Healing My Parts: Real Talk on Dissociative Identity Disorder and Complex Trauma

Healing My Parts
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Real talk on Dissociative Identity Disorder and complex trauma—grounded in lived experience and clinical insight. Hosted by a therapist who lives with DID, Healing My Parts explores the complexities of life as a system, from trauma recovery to everyday realities. Through raw conversations, practical tools, and powerful guest interviews, this podcast empowers those living with DID, OSDD, and other dissociative disorders—as well as the professionals, friends, and family who support them. Together, we break stigma, celebrate system strengths, and shed light on one of the most misunderstood areas of mental health. healingmyparts.substack.com

  1. Polyfragmentation and Coming Back to the Body

    2D AGO

    Polyfragmentation and Coming Back to the Body

    Episode Show Notes Healing My Parts Podcast — with Body Wise: Many Selves, One Body This episode sits inside the lived reality of DID—specifically polyfragmentation—and what healing looks like when the body becomes part of the work, not just the story. We’re joined by Body Wise: Many Selves, One Body, a polyfragmented system and somatic trauma therapist, who shares openly about system discovery, co-consciousness, and the slow, often non-linear process of building safety in the body. There’s honesty here about how hard this work is.And also… a grounded kind of hope. In This Episode * What polyfragmentation can actually look like from the inside * Discovering DID suddenly—and skipping denial * Living as a co-conscious system (and holding a lot of memory) * Why somatic work can feel terrifying—and still be essential * How healing often happens in very small, tolerable steps * Trusting the internal intelligence of the system * What helps (and what doesn’t) in therapy for complex systems Timestamps 00:00 — Opening + podcast intention 01:18 — Meet the guest (polyfragmented system + therapist) 02:29 — Sudden DID discovery 05:01 — Understanding polyfragmentation + subsystems 07:28 — Co-consciousness and holding memory 11:33 — Why somatic work changed everything 17:22 — Healing slowly: building safety in the body 21:02 — Trusting your system’s internal guidance 33:04 — Somatic flashbacks + coping tools 43:49 — Rewriting trauma through the body For Listeners If your experience doesn’t match what you’ve seen elsewhere, remember: There isn’t one way to be a system.There isn’t one way to heal. Resources Connect with Body Wise Many Selves One Body on their Instagram: bodywise.manyselves.onebody Connect with them at their Natural Holistics Practice website. For more resources visit: healingmyparts.org Healing My Parts Substack @healingmyparts on Instagram Thank you for listening! 🩷🫶💜 Get full access to Healing My Parts at healingmyparts.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 23m
  2. The Biology of Survival with Dr. Frank Putnam

    MAR 19

    The Biology of Survival with Dr. Frank Putnam

    What happens when trauma doesn’t just shape memories — but reshapes the body itself? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Frank Putnam, one of the most influential researchers in the field of childhood trauma and dissociation. For more than four decades, Dr. Putnam has studied how early maltreatment affects development, health, and survival across the lifespan. His groundbreaking Female Growth and Development Study has followed survivors of childhood abuse for more than 35 years, revealing something profound: trauma doesn’t only affect the mind. It changes biology, aging, health, and even the next generation. Together we explore how dissociation develops in childhood, why trauma survivors often experience earlier physical illness, and what the science actually tells us about healing. This conversation bridges research, clinical care, and lived experience — offering a rare look at the long arc of trauma and the resilience of those who survive it. Key Moments 03:20 — How childhood trauma can accelerate biological aging09:45 — Dissociation as a survival strategy, not a disorder18:10 — The origins of the Female Growth and Development Study32:40 — The “tentacles” of trauma across physical health and development46:15 — What clinicians often misunderstand about dissociation58:30 — Why stabilizing daily life must come before trauma processing About Our Guest Frank W. Putnam, MD is a professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and one of the leading researchers on childhood trauma and dissociation. His newest book, Old Before Their Time: A Scientific Life Investigating How Maltreatment Harms Children and the Adults They Become, brings together decades of research on the lifelong impact of childhood abuse. Who This Episode Is For • Survivors navigating dissociation, DID, or complex trauma• Clinicians working with trauma and dissociative systems• Anyone interested in the intersection of science, trauma, and healing Resources 📘 Old Before Their Time — Dr. Frank Putnam 📩Contact Dr. Frank Putnam 🌀About Dr. Putnam 🌐 healingmyparts.org Get full access to Healing My Parts at healingmyparts.substack.com/subscribe

