Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 3, 2003, Page 39
1982). Furthermore, the literature on experiments in cognitive psychology showed memory
to be highly plastic and highly susceptible to influence and suggestion (Loftus, 1993].
Additionally, Ceci‘s research with children indicated how easily young children can be
influenced to remember differently from week to week (Ceci, S.J., Ross, D.F., and Toglia,
M.P., 1987). Therefore, how could recovered memories from early life be accepted as
accurate without question?
Conclusions
There is no doubt that childhood sexual abuse exists. In many cases, those who have gone
to trauma therapists have experienced childhood sexual abuse. However, it is problematic
to discern the veracity of recovered memories of sexual abuse, particularly those memories
that did not arise spontaneously within the confines of a therapeutic relationship, but which
were induced through suggestion, hypnosis, soporific drugs or peer pressure. As reported in
this paper, memories can easily be re-shaped by both external and internal forces. The
appropriate role for the therapist is to explain this fact to the patient and to take a wait-
and-see approach. As Esman states, the ―empathic‖ acceptance of all material can lead to
iatrogenic suggestion. Esman recommends that, ―Neither unquestioning credulity nor
categorical disbelief, but a properly scientific attitude of enlightened skepticism would seem
to be in order‖ (Esman, 1994. Letter, JAPA, 43: 1, 195-296). Uncertainty is uncomfortable.
However, both patients and therapists need to be able to tolerate complexity and
uncertainty in life and resist the need for closure. It is unrealistic and harmful for patients to
see their therapists as all-knowing human beings.
Of course, all of this needs to be explored in the context of the therapeutic relationship,
particularly focusing on possible transference and counter transference reactions. Questions
to explore might include the following: Why is this memory surfacing at this point in the
therapy? Has this memory been influenced by a recent event occurring inside or outside a
therapeutic session? How is the patient feeling towards the therapist and how is the
therapist feeling towards the patient? What is the meaning of this memory to the patient?
How does the patient expect the therapist to receive this material and how does she/he
react when the therapist takes a wait-and-see approach? Certainly therapists are induced to
feel that patients who suspect they were abused need us to believe them. It is important for
therapists to be sensitive to all material presented in therapy sessions, especially when
traumatic events are shared. However, in the face of recovered memories that formerly
have been repressed, is the therapist responding empathically by automatically believing? Is
it more important to believe our patients in all matters or to be the voice of reality? It has
been pointed out by Galatzer-Levy that the parents‘ failures to respond empathically when
bad things happen frequently have a more profound impact on the child than the event
itself. Therefore, the therapist‘s desire to avoid repeating this response may lead him/her to
prematurely appreciate the patient‘s experience of the event. As Galatzer-Levy notes,
―Paradoxically, this very process may subtly repeat the parental failure to understand. It
invites assumptions of understanding that the analyst may lack‖ (Galatzer-Levy, 3. 998).
The more ―empathic‖ response is to be a concerned, careful, and caring listener who
informs the patient of the difficulty in knowing the historical truth when memories are
recovered. However, as Galatzer-Levy has noted, the emphasis should be on the meaning of
the recalled memory as it relates to the past, as it relates to the transference, as it relates
to other experiences with important figures and events from the past, and as it relates to
the patient‘s fantasy life. A case may illustrate some of these points.
A woman, 62 years of age, came to see the author two years after her husband‘s death,
because she continued to feel depressed. In early sessions she quietly extolled her happy
life with her husband. He was described as very ―proper‖ and this propriety had attracted
her to him. She had believed that she would feel ―safe‖ with this successful businessman.
After several sessions, she admitted with extreme shame and trepidation that she
1982). Furthermore, the literature on experiments in cognitive psychology showed memory
to be highly plastic and highly susceptible to influence and suggestion (Loftus, 1993].
Additionally, Ceci‘s research with children indicated how easily young children can be
influenced to remember differently from week to week (Ceci, S.J., Ross, D.F., and Toglia,
M.P., 1987). Therefore, how could recovered memories from early life be accepted as
accurate without question?
Conclusions
There is no doubt that childhood sexual abuse exists. In many cases, those who have gone
to trauma therapists have experienced childhood sexual abuse. However, it is problematic
to discern the veracity of recovered memories of sexual abuse, particularly those memories
that did not arise spontaneously within the confines of a therapeutic relationship, but which
were induced through suggestion, hypnosis, soporific drugs or peer pressure. As reported in
this paper, memories can easily be re-shaped by both external and internal forces. The
appropriate role for the therapist is to explain this fact to the patient and to take a wait-
and-see approach. As Esman states, the ―empathic‖ acceptance of all material can lead to
iatrogenic suggestion. Esman recommends that, ―Neither unquestioning credulity nor
categorical disbelief, but a properly scientific attitude of enlightened skepticism would seem
to be in order‖ (Esman, 1994. Letter, JAPA, 43: 1, 195-296). Uncertainty is uncomfortable.
However, both patients and therapists need to be able to tolerate complexity and
uncertainty in life and resist the need for closure. It is unrealistic and harmful for patients to
see their therapists as all-knowing human beings.
Of course, all of this needs to be explored in the context of the therapeutic relationship,
particularly focusing on possible transference and counter transference reactions. Questions
to explore might include the following: Why is this memory surfacing at this point in the
therapy? Has this memory been influenced by a recent event occurring inside or outside a
therapeutic session? How is the patient feeling towards the therapist and how is the
therapist feeling towards the patient? What is the meaning of this memory to the patient?
How does the patient expect the therapist to receive this material and how does she/he
react when the therapist takes a wait-and-see approach? Certainly therapists are induced to
feel that patients who suspect they were abused need us to believe them. It is important for
therapists to be sensitive to all material presented in therapy sessions, especially when
traumatic events are shared. However, in the face of recovered memories that formerly
have been repressed, is the therapist responding empathically by automatically believing? Is
it more important to believe our patients in all matters or to be the voice of reality? It has
been pointed out by Galatzer-Levy that the parents‘ failures to respond empathically when
bad things happen frequently have a more profound impact on the child than the event
itself. Therefore, the therapist‘s desire to avoid repeating this response may lead him/her to
prematurely appreciate the patient‘s experience of the event. As Galatzer-Levy notes,
―Paradoxically, this very process may subtly repeat the parental failure to understand. It
invites assumptions of understanding that the analyst may lack‖ (Galatzer-Levy, 3. 998).
The more ―empathic‖ response is to be a concerned, careful, and caring listener who
informs the patient of the difficulty in knowing the historical truth when memories are
recovered. However, as Galatzer-Levy has noted, the emphasis should be on the meaning of
the recalled memory as it relates to the past, as it relates to the transference, as it relates
to other experiences with important figures and events from the past, and as it relates to
the patient‘s fantasy life. A case may illustrate some of these points.
A woman, 62 years of age, came to see the author two years after her husband‘s death,
because she continued to feel depressed. In early sessions she quietly extolled her happy
life with her husband. He was described as very ―proper‖ and this propriety had attracted
her to him. She had believed that she would feel ―safe‖ with this successful businessman.
After several sessions, she admitted with extreme shame and trepidation that she
