Return to FMSF Home Page
This text version assumes a constant-space font (such as Courier)
**********************************************************************
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)
SUMMER 2011 Vol. 20 No. 3
***********************************************************************
ISSN #1069-0484. Copyright (c) 2011 by the FMS Foundation
**********************************************************************
The FMSF Newsletter will be published 4 times in 2011 by the False
Memory Syndrome Foundation and delivered electronically. It is also
available at on the FMSF website: www.FMSFonline.org. Those without
access to the Internet should contact the Foundation.
1955 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-5766
Phone 215-940-1040, Fax 215-940-1042
**********************************************************************
The final e-mail newsletter will be sent in October 2011
**********************************************************************
Dear Friends,
If ever a newsletter showed that the problem of false memories is
still with us, this issue does. We deliberately chose to focus on
existing problems. Why that bias? There are two reasons: one is to
contrast the current problems with the situation in 1992 when the
Foundation started; the other is to help explain why the newsletter
will cease at the end of 2011 - to be replaced by another form of
communication.
"Couchwork" is the subject of the first article in this issue. It is
infuriating and also sad to read that someone is still promoting the
notion that memories of trauma must be excavated using hypnotic-like
processes in order for a person to heal. But the author of this
material is not a national figure. A major publisher did not publish
her book. It's likely you heard of neither the author nor her work.
In the early 90s, on the other hand, The Courage to Heal was the book
most recommended to patients by therapists. It was published by Harper
and Row and widely advertised. Articles about the authors appeared
regularly. Bookstores had "survivor" sections. In the early 90s,
continuing education programs for mental health professionals featured
session after session on "healing from sexual abuse" and they promoted
the use of hypnosis, sodium amytal, guided imagery, and other risky
techniques in order to help patients get memories. Television talk
shows regularly featured "survivors" who claimed to have been abused
in satanic cults. The number of in-patient treatment centers and
dissociative units for people with multiple personalities was
growing. Lawsuits based on nothing more than claims of recovered
repressed memories started flooding the courts.
The climate 20 years later is nothing like it was in the early 1990s.
A series of articles in this issue focus on the bizarre beliefs and
practices of Oregon's Marion Knox, a layman who counsels and performs
deliverances as part of a network of Christian therapists. Back in the
early 1990s, we wrote similarly about Bennett Braun, M.D., a
psychiatrist who spread his bizarre beliefs at a respected teaching
hospital in Chicago. The pain and suffering that these men caused
those who turned to them for help is equally deep, but the level of
social acceptance of their practices is worlds apart. The mainstream
medical establishment no longer tolerates the promotion of the
paranoid cult-worlds that comprise belief in intergenerational satanic
ritual abuse cults as it did in the early 90s. These beliefs have
moved out of mainstream medicine and out of mainstream media to,
unfortunately, the fringes of Christian therapy.
The first three articles in the legal section may not please readers.
The first is news of a Minnesota appeal decision that could possibly
open the door to legal cases based only on claims of repressed memory.
The Minnesota court ruled that the Frye-Mack standard is not
applicable to questions of admissibility of recovered memory evidence.
They wrote that: "No 'method' of testing the condition of repressed
memory exists for general acceptance or non-acceptance by the
scientific community." But that is not true. A method for testing was
elaborated more than 15 years ago by Pope and Hudson.[1] Perhaps the
Court was not informed of the method. An appeal is likely.
Back in the early 1990s, families were being sued willy-nilly based on
nothing more than claims of recovered repressed memories. There were
few materials available to help the accused. If an accused person
confessed he or she was guilty, but if the person did not confess he
or she was said to be "in denial" and, thus, also guilty. That was the
climate that existed. The proof that abuse happened was that the
abused person forgot it! We should never forget the topsy-turvy
beliefs that permeated the culture in the early 1990s in an
overzealous response to child sexual abuse.
Claims of recovered repressed memories will not likely go away in our
lifetime. The beliefs run deep and are steadily fed by media
sensationalism and romantic notions about how memory works. The
beliefs are nourished with movies and stories such as Sybil. That
these beliefs have been debunked, that they are not supported by
science -- not as good a story. Beliefs in recovered memories will
probably flourish for as long as our culture is content to have the
field of therapy be an entrepreneurial wonderland.
The FMSF Newsletter was developed in response to the general climate
and to the needs of people in 1992. Although the problem has not gone
away, its scope and direction have changed dramatically. At the same
time, the way that people communicate has changed just as
dramatically, if not more so. For more than a decade the Foundation
has moved in a digital direction. Indeed, the newsletter is now sent
electronically to almost everyone. Within the year, we expect that
even our office will be "virtual," as so many offices now are. One can
telephone or send electronic messages from almost anyplace on Earth.
The changes in the next year should not make any difference to members
of the FMSF. We can reach people who are members of the Foundation and
you will be able reach us.
Communication with others is the challenge. Most people today Twitter
and blog; they don't get information from newsletters. After 20 years,
it is time to try something different. We are ready to try something
new-shorter and more frequent news and observations with greater input
from others.
We will not abandon those who do not have computers. A collection of
postings can be sent three or four times a year, the frequency of the
newsletter. Details will be included in the annual letter that will be
mailed in September. Our thanks to all FMSF members for your
extraordinary support.
PAMELA
[1] Pope, H. & Hudson, J. (1995). Can memories of childhood sexual
abuse be repressed? Psychological Medicine, 25, 121-126 See
http://www.fmsfonline.org/pope95.html.
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| "Some therapists claim to be able to 'recover' repressed memories |
| of childhood traumas, but the field fell into disrepute in the |
| 1980s when some unscrupulous therapists were found to be planting |
| false memories of incest and child abuse." |
| Beck, M. (2011, May 31) |
| Blanks for the memories |
| Wall Street Journal |
| Retrieved on 6/14/11 from http://online.wsj.com/article/ |
| SB10001424052702304520804576341482658082052.html |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
COUCHWORK
Myths about "repressed memories" continue to be spread by some
therapists. Last month, a reader directed us to The Handbook: The
Supplementary Guide to The Miracle Child Parenting Series: The Causal
Series (2009) by Faye Snyder, PsyD. According to the handbook, its
contents are "the notes that a student might jot down" as Snyder
lectures. That way the student "can simply listen and grasp the main
concepts while in class."
The Handbook is over 200 pages and covers many subjects related to
child rearing. The course is based on Snyder's "causal theory" that
children are not born with genetic predispositions but are instead are
blank slates when born, a theory elaborated by John Locke in the
1600s.
Tucked into the book are some statements about "repressed" memories
and how to cure them. Below are some examples of the author's
underlying beliefs, which have no basis in science. Especially
disturbing is the technique of "couchwork" that she teaches to resolve
"buried trauma," a technique that is all too hypnosis-like.
"None of the above injuries [abuse, neglect, abandonment] can be
repaired if there is continued repression. Trauma must be expressed
to heal. Buried trauma festers." (p. 7)
"Techniques other than COUCHWORK do exist, but couchwork is the most
productive technique for healing buried trauma. The client lies on
the couch, breathes deeply and transfers into a slightly altered
state that is useful for self-awareness and helps the client witness
her own program. From there, she continues into a deeper and more
profound sense of self-awareness, wherein she learns to meditate on
her inner self, focus on her body, relax and surrender. She listens
to her body and gives her body and feelings primacy over her mind.
In doing so, she self-observes and learns the ways her mind keeps
her from knowing herself. She's see (sic) how she chose some of her
life's attitudes or philosophies at a young age." (p. 100)
"Some people have great difficulty surrendering. As you do the work
to dissolve your defenses and resistance, you prepare to receive and
heal the buried pain of your childhood which, because it is
unprocessed, has been pushing you around, causing you to act out or
against yourself. Sooner or later, the deep breathing will cause you
to have some strong sensations in your body. Some students have
'freaked out' over the sensations thus missing the point. These
sensations are messages or body memories from your child self. Focus
on the sensations until you receive the message or relive the
memory. Often the message turns into an experience that you've
forgotten, or maybe you hadn't forgotten but your body wants you to
relive the experience, only this time to cry in response." (p. 100)
"The couchwork may take three to ten sessions or more to recover one
memory. The childhood experience may be so traumatic that the
subconscious mind thinks it has to reveal the event to conscious
awareness very slowly. However, the more willing the person is to
remember, the more the subconscious mind has the faith to allow
conscious recall."(p. 101)
"The fundamental concept for ragework is to focus on the original
injury. When doing ragework, you must focus on your parents (in an
empty chair) on behalf of the young child you once were. You exert
the buried anger as if you were still that age and the injury
heals. It's not about blaming the parent. It's about giving back the
anger for an insult to your system that took place at a time when
you were powerless and forbidden to express your hurt and anger..."