    59 min
  3. 🎙️ DID Is a Brilliant Adaptation-With Sally Maslansky, LMFT — author of A Brilliant Adaptation

    MAR 5

    🎙️ DID Is a Brilliant Adaptation-With Sally Maslansky, LMFT — author of A Brilliant Adaptation

    What if dissociative identity disorder is a brilliant, life-saving strategy? In this moving and grounded conversation, therapist and author Sally Maslansky shares her lived experience of DID and the therapeutic relationship that changed everything. Diagnosed in the 1990s (when it was still called MPD), Sally entered treatment during a cultural moment steeped in fear and shame. But her therapist, Dr. Dan Siegel, offered something radically different: Not “What’s wrong with you?”But “What did your mind do to survive?” From disorganized attachment to learned secure attachment.From fragmentation to fluidity.From terror without context to memory with meaning. ⏱ Timestamps 00:04 – Romania, terror, and the shock of not remembering childhoodAdoption awakens something she can’t ignore. 08:58 – The diagnosis in the 90sFrom “Am I crazy?” to “This is a brilliant adaptation.” 11:33 – Disorganized attachment: fear without solutionHow the brain fragments to survive. 14:37 – Parts as verbs, not nounsWhy dissociated states are processes — not separate people. 21:46 – What healing actually feels likeMemory intact. Suffering over. 33:55 – Implicit vs. explicit memory“If I’m hysterical, it’s historical.” If you’ve ever feared that healing means losing your parts, this episode offers another picture. Memory intact.Suffering over.Safety carried securely from the inside. Links & Resources Sally’s Website Sally’s Book A Brilliant Adaptation Sally at the Psychotherapy Networker Symposium March 20th Sally & Dr Dan Siegel Speaking March 11th The Wheel of Awareness Dr Dan Siegel’s Website Dr Ruth Lanius Website Dr. Bethany Brand’s Website HealingMyParts.org Get full access to Healing My Parts at healingmyparts.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 11m
  4. Cheryl Rainfield on Cult Torture, Programming, and Healing DID with Compassion

    FEB 19

    Cheryl Rainfield on Cult Torture, Programming, and Healing DID with Compassion

    In this deeply nuanced conversation, we’re joined by author and survivor Cheryl Rainfield to explore the realities of cult torture, dissociative identity, and the layered impact of organized abuse. We unpack what it means to reclaim the word torture, how cult-created programming functions inside dissociative systems, and how healing unfolds when compassion replaces fear. We explore: • Why some survivors reclaim the term cult torture• How programming operates — and how it can be gently dismantled• The distinction between cult-created parts and other trauma-based or persecutory parts• Subtle indicators that may suggest a history of organized abuse• Why relational repair, attachment, and emotional responsiveness matter profoundly in treatment• What therapists often misunderstand about working with survivors of organized abuse• How systems can begin building trust with cult created parts This conversation does not sensationalize. It names. It clarifies. And it holds hope. Cheryl speaks candidly about what survivors need most: to be believed, to be heard, and to be met with steady compassion. Whether you are a survivor, clinician, or someone seeking to better understand complex dissociation, we hope this episode offers clarity, validation, and thoughtful guidance. Time Stamps 00:00 – Introduction + reclaiming the term “cult torture”08:40 – What programming is and how it functions21:15 – Cult-created parts vs. persecutory/trauma parts36:20 – Subtle signs of organized abuse histories52:10 – What therapists need to understand1:06:30 – Modifying modalities (EMDR, grounding, attachment needs)1:20:45 – Community, writing, and reclaiming voice1:32:00 – Hope for survivors + practical next steps Content Note This episode discusses organized abuse, dissociation, and suicidality. Please listen at your own pace and care for yourself as needed. Connect with Cheryl CherylRainfield.com Cheryl’s Books Cheryl’s Social Media TikTok @Cherylrainfield Instagram @Cherylrainfield Facebook Cheryl Rainfield YouTube Cheryl.Rainfield Substack Cheryl Rainfield Cheryl’s Articles Some Signs and Symptoms of Cult Torture and How To Help: Article on cult torture and programming: Cheryl’s Links to Resources on Cult torture and DID Cheryl’s Recommended Books on cult torture/RAMCOA: Becoming Yourself by Alison Miller Healing The Unimaginable by Alison Miller Demystifying Mind Control & Ritual Abuse Safe Passage to Healing by Chrystine Oksana. Cheryl’s Recommended Websites: Survivorship.org ra-info.org ritualabuse.us endritualabuse.org grassroots-ra-mc-collective.org Get full access to Healing My Parts at healingmyparts.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 28m
  5. Business Boundaries & Being Plural with Cyndi Bennett

