To what extent a person dissociates varies. Finding out where on the continuum you are is important. People dissociate to keep themselves safe physically, mentally and emotionally. This can become unsafe to do and the very thing that helped you survive can get in your way of living.
Psychologist, PhD Clinical Psychology, Masters in Marriage Family Therapy
There are few clinicians skilled in the treatment of these complex disorders. Dr Roberts has many years of experience working with the traumatic fallout of complex trauma. He has specialist training in dissociative identity disorder and structural dissociation.
These disorders are caused by trauma and are a natural mechanism to deal with trauma: somatic therapies support the processing of the trauma, which is held in the body and can be discharged, such that one does not dissociate in the future.
Dissociative disorders result from adaptation to emotionally or physically painful circumstances beyond the control of the patient. Finding and resolving the feelings avoided through dissociation restores the availability of normal feelings. Internal family therapy treatment is particularly helpful in this area.
Dissociative Disorders can be very difficult to live with and can be complicated to unwind in the therapeutic process. However, I have a great deal of professional experience with Dissociation. These states of mind are often rooted in traumatic situations or abuse. They range from mild to severe on the spectrum and there are many forms of dissociative disorders including DID. All of the forms can be treated with a variety of approaches including Somatic Therapy, Trauma Therapy, and EMDR.