Remembering what happened in any traumatic experience is basic and crucial to healing. For over 100 years the memory of abuse survivors has been questioned and challenged by all sorts of people, ranging from perpetrators to family members. More recently, this memory has been challenged by a combination of accused family members, their lawyers and a few academics who claim the existence of a "false memory syndrome."
In this groundbreaking book Charles Whitfield, voted by his peers as being one of the best doctors in America, brings his clinical experience and knowledge about traumatic memory to us. He examines, explores and clarifies this critical issue that threatens to invalidate the experience of survivors of trauma and handcuff the helping professionals who assist them as they heal. This thorough, insightful work provides crucial information for anyone affected by a traumatic experience.
Scholarly AND compelling
(32 of 34 Found this Helpful)
July 13, 2000
This is a closely-reasoned, scholarly, and somewhat clinical book. Not an "easy read" by any means (it has over 700 reference endnotes!). Well-done charts and lists do help make a great deal of information more manageable. That said, I found it gripping, because he describes my own experience of both trauma and healing so accurately. There is good information on post traumatic stress disorder and its relationship to sexual abuse. He addresses the debate over "false memory syndrome" extensively and, I think, quite well. Throughout, his tone is compassionate and engaged. As both a survivor and one who supports others in their journeys to wholeness, I highly recommend Dr. Whitworth's book for clinicians as well as survivors and those who support us.
An excellent look at PTSD and exposure of the FMS foundation
(39 of 46 Found this Helpful)
April 9, 1999
Charles Whitfield is compassionate toward the survivors of sexual abuse. He addresses the effects of PTSD. He validates the memories of survivors, and blows the lid off the "False Memory Syndrome" which is actually not a valid psychologically substantiated syndrome at all. He also exposes the history of False Memory Syndrome Foundation--a "foundation" that will accept anyone who is accused of committing sexual abuse against a child and was founded by parents who were themselves rightly accused of sexual abuse. Hat's off to Charles Whitfield. He has once again provided help and compassionate insight which will aid in the healing of child sexual abuse survivors.
False Self/True Self
(6 of 6 Found this Helpful)
January 10, 2008
I picked up this book with a keen curiosity, as it came to discuss about the difference between the ordinary memory and the traumatic memory, the causes, and how one can heal those traumatic memories. Whitfield also addresses the issues of the "false memory" syndrome and the claims of FMSF, which was the highlight during the early 1990s, which, by the way, I had never heard of.
On another note, I personally like the part about how author talked about false self and true self where one is experiencing a trauma, a false self becomes created and takes over and the true self goes into hiding (since the true self didn't know how to deal with the trauma in the childhood years).
"Memory and Abuse" by Charles Whitfield is well-written and easy to read. It is also a very interesting book and worth a read, in my opinion.
Helped me
(3 of 3 Found this Helpful)
December 25, 2006
After hearing all the hype about "false memories" of abuse, this book clarified everything I needed to know about trauma memories. Authoritative.
I hear there are now over 65 databased studies that prove how traumatic amnesia exists.
Outstanding resource for recovering abuse survivors
(1 of 1 Found this Helpful)
July 12, 2009
I read - and reread - Memory and Abuse when it was first published. It quickly became one of the most important books in my "recovery toolkit" - primarily because the author provided a large amount of important, verifiable, practical information in a format that continues to be easy for myself and other abuse and trauma survivors to read and digest. Despite newer books that are based on more up-to-date research, Memory and Abuse will continue to be a valuable resource for adult survivors who choose to develop a deeper understanding - and acceptance - of themselves, and their challenging recovery process.
