A Couple of Multiples: The Reality of Living with Dissociative Identity Disorder

In this legendary season one finale episode, Drew & Garden System discuss boundaries with friends, family, and within the therapeutic relationship.  They talk about how they created a chosen community of friends and family and what is like to unmask through disclosure, including the thought processes around deciding if and when to disclose a diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder.

References:
Drew & Garden System discussed the use of therapeutic touch in therapy with clients that have a history of sexual trauma and a diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder. Here is an article discussed: https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/touch-in-therapy-helpful-or-harmful-one-therapists-perspective-0629175

The short film, Petals of a Rose is a great way to teach friends and family about DID. You can watch the 15 minute film here:  https://www.dylancrumpler.com/petals-of-a-rose

Follow us on Instagram: @acoupleofmultiples, @note_to_selves, @seidi_gardensystem, @mindfulmultiplicityinstitute

Follow us on TikTok: @seidi_gardensystem, @note_to_selves

Follow us on Facebook: A Couple of Multiples - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556823127239 

Visit our website: acoupleofmultiples.com to sign up for our mailing list, join our private, on-line community Hearts Multiplied, register for peer coaching, consultations, and workshops!

This podcast is for education and sharing experiences. It is not therapy, medical advice, or a substitute for individualized care from a qualified professional. The experiences and perspectives shared here may not reflect those of every system. Guest views are their own. Listening does not establish a therapeutic relationship.

This episode discusses trauma, dissociation, and therapy. Please listen at your own pace and pause or step away whenever you need to.

And most importantly: remember that every system is different. What works for one may not work for another—and that’s okay. Your journey is valid, your healing is real, and we’re so glad you’re hanging out with A Couple of Multiples.

Articles cited in Seasons 4 & 5:

Brand, B. L., Sar, V., Stavropoulos, P., Krüger, C., Korzekwa, M., Martínez-Taboas, A., & Middleton, W. (2016). Separating Fact from Fiction: An Empirical Examination of S...

Drew & Garden System share their experiences with various healing modalities for the trauma that led to dissociative identity disorder, including: music & music therapy, drumming, sound healing, yoga, meditation & visualization, EFT Tapping, anger wall, and the quantum energy wellness bed.

Articles on Sound & Music:
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_music_bonds_us_together

https://www.soundtravels.co.uk/a-Sound_Therapy_and_the_Vagus_Nerve-3617.aspx

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/music-synchronizes-the-brains-of-performers-and-their-audience/

https://www.themusiciansbrain.com/making-music-together-syncs-brains/

Website for Quantum Energy Wellness Bed

https://quantumwellnessus.com/quantum-energy-wellness-bed

Our website

https://www.acoupleofmultiples.com/

Follow us on Instagram: @acoupleofmultiples, @note_to_selves, @seidi_gardensystem, @mindfulmultiplicityinstitute

Follow us on TikTok: @seidi_gardensystem, @note_to_selves

Follow us on Facebook: A Couple of Multiples - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556823127239 

Visit our website: acoupleofmultiples.com to sign up for our mailing list, join our private, on-line community Hearts Multiplied, register for peer coaching, consultations, and workshops!

This podcast is for education and sharing experiences. It is not therapy, medical advice, or a substitute for individualized care from a qualified professional. The experiences and perspectives shared here may not reflect those of every system. Guest views are their own. Listening does not establish a therapeutic relationship.

This episode discusses trauma, dissociation, and therapy. Please listen at your own pace and pause or step away whenever you need to.

And most importantly: remember that every system is different. What works for one may not work for another—and that’s okay. Your journey is valid, your healing is real, and we’re so glad you’re hanging out with A Couple of Multiples.

Articles cited in Seasons 4 & 5:

Brand, B. L., Sar, V., Stavropoulos, P., Krüger, C., Korzekwa, M., Martínez-Taboas, A., & Middleton, W. (2016). Separating Fact from Fiction: An Empirical Examination of S...

