Psychologist accused of planting false abuse memories in patient

Minneapolis Star Tribune/April 5, 1997
By Glenn Howatt

A St. Paul psychologist and author of a book on repressed memory therapy was accused of malpractice Friday in a lawsuit filed by a former patient.

The female patient, who was identified only as a resident of Ramsey County, alleged that Renee Fredrickson, who wrote "Repressed Memories: A Journey to Recovery from Sexual Abuse," manipulated her into experiencing false memories of ritual cult abuse, torture, dismemberment and murder, according to the suit filed in Ramsey County District Court.

The patient and her husband are seeking damages on eight counts of professional negligence and inflicting suffering.

Fredrickson could not be reached for comment Friday.

The plaintiffs are represented by R. Christopher Barden, a Plymouth attorney and a licensed psychologist who has represented a number of patients who have sued psychotherapists alleging they planted false memories of childhood abuse.

Barden successfully sued former St. Paul psychiatrist Dr. Diane Humenansky in two false memory cases, receiving multimillion-dollar jury awards in both cases.

According to the complaint, which was filed late Friday, the plaintiff sought treatment from Fredrickson in June 1994 for help in coping with long-standing memories of childhood sexual abuse by a neighbor.

The complaint alleged that over a 10-month period Fredrickson used hypnosis and other techniques to falsely convince the plaintiff that she had been the victim of Satanic or ritual cult abuse.