(p. 101)
The Couchwork Process (p. 106)
* Client lies down on the couch straight, unencumbered, head only
slightly up (to remain vulnerable).
* Client may request dimming of lights or eye-cover, though at some
point the self-consciousness may be important to address by doing
the work without aids.
* Client starts breathing deep and hard.
* Breathing continues for a long time, though sometimes results take
place in a few minutes. Sometimes it takes even 45 minutes if
clients are "locked down" by physical armor, mental dissociation
or resistance to losing control.
* Pockets of sensation show up. When sensations are strong, stop
breathing and focus on them. Clients need to stop breathing before
the sensations become painful. The memory and/or emotions will
come up, creating healing. The pockets of feeling are "body
memories" of repressed trauma and are held in literal or
metaphorical storage.
Editorial Reflection: Does anybody care that some therapists continue
to promote and use discredited techniques that may lead to trance
states and to excavate "memories?" What can be done about it? What are
the ethical principles of those therapists using dangerous techniques
that may result in false memories?
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| To demonstrate dissociative amnesia: |
| |
| Investigators should interview and follow-up people who experience |
| a well-documented trauma. These people must be at least six years |
| old at the time of the trauma and free of neurological problems |
| such as head injury or drug intoxication. The traumatic event must |
| be too important to the individual to plausibly be lost by |
| ordinary forgetfulness. If some of the victims do not report |
| memories on an initial interview, they must participate in a |
| clarification interview in which they should be asked whether they |
| remember the specific event that they are known to have |
| experienced. Although this last step might be criticized as |
| over-cueing, data show that any lesser approach risks |
| mis-classifying many people who actually remember. In such a |
| study, if many individuals still deny memories at a clarification |
| interview, we would have persuasive evidence of the possibility of |
| dissociative amnesia. But until studies meeting these criteria |
| appear, dissociative amnesia remains unproven. |
| Pope, H.G., Hudson, J.I., Bodkin, A., Oliva, P. (1998) |
| Questionable validity of 'dissociative amnesia' in trauma victims: |
| Evidence from prospective studies |
| British Journal of Psychiatry, 172, 210-215 |
\____________________________________________________________________/
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| FROM THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION CODE OF ETHICS: |
| 2.04 Bases for Scientific and Professional Judgments |
| |
| Psychologists' work is based upon established scientific |
| and professional knowledge of the discipline. |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
**********************************************************************
SOME PEOPLE NEVER LEARN
A decade ago, Diane Lackey settled a lawsuit with several therapists
connected with the Northwest Family Ministries near Portland, Oregon.
Under their care, Diana had come to have bizarre beliefs about past
abuse. The 2011 FMSF Winter Newsletter contained an article about
Stephen Skotko's lawsuit against Marion Knox. Skotko claims that Knox
was responsible for his wife and children coming to hold bizarre
beliefs and that he had abused them. Last month, we received a message
from Diane Lackey (Brooks) informing us that Marion Knox had also been
involved with the therapists in her case.
Below, we reprint the FMSF Newsletter article about the Lackey case
written by her attorney. Readers may be surprised that any of the
people involved in that case could have continued to practice their
strange brand of therapy after that lawsuit and its attendant
publicity.
That is followed by excerpts from Diane Lackey Brooks' recent letter,
in which she warns and pleads Christian therapists to change their
ways.
Reprinted from FMSF Newsletter 13 (3), May-June 2004:
____________________________________________________
Psychologist, Spiritual Counselor and "Soul Surgeon"
Settle Case with Former Patient
Lackey v. DePaoli, Earl and NW Family Ministries,
Case No 0201-00733 filed Feb., 2002 and Lackey v. Baker and Lacey.
Case No. 0303-03121, filed Feb. 2001 Circuit Ct. Multnomah, County, OR
by Michael Shinn, Esq.
A final settlement of the extraordinary case of Diane Lackey v.
Pastor Peter DePaoli and Rhonda Earle, dba [1] Northwest Family
Ministries, Pastor Clifford A. Baker and Deborah Lacey, dba Catalyst
Connections, Inc, defendants has been reached. This case shares
similarities with many other false memory syndrome cases reported in
the FMSF newsletter over the years. However, it features what may be
a unique distinction: the therapists asserted that Dr. Joseph
Mengele, the notorious medical "experimenter" at Auschwitz, is the
founder of Multiple Personality Disorder in America, and that he
helped develop satanic rituals for the Masonic Temple which Masons
use to this day.
Diane Lackey is a dynamic, attractive mother and successful
businesswoman. She also has a personal history which included drug
abuse and bisexual relationships. In June of 2001, she had a
traumatic breakup with her life partner of three years. This sent
her into a deep depression. She had a delusional episode in which
she believed she was possessed by demons.
She began reading the Bible and rendering literal interpretations of
it. She went to the New Song Church for "deliverance." There she met
Pastor Cliff Baker who signed her up for his "prayer ministry"
program. Participa-tion in this program required her to sign a legal
"release, assumption of the risk and indemnity agreement" which
attempted to exonerate the pastor from all legal liability before
his counseling had even begun. When she entered this program,
Ms. Lackey had no memories whatsoever of being physically or
sexually abused by anyone in her family. She had no memory of
participating in any sex rituals as a child, or of being involved
with Masons in any way.
During the ensuing four months, Diane dutifully attended Baker's
sessions, which failed in any way to address what was later
diagnosed as Bipolar Disorder. This manifested itself with delusions
and hallucinations about demons and little inner voices. (Delusions
are a key characteristic of several mental disorders). It never
dawned on Pastor Baker that these might be symptoms of a mental
illness. Instead, he introduced Diane to Deb Lacey who has a
doctorate in divinity. She has assigned herself the title of "Soul
Surgeon" and promotes herself as an expert on MPD.
The Soul Surgeon worked with Diane Lackey in three lengthy sessions.
Her "therapy" required Diane to describe and then to renounce every
sexual act that she had ever committed. She was compelled to do this
in the presence of Lacey, Baker, and a "prayer intercessor." She
found this humiliating and agonizing. Lacey did additional work with
Diane's demons. Pastor Baker later testified that he witnessed Diane
levitating a foot above the floor and spinning around so furiously
that they had to pull her back into her chair to prevent her from
hitting her head on the wall.
Ms. Lacey inquired about Diane's heritage. She wanted to know if
anyone in her family had been a member of the Masons, Mormons,
Oddfellows, Elks, Moose or Eagles lodges, Job's Daughters and the
Rainbow or Order of Demolay. She elicited the fact that an uncle had
been a member of the Masons and declared that therein lay the key to
Diane's problems. Presumably, membership in any of the other
aforementioned organizations would also have been inculpatory.
She then required Diane to read a "Prayer of Release for Freemasons
and Their Descendants" to Lacey, Baker, and the intercessor. This
five page document included such passages as: "I renounce the oaths
taken and the curses involved in the First or Entered Apprentice
degree, especially their effects on the throat and tongue. I
renounce the Hoodwink, the blindfold, and its effect on emotions and
eyes, including all confusion, fear of the dark, fear of the light
and fear of sudden noises.... I renounce the mixing and mingling of
truth and error, and the blasphemy of this degree of Masonry."
When asked why Diane was forced to renounce Masonic activity of
which she had no memory or known history whatsoever, Baker and Lacey
testified that as a descendant of a Mason, she was equally afflicted
and needed this cleansing ceremony. They overlooked the fact that
Diane was adopted and that "Uncle Bob" was not even a blood
relative.