    JAN 29

    Business Boundaries & Being Plural with Cyndi Bennett

    In this episode, our guest, Cyndi Bennett, speaks publicly about their system for the first time and shares parts of their personal journey before turning toward their work supporting trauma survivors in professional spaces. We talk about business boundaries, nervous system capacity, internal consent, and what it means to navigate careers and leadership as a plural system. This conversation is for systems thinking about work, sustainability, and how to make decisions that honor more than one internal voice. ⏱️ Timestamps * 00:02:15 – Cyndi introduces themselves and their plural system * 00:06:45 – Building a coaching practice as a system * 00:14:20 – On boundaries, burnout, and protecting your bandwidth * 00:21:00 – Why coaching isn’t therapy (and why that matters) * 00:33:40 – Internal communication tips from Cyndi’s own parts * 00:42:55 – Reflections on authenticity, professionalism, and trust * 00:55:30 – Final thoughts: honoring all parts, including the messy ones Connect with Cyndi: https://www.cyndibennettconsulting.com Get full access to Healing My Parts at healingmyparts.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 15m
  6. Rethinking Crisis Support for DID & OSDD with Ryder Fox — Thrive Lifeline & Stronger U

    12/11/2025

    Rethinking Crisis Support for DID & OSDD with Ryder Fox — Thrive Lifeline & Stronger U

    Ryder Fox beckons us to step into deeply nuanced spaces with bravery and heart—to ensure that lives are not only saved, but poised to thrive. Today’s episode features a moving and deeply human conversation with Ryder Fox, founder of Stronger U and co-founder of Thrive Lifeline—a community-rooted, non-carceral crisis support organization prioritizing safety, consent, and agency for multiply-marginalized communities including DID/OSDD systems. Ryder invites us to rethink everything we’ve been taught about “safety,” crisis intervention, and care. They speak from a place few are willing—or able—to go: lived experience that includes extreme trauma, forced intervention, chronic illness, and surviving without language, housing, or community. Now, as a peer support trainer and advocate for plural systems, Ryder offers a path toward crisis response rooted in dignity, dimensionality, and real respect for autonomy. Together, we explore: * Why traditional crisis response often retraumatizes plural systems * The difference between “managing risk” and actually offering support * What it means to hold space for complexity instead of controlling it * How to train helpers to recognize plurality and internal experience * Why forced care often perpetuates the very harm it claims to prevent * What dimensionalized, relational care actually looks like This conversation isn’t easy—but it’s necessary. Ryder leads us there with clarity, fierce compassion, and an unwavering belief that we can—and must—do better. 💬 Whether you’re a DID/OSDD System, clinician, or supporter, —this episode is for anyone ready to reimagine what real crisis care can be. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Welcome & intro to Ryder Fox (Thrive Lifeline + Stronger U) 01:00 — Growing up marginalized & surviving extreme trauma 06:00 — Why crisis support systems continue to harm plural people 10:00 — How traditional responders misread DID/OSDD crises causing escalation 14:00 — Forced hospitalization: retraumatizing instead of protecting 18:00 — Carceral vs non-carceral crisis care: what the terms really mean 20:00 — What actually happens when a plural system contacts Thrive Lifeline 26:00 — Dimensionalizing care vs flattening a person to the crisis 33:00 — Systems as experts of their own survival 41:00 — Forced care and the mandate of silence 43:00 — “Keep the body breathing” vs honoring the actual human 44:00 — Stronger U Wellness: pathways for plural healing + clinician education 47:00 — How to connect with Stronger U (even when your brave window is tiny) 50:00 — From survival to thriving: relational pathways for plural systems Resources: Thrive Lifeline Non-carceral crisis, warmline, and group support, centering multiply marginalized communities. Fully grassroots. Built by and for community. Stronger U a liberatory wellness and education collective providing immersive, trauma-informed, and non-carceral services to organizations, private practices, individual practitioners, and survivors. Our mission is to co-create sustainable systems of care that uplift those who are most often excluded by traditional models—through strategic consulting, certification programs, coaching, and community-based programming. Book a Discovery Call Stronger Together Discord non-carceral discord server centering complex trauma survivors and multiply marginalized people TRANS Discord server non-carceral discord server for anyone of trans experience. Thrive Lifeline's Resources Stronger U Free Resources Get full access to Healing My Parts at healingmyparts.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 23m
  7. Curiosity, Collaboration & Plural Wisdom: A Conversation with Greg Nooney, MSW, LISW, LCSW