Art is one of the many healing modalities used for trauma processing. Megs from Brushstrokes & Imagination helps us to understand how having DID influences her art and creative processes. Megs is an incredible self-taught artist with minimal formal training. Artworks was one of their earliest escapes. They have continued to cultivate and express themselves since childhood. They are inspired by nature, and the bold dash of color. They were also very influenced by emotion and the unseen challenges of their mental health.

They began by studying their own childhood photos. While looking at the photographs, they are reminded of the location the photo was originally taken. They're reminded of the smells & voices echoing in their mind. As they begin to paint, they're processing the feelings that emerge. In the photos they see the younger versions of themselves and how they were taught to feel versus how they truly felt. They illuminate the tiniest of details & darkness without light. As they're painting from these photos they are able to rewrite the narrative. They are able to reconnect with all parts of themselves.

@Brushstrokes_Imagination
@acoupleofmultiples
@note_to_selves
@seidi_gardensystem

acoupleofmultiples.com

Follow us on Instagram: @acoupleofmultiples, @note_to_selves, @seidi_gardensystem, @mindfulmultiplicityinstitute

Follow us on TikTok: @seidi_gardensystem, @note_to_selves

Follow us on Facebook: A Couple of Multiples - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556823127239 

Visit our website: acoupleofmultiples.com to sign up for our mailing list, join our private, on-line community Hearts Multiplied, register for peer coaching, consultations, and workshops!

This podcast is for education and sharing experiences. It is not therapy, medical advice, or a substitute for individualized care from a qualified professional. The experiences and perspectives shared here may not reflect those of every system. Guest views are their own. Listening does not establish a therapeutic relationship.

This episode discusses trauma, dissociation, and therapy. Please listen at your own pace and pause or step away whenever you need to.

And most importantly: remember that every system is different. What works for one may not work for another—and that’s okay. Your journey is valid, your healing is real, and we’re so glad you’re hanging out with A Couple of Multiples.

Articles cited in Seasons 4 & 5:

Brand, B. L., Sar, V., Stavropoulos, P., Krüger, C., Korzekwa, M., Martínez-Taboas, A., & Middleton, W. (2016). Separating Fact from Fiction: An Empirical Examination of S...

Drew and Garden System share a multitude of research-based and some out-of-the-box healing interventions that they have used in their trauma recovery. Topics include CBT, grounding, handling self-harm urges, writing, play therapy, sand tray therapy, equine therapy, and EMDR.

Follow us on Instagram: @acoupleofmultiples, @note_to_selves, @seidi_gardensystem, @mindfulmultiplicityinstitute

Follow us on TikTok: @seidi_gardensystem, @note_to_selves

Follow us on Facebook: A Couple of Multiples - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556823127239 

Visit our website: acoupleofmultiples.com to sign up for our mailing list, join our private, on-line community Hearts Multiplied, register for peer coaching, consultations, and workshops!

This podcast is for education and sharing experiences. It is not therapy, medical advice, or a substitute for individualized care from a qualified professional. The experiences and perspectives shared here may not reflect those of every system. Guest views are their own. Listening does not establish a therapeutic relationship.

This episode discusses trauma, dissociation, and therapy. Please listen at your own pace and pause or step away whenever you need to.

And most importantly: remember that every system is different. What works for one may not work for another—and that’s okay. Your journey is valid, your healing is real, and we’re so glad you’re hanging out with A Couple of Multiples.

Articles cited in Seasons 4 & 5:

Brand, B. L., Sar, V., Stavropoulos, P., Krüger, C., Korzekwa, M., Martínez-Taboas, A., & Middleton, W. (2016). Separating Fact from Fiction: An Empirical Examination of S...

Drew & Garden System have a chat with Dylan & Holly Crumpler about the portrayal of Dissociative Identity Disorder in Hollywood films. Dylan & Holly discuss the diagnostic journey, how the film Petals of a Rose came to be, their upcoming projects to help reduce stigma, and their hopes for the future.

Holly and Dylan Crumpler are a mother-son team of passionate activists working to reduce the stigma associated with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Given that DID has historically been depicted in an inaccurate, sensationalized, and violent way in film and television, Dylan created his senior thesis film, Petals of a Rose, at Chapman University to realistically depict a day in the life of a woman with DID. He co-wrote the screenplay with his mother, Holly, who was diagnosed with DID in 2018 at the age of 51.

