And…. SGI ’25 was another great event!

Do you wish you had a small group setting to address your healing?

Do you wonder if anyone else can truly understand what it’s like to struggle with dissociative life complications?

What about a safe place to talk about trauma and healing?

Maybe the SGI experience is right for you.

 

Sometimes, a deep healing experience comes when you are sitting among a group of people who understand exactly what you’re talking about.  Sometimes you might want to be seen.  Or heard.  Not judged for being dissociative.  Not accused for switching.  Not dismissed for being a trauma survivor.  Sometimes, getting the feedback from others who have been there is worth its weight in gold.

That’s the point of the SGI.

 

The SGI group setting was new last year, and it was such a powerful resource that yep, we, we did it again.  Recently, we had another SGI — shortened for Small Group Intensive — our unique term for an especially unique group experience for dissociative trauma survivors.

SGI’s are now one of my favorite type of group event.  

SGI’s are for a small group — approximately 6-8 attendees.  We have some fun, of course, but the main all-week focus is on addressing specific healing issues related for folks with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID).

In our group discussions, both casual and scheduled discussions,  we talk about anything pertinent to the SGI attendees.  The deck-chats were probably as important as the group chats!

For the schedule group meetings, each attendee-system brings their own topic or question with them, and at their designated group time, their specific topic is the focus of the conversation.  For example:

• Grief, loss, pain, heartbreak, sadness
• Personal struggles, and potential problem solving strategies
• System work: addressing questions about specific insiders
• System work: how to connect with insiders who have been difficult to understand
• System work: approaching conflicts within the DID system
• System work: offering opportunities for various members of the system to talk openly
• Trauma issues, telling life stories, and sharing where people will understand 

These topics are planned ahead of time, and group attendees design their own unique area of focus. We sit together in a comfy, cozy room, and talk as long as we wanna talk.

 

SGI Activities

Personal Talking Time

At SGI’s, we mostly do a lot of talking, and processing, and listening, and discussing in the small group setting, but this year, we added some extra spots on the schedule for individual talking time.  The SGI attendees wanted to work a little harder, (seriously??!!) so I met privately with each person on several different occasions throughout the week.  This was great as it gave me time to get to know each system a little better anyway.

In addition to these individual talking times, each attendee was given personalized ideas for writing assignments, or for clay work, or for art projects, or skit themes.  

For some people, our individual talking time was over a pool table or a foosball table!  Yep!  You read that right.  A table football game can be a great place for talking, especially when there are big feelings to express.

Ever done anger work at a foosball table?   It’s a new thing!  It’s fantastic!  There’s all kinds of angry expressions that can come out while having a vigorous game of foosball!  The more creative you get in how to work that foosball game, the better.

Plus, while playing foosball, each player can stand, and bounce, and stomp around.  Even jump or walk back and forth or smack

the table.  The natural energy that happens while playing foosball allows for plenty of physical activity and loud noise.  Imagine how easy it becomes to then release a good dose of anger in a safe, productive way.

Inviting a variety of system insiders to have some foos-time lets a lot of folks give a good loud bang with their words !  

Of course we used the clay board as well.  Classic clay work — it’s an event staple around here.

Outdoor clay board activities can be a little bit restricted by weather, but having a good clay board setting is still part of the specifics in finding locations for these events.  It is important to make sure we have the space and privacy to do clay work.  Again, having the opportunity to get physically active while expressing big emotions can be very helpful for healing.

 

Time for Fun! 

Oh, but this year at SGI ’25, we also added in a whole new layer of fun.

Yep, this year, at SGI ’25, we had a swimming pool! 

Not only was this a fun place to play, it was also yet another important conversation center.  The pool became a comfortable place to talk, to share stories, and to learn new skills.  One of our attendees learned how to float!  Another attendee used the pool to do some healing work.  Most of the attendees just had fun.  Of course, the kids came out to play, and we had some little boats and floaty noodles too.  The pool was a great place to relax and unwind after doing other intense healing work.  Letting the body move, and stretch, and safely use some muscles was helpful.

We also had another kind of pool.  We had a pool table for fun as well.  

Yep, a normal sized pool table where we could just relax, and play, and have some giggles.  OH, and the stories that came out around the pool table!  We had all kinds of different conversations when we were at the SGI house.  🙂 

 

Time for Art!

We also had a designated art room.  This venue was awesome!   We really had lots of unique spaces for all the good things.

In our art room, we had table space for drawing, for coloring, for collage work.  We had a big selection of art supplies to use for whatever creative project folks wanted to make.

The art room was a helpful place for attendees to go while Kathy was doing individual work with someone else.  The art room became a quiet space to journal or create.  The art room was a little bit away from the other areas, so sitting here let folks go a little more into their own personal worlds.

