Memory in Dispute

by Valerie Sinason (Editor)

'This is a much-needed book - experienced clinicians writing intelligently about one of the most fraught and complex clinical problems facing psychotherapy today. We have patients who are suffering - suffering because of memories of experiences with which they cannot cope, with which nobody should have to cope. This book is aimed at the clinicians working with such individuals. For the most part, it does not attempt to resolve the dispute or to provide an illusion of certainty in a context where none can exist. It is a challenge to all of us to preserve precious doubt in a situation where we are under pressure from our clients, from their relatives, and from the general public to adopt a clear position; however, when clarity can only be achieved through extremism, the price is too high - the sacrifice of individual lives is intolerable. This book contains some excellent chapters, and the editor is to be congratulated on her selection of themes. It is clearly not the final word in the field of recovered memory. It is, nevertheless, an enormously valuable contribution to psychotherapists working within a psychoanalytic framework with an additional impossible dilemma in an already impossible profession.'- Professor Peter Fonagy, from his Foreward to this book.

232 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Valerie Sinason, PhD, is a poet, writer, child psychotherapist and adult psychoanalyst. She specialised in working with abused/abusing and dissociative patients including those with a learning disability, and was Founder Director of the Clinic for Dissociative Studies until December 2016 when she retired from long-term clinical work.
Valerie continues with writing, supervision and short-term assessment work.
Dr Sinason’s extensive writing includes over 100 published, peer-reviewed papers.
She has written over 20 books and lectures nationally and internationally.