Under the tutelage of Baker and Lacey, Diane began developing
horrifying images of being subjected to lurid sex orgies with Uncle
Bob and his Masonic colleagues. Deb Lacey persuaded Diane that she
had been victimized at the age of four, because that was the age she
assigned to one of her inner voices, Sarah. Diane confronted Uncle
Bob about these activities, and promised to expose him. He wisely
reported this to the local police and to her father. Her father
informed her by e-mail that Uncle Bob didn't even join the Masons
until she was 13 and that there was no indication she was ever
abused by anyone as an infant or child.
By now, Diane believed she was possessed by eleven alter
personalities. Perplexed by her father's e-mail, she inquired of
Pastor Baker if these might be false memories. No, he said, lying
about their guilt was characteristic of Masons. She needed to trust
her new memories and could expect to retrieve more of them.
To assist her in this adventure, Baker brought her to Pastor Peter
DePaoli (a licensed clinical psychologist) at Northwest Family
Ministries. During her first session there, Diane was shown a
videotape of Dr. Joseph Mengele and the Auschwitz death camp.
Questioned about this in depositions, DePaoli claimed he knew little
about Mengele and just happened to show her the video because she
had some questions about Mengele. I impeached DePaoli with a
45-minute tape recording of a speech he gave in 1998 in which he
told the International Conference of Pastoral Counselors that his
research had uncovered the fact that Mengele was the "father of MPD
in America," (where he came after WWII and not to Argentina).
DePaoli convinced Diane Lackey that she was possessed by a Mengele
demon, among many others.
Throughout the course of the summer of 2002, Diane was plagued with
terrifying images of Joseph Mengele, Masonic temple orgies, blood
sacrifices, and demons of all varieties. When these images became so
bizarre that she realized they were not likely true, she informed
Baker that she suspected they were false memories. She was
considering suing DePaoli. In response, Baker affirmed DePaoli's
work and promptly terminated his counseling relationship with her.
When she came to my law office, I referred her to competent mental
health professionals. After months of therapy and psychiatric
medication, she finally broke away from the demon delusions and was
able to revive her nearly bankrupt business.
Early in the legal proceedings, Pastor Baker filed a motion to have
the case dismissed noting that he was a "spiritual" counselor and
that his First Amendment rights protected him. The plaintiff argued
that a counselor was like a primary care physician, with the
responsibility not only to treat problems, but also to recognize and
diagnose problems that are beyond the counselor's ability to treat.
Although he was her pastor, he was also her professional counselor
and provided direct therapeutic services and arranged for additional
psychological care from others. As such, he was bound by the
responsibilities detailed in the Pastoral Counselors' Code of
Ethics.
Among these were the duties to:
* Evaluate the nature and potential causes of her problems;
* Engage in a "differential diagnosis." (Even though he was not a
licensed clinical psychologist, due care in the setting should
include a consideration of all potential causes rather than limited
ones.);
* Keep himself adequately informed about available treatment;
* Provide the client with adequate warnings about any significant
hazards or risks that accompanied certain methodologies;
* Refrain from reinforcing methodologies and treatment which were
known to be unscientific and lacked reliable independent
corroboration.
Plaintiff's attorney: Michael R. Shinn of Portland, Portland,
Oregon. Defendants' attorneys: Michael Hoffman, Paul Cooney, David
Ryan of Portland, Oregon.
[1] "dba" refers to "doing business as."
* * *
Excerpts from Diane Lackey Brooks' Recent Letter:
I learned from the FMSF Newsletter that most of the recovered-memory
cases now come through church counseling. That got my attention. I was
pulled into the bizarre world of false memories through church
counseling, and I am willing to do most anything to stop it from
happening to others. I am angered that some churches think that they
can do whatever they want because they are "spiritual counselors" and
are not bound by secular law.
Prophesy Fulfilled:
I warned all the defendants in my lawsuit that the treatment and
diagnosis of Multiple Personality Disorder was wrong and that the
Pastors should repent. In 2005, I warned Marion Knox who was not part
of my lawsuit. No one listened, and now another lawsuit by another
person has been filed against one of them. Again, I warn all Spiritual
Counselors: "You must stop and never practice this dangerous therapy
again."
Northwest Family Ministries
In 2004, I received a settlement that ended my lawsuit against Peter
DePaoli, Deb Lacey and others who worked at the Northwest Family
Ministries near Portland, Oregon. Marion Knox, who is currently being
sued by Steven Skotko for implanting false memories in members of his
family, was also deeply involved with Northwest Family Ministries and
its staff. He was active in the church and even spoke on "Deliverance"
with members of Northwest Ministries at a Spiritual Warfare Advanced
Training workshop in Portland about a decade ago. "He outlined in
detail for his audience his methods for uncovering subconscious
memories." [1]
In 2005, I warned the therapists who treated me, DePaoli, Lacey and
the other people who were part of the Northwest Family Ministries,
that my attorney wanted to expose Marion Knox using the video
depositions taken as part of my lawsuit. Those videos are a public
record for all families to see.
I have five hours of video depositions that I am giving to Steve
Skotko to use in his lawsuit against Marion Knox. The depositions
contain information from Peter DePaoli of Northwest Family Ministries
who told the attorneys about Marion Knox.
I am doing this because I want to stop the blatant misuse of a
ministry to brainwash people into the cult-like belief that untold
numbers of young children have been sodomized so severely that their
personalities split off and poof-they have no memory of the abuse!
Once this idea takes hold, trusting patients often go on to develop
what they believe are horrible memories of their own abuse. One person
this happened to was Rhonda, a counselor who treated me. She had been
trained by both Peter DePaoli and Marion Knox and she worked directly
under DePaoli. She told me that Knox spent many, many hours in
deliverance with her and that he was the one who told her that she had
been satanically ritually abused. I was treated by a counselor who
believed she had been satanically ritually abused! If only I
understood then what I know now: any therapist who says she is
qualified because "she too was abused in a satanic cult" is
dangerous. Run away!
What the tapes say:
Marion Knox was nice to me. He and I spoke only once and he seemed a
kind man. My therapist, DePaoli, asked him to deliver me because
DePaoli couldn't. Peter DePaoli and Marion Knox were the known experts
on deliverance. (The purpose of deliverance prayer is to remove the
demonic oppression from an individual, not unlike an exorcism.)
DePaoli and Knox trained other experts. In retrospect, I can see that
the teams they ran at the Beaverton, Oregon Pastoral Training Camp
were very cult-like.
In his deposition, Peter DePaoli testified that he learned about
multiple personality disorder from the internet and government secret
files. He also testified that he never verified any of it. He stated
he didn't know much about the Nazi war Doctor Joseph Mengele, but
records show that DePaoli stated in a talk at an International Center
for Biblical Counseling Conference that he personally knew that Joseph
Mengele was alive and well in America and that Mengele was the father
of multiple personality disorder. This is disturbing stuff.
In his deposition, DePaoli blamed other therapists for diagnosing me
with multiple personality disorder. Ironically, the people he blamed
were all on his team and had been trained by him. One of those
trainees was responsible for adding books about multiple personality
disorder to the collection. That is like adding witchcraft. The
pastors themselves brought the demons into the deliverance room when
they added satanic ritual abuse, false heresies, multiple
personalities, and doctrines of devils.
Beliefs spread within the counseling teams. One young counselor was
told by Knox that she had been satanically abused. Another counselor
read a book about multiple personalities. They watched others do a
deliverance and then they copied it and added the new material that
they read about. Others saw this and assumed that it was fine to do
the same thing.
That is not Biblical counseling. There is nothing in the scriptures
that states that you can take things you have read about in psychology
and add them to the Bible and call it true.
It was Marion Knox who gave the videotape of a documentary on Joseph
Mengele to Peter DePaoli. The video was about the horrible torture
done by Mengele to prisoners in the concentration camps. My therapists
made me watch this video at my first deliverance session. In
retrospect, it seems totally irresponsible to make a sick person watch
such a tape. After watching that terrible video, they then asked me
over and over if this blood doctor Joseph Mengele was my daddy, my
real daddy? They kept saying it again and again and again.
