FMSF 2000 False Memory Syndrom

As we enter the year 2000, we find FMS families every· where along the continuum from "just learned" to "it's over." Since the middle of December, the office has been

son is sick or just trying to stay healthy, they should not have to worry about being harmed by the health system itself. This report is a call to action to make health care safer for patients" and "From the patient's perspective, not only

Memory and Reality: Return to Reason conference information and registration are available on pages I0 and 11. Please note the cut-off dates and price changes for early registration for the hotel (March 6), the conference (March 15), and the celebration dinner (Aprill). It is worth making

information and registration are available on pages I0 and 11. Please note the cut-off dates and price changes for early registration for the hotel (March 6), the conference (March 15), and the celebration dinner (Aprill). It is worth making

organizations and licensing boards become proactive in assuring that under-informed or misinformed therapists harm fewer clients and their families?

Comments on False Memory by Dean Koontz; Bantam $26.95, 628p

by Dean Koontz; Bantam $26.95, 628p As we go to press, Publishers Weekly lists "False Memory" as the

believe them and while the marriages sustained a substantial blow, several reported that the accusations brought them closer to their spouse. The accusations caused the men to

by American Psychiatric Press, 1999. "It is hard, in our enlightened

Peter Kramer's review in of Joan Acocella's book, Creating Hysteria.

Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 3. McHugh, P. public remarks. 4. Watters, E. and Ofshe, R. Therapy's delu· sions: The myth of the unconscious and the

fessions are unable or unwilling to monitor themselves con~ A twist in the recovered memory legal battles caught tinues to mount. Last month we wrote about an investigative our attention this past month. (See page 7 .) As readers of report from Ohio showing that the members of the Board of this news

About the April Conferences "You just never know!" ended the note from a father telling us that his daughter had sent him a loving letter just after Christmas. He said that after 11 years he had pretty

Martin Ome Remembered It is with deep sadness that we

Spencer Harris Morfit The word "empathy" came into the American lexicon through the social sciences in the 1970s. "Empathy"

Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, February I. 2000, '"Se1>uol abuse-limitmions periods" A.~.wciated Press State & Local Wire Jonuary 21. 2000 "Coun upholds strict statute of limitotions in abuse FMS FoundaHon NewSletter MARCH/APRIL 2000 Vol. 9 No. 2

Franklin v Terr, et al. U.S. App.9th Cir LEXIS 1280, February 2, 2000. George Franklin may not sue psychiatrists Kirk Barrett and Lenore Terr for allegedly conspiring to present

1995; Vol5 (I) January 1996; Vol5(3) March 1996; Vol5(7) July 1996; Vol5(9) October 1996 Vol6 (3) March 1997 Vol6 (5) May 1997; Vo\ 6 ( 10) November 1997; Vol 6( 11) December 1997; Vol8 (4) June 1999.

Ralph Gausvik is seeking a new trial, claiming that authorities manu~

The person who taped the sessions for the April 2000 Memory and Reality conference made an interesting comment. He noted that it was the most professionally run conference he had ever taped, and, he added, it was also the

The professional conference was summarized in an article by Jane Brody in the April 25, 2000 New York Times.lll Details of the Memory and Reality Conference: Return to Reason can be found in this newsletter on page 9. The Family Conference began on a sunny spring day

by Jane Brody in the April 25, 2000 New York Times.lll Details of the Memory and Reality Conference: Return to Reason can be found in this newsletter on page 9. The Family Conference began on a sunny spring day with blossoming cherry trees and smiling daffodils around

The Family Conference began on a sunny spring day with blossoming cherry trees and smiling daffodils around the attractive Westchester environs. But on Sunday morning, a blustery snow storm brought a strong reminder of winter's power. Unfortunately, many participants had a difficult time getting hom

with blossoming cherry trees and smiling daffodils around the attractive Westchester environs. But on Sunday morning, a blustery snow storm brought a strong reminder of winter's power. Unfortunately, many participants had a difficult time getting home because of cancelled flights. Yet, by Sunday aft

are evident In this issue, for example, we have news that the license agencies in Pennsylvania have permanently removed the licenses of the women who headed the Genesis group-this after it was discovered that they had continued to practice during the time their licenses had been suspended. We read t

Available at Claims have been made that retractors are individuals who are being swayed first one way (to believe they were sexually abused as children) and then the other (that they were not sexually abused as children) and that the pressure

from NSCR@niscale.leidenuniv.nl

A set of 5 audio tapes of many conference sessions will soon 'be available. Unfortunately, due to technical dilliculties, the Retractor Panel and Ralph Slovenko's talk were

A set of 5 audio tapes of many conference sessions will soon 'be available. Unfortunately, due to technical dilliculties, the Retractor Panel and Ralph Slovenko's talk were The cost of tapes including shipping and handling is:

CONTINUING EDUCATION WATCH believe that to be inconsistent. That is

"What is the situation now? Are therapists still doing memory recovery work?" Those are the two most frequent

ter provide some perspective on the current state of the recovered memory phenomenon. The American Psychiatric Association has revised its 1993 guidelines on recovered PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS:

Philadelphia, PA 191 03-5766 The Foundation is moving in July. Please start using the neW ·~s immediately.

summer. Although diminished, the FMS problem is still too Some therapists are still practicing risky therapy techniques and a few people are still bringing frivolous lawsuits. This is a large country and information filters slowly, if at all, to people who do not read professional journals. Joseph

they still have a lot to learn "about the powers of therapist influence and the important role of suggestibility." Courtois' book has chapters on trauma and memory and child sexual abuse and memory, but no chapter on suggestion.

