When I was in graduate school, Dissociative Identity Disorder was briefly mentioned on a single lecture slide. At the time, it was still referred to as Multiple Personality Disorder. Beneath the diagnosis was a simple recommendation: "Refer out."
Like many therapists, I graduated knowing this was considered one of the most complex mental health conditions, but with little understanding of what it actually looked like in the therapy room or how to help someone living with it.
Everything changed when I began working with a client who had already been diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. I wanted to provide competent, ethical care, but quickly discovered how difficult it was to find practical, current, trauma-informed resources. Much of the available information felt outdated, overly theoretical, or offered little guidance for the realities of clinical practice.
So I did what many therapists do when they care deeply about their clients. I immersed myself in the research. I studied the neuroscience of trauma and dissociation, attachment theory, structural dissociation, EMDR, somatic therapies, and the work of leading experts in the field. Most importantly, I learned from the therapeutic process itself while remaining committed to consultation, supervision, and practicing within my scope of competence.
I wrote Split by Trauma because I wanted to create the resource I wish I had when I sat with that first client.
Rather than offering quick fixes or rigid protocols, this book focuses on the clinical stance required to safely work with complex dissociation. It explores why dissociation develops as an adaptive response to overwhelming trauma, how parts function to protect the individual, and how healing occurs through safety, pacing, and relationship.
Inside this book, you'll discover:
- A developmentally informed understanding of dissociation, parts, and Dissociative Identity Disorder
- The neurobiology of trauma, fragmentation, and integration
- Practical guidance for establishing safety, stabilization, and appropriate pacing
- Ethical adaptations of EMDR and somatic approaches for dissociative systems
- Clinical insight into attachment wounds, shame, protector parts, and therapeutic challenges
- The importance of therapist regulation, consultation, and recognizing the limits of competence
This is not a beginner's introduction to trauma, nor is it a technique manual. It is written for clinicians who already understand trauma fundamentals and want greater confidence, clarity, and compassion when working with dissociative clients.
Healing does not happen because therapists rush toward integration or attempt to fix people. It happens when we create enough safety for every part of a person's experience to be acknowledged with curiosity, respect, and patience.
My hope is that this book helps therapists feel less intimidated by dissociation, more grounded in their clinical decision-making, and better equipped to walk alongside clients on their path toward healing.
