Product Description

In recent years the subject of satanic ritual abuse (SRA) has incited widespread controversy focused primarily on whether or not such abuse actually occurs. Much like child sexual abuse, SRA was initially dismissed as an isolated or even imaginary phenomenon. Although there is increasing evidence that ritual abuse does take place, clinicians working with individual patients cannot be sure whether they are dealing with fact or fantasy. Dr Colin Ross, an expert in the treatment of dissociative disorders, has encountered more than three hundred patients with memories of alleged satanic ritual abuse. In this book, he provides a well-documented discussion of the psychological, social, and historical aspects of SRA and presents principles and techniques for its clinical treatment.

Although Dr Ross has found no evidence of a widespread Satanic network he is open to the possibility that a certain percentage of his patients' memories may be entirely or partially historically accurate. In treatment, he recommends that the therapist adopt an attitude hovering between disbelief and credulous entrapment.

Dr Ross has encountered memories of SRA primarily among people who suffer from multiple personality disorders, and the principles of treatment he outlines here focus on such individuals. Treatment is described in terms of both general principles and specific techniques, with case examples. Ross's recommendation that the same interventions be used regardless of the percentage of memories that are historically accurate bridges the gap between those who adopt a `believer' stance and those who take a false-memory stance.

This is the most detailed and comprehensive account of SRA from a clinical perspective available to date. As reports of SRA continue to escalate, it will be a valuable resource for all practicing therapists and psychiatrists.

---

Product Details

Publisher	University of Toronto Press
ISBN	0802073573
Format	Paperback
Author	Colin A. Ross
EAN	9780802073570
Label	University of Toronto Press
Edition	1
Dewey Decimal Number	616.8582
Studio	University of Toronto Press
Number Of Pages	228
Title	Satanic Ritual Abuse: Principles of Treatment
Publication Date	1995-10-02
Manufacturer	University of Toronto Press

---

Customer Reviews

Helpful with limited applications

Review by Aaron A. Golub, 2006-10-22

I'd recommend this book for those unfamiliar with ritual abuse. While Colin Ross presents his views fairly, survivors and their allies will receive little in any helpful information that may be considered useful to their healing. I'm wondering how anyone can write a book about treating ritual abuse survivors and the conclude that he still isn't really sure his clients were ritually abused?

He allows Elizabeth Loftus her prejudice in denying survivors accounts. Since she makes a living denying the experiences of others, the space he provided could have been more justly given to a survivor.

In spite of these limitations I walked away with a sense that the author is sincere in his desire to help. While Dr. Ross may be unable to understand the realities of ritual abuse completely, he's heading in the right direction.

---

Interesting but flawed

Review by Anonymous, 1998-12-15

Ross (a psychiatrist) argues well on the treatment and diagnosis of MPD, but many of his other arguments are flawed. In his section on the history of cults and secret societies (upon which tries to base his argument that multi-level,"orthodox" satansim exists) he relies on a small number of books which themselves are highly debatable, and extrememely unscholarly. Most of them are the usual run-of-the-mill conspiracy theories involving how the Masons are trying to take over the world by subliminally inserting satanic ideas into children's movies. Thus the conclusions he reaches about the "evidence" for ritual abuse (other than recovered memories) contains flaws and immense logical leaps. Since his background is psychology we might forgive him for this, but he definitely should have performed more thorough research before writing his book.

---

LIMITED APPLICATION FOR GENUINE SRA VICTIMS

Review by Anonymous, 1998-08-24

Although the book is well written and obviously well researched, this does not override the fact that the author(s) is very negative towards the memories of SRA victims, and encourages therapists to consider the majority of SRA memories as "imaginary" or "enhanced". Sad reflection on psychological counselling for victims.

---

AN UNFORTUNATE approach to ritual abuse memories

Review by Anonymous, 1998-08-21

This book is attractive given the current public skeptism towards memories of ritual abuse. But would we be so quick to challenge a woman who was coming to us for help and telling us about a rape? Would we be as skeptical of a war veteran telling us about the tragedies he witnessed? Perhaps, if it challenged our own sense of security in the world.

Repressed memories are more difficult to ascertain their accuracy by both the person who had the memory as well as by an outsider that hears about it. But not all ritual abuse memories are repressed and then recovered. And simply because the topic is uncomfortable, we shouldn't make an already victimized person feel more alienated. If the memories were repressed, then the role of the therapist should not be to align with a skeptical society, but to play the role a therapist should always play -- to support the well-being and growth of their patient without their own agenda. This means focusing on their client, not themselves. It is unfortunate when people have authority based on their profession and they publish books that teach philosophies that alienate their clients.

---

A MUST READ for any therapist dealing with ritual abuse

Review by Anonymous, 1997-06-16

Dr Ross is a world leader in the field of Dissociation Identity Disorder, which he prefers to call by its previous name: Multiple Personality Disorder. In this ground breaking book, he reveals his working assumption that only 10% of his MPR patients' memories of Satanic Ritual Abuse are true memories. Hopefully, any therapist who reads the book will approach their clients' Ritual Abuse memories with a dose of skepticism.

---