Recovered Memories of Abuse: Assessment, Therapy, Forensics

Research suggests that, in their careers, most therapists will see at least one client who reports "recovered memories." In an arena crowded with polemical works dealing with the validity of recoverd memories of childhood sexual abuse, this volume stands out as a voice of reason. An evenhanded account of the social, scientific, and legal context of the debate about recovered memories, this book should be required reading for any mental health professional--therapist, consultant, or expert witness--who might encounter such a client. Readers will benefit from these indispensible guidelines on responding thoughtfully, knowledgeably, and effectively when clients report recovered memories. The theme of this volume is that of questioning: questioning the validity of research, questioning one's own biases and lapses in logic. One of the authors' goals is to enable the reader to become a more knowledgeable consumer of the scientific investigations that support approaches to assessment and therapy in this area. At the same time, detailed forensic advice makes the reader aware of possible legal issues involved. Scientific, logically driven: This volume stands alone as an intelligent, practical guide for the mental health professional who might encounter a client reporting recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse.