Guided imagery and memory: Implications for psychotherapists

Imagery techniques involve the mental generation of perceptual experiences in the absence of external perceptual stimulation. Such techniques are used for many purposes in psychotherapy but have recently come under attack as a risky practice that may result in memory distortion or the creation of false memories. This article reviews research linking imagery with changes in memory, both to sensitize clinicians to possible inappropriate applications of guided imagery techniques and to discourage researchers from understating the potential utility of guided imagery. The implications of this research for the psychotherapeutic use of imagery are discussed, and strategies for using imagery while reducing the potential for memory distortion are described.