The shocking, unfiltered images from the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq have focused the world's attention on the plight of torture survivors. Physicians in the United States are confronted as never before with the need to identify and treat the physical and psychological sequelae of extreme violence and torture. Yet this is not a new role for medical practitioners. In general, persons who have been tortured do not want to be treated primarily as torture survivors. They prefer a holistic approach that addresses their current reality in a culturally sensitive way. Many have begun to recover from torture with the help of spiritual and religious practices, work, and altruistic activities that benefit their family and community. Clinicians should strongly support such self-care and recommend other healthful practices, such as proper nutrition and exercise, that may enhance the patient's coping ability and resilience. Torture and its human and social effects are now in the global public eye. Medical professionals must relinquish their fears and take the lead in healing the wounds inflicted by the most extreme acts of human aggression. Commitment to a process that begins with a simple but courageous act--asking the right question---bespeaks the belief that medicine is a potent antidote to the practices of torturers.