Elizabeth Loftus, an award-winning researcher on memory, stated that the book was certainly very comforting to individuals living with memories of abuse, but questioned the effect it would have on people who do not have such memories, and suggested "The Courage to Heal" may be one of many sources of false memories for some individuals. Loftus also stated that "All roads on the search for popular writings inevitably lead to book". "The Courage to Heal" encourages the use of strategies such as guided imagery to access and attempting to elaborate details and emotions and discouraging individuals from questioning the memories recovered.