The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) television network recently screened a documentary called "Over the Edge".
It is about a Western Australian "Psychotherapist" by the name of Matthew Meinck, who has been (and is still is) conducting therapy sessions with people with psychological problems, where he leads them to believe that their psychological problem is the result of sexual abuse they experienced as children (in most cases perpetrated by their parents). But not only that, the next step involved leading the victims to believe that they themselves now had sexually abused their own children, and children given in their care, in the most horrific ways.
I found this documentary very interesting, because it shows precisely what instruments the Psychopath uses to take control and manipulate his victims. At first he established a position of trust. The victims told the film crew that initially they felt much better, because there was someone that actually had listened to them. Gradually he then began to manipulate his clients in regression sessions in believing things that he suggested to them. He implanted false memories into them, after which they were unable to judge, whether or not these things had really happened. Some of his clients broke up with their families. Others went to the police with these allegations, which in the end proved to be unsubstantiated. All he left behind was destroyed persons and families.
I found it fascinating, but extremely painful, to watch, how he spun his net to catch the vulnerable seeking help from their psychological problems. And when he was confronted by the camera team with the facts - namely that the allegations were purely and simply invented - he became extremely aggressive and started to abuse the interviewer.
I think that this documentary is a showcase of Psychopathy in Action. It clearly highlights the manipulative nature of the relation with a Psychopath. The only weakness of the documentary is that this subject of Psychopathy was not broached by the interviewer. All you are left with is incomprehension as to what really went on, what the motivation of the therapist actually was.
This documentary can be viewed online in the Archive of the ABC website under http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/special_eds/20100405/health/
I would be very interested in your feedback to this documentary.
It is about a Western Australian "Psychotherapist" by the name of Matthew Meinck, who has been (and is still is) conducting therapy sessions with people with psychological problems, where he leads them to believe that their psychological problem is the result of sexual abuse they experienced as children (in most cases perpetrated by their parents). But not only that, the next step involved leading the victims to believe that they themselves now had sexually abused their own children, and children given in their care, in the most horrific ways.
I found this documentary very interesting, because it shows precisely what instruments the Psychopath uses to take control and manipulate his victims. At first he established a position of trust. The victims told the film crew that initially they felt much better, because there was someone that actually had listened to them. Gradually he then began to manipulate his clients in regression sessions in believing things that he suggested to them. He implanted false memories into them, after which they were unable to judge, whether or not these things had really happened. Some of his clients broke up with their families. Others went to the police with these allegations, which in the end proved to be unsubstantiated. All he left behind was destroyed persons and families.
I found it fascinating, but extremely painful, to watch, how he spun his net to catch the vulnerable seeking help from their psychological problems. And when he was confronted by the camera team with the facts - namely that the allegations were purely and simply invented - he became extremely aggressive and started to abuse the interviewer.
I think that this documentary is a showcase of Psychopathy in Action. It clearly highlights the manipulative nature of the relation with a Psychopath. The only weakness of the documentary is that this subject of Psychopathy was not broached by the interviewer. All you are left with is incomprehension as to what really went on, what the motivation of the therapist actually was.
This documentary can be viewed online in the Archive of the ABC website under http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/special_eds/20100405/health/
I would be very interested in your feedback to this documentary.
