POLITICS OF MEMORY, POLITICS OF INCEST - DOING THERAPY AND POLITICS THAT REALLY MATTER

This-article takes a political and historical perspective on feminist therapy's relationship to incest and recovered memory. The criticisms of feminist therapy raised by the so-called False Memory Syndrome (FMS ) movement are analyzed within the context of feminist therapy theory, and found to misrepresent actual feminist practice, Applications of f eminist therapy theory to work with clients are employed to illustrate how an egalitarian and empowering philosophy of therapy will avoid po tential coercive or suggestive treatments. The political meanings of i ncest and the necessity for feminist therapists to actively embrace ov ertly political solutions to the sexual abuse of children are discusse d.