Trauma survivors with Dissociative Identity Disorder can see an internal world. Step back, turn around an look inside - it will be there. What happens if you have looked inside and all you see is a lot of darkness, or desolation, and not so many people with welcome arms? First of all, think about what internal darkness means to you as an individual. There are a variety of … [Read more...]
Using the Internal Landscape to Increase Internal Communication
Trauma survivors with Dissociative Identity Disorder have an internal world – an internal landscape that is visible, tangible, and very real for the different internal parts. No one on the outside can see this internal world – it is within the mind of the DID person and it belongs totally and completely to them. Many times, this internal landscape is an internalized replica of what happened in the outside … [Read more...]
Integration: A Requirement for DID Therapy – Or Not?
I am well aware that many trauma therapists are highly supportive of the treatment goal to integrate dissociative selves. I have a different approach to this topic. Please understand I am not at all opposed to the idea of integration if that is what the person wants. However, that is a very complicated topic, and I'll discuss the integration issue from that perspective at another time. In my experience, by … [Read more...]
50 Treatment Issues for Dissociative Identity Disorder
"I have DID. How long will it take for someone with Dissociative Identity Disorder to feel better?" As a clinical therapist, I hear that question frequently. It's a reasonable question. I certainly understand that when dissociative trauma survivors are deeply hurting and struggling in their life, they want to feel better as quickly as possible. However, the clinical treatment for someone with Dissociative … [Read more...]
Understanding Dissociative Identity Disorder – From Separated Splitting to Safe Solidity
Do you feel like you can be very different people? Do you have trouble remembering what happened through your week? Do you have minimal memories of your childhood? Do you feel a lot of conflict within yourself, and have unexplainable extremes in your behavior, thoughts, or attitudes? Do you have conversations in your head, and do the voices in your … [Read more...]