Holly is a retired Tax Partner at Deloitte, an international public accounting firm, where she worked for 25 years consulting with corporations regarding their global compensation and benefit programs. Dylan is an independent filmmaker and 2022 graduate of Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film Production with an emphasis in Directing and a Themed Inquiry in Leadership.

Petals of a Rose has received international acclaim, with Dylan and Holly sharing the film at numerous mental health conferences and educational events. The film is being used by clinicians in training sessions, college courses, and therapeutic settings. The film’s subtitles are available in twelve languages.

Following is the link where you can watch the 15 minute film and learn more about its impact:  https://www.dylancrumpler.com/petals-of-a-rose

Please consider rating and reviewing Petals of a Rose on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19715926

Dylan and Holly are now developing a documentary exploring the impact of misrepresentation of DID in film and television, and also a longer film/series expanding on the story of their short film’s protagonist, Rose.

Follow us on Instagram: @acoupleofmultiples, @note_to_selves, @seidi_gardensystem, @mindfulmultiplicityinstitute

Follow us on TikTok: @seidi_gardensystem, @note_to_selves

Follow us on Facebook: A Couple of Multiples - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556823127239 

Visit our website: acoupleofmultiples.com to sign up for our mailing list, join our private, on-line community Hearts Multiplied, register for peer coaching, consultations, and workshops!

This podcast is for education and sharing experiences. It is not therapy, medical advice, or a substitute for individualized care from a qualified professional. The experiences and perspectives shared here may not reflect those of every system. Guest views are their own. Listening does not establish a therapeutic relationship.

This episode discusses trauma, dissociation, and therapy. Please listen at your own pace and pause or step away whenever you need to.

And most importantly: remember that every system is different. What works for one may not work for another—and that’s okay. Your journey is valid, your healing is real, and we’re so glad you’re hanging out with A Couple of Multiples.

Articles cited in Seasons 4 & 5:

Brand, B. L., Sar, V., Stavropoulos, P., Krüger, C., Korzekwa, M., Martínez-Taboas, A., & Middleton, W. (2016). Separating Fact from Fiction: An Empirical Examination of S...

Drew and Garden System enthrall you with funny stories from grocery shopping while discussing the challenges of managing money as a multiple, and they talk about the positive side of dissociation when visiting the dentist. They also reflect on disclosures made to doctors, friends, and employers. They also share important things to know about medical trauma. 

References:  https://www.peersupportformultiples.com/services and https://www.dylancrumpler.com/petals-of-a-rose

Follow us on Instagram: @acoupleofmultiples, @note_to_selves, @seidi_gardensystem, @mindfulmultiplicityinstitute

Follow us on TikTok: @seidi_gardensystem, @note_to_selves

Follow us on Facebook: A Couple of Multiples - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556823127239 

Visit our website: acoupleofmultiples.com to sign up for our mailing list, join our private, on-line community Hearts Multiplied, register for peer coaching, consultations, and workshops!

This podcast is for education and sharing experiences. It is not therapy, medical advice, or a substitute for individualized care from a qualified professional. The experiences and perspectives shared here may not reflect those of every system. Guest views are their own. Listening does not establish a therapeutic relationship.

This episode discusses trauma, dissociation, and therapy. Please listen at your own pace and pause or step away whenever you need to.

And most importantly: remember that every system is different. What works for one may not work for another—and that’s okay. Your journey is valid, your healing is real, and we’re so glad you’re hanging out with A Couple of Multiples.

Articles cited in Seasons 4 & 5:

Brand, B. L., Sar, V., Stavropoulos, P., Krüger, C., Korzekwa, M., Martínez-Taboas, A., & Middleton, W. (2016). Separating Fact from Fiction: An Empirical Examination of S...