I believe that this is how they brainwash people. My first therapist
told me that I was probably traumatized as a young child but I
couldn't remember. Then I had counselors to help me remember. They
planted the idea. Then I had three pastors pray over me and tell me to
go home and find the memories. I did my homework and found "memories."
I relied on these experts because they knew best. And I had to keep
seeing them because I wanted to get well.
I think that when one Pastor gets sucked into a false belief system
and then uses those false beliefs to educate or train or deliver
others, there are the ingredients for a cult to develop. When a pastor
or spiritual leader practices based on false beliefs and when someone
in a deliverance session then appears to be having a demonic attack,
the pastor can then say: "Hey, look. There is proof of satanic ritual
abuse."
Such misguided spiritual leaders actually believe if they see a
demonic manifestation, that what they see or hear is the truth.
A deliverance session should be called a liars' convention. MPD is a
lie and if deliverance is based on a lie, then you can't deliver. I
think that Jesus would have told them: "Be Quiet."
On June 22, 2011, I mailed the DVD with the deposition in which my
therapist talks about what Marion Knox told him. I hope that this
helps Stephen Skotko in his fight against unprincipled dangerous
nonsense. If anyone else is involved in a legal case in which this
information could be helpful, please let me know through the FMSF.
If you plant a Bible verse, you will get fruit. If you plant heresy,
you get weeds and you will get sued!
Afterthought:
I never wanted to bring a lawsuit, but I finally came to the
conclusion that I had no choice. I know this sounds strange but I felt
that biblically it was my job to hold them accountable. I was young,
prophetic. I had lost my church and my favorite pastor chose to defend
his colleagues rather than correct them. I was removed from my
church. I felt I had been called to do the job.
It would have been best if they had repented, but since they refused,
a lawsuit was the way for me to help them understand that they had
done wrong. Bringing that lawsuit was the hardest thing I have ever
done in my life.
[1} Moody, J. (2011, May 31). A family torn apart: Part 3. Gazette
Times. Retrieved on June 2, 2011 from http://www.gazettetimes.com/
news/local/article_c6aba0d6-8b49-11e0-95dd-001cc4c03286.html
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| Excerpt from therapy session 10/17/01 |
| |
| DIANE: You were talking about them sticking a needle in the base |
| of the spine. What do they do that for? |
| |
| DePAOLI: Tap your spinal fluid. |
| |
| DIANE: For what? |
| |
| DePAOLI: If there is sodomy, a blast ..tail bone..flush reaction |
| in your head...cerebral cortex to your head. This is where you get |
| the high from. Spinal Fluid. Let me ask you. When you had your |
| daughter, did you ever have a sense that you were supposed to have |
| kids? |
| |
| DIANE: I never had a desire. I had done everything, every goal I |
| had ever set I accomplished. Okay, now what? Okay Rob Hubbard |
| (the father of my first child) then Rob is my brother. |
| |
| DePAOLI: Were they ever amazed that you could have kids? Any |
| internal scarring? Trained you for an assassin. They don't want |
| you to have kids if you were trained as an assassin. |
| |
| DIANE: No internal scarring. |
| |
| DePAOLI: When they train you to become an assassin you have no |
| scars. They will scar you up so you can't have kids, especially if |
| they have the assignment of an assassin because they don't want |
| to... |
| |
| DIANE: Daughter...umbilical cord wrapped around her neck at birth. |
| |
| DIANE: I had a sore at the back of my neck, at the base of my |
| neck. Oh when you first said it, then you said stick a needle in |
| my neck...yah yah yah...was my reaction. You said the programming |
| thing.. I am thinking Oh my God, it probably could have happened |
| to me. I had a cat scan for headaches when I was just a kid. |
| |
| DePAOLI: The spine is a portal. |
| |
| DIANE: I had an EKG, Biofeedback, my headaches and things...I had |
| perfect mind control. |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
PEER PRESSURE INFLUENCES WHAT WE THINK WE REMEMBER
Edelson, M., Sharot, Tl, Dolan, R.J., Dudai, Y. (2011, July 1)
Following the crowd: Brain substrates of long-term memory conformity.
Science, 333 (6038) 108-111.
New research by Micah Edelson and colleagues shows that social
pressure can influence the development of false memories.
The researchers asked volunteers to watch a documentary film in small
groups. Then they took a test, answering questions about the film and
also telling the researchers how confident they were about the
answers.
After several days, the volunteers went back to the lab to retake the
test while being scanned in a functional MRI that showed brain
activity. This time the volunteers were given a sheet that supposedly
showed the answers of the other people in the group. The sheet,
however, included some false answers. In nearly 70 % of the cases, the
participants changed his or her correct memory to match what was
thought to be the answers of the other members.
To find out if the volunteers were conforming to perceived social
demands or if their memories had undergone a change, the volunteers
went back to the lab. This time they were told that the answers they
had previously been given were not from the people in their group but
were instead computer generated answers. This time when the
participants answered the questions some responses reverted to the
original, but about half stayed erroneous. In other words, the
volunteers relied on the false memories from the previous session and
not their original correct answers.
Other research has shown that people are willing to change their
stories under social pressure. Edelson and colleagues went beyond past
research with what was learned from the brain scans. The fMRI results
generally showed enhanced activity in the hippocampus and amygdala
when the volunteers made changes to match the people in their viewing
groups. These areas did not show activity when the participants
changed their answer because a computer said they had erred.
The findings show how social manipulation can alter memory. In a
commentary on the article, Henry Roediger III and Kathleen McDermott
wrote: "When subjects in the experiment saw that other people had
responded in one way, they tended to conform and respond the same
way."
Edelson believes that the research will likely be of interest to
attorneys since witnesses to a crime often talk to each other before
testifying. A witness could have his recollection altered and even
lose the initial memory.
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| Truth and reality, when seen through the filter of our memories, |
| are not objective facts but subjective, interpretative realities. |
| We interpret the past, correcting ourselves, adding bits and |
| pieces, deleting uncomplimentary or disturbing recollections, |
| sweeping, dusting, tidying things up. Thus our representation of |
| the past takes on a living, shifting reality; it is not fixed and |
| immutable, not a place way back there that is preserved in stone, |
| but a living thing that changes shape, expands, shrinks, and |
| expands again, an amoeba like creature with powers to make us |
| laugh, and cry, and clench our fists. Enormous powers - powers |
| even to make us believe in something that never happened. |
| Loftus.& Ketchem |
| Witness for the Defense (1991) |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
NEWSPAPER SERIES ABOUT MARION KNOX
Recent newsletters have included news of the Oregon lawsuit brought by
Stephen Skotko against spiritual counselor Marion Knox. Skotko
believes that Knox was responsible for the fact that his children
accused him of sexual abuse and his subsequent arrest. Because of that
lawsuit, the Albany, Oregon Democrat-Herald published an excellent
five-part series about his beliefs and practices and the families that
have been harmed because them. Journalist Jennifer Moody did her
research homework and she did extensive interviews. The series can be
found on the paper's website:
http://www.democratherald.comnews/local/article_6bba59c8-89bf-11e0-
9feb-001cc4c002e0.html
1. A family torn apart, 5/29/11
2. Repressed memories, 5/29/11
3. Marion Knox - A profile. 5/31/11
4. Implanted memory - a family's ordeal, 6/1/11
5. Woman recounts how she overcame hurt of false memories, 6/2/11
The material that follows is based on that series with some quotes
directly taken.
Connections
There are now five different families in which Marion Knox's practices
appear to have caused damage. As early as 2001, questions about Knox's
counseling practices were raised because of a court case in which a
girl who had been treated by him accused a man of past sexual
abuse. The charges were eventually dropped.
The case of Diane Lackey Brooks, which first appeared in this
newsletter in 2004, has been republished in this issue along with a
recent letter from Ms. Brooks describing some of her counseling. Diane
Lackey Brooks did not sue Marion Knox but after she settled her
lawsuit in 2005, she wrote a letter to Knox telling him to change his
ways or that he, too, would be sued. Ms. Brooks is sending information
about Marion Knox to Stephen Skotko to help in his lawsuit.
