Introduction
Drawing on her work with victims of violence, including children used for pornographic purposes, Bernadine Fox has written a compelling and convincing memoir. She integrates many themes: dissociative disorders, sexual abuse of children, neglectful parents, and the misuse of feminism within therapy, tying them together with an exploration of the anguished betrayal of a victim of abusive therapy and multiple boundary violations. Emma’s experiences and feelings mirror those of clients of mine who have suffered childhood abuse followed by exploitative “therapy.”
In the psychiatric field, controversy still swirls around dissociative disorders. Multiple Personality Disorder, now termed Dissociative Identity Disorder, is dismissed by some who assume that the problem is created by over-zealous therapists! But those of us working with traumatized children hear descriptions of numbing, “zoning out,” or watching from a corner of the ceiling while they are being abused. In the severely traumatized, this coping mechanism becomes more extreme, and a child may be aware of several different voices or personalities that help them survive. In Emma’s case, these different voices or perspectives ultimately helped her understand and begin to heal from Pamela’s abuse.
The aftermath of sexual abuse in children may include profound feelings of shame, self-blame, worthlessness, feelings of stigmatization and difference, and the belief that they are valued for their sexuality alone. Single or short-term episodes of abuse, and that of a less severe nature, are less likely to lead to this outcome. Of over-riding importance is the parent’s reaction. If they believe and support the child and react with outrage and indignation against the perpetrator, damage is mitigated. But in Emma’s case her parents betrayed their daughter and sold her youth and innocence to a criminal group. Precociously sexualized, unprotected and unloved, she escaped from the farm, only to find herself repeating some of the patterns established during her childhood.
People like Emma are extremely vulnerable to abuse by therapists or other adults who are in a position of authority. Unsatisfied needs for caring and support are transferred onto the therapist, who becomes an extremely valued and trusted parent-like figure. In therapy, in the transference that develops, a client displaces onto the therapist feelings he or she had as a child about parents and other significant adults. Unscrupulous therapists can easily exploit their power and the unquestioning compliance of clients who are insecure and needy and have never learned to keep themselves safe and to set boundaries on others’ intrusions. Sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and financial abuse by therapists is regrettably common, but is often concealed by victim-blaming attitudes and the victim’s own shame, self-blame and reluctance to report. Because of their enormous betrayal by a trusted professional, victims may avoid consulting doctors, clergy, lawyers, counselors and other needed services.
Therapists have a fiduciary duty to their clients. A fiduciary relationship is one in which a person with particular knowledge and abilities accepts the trust and confidence of another to work in that person’s best interests. In this memoir we can see how the therapist, Pamela, repeatedly abandoned her fiduciary duty to Emma, seeking to meet her own needs, and manipulating, coercing and humiliating Emma. Pamela presented herself as a lesbian feminist counselor who successfully brought feminist principles into her work. This guise enabled her to deceive the feminist community for many years, highlighting the confusion that sometimes exists about feminist therapy. Drawing from feminist principles, feminist therapy embraces the virtues of equality, freedom, empowerment, the client’s knowledge of her own emotional issues, and therapist’s disclosure to clients. For many therapists this has been a welcome change. Others fail to recognize or downplay the power differential between therapist and client. In this context, unfortunately, there is more risk of sexual exploitation of clients.[1] Emma’s account reveals that Pamela’s emotional, sexual and financial abuse of her and other clients went far beyond that of a lesbian therapist’s confusion about boundaries. Her actions were clearly deliberate; those of an entitled, clever, manipulative, unscrupulous, vicious predator.
The aftermath of abusive therapy can include suicide, mental health difficulties, and a variety of physical problems. Victims often lose their employment, career, marriage, children or prospect of having children, friends, savings, and housing. Although profoundly damaged by the abuse and its after effects, Emma’s intelligence, determination, resilience, and insight allow the memoir to end on a hopeful note as Emma fully realizes the enormity of her betrayal and exploitation and can begin healing.
P. Susan Penfold MB, FRCPC
Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychiatry,
University of British Columbia
Author of Sexual Abuse by Health Professionals: A Personal Search for Meaning and Healing
__________________
Endnotes:
1. Brown, L.S. (1988). Beyond thou shalt not: thinking about ethics in the lesbian feminist community. Women and Therapy, 8:13-26.
Drawing on her work with victims of violence, including children used for pornographic purposes, Bernadine Fox has written a compelling and convincing memoir. She integrates many themes: dissociative disorders, sexual abuse of children, neglectful parents, and the misuse of feminism within therapy, tying them together with an exploration of the anguished betrayal of a victim of abusive therapy and multiple boundary violations. Emma’s experiences and feelings mirror those of clients of mine who have suffered childhood abuse followed by exploitative “therapy.”
