Recovered Memories Therapy Project

A Family Resemblance

2005-02-08T15:36:00.000-05:00

Grandma, what familiar eyes you have!

It’s been several months since I concluded the repressed memory project.

I decided to contact the patients I interviewed to see what if anything was new. I heard from “Dr. Mike”. He is the father that was accused of abusing his three young children based on nothing more than a therapist reporting recovered memories, some memories unearthed from six months of age.

I wish I could report that this situation now made sense and either we have reunited a father with his children after false allegations, or that there was some actual evidence of abuse. We all share outrage at child abuse and want any perpetuator caught, tried and punished for such a heinous crime.

Instead of being resolved, I found the case has taken another strange turn. Dr. Mike’s mother, a loving and involved grandmother, has been denied contact with her grandchildren. What is her offense? According to the children’s therapist, as reported by Dr. Mike,

“My mother's request: to see her grandchildren for a visit (she lives in NJ, kids in Colo) Even if it was just at a McDonald's, she wanted to buy them lunch and at least see them, if only for an hour or so. Children’s mother could be there and it would be fine if the kids played on the amusements. They could talk a little at lunch and at least see each other.

Therapists opinion: My mother should not be permitted to see her grandchildren because of the risk that the kids will have a bad reaction to seeing her, based on her facial resemblance to me (however that is measured, and despite 25 years older and being female). Family facial recognition syndrome!!!!! The therapist is reported to have said a visit would risk a serious setback in the therapy "progress" that was made thus far in helping the kids deal with their "abuse issues", (which has never been substantiated BTW) and might take "considerable effort" to separate the effects of seeing grandmother from the work being done in therapy.

Apparently when asked specifically if such a "face recognition effect" applied to anyone else who might resemble me, especially men my age who would look similar to me (teachers, neighbors), the therapist said that she did not feel that it would impact the kids since they did not associate them with me. She said in her opinion the "risk" was limited only to members of my family (male and female adults of any age) and that it did not apply to anyone else. To overcome this "face recognition" risk, it would take some additional therapy (unknown amt) to introduce them to the concept of seeing their grandmother again!

The therapist and a judge apparently agreed visits could occur only in the therapists' presence, and the grandmother would have to pay the therapists their usual fee ($90/hr). The visit would occur in the therapist’' office.

$90 a visit! How convenient!

One of the problems of allegations based on memories recovered in psychotherapy especially of young children is that without corroborating evidence there is no way to prove or disprove them. Remember, Dr. Mike has never been charged with any child abuse, which would be a criminal act. Yet he has had only the most limited contact with his children based on the opinion of a psychotherapist and little else. The Judge in this case presumably is being safe rather than sorry on the grounds that perhaps Dr. Mike just might be a sexual abuser. This raises a number of legal and civil liberty issues.

What about the paternal grandmother? Neither the children or the therapist have accused her of anything. Does it seem reasonable that a loving grandmother is denied contact with her grandchildren based on a possible facial resemblance with her son?

It is difficult for me to believe any of my professional colleagues would make such a recommendation to a court. If true it flies in the face on a umber of our cherished principles. It is even more difficult for me to believe that a “judge” would enforce such recommendations.

However the more I look into the matter of recovered memories, the less I am surprised about much of anything.

We would like comments from other therapists, parents, attorneys and grandparents on the matter of denying visitation simply on the basis of a family resemblance.

Article on Psychjourney published in Academic Journal

2004-12-06T15:03:00.000-05:00

SRMHP Home / Spring ~ Summer 2004 Volume 3 Number 1 /
NEWS & PERSPECTIVES

New Web Site Provides a Roadmap for the “Psychotherapy Labyrinth”

Finding one’s way through the plethora of available mental health treatments and therapies can be confusing and even dangerous to both consumers and therapists. Numerous theories, approaches, techniques, and schools of thought—some with empirical grounding and some without—create such a puzzling maze that even guides need a roadmap. It is a formidable task for practitioners, patients, and their families to decide what is beneficial and what is not.

A group of consumers and mental health professionals hope to remedy that. Psychjourney (http://www.psychjourney.com/) is an association formed to educate the public and “consumer-centric” therapists about the confusing proliferation of knowledge and pseudo knowledge in mental health practice. Using Internet radio shows and articles written in plain, easy-to-understand English, Psychjourney provides consumers with a wealth of information on how and what to choose—and what to avoid—from the many possibilities.