The name Marion Knox was not mentioned in a 2006 FMSF newsletter
article called: "Second Thoughts Helped Our Daughter to Retract,"[1]
but it turns out that Knox played a role in that case also. Wayne
Wright's daughter Dana Klinkner is still trying to understand her
experience. "Now I look at it and it's horrifying, and it's
embarrassing, how could I have been so deceived? It's just ridiculous,
when you actually pull back and actually look at it." (Part 4)
A family from central Oregon who do not wish to be named say that
their daughter had dropped out of college, returned home and just
stayed in bed. The parents happened to hear about Knox on the
radio. They heard him speak and they heard others talk about him and
his talent for helping people with their problems, so they contacted
him. Knox visited the daughter regularly and the mother made 50 hours
of videotapes of their discussions. She sent these to Stephen
Skotko. The mother said: "Marion would make these suggestions, and
before we knew it, we were being accused of sodomy. We didn't even
know what sodomy was until Marion came in our life." (Part 4)
In 2011, Stephen Skotko filed his lawsuit and published a book about
his family's rupture called A Heart Held Ransomed.
Who is Marion Knox?
Marion Knox is neither a therapist not an ordained minister but he has
counseled many people, both families and individuals. "His status as
an informal family counselor, spiritual adviser and someone with the
ability to help 'deliver' people from satanic ritual abuse is
well-documented." (Part 3)
Knox has admitted in legal papers filed in connection with the Skotko
case that he "personally believes that the majority of people have
been anally sodomized at an early age." He has spoken in interviews
that he believes that Catholics, Freemasons and others practice mind
control by sodomizing young children. This causes the children to
become possessed by demons.
Dana Klinkner, mentioned above, had one counseling session with Knox
in 1999 as part of her ongoing therapy in Portland. She says of him:
"He feels like he didn't ask for this, (but) that he has the
discernment." (Part 3) "it's so sad. They're just deceived. I would
like to go back and share what I believe, but I don't even know if it
would make a difference. I'd just beg him to stop. Don't reinforce
this in people's lives, because it isn't true."
Can Marion Knox be held accountable?
Families in Oregon reported Marion Knox to the State Board of
Psychologist Examiners in 2006, but the families were told that the
Board could do nothing about him. The Board concluded that his actions
did not rise to the level of "the practice of psychology." That case
is closed.
If person is a licensed therapist, he or she is accountable because of
professional codes that should be followed and also because insurance
companies are involved. If those codes are not followed, there are
grounds for action.
Knox has no credentials. Can he still be held accountable? Is what he
is doing similar to practicing medicine without a license? Is it right
that just because a person does not have a license, they cannot be
held accountable? This is a tremendously important question at this
time when it appears that most of the new cases of recovered memories
are coming through church counseling. It will be interesting to see
what happens in the Stephen Skotko case.
Michael Shinn, the attorney who represented Diane Lackey Brooks
commented:
"There is definitely a cult out there. It's the therapists engaging
in this stuff." (Part 2)
[1] The title refers to the book Second Thoughts by Paul Simpson, a
Christian therapist. The book is out of print but the Foundation
has 7 copies that families have donated so that new families might
read it. FMSF Newsletter 2006 Vol 15 No 5
Moody, J. (2011, June 2). Woman recounts how she overcame hurt of
false memories. DemocratHerald. Retrieved on 6/3/11 from http://
www.democratherald.com/news/local/article_bb9c7420-8ce0-11e0-9c36-
001cc4c03286.html
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| The mind does not record every detail of an event, but only a few |
| features; we fill in the rest based on what 'must have been.' For |
| an event to make it into long term storage, a person has to |
| perceive it, encode it and rehearse it - tell about it - or it |
| decays. (This seems to be the major mechanism behind childhood |
| amnesia, the fact that children do not develop long-term memory |
| until roughly the age of 3.) Otherwise, research finds, even |
| emotional experiences we are sure we will never forget - the |
| Kennedy assassination, the Challenger explosion - will fade from |
| memory, and errors will creep into the account that remains. |
| Carol Tavris |
| Beware the Incest-Survivor Machine (1993) |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
NEW BOOK OF INTEREST
The Pain Virus: True Story of Medicine, Science, and Fear.
Seth Mnookin
Seth Mnookin set out to understand how people can continue to hold
beliefs that are contradicted by very clear science results. The story
he uncovers applies equally to the FMS controversy. Throughout this
riveting book, the role of the media is critical, from Oprah to the
local news.
But misguided, ill-informed, and cavalier coverage of science and
medicine is not always so benign: It influences how hundreds of
millions of research dollars are spent, it sucks up the time and
energy of public health officials already stretched thin, and it
bestows credibility on people's delusions and fantasies, with
occasionally calamitous results." (p. 86)
Mnookin explains why media coverage of science tends to be so poor:
"Over the past twenty years, there's been an industry-wide
bloodletting in the news media that has led to the jettisoning of
science reporters-- and in a growing number of cases, of entire
science sections. From 1989 through 2005, the number of newspapers
with weekly science sections fell from ninety-five to around
thirty-five, and that figure has fallen even more precipitously
since then. (p. 84)
Because of the shortage of science reporters, news media often rely on
press releases without consulting experts. Uncritical acceptance of
claims by the news media and talk-show hosts have helped obfuscate
science while spreading panic.
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| A man with a conviction is a hard man to change. Tell him you |
| disagree and he turns away. Show him facts or figures and he |
| questions your sources. Appeal to logic and he fails to see your |
| point. |
| |
| But man's resourcefulness goes beyond simply protecting a |
| belief. Suppose an individual believes something with his whole |
| heart; suppose further that he has a commitment to this belief, |
| that he has taken irrevocable actions because of it; finally, |
| suppose that he is presented with evidence, unequivocal and |
| undeniable evidence, that his belief is wrong: what will happen? |
| The individual will frequently emerge, not only unshaken, but even |
| more convinced of the truth of his beliefs than ever before. |
| Indeed, he may even show a new fervor about convincing and |
| converting other people to his view. |
| Festinger (1955) |
| When Prophecy Fails |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
L E G A L C O R N E R
FMSF Staff
____________________________________
Minnesota Appeal Court Rules Experts
May Testify about Repressed Memories
Doe 76C v Archdiocese of St Paul No 62-C9-06-3962 MN Ct of Appeals
A10-1951, Ramsey County District Court No 62-C9-06-3962, Filed June
27, 2011 Opinion available at: http://www.mncourts.gov/opinions/coa/
current/opa101951-0627.pdf
A three-judge panel of the Minnesota Appeal Court has ruled that
experts may testify about repressed memories in Minnesota. The
unanimous panel said that the Frye-Mack standard does not govern the
admissibility of expert testimony about the repressed-memory theory in
an action based on claims of child sexual abuse."
In 2006, Doe 76, who claimed that he had been sexually abused 20 years
earlier but had not remembered it, filed a sexual abuse case against
the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona.
Ramsey County District Judge Gregg Johnson dismissed the case in
October 2010 ruling that Doe 76 had not met the standard that would
allow an expert to testify about repressed memories. Doe 76,
therefore, could not show why the statute of limitations should not
apply in his case if he could not have witnesses.
Doe 76 brought his suit against the Archdiocese of St. Paul and
Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona alleging that a priest, whom
they supervised, had sexually abused him when he was between 13 and 15
years old. Doe 76 claimed that the Archdiocese knew about the priest's
history of sexual abuse and he charged negligence and fraud. Doe 76
claims that he did not remember this abuse until 2002 because he
"suffered a traumatic amnesia, or memory repression of the sexual
abuse when he was a child," and that tolled the statute of
limitations.
A Frye-Mack hearing was held to determine the admissibility of the
experts to support the repressed-memory theory. There were two experts
for Doe 76 and three experts for the respondents. After the hearing,
the district court concluded that Doe 76 had "failed to meet his
burden of proof under the Frye-Mack standard of showing that the
concept of repressed and recovered memory"[1] is (1) "generally
accepted in the relevant scientific community," and (2) "reliable and
trustworthy based on well-recognized scientific principles because of
the significant methodological flaws in the studies presented by
[appellant] in support of that theory and the lack of any test to show
reliability."[1] The court excluded the testimony.
