Dissociation Made Simple: A Stigma-Free Guide to Embracing Your Dissociative Mind and Navigating Daily Life

An Infinite Mind and The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) are continuously running trainings and making resources available. In 2021 my own company, The Institute for Creative Mindfulness, launched a special certificate program in dissociative studies for EMDR Therapists, and we hope at some point to expand thi

To heal is to touch with love that which we previously touched with fear. —Stephen Levine

If working with movement, consider this practice: If one part’s message could be expressed in a movement or a gesture, what would that be? Then notice: If the other part’s message could be expressed in a movement or a gesture, what would that gesture be? Spend a few minutes going back and forth between the movements/gestures and see what naturally

Basic Dissociative Profile Take out some paper or open up a word processing program on your computer. Make two columns. Title the left-hand column “My Dissociative Tendencies,” and title the right-hand column, “What Helps Me Return to the Present Moment.” Take as much time as you need to make a list of the ways in which you tend to dissociate or se

Expressive Arts Practice: The Parts Mapping Exercise Remember that you do not have to qualify for a dissociative disorder or any mental health issue to identify, name, and map your parts. Even the words you choose, as evidenced by some of the contributor insights in this chapter, are variable. Instead of parts you may elect to use the words selves,

The key to trauma-informing anything is that you can always modify the language and if you are working with a professional, it’s important that they understand that language may very much matter to you.

Introject parts, based on a term from Gestalt therapy, can refer to parts that are intruding with the process of the core self or the entire system, and sometimes seem to align with a perpetrator or an abusive figure.

Parts is a general term used in the psychological and helping professions that can refer to many different things. I see it as the most generic term possible that can be used to describe aspects, sides, or facets of self that do not necessarily represent the presence of another ego state. Some people even conceptualize their parts as the various ro

Another variation you can use for this exercise that can be powerful, especially if you identify as having a system or working with different aspects of yourself, is to allow each member of the system or part to make their own playlist.