Hmmm... It's hard for anyone to say who has been abused and who hasn't. Not everyone in therapy is there because of abuse for sure, but, well, some are. Period. Sometimes you have to call what it was for what it was.

Without a doubt the power of suggestion can be very very strong and I do think it is important to view a repressed memory for what it is. It could be something that one simply can't remember, it doesn't necessarily have to have anything to do with abuse. My therapist and I both agree that what I do know is bad enough.

Also, regarding the brainwashing, mmm.... I think it's important to relate that only to your own therapy. Do you feel as though you have been brainwashed? If so, then it is right and proper to step out of therapy for awhile - or perhaps search for another therapist.

As soon as we assume the role of adult, we also assume responsibility for our own actions, to me this is always true. Letting go of the blame from the past helps us step into that role easier. Recognizing our own patterns of behavior, the distortions that we have and how to correct them is the essence of therapy.

I think for some uncovering the etiology of those distortions and patterns is essential to unlearning them. For others, not so much. Perhaps you should talk to your therapist about their orientation of therapy and whether or not it suits you or your goals.

It is so easy to get caught up in what I call "navel gazing" and the "why me's", but a good therapist and a solid foot in the here and now can help snap one out of that.

Yet, for some a story has to be told, it is so important for a past to be honored.