Posted by DaisyM on February 27, 2004, at 17:49:32
In reply to latest from Frederick Crews, posted by badhaircut on February 27, 2004, at 9:34:44
I read the reviews and I'm not sure what I think. For me, the danger is in children not being believed. The concept of faulty memories seems to be "allowed" but not completely. Children might "suddenly" remember, we see this in all kinds of things, not just abuse and trauma.
I question often this idea that something so awful could happen and you don't remember it. But in my own experience, while I remembered parts of it, I didn't remember the worst of it, until I allowed myself to talk about the parts I did remember.
But maybe it is in the details. Like, if you think about your room as a child, you can give a basic account of it, like there was a bookshelf. But if you start thinking or talking about playing with your bookshelf in the corner, you might remember the details of what was in or on the shelves, color, etc. Like memories trigger other memories, etc.
It is hard to wrestle with what to believe, but most of what happens around therapy is hard for me to understand because it is about all these illogical emotions that won't conform to an intellectual process or formula. I often think that is why CBT does better in the studies. If psychotherapy must be individualized for each person to work optimally, then of course it won't do as well in a tightly controlled study. Because it doesn't work as well when not adjusted to fit the individual. And a tightly controlled study doesn't allow for the adjustments.
Anyway...my thoughts.
poster:DaisyM
thread:318184
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040225/msgs/318321.html