
* S. O. Lilienfeld, S.J. Lynn and J.M. Lohr (eds.) *
* New York: Guilford Press (2003) *
* *
* Highly recommended *
* *
**********************************************************************
* SNOWBIRDS *
* Please send the FMSF your change of address. *
**********************************************************************
_____________________________________
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
Charles 415-984-6626 (am); 415-435-9618 (pm)
San Francisco & South Bay
Eric 408-738-0469
East Bay Area
Judy 925-952-4853
Central Coast
Carole 805-967-8058
Palm Desert
Eileen and Jerry 909-659-9636
Central Orange County - 1st Fri. (MO) @ 7pm
Chris & Alan 949-733-2925
Covina Area
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 727-856-7091
GEORGIA
Atlanta
Wallie & Jill 770-971-8917
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
KANSAS
Wichita - Meeting as called
Pat 785-738-4840
KENTUCKY
Louisville- Last Sun. (MO) @ 2pm
Bob 502-367-1838
MAINE
Rumford
Carolyn 207-364-8891
Portland
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 - Quarterly (Apr., Jul., Oct., Jan. -
last Sat. of month) @12:30pm
Tom 417-753-4878
Roxie 417-781-2058
MONTANA
Lee & Avone 406-443-3189
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Mark 802-872-0847
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 918-582-7363
OREGON
Portland area
Kathy 503-655-1587
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 802-872-0847
VIRGINIA
Sue 703-273-2343
WASHINGTON
Kathy 503-557-7118
WISCONSIN
Katie & Leo 414-476-0285 or
Susanne & John 608-427-3686
WYOMING
Alan & Lorinda 307-322-4170
_____________
INTERNATIONAL
BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
Vancouver & Mainland
Lloyd 250-741-8941
Victoria & Vancouver Island
John 250-721-3219
MANITOBA
Roma 204-275-5723
ONTARIO, CANADA
London
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
Evelyn
everei@adam.com.au
BELGIUM
werkgr.fict.herinneringen@altavista.net
ISRAEL
FMS ASSOCIATION fax 972-2-625-9282
NETHERLANDS
Task Force FMS of Werkgroep Fictieve
Herinneringen
Jan 31-184-413-085
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 March/April Newsletter is February 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, January 1, 2004
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 California, Irvine, CA;
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., (deceased) 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., {deceased) 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
**********************************************************************
YOUR CONTRIBUTION WILL HELP
Please Fill Out All Information
Please Print
__Visa: Card # & exp. date:_____________________________
__Discover: Card # & exp. date:________________________
__Mastercard: # & exp. date:____________________________
__Check or Money Order:_________________________________
PAYABLE TO FMS FOUNDATION IN U.S. DOLLARS
Signature: ______________________________________________
Name: ___________________________________________________
Address:_________________________________________________
State, ZIP (+4) _________________________________________
Country: ________________________________________________
Phone: (________)________________________________________
Fax: (________)_________________________________________
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY.
**********************************************************************