title: From courtroom to couch. Working with repressed memory and avoiding lawsuits.
abstract: Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed during the last decade against therapists who work with patient having repressed memories. These lawsuits claim that therapists are engaged in "repressed memory" therapy, which does not retrieve memories, but instead actually imparts false beliefs, which serve as "pseudo-memories". This article explores the issues of repressed, false, and implanted memories. Advice is given concerning good therapeutic practice and the avoidance of legal liability.
authors.affiliation: Santa Clara University School of Law, California, USA.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Scheflin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spiegel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000647:Amnesia / Q000145:classification; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016365:Liability, Legal; D008297:Male; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008568:Memory / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011584:Psychology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012094:Repression, Psychology