    11/18/2025

    Curiosity, Collaboration & Plural Wisdom: A Conversation with Greg Nooney, MSW, LISW, LCSW

    📣 Episode Summary In this rich and wide-ranging conversation, we sit down with social worker, author, and therapeutic guide Greg Nooney, MSW, LISW, LCSW—a deeply respected clinician with over 40 years in mental health and a specialty in working with people with dissociative identities. Greg’s gentle, curious presence and humility make this episode a grounding, refreshing listen for both therapists and systems alike. Together, we explore topics including: * How early experiences shaped Greg’s approach to DID care * Why curiosity over certainty is essential in system-informed therapy * The three C’s for system care * How clinicians can practice asking helpful—not harmful—questions * The impact of privilege and singular identity in treatment * Thoughts on IFS, integration, and why fusion is not the “only path.” * Creative stories from the inner world (yes, including fixing windows 🪟😄) * Tips for therapists new to working with DID or OSDD Greg also shares his latest book project geared toward people with lived experience—and invites listeners to help shape early drafts. There’s an opportunity in here for *yous*! ⏱️ Time Stamps * 00:00 – Welcome & Introduction * 01:00 – Meet Greg: His 40-year journey in mental health * 05:00 – Trauma in the 80s & 90s: * 13:00 – Outsider vs. Insider Knowledge & Naming Privilege * 22:30 – The Single Identity Bias in Mental Health * 29:00 – IFS, DID, and the Problem with Assuming a Core Self * 32:00 – Parts vs Alters: Helping therapists navigate the difference * 39:00 – Plural Resources and the 3 C’s * 50:00 – Inner World as a Real World: Its Healing Power * 55:00 – Caring for Littles and Internal Attachment Work * 01:00:00 – Greg’s Books + New Harbinger Project * 01:03:00 – Community Q&A Zoom on November 24th * 01:04:00 – Final reflections & where to find Greg’s resources 📚 Resources Mentioned * Connect with Greg at https://www.gregnooney.com/ * 📘 Diagnosing and Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder: A Guide for Social Workers and All Frontline Staff – [NASW Press] * 📘 An Introductory Clinical Guide to Dissociative Identity Disorder: Best Practices for Working with Multiplicity – [PESI Publishing] * 🧠 Upcoming Self-Help Book – Interested in reviewing early chapters?➡️ Email Greg directly at gregnooney@gmail.com(Please do not redistribute unpublished content.) * 💻 Join Greg’s upcoming Community Conversation on DID🗓️ November 24th One hour discussion on plural identities | $15 for therapists | FREE for lived experience with code: LIVED100🔗 Register Here * 📝 Download Greg’s DID Dimensional Scales, Categorical Model & 10 Aspirations🔗 Available free in the episode notes on healingmyparts.substack.com 🎧 Listen & Share If this episode speaks to you: * ❤️ Share it with a system friend or your therapist * 📢 Tag us on Instagram @healingmyparts as you listen * 🧠 Subscribe on Substack for more tools, blogs, and stories at healingmyparts.substack.com * 🌙 For consults, services or training requests, visit healingmyparts.org services page Thank you for listening! 🩷🫶💜 Get full access to Healing My Parts at healingmyparts.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 5m
  8. Embodying Affirmation: Therapy, Advocacy, and Radical Love with Karla Fleshman, LCSW, MDiv

