When accusations of child abuse result from false memories, all parties involved suffer. This paper examines some of the issues surrounding recovered memories of childhood abuse. The mechanisms that the mind may employ to deal with traumatic events, such as disassociation and repression, must be further explored through experimental research to determine if these mechanisms do indeed exist, and, if they do, how they operate. Memory itself is also of vital importance when examining this issue. Studies have shown that memory can be influenced by both internal and external factors, such as the susceptibility to hypnosis, suggestions made by the therapist, or the incorporation of another's story into one's own memory. Likewise, intensive therapies, such as recovered memory therapy, can permit the development of false memories due to influences coming from the therapist. The incredible progress over the past decade in raising society's awareness of child abuse could be jeopardized by false accusations of child abuse. Counselors can avoid adding to future cases of false accusations by establishing guidelines in treatment protocol. Contains 11 references. (RJM)