So why is it so hard to stop self-injury? I mean, there are pages and pages of good distraction techniques out there in the world. Fifty really good ideas were mentioned in previous blog posts. Shouldn't that be enough to make it stop? For many people, it is not. Why is it so very very difficult to change self-destructive behavior? Why do people hurt themselves? "Why can't I stop hurting myself?" I've been … [Read more...]
The Therapeutic Value of Play vs. Play Deprivation
Do you have DID kids or DID teenagers or DID adults who have difficulty in knowing how to play? Do you have insiders who are violent or mean to others? We all know that exposure to violence and trauma adds to these problems, but it can be more than just that. Children who are repeated neglected and abused typically do not have enough fun and playtime in their everyday life. Instead of having a great time … [Read more...]
The Therapeutic Value of Writing
Therapeutic Value of Writing Writing is both very healing and very therapeutic. Writing - or journaling - is an important part of processing difficult emotions, complicated situations, and complex layers of life’s experiences. Writing is a way to process trauma, and can be another way to tell without telling. It is a way to explore your experiences, a way to figure out what you think, a time to … [Read more...]
20 Types of Dissociative Splits
It always amazes me when dissociative trauma survivors tell me that after they've met three or four of their inside alters (or maybe even a few more than that, but not many), that they think they've met everyone in their system. They think they don't have that many dissociative splits in their DID system, or they think that they are "done" meeting their insiders. That never makes sense to me. Oh, I … [Read more...]
Life-Changing Heartbreak Hurts
Something about heartbreak totally changes a person. Repeated heartbreak. Changes your life. I’m not sure I can put words to it yet, but I know it happens. Depression. Sadness. Loss. Grief. Pain. It consumes your thoughts, your mind, your time. What hurts the most? Abandonment? Abuse? Neglect? Betrayal? Dishonesty? Physical pain? Sexual trauma? Aloneness? I … [Read more...]