    11/10/2025

    Embodying Affirmation: Therapy, Advocacy, and Radical Love with Karla Fleshman, LCSW, MDiv

    In this heart-shaking, wisdom-soaked episode, we’re joined by the incomparable Karla Fleshman (they/she) — a licensed clinical social worker, EMDR therapist, irreverent reverend, published author, and breast cancer survivor thriving in community. What unfolds is part interview, part sermon, part love letter to queer and dissociative youth — and a fierce call to action for therapists, schools, and adults everywhere. We explore: * Karla’s cancer diagnosis and system discovery anniversary * Their journey through severe school bullying, trauma, and survival as a queer teen * How dissociation shows up as a somatic, adaptive response to systemic harm * A powerful reading of their poem “Who Was Nex? Who Is Nex.T?” honoring Nex Benedict and queer youth lost to violence ⚠️ *Content note: The poem addresses bullying, suicide, and trauma.* * What it means to create healing community inside and outside the therapy room * Why clinicians must break from rigid models to truly welcome all parts * How healing happens when we slow down, get real, and stop trying to do therapy “perfectly” Whether you’re a clinician seeking to be more affirming, a system navigating complex trauma, or someone longing to be reminded that healing is possible — this episode is for you. 00:00 – Opening + Guest Introduction08:43 – Discovering They Were a System13:10 – Bullying, Survival, and Dissociation31:31 – Poem: Who Was Nex? ⚠️ *Content note: The poem addresses bullying, suicide, and trauma.*38:47 – Queering EMDR + Therapist Clarity49:29 – Community, Not Just Clinicians1:08:40 – Closing Reflections 🔗 Connect with Karla Fleshman * Transitions Delaware * Be The One Campaign * Queering EMDR Therapy Book * “Who Was Nex?” Poem + Journal Article 🛠 LGBTQ+ & Plurality Resources Youth Support & Education: * GLSEN * Welcoming Schools * Rainbow Book Lists * PFLAG For LGBTQ+ Elders: * LGBT Aging Center Crisis Lines: * Thrive Lifeline * The Trevor Project * Trans Lifeline Legal, Medical, and Community Support: * Point of Pride * Trans Equality Legal Network * Transgender Law Center * FOLX Health * WPATH 💥 Are you a System or Therapist looking for more? Visit HealingMyParts.org — a hub for professional consults, trainings as well as system-led groups, unapologetic blog posts, and merch with a pulse.Built by a therapist living with DID and 25+ years of experience in the field. Whether you’re a therapist seeking advanced trainings or a system craving a community — you’re welcome here. 🩷🫶💜 Visit us on Substack at healingmyparts.substack.com Visit us on Instagram for bite sized healing nuggets @HealingMyParts Get full access to Healing My Parts at healingmyparts.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 16m
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About

Real talk on Dissociative Identity Disorder and complex trauma—grounded in lived experience and clinical insight. Hosted by a therapist who lives with DID, Healing My Parts explores the complexities of life as a system, from trauma recovery to everyday realities. Through raw conversations, practical tools, and powerful guest interviews, this podcast empowers those living with DID, OSDD, and other dissociative disorders—as well as the professionals, friends, and family who support them. Together, we break stigma, celebrate system strengths, and shed light on one of the most misunderstood areas of mental health. healingmyparts.substack.com

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