What should I know about choosing a psychotherapist to help me deal with a childhood memory or any other issue?
The American Psychological Association has released to the public the following advice to consider when seeking psychotherapy services.
First, know that there is no single set of symptoms which automatically indicates that a person was a victim of childhood abuse. There have been media reports of therapists who state that people (particularly women) with a particular set of problems or symptoms must have been victims of childhood sexual abuse. There is no scientific evidence that supports this conclusion.
Second, all questions concerning possible recovered memories of childhood abuse should be considered from an unbiased position. A therapist should not approach recovered memories with the preconceived notion that abuse must have happened or that abuse could not possibly have happened.
Third, when considering current problems, be wary of those therapists who offer an instant childhood abuse explanation, and those who dismiss claims or reports of sexual abuse without any exploration.
Fourth, when seeking psychotherapy, you are advised to see a licensed practitioner with training and experience in the issue for which you seek treatment. Ask the therapist about the kinds of treatment techniques he or she uses and how they could help you.
Editor’s note:This document is being released at the direction of the APA Board of Directors. It is based on numerous reports and documents, including, but not limited to, the work of the APA Working Group on the Investigation of Memories of Childhood Abuse.
Retrieved 6/5/11.
jeanettebartha
Russ
01/08/2012 at 7:08 pm
Unfortunately, my family is also faced with a daughter (she’s now 19) having false memories of sexual abuse (initially by some schoolmates which eventually expanded to include her father) due to “recovered memory therapy”, and has cut off all contact with us. There has thankfully been no legal action. We are not interested in suing (even though the therapists where she was treated sure deserve to be!) , we just want our daughter back and pray that someday she come to realize that these memories are false. The place she was treated by these therapists at seems to be a cleverly-disguised cult…I corresponded recently with someone who was her roommate and that’s what she claims it was and they use “recovered memory therapy” as a way of control and an effective way of separating them from their family.
Read more: http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/crime_and_courts/memories-on-trial-parents-say-therapists-gave-daughter-false-memories/article_56549e30-0c89-11e0-a44f-001cc4c03286.html?mode=comments#ixzz1iunGLNDM
Steve
06/19/2011 at 8:13 pm
The APA should add the following to their ” How To Choose A Psychotherapist” criteria.
1. If a therapist says that you’ll have to get worse before you get better you should ask for your money back.
2. If your therapist tells you that she/he has to make your diagnosis and condition look worse than you really are in order to access health insurance benefits, you should demand your money back and remind your therapist that insurance fraud is a crime.
3. If your therapist wants you to beat on pillows that remind you of your parents you should beat it out of there. Now.
4. If your therapist wants you to lay on his/her office floor and cry you should wait until you get their bill.
5. And finally if you, the client, get sucked into a bad situation with a charlatan psychotherapist, don’t come cryin’ to us, the APA. After all, there’s a sucker born every minute.