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Clinician and laboratory researcher Richard McNally challenges the ready acceptance of a notion he says goes beyond common sense, and contends that traumatic experiences are indeed unforgettable and the evidence for repressed memories is surprisingly weak.

Are horrific experiences indelibly fixed in a victim's memory? Or does the mind protect itself by banishing traumatic memories from consciousness? How victims remember trauma is the most controversial issue in psychology today, spilling out of consulting rooms and laboratories to capture headlines, rupture families, provoke legislative change, and influence criminal trials and civil suits.

This lecture is presented in collaboration with Boston Theatre Works to coincide with the world premiere of Conspiracy of Memory, a timely new drama by local playwright Steven Bogart that explores issues of aging, forgiveness, acceptance, and redemption.