Consumer-centric therapists put the interests of the consumer, patient, or potential patient above all other concerns. Such therapists are firmly committed to evidence-based practice with strong values grounded in intellectual honesty. This does not exclude the intuitive or the faith based therapist; it does, however, ensure that therapists incorporate built-in safety checks against runaway egotism and grandiose claims that outstrip research evidence. Consumer-centric therapists are clear and explicit, especially to themselves, about what part of their practice is grounded in solid research and what is not. They present their biases and values clearly as such, allowing the consumer to make informed decisions.

Survey data indicate that many practicing therapists fail to integrate science with their practice, either ignoring research or utilizing it selectively to support preconceived notions. Some even renounce efforts to conduct research on the efficacy of treatments.

To address these concerns, Psychjourney launched an Internet radio program, The Labyrinth: Negotiating the Mental Health Maze in November 2003,. The program, hosted by John Riolo, provides information to consumers and practitioners from guests with divergent points of view.
In addition to the Web-based radio show, Psychjourney features a number of domains, including the “Psychinsider”; “The Seer”; and “Dealing with Managed Health Care”.

Each domain provides useful articles and educational material for consumers and practitioners and incorporates the latest research from the field in a palatable and digestible style.

John A. Riolo, PhD(licsw), Garry Cooper, LCSW, andDeborah J. Harper, President, Psychjourney

Recovered Memory Panelist Dr. Richard McNally

2004-10-29T01:10:00.000-04:00

Professor McNally received his B.S. in psychology from Wayne State University in 1976 and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1982. He spent the next two years as a clinical psychology intern and postdoctoral fellow at the Behavior Therapy Unit in the Department of Psychiatry at Temple University Medical School before moving to the Chicago Medical School where he established a research and treatment clinic for anxiety disorders. He joined the Harvard faculty as Associate Professor in 1991, and was promoted to Professor in 1995. He served on the specific phobia and posttraumatic stress disorder committees of the American Psychiatric Association's DSM-IV Task Force and on the National Institute of Mental Health's consensus panels for the assessment of panic disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. His research interests include the application of cognitive psychology methods to elucidate information-processing abnormalities in anxiety disorders, especially panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

An additional interest concerns the study of memory in people reporting histories of childhood sexual abuse.

Update On Recovered Memories Therapy Project

2004-09-26T19:38:00.000-04:00

This project started a couple of months ago after a consumer was treated in the most shameful manner on a listserv of therapists. She asked a question about recovered memories. A defensive “circle the wagons” was the response she received. So I decided to interview Janet and get some input from experts in the field. I had no idea that it would turn into a hot button topic. I believed, like many of my colleagues that RMT was a practice that is relatively rare these days. I thought is had been relegated to the past with other discredited practices such as lobotomies. Not so. I discovered that while not as prevalent as previously it is still supported by a number of psychotherapists.

I met others such as “Dr. Mike.” Not only did I interview him but I have seen a DVD of a therapist interview his children. It is not clear that his children were sexually abused. It may have been by a relative the therapist names but the evidence that their father abused them is scant to nonexistent. I became saddened for these children. They may or may not have been abused by someone but the repeated grilling is a form of abuse in itself.

Like most people, many therapists enjoy fiction for entertainment But any professional clearly understands that fiction is by definition not real life.

This project continues to grow through the generous contributions of experts donating their time and expertise. And the courage of individuals like Dr. Mike, Janet and Jennifer who have agreed to share their experiences.

Interview With Dr. John Riolo on Recovered Memories Project

2004-09-12T15:18:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of interviewing John on negotiating the maze of menal health and the recovered memories therapy project on Psychjourney As a mental health consumer and as a parent of a recovering drug addict, I have found the process of finding help a challenge at best. I would like to hear of the experiences of other health seekers. Please post your personal stories, comments and questions. We will do our best to help answer any questions.

As a conversation starter, do you have one suggestion on what mental health professionals could do to make the search for help easier for consumers?

My tip is that all therapists should create a professional quality website.

Welcome

2004-09-12T11:28:00.000-04:00

When I got the idea to do a special series on Recovered Memories I had no idea where it would lead and frankly I still not sure where it will end. I do not claim to be an expert on this subject. I do know that this is one of many areas where members of my profession make claims that go beyond the evidence and that needs to be looked at critically and as objectively as possible. So I turned to people who knew more than I. That included people who have been profoundly affected and experts. To have such a distinguished panel of experts agree to participate is a great honor. More are joining us. Dr. Richard McNally will be interviewed in October on the Labyrinth and his comments will join the series.

