Beth sought help from
a Christian counselor for ongoing depression. The counselor wondered if Beth could have experienced abuse as a child. The counselor suggested that her problems may not be her fault. Medicated, comforted and led with suggestive scenarios Beth experienced "blackouts" where she detailed accounts of her father raping her and mother assisting. Her father lost his job and career due to accusations. Beth convinced younger sisters that the abuse was real and the family was separated. The youngest was taken by authorities who intervened to "protect" the remaining children. Three years later Beth came off the medication, got a new counselor (after moving) and became aware that the memories were not "real". After family reconciliation the family (Beth and parents) sued the therapist and won a large disclosed settlement. During the trial a medical exam verified Beth was always a virgin and was never abused as described.
Just prior to descent on the trail leading
the the surface of Crater Lake in 2014!
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A True Story of Incredible Courage:
Beth Rutherford and our daughter Grace have a lot in common.
Beth Rutherford sought help for depression due to stress at work. Following therapy Beth claimed that her clergyman father had raped her as a child, with her mother at times holding her down. Years later a medical examination confirmed that Beth was still a virgin. Beth recanted and won an out-of-court settlement.
Beth recalls that under the influence of antidepressants during treatment "I was asked to concentrate deeply on my childhood...I went into hypnotic and trance-like states. After coming out...the therapist revealed events of sexual abuse and described things that had happened to me." Following these blackouts Beth's therapist explained, "you have just had a flashback into your past" and that "these are real events that have actually happened to you...Again, I was told that this all was repressed and was now coming out; my mind was now allowing me to know what really happened to me as a child."
According to Beth "A psychiatrist and a psychologist concluded from their testing and evaluation that indeed I had been severely traumatized as a child...Psychological testing is not a proof of history. It is only a reflection of what you believe and what is in your mind at the time of testing."
Beth continues "I was told that the only way that I was going to be able to be a healthy adult was to get away from my infectious parents, because they were like cancer and I had to cut them out in order to be a mentally healthy adult....I was told that my parents’ refusal to admit guilt meant that I must separate from them, for they were in denial."
Beth then accused her parents publicly and garnered the support of family members. Beth writes "I told them that just because they wouldn’t admit what they had done to me didn’t mean I would back down from my belief that they did it. The Therapist consistently told me that to accuse is the only way true healing can begin." The public accusations forced her father from his ministry and into any odd jobs he could find at 46 years old.
Still on medication Beth described her mind as "sinking deeper and deeper into blackness." She continued "With my last bit of energy and in an effort to get well, my middle sister, Lynette, and I rented a U-haul and moved away from my parents in Springfield to Oklahoma City...My youngest sister, Shara, went into hiding in Springfield, afraid that my father would murder her. Both of my sisters had come to believe my memories of abuse.
We cut off all communication with my parents." Beth concludes "I fully believed that my parents had committed these atrocities as much as they fully knew that they had never done them. What changed my mind? What brought me to the truth?"
The move away from Springfield was the best possible event. Beth was no longer meeting the therapist and the therapist suggested she find one closer (and cease phone contact). When she sought a new therapist she decided to choose one that did not dwell on "repressed memories". She reduced and then totally stopped prescribed medication. Beth later recalls this was the best decision in the entire episode. Slowly she began to recover and reflect on the experience.
We cut off all communication with my parents." Beth concludes "I fully believed that my parents had committed these atrocities as much as they fully knew that they had never done them. What changed my mind? What brought me to the truth?"
The move away from Springfield was the best possible event. Beth was no longer meeting the therapist and the therapist suggested she find one closer (and cease phone contact). When she sought a new therapist she decided to choose one that did not dwell on "repressed memories". She reduced and then totally stopped prescribed medication. Beth later recalls this was the best decision in the entire episode. Slowly she began to recover and reflect on the experience.
Over time she came to recognize what had happened. Years later Beth Rutherford, with great courage, fully recanted the accusations.
Following the family reassembly Beth states "My family and I love each other so much and we're as close as before, but I'd say even closer because we've individually and collectively survived this almost fatal nightmare. Yes, we are still a normal family with our differences of opinion and personalities, but we cherish our times together as never before, knowing we almost lost each other.
Family love is strong and resilient. Love prevails . . . It bears all things, believes through all things, hopes through all things, endures through all things. We now walk our life's journey TOGETHER."
We will always be waiting for our Grace. We love her and her family. We will never give up on the Reynolds family.
NOTE: This retraction is a rare example of integrity and courage. Many live with the false memories their entire lives and rob their children of grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. Losing contact at a time when the children most benefit from that contact.
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WARNING If you are seeking help for personal struggles and a therapist, counselor or friend says that "recovering childhood memories can help you get better" then IMMEDIATELY get up from your chair (or off the couch), run to the door, open it and flee. Hundreds of thousands have lost families, years of productive living and squandered immense wealth with tragedy inducing therapy that produces horrid false memories, splinters families, isolates the client and is documented to cause decline in mental health.
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ALL Pictures are of life before false memories were recovered.
Happy with our hike overlooking Phoenix
Grace and I while visiting family in New England
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