System Speak: Dissociative Identity Disorder ( Multiple Personality Disorder ), Complex Trauma , and Dissociation Emma Sunshaw

Our guest today is clinical psychologist Ken Benau. He explains “relational trauma”, and why most people are not even aware of this trauma. He talks about shame and “pro-being pride”, and how they are conscious or not, and what makes each maladaptive or adaptive.

Our guest this week is Richard Schwartz, PhD, who developed the treatment model of Internal Family Systems. He explains that everyone is born “Multiple” and that “all parts are good”. He gives the history of developing the model and examples of how it works. Trigger warning for doorbell alert in background noise we were unable to edit out. There is also reference to working with a suicidal part, without any graphic details.

We talk with Peter Barach, PhD, about our clinical experiences of the transition to telehealth because of COVID. He shares about the importance of eye contact in stopping flashbacks. We share about trying to cope with quarantine as a new trauma without creating a new alter. We discuss trauma triggers experienced in quarantine, including physiological responses on the PolyVagal ladder. Examples given include reference to war zones, entrapment, and foster care. Dr. Barach reviews several basic coping skills and relaxation techniques. We talk about resources like EMDR apps and interventions that support people while we wait for in person sessions resume.

Dr. E shares about a book she discovered through a class with the ISSTD. She explores what she has learned about Charcot, Janet, and Freud. She gives the historical context of their rivalry, and how that later connected to research with veterans who had endured combat. She tells how the book explains the women’s movement as the catalyst in connecting the two, so that trauma could finally be openly discussed - much less treated. Trigger warning for mention of abuse, incest, and war experiences, but no disclosures or details given.

We welcome back Christine Forner, to share after the virtual ISSTD conference. She talks about the “Cascade of Defense”. She explains Active and Inactive Defenses. She gives feminist context to survivor experiences and treatment.

We interview Dr. Laura Brown about her journey treating complex trauma. She shares about the history of believing women’s stories when others did not. She also explains why she does not use “disorder” with dissociative identities. She also shares her experience with keeping a therapy dog in her office. Trigger warning for mention of trauma cases and a variety of abuses, but no in depth discussion of specifics and no details disclosed.