This personal yet scholarly journey into the confusing and clandestine world of ritual abuse survivors sheds light on their catastrophic experiences and their efforts to heal afterward. Revised, updated, and expanded, this third edition of a classic study is one of the most authoritative and evenhanded volumes to tackle its hotly debated subject matter. Incorporating the authors' firsthand observations, the book provides historical, anthropological, and psychological context for contemporary reports of both ritual abuse and ritual crime. In addition to sharing patient vignettes and a history of cult and ritual abuse in society, the authors explore fascinating topics related to these practices, among them what triggers personality shifts for victims even many years after the abuse has stopped. Importantly, the book shows how ritual abuse affects society as a whole, influencing civil and criminal law, politics, legislation, social movements, social welfare, and psychological theory. It provides unique insights into the scientific study, forensic investigation, and implementation of social services for survivors of cult and ritual abuse, discusses new research and treatment strategies, and establishes the foundation for a psychological diagnosis to be called Cult and Ritual Trauma Disorder. Features recalled histories of ritual abuse and vignettes of patients who have experienced dissociative identity disorder (formerly known as multiple personality disorder) Discusses techniques used to create and manipulate altered states of consciousness Explores how media sensationalizes and inaccurately depicts ritual abuse Critiques the argument that ritual abuse stories are the result of false memories and advances the idea that reports of ritual abuse are understated Expresses the position that clinicians have an ethical duty to achieve competence in recognizing and treating the psychological effects of ritual abuse Concludes that clinicians, lawmakers, law enforcement, social services personnel, journalists, and others need to treat allegations of ritual abuse seriously and evaluate each report on its own merits

This book responds to a previously unmet need: unlocking the mysteries of Social Security disability programs and providing medical and mental health clinicians, as well as advocates, with the information necessary to act in the best interests of their clients. This text aims to bring clarity to medical and psychological health care providers so they better understand the importance of their role in disability determinations by familiarizing them with the benefits, limitations, and qualifications for Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income. Also useful for patient advocates, the authors here provide insights into the workings of Social Security, the language employed, the definitions adhered to, and the reliance on providers to respond to requests from Social Security and their patients to support their claims when warranted. Almost all medical and mental health professionals will need to interact with Social Security at some point, but will not understand the relevance or importance of their response. Much hangs on the clarity of treatment notes and opinions rendered by clinicians. Not only can their failure to respond to requests for Social Security, or to their patients in a disability case, obstruct their patients' access to benefits, it may also put a provider at risk of board censure or civil suit. Provides a realistic understanding of the Social Security Disability bureaucracy Provides basic eligibility requirements and potential benefits Suggests strategies for maintaining treatment records that respond to needs of Social Security Explains how the language of Social Security differs from that of medicine and psychology and how to reconcile the two Provides the ethical underpinning of clinicians' participation in the disability determination process