Free discussion session.

“Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” - Santayana.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, widespread concern erupted in the mental health system about Satanic ritual abuse (SRA) as a cause for relatively common symptoms of psychological distress. It subsequently emerged that this was a mass delusion at work - but unusually, among treating professionals rather than (or prior to) those seeking care. Thousands of people were “treated” for this illusory problem until the evidence against the practice became overwhelming, at which point the mental health field moved on but largely failed to take responsibility for damage done, nor investigate how it had so readily fallen prey to a transparently false narrative. In this discussion session, clinicians are invited to share their memories from this neglected period, and consider whether the field has developed measures to temper irrational enthusiasms before putting them into practice. Newer clinicians very welcome. Time is 5 pm Pacific (Vancouver) time, 8 pm Eastern.