Does psychotherapy recover or invent child sexual abuse memories? A case history.
ABSTRACT. This case describes bodily experiences that appeared to cue child sexual abuse memories during psychotherapy by a woman who was amnesic for her childhood and suffered from chronic dissociative states. Though corroboration was unavailable, she became increasingly confident about her returning memories. Special efforts were made to avoid making suggestions. The article proposes the theory that integrates the construct of the self with the relationship between bodily experiences and memory narratives. It suggests that: (1) amnesia and recovering memories involve normal and abnormal memory mechanisms; (2) remembering during psychotherapy is complex; (3) psychotherapy need not be suggestive; (4) inaccessible memories may act as constraints on suggestibility; and (5) narrative recall may depend on the connection of bodily experiences with self-reflection.
Milchman
Madelyn Simring
MS
mmilchman@comcast.net
D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D000647:Amnesia / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D012094:Repression, Psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D016896:Treatment Outcome