The article states that reconstructive effects of human memory are the norm and not generally the result of pathological processes. However, there are situations in which these basic processes become extremely damaging if left unchecked. Specifically, any situation demanding that individuals' memories be accurate, truthful records of the past exerts pressure on their ability to recall and illustrates the risk of false memories. The article claims that the entire process of memory recovery, usually conducted in a therapist's office, distorts what is and should serve an adaptive function. At first, "recovered memories" play the same adaptive role as remembered memories. This new set of memories, however, continuously reinforced and socially legitimized by therapists, takes on a life of its own. Members of the mental health profession should give careful consideration to this notion before embarking on the dangerous path of rebuilding their clients' past in light of their own perceptions and beliefs. Notes, references