The Appeal Court reversed and remanded the District Court. The Appeal
Court pointed to a recent state Supreme Court ruling that said experts
should be allowed to explain why adult sex assault victims might not
report crimes immediately or behave in other ways that might confuse a
jury.
"The supreme court's reasoning in MacLennan persuades us that
Frey-Mack is not the appropriate analytical framework for evaluating
the admissibility of the proffered expert testimony on the
repressed-memory theory in this case. Unlike DNA evidence, for
example, in this case, no "technique or procedure based on chemical,
biological, or other physical sciences" exists for evaluation by the
scientific community. Instead, the community is left to disagree
about a social or psychological theory of behavior that cannot be
subjected to a definitive scientific test. No 'method' of testing
the condition of repressed memory exists for general acceptance or
non-acceptance by the scientific community. Similarly, no
'scientific techniques' or 'fancy devices' exist for presentation in
court that could 'mislead lay jurors awed by an aura of mystic
infallibility.'" [1]
The appeals court decision said expert testimony might help the jury
understand the difference between repressed memory and forgetting. The
decision could open the door for older cases that have passed the
statute of limitations. It is not known if the respondents will appeal
this recent decision to the Minnesota Supreme Court.
One of Doe 76's attorneys stated that the decision would allow those
people who repressed their memories of sexual abuse "a better
opportunity to have the jury hear about how that happens to a child."
Jeffrey Anderson, Patrick Noaker and Michael Finnegan of St. Paul
represent Doe 76. Thomas Wieser and Jennifer Larimore of St Paul
represent the Archdiocese of St Paul. Anna Braun, Bruce Piotrowski
and Thomas Braun of Rochester represent the Diocese of Winona.
[1] Opinion written by Judge Heidi S. Schellhas. See:
http://www.mncourts.gov/opinions/coa/current/opa101951-0627.pdf
Staff (2011, June 27). Star Tribune. Retrieved on 6/28/11 from
http://www.startribune.com/local/124625308.html
_______________________________________________________
Virginia Extends Statute of Limitations in Civil Sexual
Abuse Cases to 20 Years
Virginia Code § 8.01-249 (2003) Updated March 26, 2011
"D. Every action for injury to the person, whatever the theory of
recovery, resulting from sexual abuse occurring during the infancy
or incapacity of the person as set forth in subdivision 6 of §
8.01-249 shall be brought within 20 years after the cause of action
accrues."
Starting in July 2011, people who believe that they are victims of
child abuse now have 20 years in which to file civil charges. The time
is determined from when the victim turns 18. If at age 18, however, a
person does not know that he or she had been abused, the period will
start to run when that person thinks he or she remembers the abuse or
realizes that the abuse was the cause of injury and then tells a
licensed physician, psychologist, or clinical psychologist. The bill
applies to the attackers and to others who may have covered up the
abuse.
In Virginia there is no statute of limitations for criminal
prosecution in child sexual abuse cases.
After legislators listened to "a series of emotional testimony from
victims," some even thought that limitations should be completely
eliminated. According to journalist Dena Potter: "Most lawmakers sat
rapt as victims -- including former NFL player Al Chesley -- told
stories of being raped or molested as children."
Potter reported that "Mark Devoy, founder of Reform Sex Offender Laws
of Virginia, said the supporters 'were all about money and less about
justice. In cases of alleged sexual abuse, the burden of proof
generally falls on the accused. He is considered guilty until proven
innocent. In civil cases, this is even truer. It is virtually
impossible to prove something did not occur.'" The scientific debate
on repressed memories is not acknowledged in this bill.
Potter, D. (2011, February 23). Virginia bill extends sex abuse
statute of limitations to 20 years. Insurance Journal. Retrieved on
July 25, 2011 from http://www.insurancejournal.com
/news/east/2011/02/23/187648.htm
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| Psychiatrists are advised to avoid engaging in any "memory |
| recovery techniques" which are based upon the expectation of past |
| sexual abuse of which the patient has no memory. Such "memory |
| recovery techniques" may include drug-mediated interviews, |
| hypnosis, regression therapies, guided imagery, "body memories," |
| literal dream interpretation and journaling. There is no evidence |
| that the use of consciousness-altering techniques, such as |
| drug-mediated interviews or hypnosis, can reveal or accurately |
| elaborate factual information about any past experiences including |
| childhood sexual abuse. Techniques on regression therapy including |
| "age regression" and hypnotic regression are of unproved |
| effectiveness. |
| Royal College of Psychiatrists |
| Reported Recovered Memories of Child Sexual Abuse, 1997 (UK) |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
FACILITATED COMMUNICATION REDUX
In January 2011, Julian Wendrow and his wife Thal of West Bloomfield,
a suburb of Detroit, received a $1.8 million settlement from the town
for the ordeal they experienced in connection with their being accused
of sexually abusing their daughter. [1]
The nightmare began in December 2007, when the Wendrows were arrested
on charges that Julian had repeatedly raped his 14-year-old autistic
daughter from the time she was seven while Thal did nothing to protect
the child. The daughter supposedly made the accusations with the help
of facilitated communication. The facilitator then told the child's
teacher and the school contacted the police.
Julian spent 80 days in jail and lost his job. Thal had to wear an
electronic tether. The two children were placed in foster care.
Facilitated communication is a technique intended to help autistic
children communicate. It is supposed to work as follows: an aide
supports the hand or arm of the autistic person over a keyboard in a
way that allows the person to type messages that he or she could not
do on his or her own. The autistic person somehow communicates to the
facilitator when a key is to be pushed. There is no scientific support
for facilitated communication and it was debunked more than a decade
ago. (See FMSF Newsletter 1994 Vol 3 No 9. Double blind experiments
have consistently shown that any communication is probably that of the
facilitator, not the autistic person. Without being aware of it, a
facilitator may write what he or she expects, believing it is coming
from the child.
The Wendrows had specifically requested that the school use
facilitated communication with their daughter even though the school
system did not approve its use because of the lack of scientific
support. The Wendrows, however, believed that facilitated
communication had help unlock the hidden language in their daughter
who was unable to talk. The daughter is severely autistic and has the
receptive language skills of a two-year-old child according to a
University of Michigan evaluation.
The person in charge of the investigation was new to the job, had
never handled a child sexual assault case, had no training in autism,
and had never heard of facilitated communication. Prosecutors
initially stated that the charges were supported by physical evidence,
but that was not true. They apparently did not investigate
facilitated communication before making their charges and when they
were preparing their case, they could not find anyone who would
testify that facilitated communication was reliable.
By May of 2008, the prosecutors dropped the case. There simply was no
evidence. The girl could not answer any question unless her
facilitator also heard it. Prosecutors went to her school and asked
her questions and had her point to cards marked "yes" and "no," but
she could not do that. At the request of a Harvard autism expert,
Dr. Howard Shane, the girl was placed at her keyboard and the
facilitator was removed from the room when questions were asked.
Following is an example of what was written when the facilitator
returned to help the girl answer the question: "What color is your
sweater?" "JIBHJIH." And to answer the question: "Do you have a
brother or sister, and if so, what is her or her name?" "3FE65." The
girl did not get one of the 18 questions correct.
Months after the criminal case against them was dismissed, the
Wendrows filed a federal lawsuit against the Prosecutors, Police,
School District and Department of Human Services. A judge dismissed
some of the charges. For example, prosecutors are protected by
government immunity were dropped from the suit. But enough charges
remained for the case to go forward and for the Wendrows to
eventually get a $1.8 million settlement.