In the psychiatric field, controversy still swirls around dissociative disorders. Multiple Personality Disorder, now termed Dissociative Identity Disorder, is dismissed by some who assume that the problem is created by over-zealous therapists! But those of us working with traumatized children hear descriptions of numbing, “zoning out,” or watching from a corner of the ceiling while they are being abused. In the severely traumatized, this coping mechanism becomes more extreme, and a child may be aware of several different voices or personalities that help them survive. In Emma’s case, these different voices or perspectives ultimately helped her understand and begin to heal from Pamela’s abuse.
The aftermath of sexual abuse in children may include profound feelings of shame, self-blame, worthlessness, feelings of stigmatization and difference, and the belief that they are valued for their sexuality alone. Single or short-term episodes of abuse, and that of a less severe nature, are less likely to lead to this outcome. Of over-riding importance is the parent’s reaction. If they believe and support the child and react with outrage and indignation against the perpetrator, damage is mitigated. But in Emma’s case her parents betrayed their daughter and sold her youth and innocence to a criminal group. Precociously sexualized, unprotected and unloved, she escaped from the farm, only to find herself repeating some of the patterns established during her childhood.
People like Emma are extremely vulnerable to abuse by therapists or other adults who are in a position of authority. Unsatisfied needs for caring and support are transferred onto the therapist, who becomes an extremely valued and trusted parent-like figure. In therapy, in the transference that develops, a client displaces onto the therapist feelings he or she had as a child about parents and other significant adults. Unscrupulous therapists can easily exploit their power and the unquestioning compliance of clients who are insecure and needy and have never learned to keep themselves safe and to set boundaries on others’ intrusions. Sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and financial abuse by therapists is regrettably common, but is often concealed by victim-blaming attitudes and the victim’s own shame, self-blame and reluctance to report. Because of their enormous betrayal by a trusted professional, victims may avoid consulting doctors, clergy, lawyers, counselors and other needed services.
Therapists have a fiduciary duty to their clients. A fiduciary relationship is one in which a person with particular knowledge and abilities accepts the trust and confidence of another to work in that person’s best interests. In this memoir we can see how the therapist, Pamela, repeatedly abandoned her fiduciary duty to Emma, seeking to meet her own needs, and manipulating, coercing and humiliating Emma. Pamela presented herself as a lesbian feminist counselor who successfully brought feminist principles into her work. This guise enabled her to deceive the feminist community for many years, highlighting the confusion that sometimes exists about feminist therapy. Drawing from feminist principles, feminist therapy embraces the virtues of equality, freedom, empowerment, the client’s knowledge of her own emotional issues, and therapist’s disclosure to clients. For many therapists this has been a welcome change. Others fail to recognize or downplay the power differential between therapist and client. In this context, unfortunately, there is more risk of sexual exploitation of clients.[1] Emma’s account reveals that Pamela’s emotional, sexual and financial abuse of her and other clients went far beyond that of a lesbian therapist’s confusion about boundaries. Her actions were clearly deliberate; those of an entitled, clever, manipulative, unscrupulous, vicious predator.
The aftermath of abusive therapy can include suicide, mental health difficulties, and a variety of physical problems. Victims often lose their employment, career, marriage, children or prospect of having children, friends, savings, and housing. Although profoundly damaged by the abuse and its after effects, Emma’s intelligence, determination, resilience, and insight allow the memoir to end on a hopeful note as Emma fully realizes the enormity of her betrayal and exploitation and can begin healing.
P. Susan Penfold MB, FRCPC
Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychiatry,
University of British Columbia
Author of Sexual Abuse by Health Professionals: A Personal Search for Meaning and Healing
__________________
Endnotes:
1. Brown, L.S. (1988). Beyond thou shalt not: thinking about ethics in the lesbian feminist community. Women and Therapy, 8:13-26.
Dr. Penfold first joined the UBC Department of Psychiatry as a resident in 1963, then notably became one of the department’s first female academic psychiatrists to be appointed to a full-faculty position in 1967. In addition to her extensive research and teaching activities, Dr. Penfold served as the Division Head of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, was a prominent Child & Adolescent psychiatrist at BC Children’s Hospital, wrote two professional books and numerous journal articles, and was the inaugural chair of Women’s Studies at Simon Fraser University. Furthermore, as a vocal feminist and a passionate advocate for victims of abuse by doctors and therapists, Dr. Penfold touched countless lives with her tireless devotion to these issues. After her retirement at age 78, she continued to volunteer for the Therapy Exploitation Link Line and also lecture at a number of public engagements.
(bio taken from here)
More info here
(bio taken from here)
More info here
