What you learned in school
Psychology courses taught that traumatic memories could be completely repressed and then accurately recovered through specialized therapy techniques like hypnosis and guided imagery. Students learned that psychological problems often stemmed from hidden childhood trauma that could be unlocked through proper therapeutic methods.
What we know now
Psychology courses taught that traumatic memories could be completely repressed and then accurately recovered through therapy techniques like hypnosis or guided imagery. The "recovered memory" movement suggested that many psychological problems stemmed from repressed childhood trauma. Memory research has shown that memory is reconstructive and highly suggestible. "Recovered" memories are often false memories created by suggestion during therapy. While trauma can affect memory, the specific idea of complete repression followed by accurate recovery has been largely debunked. Many "recovered memory" cases led to false accusations and family destruction.