[1] The Detroit Free Press published a six-part series that detailed
how the runaway investigation by police and prosecutors. See
Brasier, L.L. & Wisely, J. (2011, June 12-17). Family's nightmare
Parts 1-6. Free Press). Available at: http://www.freep.com/
article/20110612/NEWS03/106120522/Family-s-life-unravels-claims-
dad-raped-daughter
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| Not only is there a question about the accuracy of a subject's |
| recollection during hypnosis, but there is also the problem that |
| hypnosis leads to an increased vulnerability to subtle cues and |
| implicit suggestions that may distort recollections in specific |
| ways, depending upon what is communicated to the subject. Both the |
| expectations of the hypnotist and the prior beliefs of the subject |
| may determine the extent of confabulations or pseudomemories |
| during hypnosis. The manner in which a question is framed can |
| influence the response and even produce a response when there is |
| actually no memory. |
| |
| The Council finds that recollections obtained during hypnosis can |
| involve confabulations and pseudomemories and not only fail to be |
| more accurate, but actually appear to be less reliable than |
| nonhypnotic recall. |
| |
| Before proceeding with hypnosis, informed consent should be |
| obtained from the subject. |
| American Medical Association |
| Council on Scientific Affairs |
| Scientific Status of |
| Refreshing Recollections by the Use of Hypnosis |
| 1985 |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
UPDATE REV GERALD ROBINSON -- OHIO
Survivor Doe, et al v Gerald Robinson et al, Ohio Sixth Appellate
Court, Lucas County, No L-07-1051, Trial Court No. CI 200502755
In April 2011, the Ohio Supreme Court in a 6-0 decision, refused to
hear the appeal of a woman who was suing Reverend Gerald Robinson for
past sexual abuse. The woman, who alleged that Robinson and others
participated in torturing her during satanic rituals, said that she
had recovered repressed memories of Robinson's abuse when she saw him
on television after his arrest in another case. The woman is called
"Survivor Doe" in her suit.
A lower court judge had dismissed the case in 2005 because it was past
the statute of limitations. That decision went to an appeal court,
which reinstated the case because the memories had been repressed. It
then went back to the first judge who dismissed it a second time.
Survivor Doe had claimed that the statute of limitations should be
extended because she did not known the identity of Reverend Robinson
until she saw him on television. The judge said that Ohio law required
that the woman should have used "reasonable diligence" to try to
identify her accusers before the expiration of the statute of
limitations. The judge in detailed decision said that the woman could
have sued the other five alleged abusers that she knew: her mother,
older brother and three of her mother's male friends. The judge also
said that Survivor Doe could have contacted the police.
Robinson was convicted in 2006 of the stabbing of Sister Margaret Ann
Pahl in 1980.
UP International ((2001, April 7). Satanic ritual lawsuit thrown out
http://wwqw.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/04/07/Satanic-ritual-lawsuit-
thrwn-out/UPI-72921302199906/print/
Yonke, D. (2011, April 6) Ohio Supreme Court dismisses suit against
Robinson. Toledo Blade. Retrieved on June 24, 2011 from
http://www.toledoblade.com/Courts/2011/04/07/Ohio-Supreme-Court-
dismisses-suit-against-Robinson.html
See FMSF Winter Newsletter 2008 Vol 17 (1)
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick |
| themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened. |
| Winston Churchill |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
**********************************************************************
F R O M O U R R E A D E R S
________________________________
I Love the Letters from Families
When we received the Winter 2011 FMSF Newsletter, I immediately went
to the Legal Corner and read that the Johnson's were awarded $1
million dollars. I continue to give thanks for the Johnson victory in
the recovered-memory case of Johnson v Rogers Memorial Hospital, Kay
Phillips, Jeffrey Hollowell and Timothy Reisenauer. This gives all of
us hope. We do not know the Johnson family; yet, because their
daughter Charlotte falsely accused them in 1991, we feel their loss
and grief.
I love to read the section of the newsletter called, From Our Readers.
Our daughter, who accused her father in 1998, is always close to us in
our hearts. We continue to love her very much, while still trying to
realize that any anger needs to be directed towards her therapists. I
hope and pray that "2011" is the year for the return of all our
accusing children to their families.
A mother who will never give up hope!
______________
The Homecoming
Your bedroom stands empty,
No one's allowed in,
It's all shiny new,
'Case you come home ag'in.
Trimmed peachy in color,
Matches your face,
Walls cheery and sunny
With joy you'll embrace.
Through your window,
Sun shining bright,
But the bed's so cold
It just isn't right.
A nightmare, a mishap
Something's gone awry,
Mama comes in the morning
Just stares, as she cries.
Little sister sneaks in
Looking for You,
Straightens the covers,
Neatin's your shoes.
Remembering the days,
The fun you both had,
Playing cleaning girls,
Scribbling words on a pad.
Writing notes to mama
Who's cooking downstairs,
Singing praises to God
As dinner she prepares.
Satan came in the window
Pushed you out the door
Our bubbly girl
She ain't here no more.
Bouncing to daddy
As he came from work.
Satan can't take memories
We know he's a jerk.
But we have a God
And friends that know,
Just how much love
Our home did bestow.
We pray every day,
Wisdom we seek
Like it says in Matthew
"Blessed are the meek."
We look for the rainbow
Beyond darkened skies,
We pray you'll know
It's one big lie.
The Truth is coming
I feel it just now,
The hurts will heal, though,
We don't know how.
God will get the glory
After all the contention,
You'll lie in your bed
Oh, did I mention?
You'll rest and rejoice
In your own safe domain.
Your piano sits quiet, but,
You'll play it again.
The joy, the laughter,
The singing, the books.
Satan can't have you,
He'll just have to look.
He's over, he's done with,
He tricked and he lied,
God's much more powerful
'Been there at your side.
Your bedroom sits empty
It's calling for you,
Even its contents, how,
You'd arranged it anew.
New carpet, new trim
New curtains, new paint
Can't wait till you see it,
We think you'll just faint.
We hear you coming!
We see your face!
Up the stairs
We see you race!
We sense your feelings,
We know you found
That which was lost,
Safe and solid ground.
God answers prayers
In Him we trust,
He's ousted Satan
All knew 'was a must.
Sister cheers, Dad delights
>From work he comes
And, is greeted right.
They bring out guitars
You grab your fiddle
Ya'll 'pick and grin'
Oh, just a little.
The music is back
Our voices sing
Songs so old,
It's a family thing
We have faith,
The call will come,
The one that says
Please, take me home.
Love, Mama
_________________
Donate Your Books
I am writing to tell you that I am donating five books about recovered
memory/false memory syndrome to my local library. I got the idea when
a friend donated books about a little-known medical condition that
affected her family member. I thought---why not do the same?
A by-product of this donation is that it made me feel like I was doing
something proactive after having felt helpless for so long. As small
a thing as that is, it was a good feeling.
I'm urging other parents to join me and consider donating FMS books to
your library. It's a small gesture that could have a large impact.
