Тонкое искусство пофигизма

           Meanwhile,Meredith’srelationshipwithherfatherdeterioratedevenfurther(hewasn’texactlythrilledthatshewasnowinalesbianrelationship),andshewasattendingtherapyatanalmostcompulsiverate.Hertherapists,whohadtheirownvaluesandbeliefsdrivingtheirbehavior,regularlyinsistedthatitcouldn’tsimplybeMeredith’shighlystressfulreportingjoborherpoorrelationshipsthatweremakinghersounhappy;itmustbesomethingelse,somethingdeeper.

           Aroundthistime,anewformoftreatmentcalledrepressedmemorytherapywasbecominghugelypopular.Thistherapyinvolvedatherapistputtingaclientintoatrancelikestatewhereshewasencouragedtorootoutandreexperienceforgottenchildhoodmemories.Thesememorieswereoftenbenign,buttheideawasthatatleastafewofthemwouldbetraumaticaswell.

           SothereyouhavepoorMeredith,miserableandresearchingincestandchildmolestationeveryday,angryatherfather,havingenduredanentirelifetimeoffailedrelationshipswithmen,andtheonlypersonwhoseemstounderstandherorloveherisanotherwomanwhoisasurvivorofincest.Oh,andshe’slyingonacouchcryingeveryotherdaywithatherapistdemandingoverandoverthatsheremembersomethingshecan’tremember.Andvoilà,youhaveaperfectrecipeforaninventedmemoryofsexualabusethatneverhappened.

           Ourmind’sbiggestprioritywhenprocessingexperiencesistointerprettheminsuchawaythattheywillcoherewithallofourpreviousexperiences,feelings,andbeliefs.