Large numbers of adults recovered "memories" during therapy. Obtaining an accurate estimate is impossible. Some indicators are:

	As of the year 2001, the False Memory Syndrome Foundation (FMSF) has been contacted by more than 15,000 families who were distressed at the accusations of their adult children recovered during therapy. However, this is probably only a small percentage of the total number of cases - the "tip of the iceberg".
	The FMSF maintains a "Legal Survey" which contains data on the number of lawsuits in the United States that were based on repressed memory evidence. Typically, 15% were criminal cases; 85% civil. Prior to 1988, there were fewer than 10 cases per year. The number started rising during 1988, reaching a peak of about 105 in 1992, 1993 and 1994. A precipitous drop occurred at that time: cases totaled only about 55 in 1995 and fewer than 20 in 1996. Much of this drop is probably being caused by the rejection of many courts of unsubstantiated recovered memory evidence. The figures also probably indicates a reduction in the frequency of recovered memory therapy.
	In the year 2001, the FMSF conducted a survey of their membership. They found: Most of the accusations were between 1989 and 1994. 1991 and 1992 were the peak years for accusations. The accusers were not typical cross section of adults: 90% of the accusers are daughters accusing parents. 99% are Caucasian. 45% had completed college, but not graduate school. 32% had completed graduate school. 18% of the accusations involved claims of Satanic Ritual Abuse.
	Michael Yapko gathered statistics from therapists attending national and international psychotherapy conventions. These were supplemented by an additional 10% from his therapy training courses on unrelated topics. 64% had Master's degrees, 24% were PhD's. He found that: 97% believed hypnosis to be a useful technique 84% believed hypnotic age regression to be useful 54% believe that hypnosis can recover memories as far back as birth 41% believe that memories (even from the first years of life) are accurately stored and retrievable 31% believed that a trauma memory recovered during hypnosis must have happened. 1 We are unaware of any leading memory researcher who would agree with any of the last three findings. There appears to be a major gap between the beliefs of researchers and therapists.
	Mark Pendergrast estimates that there are in the US at least 62,500 of what he calls "memory focused" therapists who actively recover memories of childhood sexual abuse in an average of 18 adult clients per year. This totals over 1 million women per year. If one added in smaller numbers of male clients, and clients of unregistered therapists, the number would be much higher. His estimate is based on a number of factors: the number of therapists in the United States the fraction of therapists who engage in recovered memory therapy the average number of clients per therapists the fraction of clients who recovered memories during therapy All of these numbers are approximations; the second factor is impossible to estimate with any accuracy from available studies. The final estimate of 1 million is thus of doubtful validity. 2 Still, his approximate result does suggest that a very large number of clients/patients of therapists are exposed to RMT each year.
	Michael Shermer wrote in 1997: "Experts on both sides of this issue estimate that at least one million people have 'recovered' memories of sexual abuse since 1988 alone, and this does not count those who really were sexually abused and never forgot it." 3 He cites Crews et al., 4 Loftus et al., 5 and Pendergrast 2 as support for this statement.
	Poole, et al conducted a survey among doctoral-level US psychotherapists and British psychologists. 71% responded that they had used various suggestive methods (e.g. hypnosis, dream interpretation) "to help clients recover suspected memories of CSA". 6 This would seem to refer to the classical case of a patient or client coming to therapy with no conscious memories of CSA and attempting to recover repressed memories. A much lower percentage of therapists specialize in recovered memory therapy. The researchers report "Across samples, 25% of the respondents reported a constellation of beliefs and practices suggestive of a focus on memory recovery, and these psychologists reported relatively high rates of memory recovery in their clients."
	The British False Memory Society mentioned in a 1996 publicity release that: "A recent survey of clinical psychologists conducted by the British Psychological Society, revealed that nine out of ten of their respondents thought that 'recovered memories' (both of sexual abuse and satanic ritual abuse) were essentially accurate despite the fact that scientific evidence shows that there are no grounds for believing in the reliability of 'recovered memories'."

Unfortunately, the surveys described above do not give a complete picture. Almost all of the therapists sampled were highly trained psychologists or psychiatrists. We believe that such therapists are more likely to keep themselves updated with developments in memory research. There are also untold numbers of less qualified persons engaged in therapy and counseling: Social Workers, Medical doctors, Christian church counselors, Sexual Assault Center counselors and volunteers, Women's Center counselors and volunteers, etc. It is impossible to obtain an accurate estimate of their total numbers, let alone information of the therapeutic methods used. Many jurisdictions allow persons to engage in psychotherapy without any academic training at all. Volunteer based groups are essentially unregulated. These groups' use of recovered memory techniques remain unknown.

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