 

Time for Reflection

The Puzzle Table.   Because these small group intensives are part of Discussing Dissociation, of course there are going to be puzzles!  Every event we have has a puzzle, or puzzles, or puzzle activities of some format.

At this SGI, we had a designated table for our avid puzzlers.  While waiting for group to start, or chilling before dinner, or just needing some time to zone out, the puzzle table was a busy place.  I think they put together 3 or 4 puzzles this week!

And of course, the puzzle table is one of the best places for natural, easy conversations to happen.  The intention of a puzzle table is to create a space exactly for that.

 

Outdoor areas.  One of the cool features of this particular location was the interesting walking paths that filled the side yard.  

Anyone could walk around whenever they needed some personal time to think, or breathe, or process.   Plus it was a great way to walk to the water and have a look at the lake.  

Wanna feel peaceful  and think for a bit by the water?  This was the place to go.

We really did address some important personal healing issues.  That stuff is hard work!  Each SGI attendee worked on some very difficult topics.   So… to balance all the internal work that was happening, having plenty of personal space is important.

House Mom and Experiencing Caring through Good Food

For anyone who has attended an event with House Mom in the kitchen, y’all know that she is going to provide meal after meal after meal of something yummy to eat.  And if you don’t like one thing, she’s got 10 other options you can pick from.  

And… if you are hungry between the meals provided, there will always be a large variety of snacks sitting around somewhere.   Plus, you are of course, welcome to bring your own special foods, just in case we don’t have the specifics of what you need.

The quality, variety, and tastiness of the food has become a very special feature of the events hosted by Discussing Dissociation.  

Sooo many trauma survivors have been hurt, neglected, deprived, or traumatized with food, or the lack thereof.  Because of the very sensitive and pervasive nature of food trauma, it’s been very important that whatever is offered from the SGI kitchen is something above average. House Mom rocks that cooking job, and she serves with the biggest smile, and the kindest heart.  

And you know what?  House Mom actually cares about the gals who attend these events!  She takes time to listen, and she talks to each and every attendee.  She has personal conversations with anyone who wants to chat, and she builds her own healthy relationship with folks.

On top of adding that personal touch with a personal relationship, House Mom is happy to create a menu that works for specific purposes. This year, she made someone’s favorite kind of cake for their special day of celebration. She also made their favorite potatoes, lol. Maybe the cake was better.  Not sure.  Those double-stuffed potatoes were awesome too.

For SGI ’25, House Mom contributed various homemade quilts, her very own homemade quilts, for gals to use for their bedding.  This was a personal touch, but also, became a fun and friendly way to address a trigger situation.  Some folks recognized their favorite quilt from the P4 ’24 retreat!  It’s becoming a pattern to share those awesome heart-warming items.

And….

Best House Mom Ever!

We’re really grateful for everything that House Mom does to make these weeks go well.
At SGI ’25, we took the time to specifically thank House Mom with the perfect t-shirt and a few little pretties that she can enjoy.  We signed a Thank You card and gave her some rounds of cheers and applause.  She kinda melts with that kind of attention, but you know, we want her to know she’s important to us.

House Mom works so very diligently to make these events go smoothly, and her very presence gives a whole different perspective to what a good mother can do.  She teaches by her own example, and naturally provides those corrective emotional experiences by being that kind, gentle, accepting, positive mother-figure.  Healing happens, just being in the kitchen with her!

We absolutely appreciate her.  She really is the Best House Mom Ever! 

 

 

SGI — an Option for You?

Oh, I really do like the SGI format.

It is an awesome week, full of healing intensity, but also a lot of fun and casual conversation.  As much healing can happen during free time as what happens during the structured activities.  We get to step away from the busy world out there and just focus on personal time.  The location is always a peaceful place, and everyone comes ready to work.

Of course, various insiders are welcome to participate in the SGI week.  Switching happens, and kids get a bit of time too.

We very much tailor the topics and activities around the issues the attendees bring as their preferred topic.  Our group talks, group skits, and individual session times are all geared around each person’s (each system’s) healing place.

There really is no other place like an SGI for dissociative systems!

 

Will we be having more of SGI’s?  

OH, absolutely! 

Do you want to be on a waiting list for more information?  Send in your contact details HERE.

The previous SGI’s have been designed specifically for DDCF forum members.  If you’re interested in participating in an SGI week, I encourage you to join in with our DID forum community and start there.  This is the best option, and the quickest way to join in with the next event we plan together.

There is also a second option.  Do you have a group of your own or can you gather up 6-8 women who are ready to address their trauma issues?  We can tailor-make an SGI experience, just for you.  Gather up your group of friends and let’s design your SGI to match your personal preferences.

If you are interested in attending a future SGI, please contact us for more information.

Maybe I’ll see you soon!

 

In the meantime…

I wish you the very best in your healing journey.

Warmly,

Kathy

 

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