A mother
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| Textual Analysis of a Recovered Memory Trial, |
| Assisted by Computer Search for Keywords |
| Max Scharnberg |
| Free download at: http://www.yakida.se/max/start.html |
| |
| Anyone interested in knowing what is happening in other countries |
| in child abuse cases gone awry will likely want to read about the |
| Swedish case that is examined in this book Others may find the |
| author's textual analysis technique for trying to determine the |
| truth to be of interest. }
\____________________________________________________________________/
______________________________SIDEBAR_______________________________
/ \
| The Ravages of False Memory |
| Brigitte Axelrad |
| |
| Translated into English by Robert Shaw for the British False |
| Memory Society. |
| |
| The aim of this book is to provide clear and informative answers |
| for patients, families, professionals and lawyers who have |
| questions about so-called recovered memory therapies and their |
| destructive consequences for all those who are victims of them. |
| |
| Brigitte Axelrad is Honorary Professor of Philosophy and |
| Psychosociology at Stendhal University, Grenoble. |
| |
| Ravages of False Memory is available at: |
| http://www.bookdepository.com/Ravages-False-Memories-or- |
| Manipulated-Memory-Brigitte-Axelrad/9780955518423 |
\____________________________________________________________________/
**********************************************************************
* N O T I C E S *
**********************************************************************
* *
* 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. *
* Available in DVD format only: *
* To order send request to *
* FMSF Video, 1955 Locust St. *
* Philadelphia, PA 19103 *
* $10.00 per DVD; Canada add $4.00; other countries add $10.00 *
* Make checks payable to FMS Foundation *
* *
**********************************************************************
* S O M E B O O K S O F I N T E R E S T *
* *
* THE TRAUMA MYTH: *
* The Truth About the Sexual Abuse of Children and its Aftermath *
* Susan A. Clancy *
* *
* REMEMBERING TRAUMA *
* by Richard McNally *
* Harvard University Press *
* *
* SCIENCE and PSEUDOSCIENCE in CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY *
* S. O. Lilienfeld, S.J. Lynn and J.M. Lohr (eds.) *
* New York: Guilford Press (2003) *
* *
* PSYCHOLOGY ASTRAY: *
* Fallacies in Studies of "Repressed Memory" and Childhood Trauma *
* by Harrison G. Pope, Jr., M.D. *
* Upton Books *
* *
* REMEMBERING OUR CHILDHOOD: HOW MEMORY BETRAYS US *
* Karl Sabbagh *
* Oxford University Press (2009) *
* *
* MAKING MIND and MADNESS *
* From Hysteria to Depression *
* Chapter 3: "A Black Box Named Sybil" *
* Mikkel Borch-Jacobsen *
* Cambridge University Press *
* 2009 *
* *
* TRY TO REMEMBER: PSYCHIATRY'S CLASH *
* OVER MEANING, MEMORY, AND MIND *
* Paul McHugh, M.D. *
* Washington, DC: Dana Press *
**********************************************************************
* *
* WEB SITES of INTEREST *
* *
* http:/www.seweb.uci.edu/faculty/loftus/ *
* Elizabeth Loftus *
* *
* http://www.theisticsatanism.com/asp/ *
* Against Satanic Panics *
* *
* http://comp.uark.edu/~lampinen/lab.html *
* The Lampinen Lab False Memory Reading Group *
* University of Arkansas *
* *
* http:/www.exploratorium.edu/memory *
* The Exploratorium Memory Exhibit *
* *
* http://theretractor.angelfire.com/ *
* Site for retractors run by Laura Pasley *
* *
* http://www.process.org/ *
* Site of Investigative Journalist *
* *
* http://www.psyfmfrance.fr *
* French False Memory Group *
* *
* http:/www.psychoheresy-aware.org/ministry.html *
* The Bobgans question Christian counseling *
* *
* http:/www.IllinoisFMS.org *
* Illinois-Wisconsin FMS Society *
* *
* www.afma.asn.au *
* Australian FMA *
* *
* http:/www.ltech.net/OHIOarmhp *
* Ohio Group *
* *
* recoveredmemorytherapy.blogspot.com *
* Matt Stone's updates on Australia FMS *
* *
* http:/www.bfms.org.uk *
* British False Memory Society *
* *
* http:/www.religioustolerance.org/sra.htm *
* Information about Satanic Ritual Abuse *
* *
* http:/www.angryparents.net *
* Parents Against Cruel Therapy *
* *
* http:/www.peterellis.org.nz *
* Site run by Brian Robinson *
* contains information about *
* Christchurch Creche and other cases. *
* *
* http:/www.falseallegation.org *
* National Child Abuse *
* Defense & Resource Center *
* *
* http:/www.markpendergrast.com *
* Excerpts from Victims of Memory *
* *
* http:/www.rickross.com/groups/fsm.html *
* Ross Institute *
* *
* http:/www.enigma.se/info/FFI.htm *
* FMS in Scandinavia -- Janet Hagbom *
* *
* http:/www.ncrj.org/ *
* National Center for Reason & Justice *
* *
q* http:/www.traumaversterking.nl *
* English language web site of Dutch retractor *
* *
* http:/www.quackwatch.org *
* This site is run by Stephen Barrett, M.D. *
* *
* http:/www.stopbadtherapy.com *
* Contains information about filing complaints. *
**********************************************************************
_____________________________________
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
Jocelyn 530-570-1862
San Francisco & North Bay
Charles 415-435-9618
San Francisco & South Bay
Eric 408-738-0469
East Bay Area
Judy 925-952-4853
Covina Area
Floyd & Libby 626-357-2750
COLORADO
Colorado Springs
Doris 719-488-9738
FLORIDA
Central Florida - Please call for mtg. time
John & Nancy 352-750-5446
GEORGIA
Atlanta
Wallie & Jill 770-971-8917
ILLINOIS
Chicago & Suburbs - 1st Sun. (MO)
Eileen 847-985-7693 or Liz 847-827-1056
INDIANA
Indiana Assn. for Responsible Mental Health Practices
Pat 317-865-8913 & Helen 574-753-2779
KANSAS
Wichita -- Meeting as called
Pat 785-762-2825
LOUISIANA
Sarah 337-235-7656
MAINE
Portland -- 4th Sun. (MO)
Bobby 207-878-9812
MARYLAND
Carol 410-465-6555
MASSACHUSETTS/NEW ENGLAND
Andover -- 2nd Sun. (MO) @ 1pm
Frank 978-263-9795
MICHIGAN
Greater Detroit Area
Nancy 248-642-8077
MINNESOTA
Terry & Collette 507-642-3630
Dan & Joan 651-631-2247
MISSOURI
Springfield -- Biannual (4th Sat. of Apr. & Oct.) @12:30pm
Tom 417-753-4878 & Roxie 417-488-3929
MONTANA
Lee & Avone 406-443-3189
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Jean 603-772-2269 & Mark 802-872-0847
NEW JERSEY
Sally 609-927-4147 (Southern)
NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque -- 2nd Sat. (BI-MO) @1 pm
Southwest Room -Presbyterian Hospital
Maggie 505-662-7521(after 6:30pm) or Sy 505-758-0726
NEW YORK
Upstate/Albany Area
Elaine 518-399-5749
NORTH CAROLINA
Susan 704-538-7202
OHIO
Cleveland
Bob & Carole 440-356-4544
OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma City
Dee 405-942-0531
OREGON
Portland area
Kathy 503-655-1587
PENNSYLVANIA
Wayne (includes S. NJ)
Jim & Jo 610-783-0396
TEXAS
Houston
Jo or Beverly 713-464-8970
UTAH
Keith 801-467-0669
WASHINGTON
See Oregon
WISCONSIN
Katie & Leo 414-476-0285 or
Susanne & John 608-427-3686
_____________
INTERNATIONAL
BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
Vancouver & Mainland
Lloyd 250-741-8941
Victoria & Vancouver Island
John 250-721-3219
MANITOBA CANADA
Roma 204-275-5723
ONTARIO, CANADA
London
Adriaan 519-471-6338
OTTAWA
Eileen 613-836-3294
Burlington
Ken & Marina 905-637-6030
Waubaushene
Paula 705-543-0318
QUEBEC
Claudine: Claudisyl@hotmail.com
514-620-6397 French and English
AUSTRALIA
false.memory@bigpond.com
BELGIUM
werkgr.fict.herinneringen@altavista.net
FRANCE
afsi.fauxsouvenirs@wabadii,fr
ISRAEL
FMS Association fax-972-2-625-9282
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
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Do you have access to e-mail? Send a message to |
| pjf@cis.upenn.edu |
| if you wish to receive electronic bulletins of radio and tele- |
| vision 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, 2011
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;
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;
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;
JOHN HOCHMAN, M.D., UCLA Medical School, Los Angeles, CA;
DAVID S. HOLMES, Ph.D., University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS;
ROBERT A. KARLIN, Ph.D. , Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ;
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;
LOREN PANKRATZ, Ph.D., Oregon Health Sciences Univ., Portland, OR;
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;
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;
RALPH SLOVENKO, J.D., Ph.D., Wayne State University Law School,
Detroit, MI;
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
Advisors to whom we are grateful who are now deceased:
ROBYN M. DAWES, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA;
MARTIN GARDNER, Author, Hendersonville, NC;
DAVID A. HALPERIN, M.D., Mount Sinai School of Medicine,
New York, NY;
ERNEST HILGARD, Ph.D., Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA;
PHILIP S. HOLZMAN, Ph.D., Harvard University, Cambridge;
HAROLD LIEF, M.D., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA;
MARTIN ORNE, M.D., Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA;
CAMPBELL PERRY, Ph.D., Concordia University, Montreal, Canada;
THEODORE SARBIN, Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz, CA;
THOMAS A. SEBEOK, Ph.D., Indiana University, Bloomington, IN;
MARGARET SINGER, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, CA;
DONALD SPENCE, Ph.D., Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center,
Piscataway, NJ.
**********************************************************************
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.
**********************************************************************