System of Psychotherapy, and Their Combination for Treatment of Chronic Depression" New £11glwrd J ofMed, 342 (20) 1462-70. May \8, 2000 5. Garven et al. "Allegations of Wrongdoing: The Effects of Reinforcement on Children's Mundane and Fantastic Claims" 1 of App P.<yclr, Vol85 (1), 38-49 6. de Rive

A set of S audio tapes of·tbe Memory and RealitY: Return to Reason conferettce is now available. The costof tapes inclqding shipping,an!liha!l!Hing is:

A set of S audio tapes of·tbe Memory and RealitY: Return to Reason conferettce is now available. The costof tapes inclqding shipping,an!liha!l!Hing is:

Daniel Offer, M.D., et al. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescem Psychiatry, 39(6), June, 2000, pp 735-742.

released a false story apparently based on a "recovered memory." In 1999, evidence was released that Sybil's multiple personality disorder was a creation of her doctor. During 1999, the memoir Fragments by Binjamin Wilkomirski was shown to be a

Australian twins. 'I\vins who reported a history of childhood sexual abuse were

System of Psychotherapy, and Their Combination for the Treatment of

Jill Littrell, Ph.D. notes that there are psychological experiments that indicate that "expressing an emotion generally enhances the likelihood of a similar or more intense reaction to that person in the future. For example, if a patient

Pl:iiiE!delphiQ, PA 19l03-5766 AN!i> NEW PHONE NUMBERS 2'15•940-1'1:140 phone

2'15•940-1'1:140 phone

tured speaker at the annual New Zealand Psychological Society meeting. Read declined an invitation to respond to Loftus and resigned his position in the society as a protest. It seems a time warp. (Seep. 3).

FMS Foundation Newsletter SEPT/OCT 2000 Vol. 9 No. 5

Two FMSF Advisors Voted We were pleased to read about some FMSF advisors in Skemicallnquirer Maemine.

chotherapy as commonly practiced in clinics and schools. Half of the children received tutoring and the other half District Judge Charles R. Breyer threw out most of the received therapy from psychologists, social workers, or malicious prosecution lawsuit brought by George Franklin nurses. The outco

B, et aL "The Effectiveness of Traditional Child Psychotherapy," All that remains of the suit is Franklin's claim that his Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology ( 1999),

On June 15, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that Child Protective Services social workers can be sued for mishandled, negligent investigations. In a 6-3 decision, the justices said that "CPS owes a duty of care to a child's parents, even those suspected of abusing their own children, when investi

Michael J. Pomarole, Chairman Advisory Board of Pardons, Suite 300 27-43 Wormwood Street

"At this point it is impossible, without other corroborative evidence, to distinguish a true memory from a

questioning the accuracy of recollections. The inconsistent recall of 48year-olds about their adolescent perceptions adds to the significant scientific support underscoring the need for verification in order to know if a client's story is accurate. Offer and the other researchers felt so strongly ab

this month show the great diversity of experience with the PMS-phenomenon. Indeed, we just put down the telephone after talking to a brother who is concerned because his sister is currently deteriorating under the "care" of a therapist who is encouraging her to recovered more and more "memories" of

Philadelphia, PA 19103-5766

health group. A huge difference from 1992, is that those who recommended the book now responded immediately to our letters apologizing that they had not read it. (They had also probably not read about the many lawsuits in which

contains yet another such suit.) The contrast between what is now known about false memories or suggestive therapy and what is still being practiced in some therapy rooms and in some courtrooms is astounding. You may note that contrast as you read this issue. Compare the high level of scientific und

Am Academy of Child and AdolescenT Psychiatry, 39(6) June Stein et al. ''Memory Functioning in Adult Women Traumatized by Childhood Sexual Abuse" 1 of Traummic

in which she thanked a reader who sent in a letter about the problems of recovered memory therapy. Landers wrote "Thanks for another opportunity to unmask those char/awns who destroy families." There are plenty of tools available now. But they are useless unless we all use them whenever they are nee

In a description of David Mcloughlin 's article from The [Australian} Dominion, August 5, 2000, entitled

\997 for more information about this

Repressed, Recovered, or Continuous Memories of Childhood R. McNally. $. Clancy, D. Schacter and R. Pitman, J of Ahnorm. Psychology 109

having forgotten their CSA, and (d) women who report never having been These people were all presented

"The Primacy of Early Experience: A Critique, an Allemative. and Some Clinical Inclinations," J. Paris, J of Psychiatric Pracrice 2000,

"The Primacy of Early Experience: A Critique, an Allemative. and Some Clinical Inclinations," J. Paris, J of Psychiatric Pracrice 2000,

articles. Those therapists who seem to do well by their patients engage them