Where do I stand on this subject? Wherever the evidence leads.

Thank you for visiting the Recovered Memories Therapy blog. I hope you will participate by posting your comments, questions and suggestions. I welcome a wide variety of opinions and differing points of view. Please remember that we do not allow profanity, or personal attacks on other individuals.

I thank you again for participating and helping us educate and enlighten each other on this important topic.

Recovered Memory Panelist Michael Freeny, MSW

2004-09-06T18:35:00.000-04:00

Michael Freeny, MSW, is an author, consultant, and clinician living near Orlando, FL. His main areas of passionate interest are privacy, sexuality, computers and HIPAA.. His novel, Terminal Consent, has received international acclaim for dramatically and accurately describing the technology challenges of modern healthcare. He is also the author of numerous articles in both professional journals and the popular press as an advocate of medical privacy and quality care. A healthcare information technology consultant, he advises hospitals, clinics, and practitioners about safe and best practices for computers in healthcare

Visit his website

Listen to interviews with Michael Freeny, MSW on Dr. John Riolo's Internet radio show, The Labyrinth: Negotiating The Mental Health Maze

A Special Series of Interviews: Recovered Memory and Other Questionable Practices

Recovered Memory Panelist Dr. Elizabeth Loftus

2004-09-06T16:48:00.000-04:00

Dr. Elizabeth Loftus is Distinguished Professor of Psychology & Social Behavior, Criminology, Law and Society at the University of California, Irvine. She is past president of the American Psychological Society and author of twenty books and more than 350 scientific articles. Her Ph.D. is in psychology and her major interest is human memory. Visit her websites at UCI web and UW Web

Read articles published by Dr. Loftus on Psychjourney

The Memory Wars,
Who Abused Jane Doe? Part One,
Who Abused Jane Doe? Part Two

Recovered Memory Panelist Dr. Scott Lilienfeld

2004-09-06T16:02:00.000-04:00

Dr. Scott Lilienfeld received his A.B. from Cornell University in 1982 and his Ph.D. in psychology (clinical) from the University of Minnesota in 1990. He is currently associate professor of psychology at Emory University in Atlanta. He is co-author of the popular book, What’s Wrong With the Rorschach? Science Confronts the Controversial Inkblot Test (Jossey-Bass, 2003) and co-editor (along with Steven Jay Lynn and Jeffrey M. Lohr) of the edited volume, Science and Pseudoscience in Clinical Psychology (Guilford, 2003). He is also founder and editor of the The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice, a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to evaluating both scientific and potentially pseudoscientific claims in clinical psychology and related disciplines.

Recovered Memory Panelist Dr. Mike

2004-09-06T14:59:00.000-04:00

Dr. "Mike" is a physician with a promising career. He was married with three young children, two girls and a boy. Dr. Mike was accused of sexually abusing his older daughter and subsequently his two younger children by therapists who claims to have recovered repressed memories of sexual abuse in his children. One therapist claims to have recovered memories from his son at six months of age.

As a result of these accusations, Dr. Mike was divorced by his wife and has lost custody of his children. He is currently fighting to rectify this situation.

Contributor Jennifer M. Anderson

2004-09-06T14:40:00.000-04:00

Jennifer M. Anderson is the daugher of Janet and sister of "Linda", the mental health consumer that accused her family of murder and ritual satanic abuse.

Read Jennifer's series of articles, Losing Linda: A Legacy of Recovered Memory Therapy on the Psychjourney website.

Losing Linda- Part One

Losing Linda- Part Two

Losing Linda- Part Three

Losing Linda- Part Four

Losing Linda- Part Five

Recovered Memory Panelist Janet

2004-09-06T14:21:00.000-04:00

Janet is a mother of four adult children and a grandmother whose family was accused of satanic sexual abuse and multiple murders by her oldest daughter. The accusations were based on memories uncovered during therapy with a therapist who practiced repressed memory therapy.

Listen to Janet's interview with Dr. John Riolo on The Labyrinth: Negotiating the Mental Health Maze

A Special Series of Interviews: Recovered Memory and Other Questionable Practices

Show Title: Janet