Return of the Furies

Return of the Furies by Hollida Wakefield explores the phenomenon of recovered memory therapy, a rapidly-growing industry over the past decade. This therapeutic approach is rooted in the controversial theory that adults often suffer emotional problems due to forgotten childhood traumas.

Individuals facing everyday difficulties, such as anxiety or overeating, are often informed by therapists that the root of their issues lies in a 'repressed memory' of childhood abuse. The proposed remedy involves recovering these memories—a process that generally spans many months—and then publicly confronting the alleged abusers, who are frequently the patients' parents.

The book questions whether the memories retrieved during therapy are genuine, or if they are fabricated by therapists and clients during sessions. Efforts to find independent validation for recovered memories have been unsuccessful. Contrary to popular belief, there is a lack of scientific evidence supporting the notion that memories can be repressed, whereas there is substantial evidence demonstrating that false memories can be created.