Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 3, 2003, Page 32
A Psychoanalytic Look at Recovered Memories, Therapists,
Cult Leaders, and Undue Influence
Lorna Goldberg, MSW
Abstract
There has been a dramatic increase in recovered memories of sexual abuse. A
continuum of influence is presented, focusing on the high degrees of influence
in cults, to understand how therapists can easily influence their patients to
recover memories of sexual abuse. Historical evidence is given for a better
appreciation of how this present atmosphere has developed. Finally, the role
played by the psychoanalyst when dealing with recovered memories is
examined. Case material is presented to highlight the differences between the
traumatist‘s and the psychoanalyst‘s approach.
KEY WORDS: memory-recovered memory-false cults traumatists abuse.
Introduction
During the last fifteen years, there has been an explosion of recovered memories of sexual
abuse. After examining how this explosion has affected the author‘s patients, causative
factors for this explosion will be addressed. Next, a variety of conditions that might lead a
patient to ―recovered‖ memories of abuse that never occurred will be described. Finally, the
paper will focus on the psychoanalyst‘s stance in the face of recovered memories.
I have been a clinical social worker since 1970 and, in 1984, received certification as a
psychoanalyst. In the twenty-five years that I have been seeing patients, there were many
times that patients came to therapy with memories of sexual abuse. These never forgotten
memories of sexual abuse in childhood or during adolescence were accepted by them and
by me as historical truths. In addition to this, some patients have recovered memories of
sexual abuse, previously forgotten, in this clinical setting. My course, as a clinician, was to
inform patients that it was hard to distinguish whether recovered memories were memories
of fantasies, because unconscious wishes and fears could influence memory. Recovered
memories can be viewed in the same manner as dream material—that is, as screen
memories. However, I never discounted this possibility of the historical truths embedded in
these memories.
During the last few years, my caseload has been affected by a new phenomenon. Since the
mid-seventies, I have specialized in working with former cultists. This area of specialization
has given me a rich appreciation of the power of influence. In an article published in 1989,
William Goldberg and I described the plight of a family whose son had what was thought to
be a unique and bizarre complaint. He had ―discovered‖ through hypnosis that he had been
sexually abused by his mother and older sister. The incredulous family denied that any such
behavior ever took place but their son refused to listen to their denials and cut off all
communication with them, saying that he could not speak to such monsters. Both the
therapist/cult leader and the young man traveled throughout New Jersey speaking publicly
about the horrors of childhood sexual abuse. What concerned us was the fact that all of this
therapist‘s patients appeared to be recovering from memories of childhood sexual abuse
and that this therapist seemed to be encouraging her clients to break off ties with their
families and to increase their tie to her as their new parental figure. Normal therapeutic
boundaries appeared to be broken as this therapist seemed to control every aspect of this
young man‘s life. His total devotion to her and dependency on her was familiar to us. It
appeared to be similar to the relationship we saw between other cult leaders and followers.
A Psychoanalytic Look at Recovered Memories, Therapists,
Cult Leaders, and Undue Influence
Lorna Goldberg, MSW
Abstract
There has been a dramatic increase in recovered memories of sexual abuse. A
continuum of influence is presented, focusing on the high degrees of influence
in cults, to understand how therapists can easily influence their patients to
recover memories of sexual abuse. Historical evidence is given for a better
appreciation of how this present atmosphere has developed. Finally, the role
played by the psychoanalyst when dealing with recovered memories is
examined. Case material is presented to highlight the differences between the
traumatist‘s and the psychoanalyst‘s approach.
KEY WORDS: memory-recovered memory-false cults traumatists abuse.
Introduction
During the last fifteen years, there has been an explosion of recovered memories of sexual
abuse. After examining how this explosion has affected the author‘s patients, causative
factors for this explosion will be addressed. Next, a variety of conditions that might lead a
patient to ―recovered‖ memories of abuse that never occurred will be described. Finally, the
paper will focus on the psychoanalyst‘s stance in the face of recovered memories.
I have been a clinical social worker since 1970 and, in 1984, received certification as a
psychoanalyst. In the twenty-five years that I have been seeing patients, there were many
times that patients came to therapy with memories of sexual abuse. These never forgotten
memories of sexual abuse in childhood or during adolescence were accepted by them and
by me as historical truths. In addition to this, some patients have recovered memories of
sexual abuse, previously forgotten, in this clinical setting. My course, as a clinician, was to
inform patients that it was hard to distinguish whether recovered memories were memories
of fantasies, because unconscious wishes and fears could influence memory. Recovered
memories can be viewed in the same manner as dream material—that is, as screen
memories. However, I never discounted this possibility of the historical truths embedded in
these memories.
During the last few years, my caseload has been affected by a new phenomenon. Since the
mid-seventies, I have specialized in working with former cultists. This area of specialization
has given me a rich appreciation of the power of influence. In an article published in 1989,
William Goldberg and I described the plight of a family whose son had what was thought to
be a unique and bizarre complaint. He had ―discovered‖ through hypnosis that he had been
sexually abused by his mother and older sister. The incredulous family denied that any such
behavior ever took place but their son refused to listen to their denials and cut off all
communication with them, saying that he could not speak to such monsters. Both the
therapist/cult leader and the young man traveled throughout New Jersey speaking publicly
about the horrors of childhood sexual abuse. What concerned us was the fact that all of this
therapist‘s patients appeared to be recovering from memories of childhood sexual abuse
and that this therapist seemed to be encouraging her clients to break off ties with their
families and to increase their tie to her as their new parental figure. Normal therapeutic
boundaries appeared to be broken as this therapist seemed to control every aspect of this
young man‘s life. His total devotion to her and dependency on her was familiar to us. It
appeared to be similar to the relationship we saw between other cult leaders and followers.