Managing friendships and relationships can be complicated due to attachment wounds when you have Dissociative Identity Disorder. Drew and Garden System reflect on their own attachments with friends, family, and romantic partners throughout the years. They also discuss the importance of the therapeutic relationship and how community has helped in their healing journey. Reference: www.aninfinitemind.org.

Follow us on Instagram: @acoupleofmultiples, @note_to_selves, @seidi_gardensystem, @mindfulmultiplicityinstitute

Follow us on TikTok: @seidi_gardensystem, @note_to_selves

Follow us on Facebook: A Couple of Multiples - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556823127239 

Visit our website: acoupleofmultiples.com to sign up for our mailing list, join our private, on-line community Hearts Multiplied, register for peer coaching, consultations, and workshops!

This podcast is for education and sharing experiences. It is not therapy, medical advice, or a substitute for individualized care from a qualified professional. The experiences and perspectives shared here may not reflect those of every system. Guest views are their own. Listening does not establish a therapeutic relationship.

This episode discusses trauma, dissociation, and therapy. Please listen at your own pace and pause or step away whenever you need to.

And most importantly: remember that every system is different. What works for one may not work for another—and that’s okay. Your journey is valid, your healing is real, and we’re so glad you’re hanging out with A Couple of Multiples.

Articles cited in Seasons 4 & 5:

Brand, B. L., Sar, V., Stavropoulos, P., Krüger, C., Korzekwa, M., Martínez-Taboas, A., & Middleton, W. (2016). Separating Fact from Fiction: An Empirical Examination of S...

When you have dissociative identity disorder and experience yourself as multiple people all sharing one body and one life, it becomes necessary to be able to talk to all of the people inside of you.  Figuring out all who is in there is helpful when making decisions ranging from what to wear and what to eat, to more complex compromises such as who you want your romantic partner to be. Learn not only how to talk to everyone, but also how to listen.

Follow us on Instagram: @acoupleofmultiples, @note_to_selves, @seidi_gardensystem, @mindfulmultiplicityinstitute

Follow us on TikTok: @seidi_gardensystem, @note_to_selves

Follow us on Facebook: A Couple of Multiples - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556823127239 

Visit our website: acoupleofmultiples.com to sign up for our mailing list, join our private, on-line community Hearts Multiplied, register for peer coaching, consultations, and workshops!

This podcast is for education and sharing experiences. It is not therapy, medical advice, or a substitute for individualized care from a qualified professional. The experiences and perspectives shared here may not reflect those of every system. Guest views are their own. Listening does not establish a therapeutic relationship.

This episode discusses trauma, dissociation, and therapy. Please listen at your own pace and pause or step away whenever you need to.

And most importantly: remember that every system is different. What works for one may not work for another—and that’s okay. Your journey is valid, your healing is real, and we’re so glad you’re hanging out with A Couple of Multiples.

Articles cited in Seasons 4 & 5:

Brand, B. L., Sar, V., Stavropoulos, P., Krüger, C., Korzekwa, M., Martínez-Taboas, A., & Middleton, W. (2016). Separating Fact from Fiction: An Empirical Examination of S...

Trigger Warning: Mentions of perpetrators and persecutor parts. Brief alluding to RA/MC.  Drew and Garden System take you on a journey from discovering internal worlds, to exploring the vast inner landscapes, and to finally showing how they changed some of the places inside.  They also explain exactly what internal worlds are and how they can help you get to know your parts and your trauma history.

Follow us on Instagram: @acoupleofmultiples, @note_to_selves, @seidi_gardensystem, @mindfulmultiplicityinstitute

Follow us on TikTok: @seidi_gardensystem, @note_to_selves

Follow us on Facebook: A Couple of Multiples - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556823127239 

Visit our website: acoupleofmultiples.com to sign up for our mailing list, join our private, on-line community Hearts Multiplied, register for peer coaching, consultations, and workshops!

This podcast is for education and sharing experiences. It is not therapy, medical advice, or a substitute for individualized care from a qualified professional. The experiences and perspectives shared here may not reflect those of every system. Guest views are their own. Listening does not establish a therapeutic relationship.

This episode discusses trauma, dissociation, and therapy. Please listen at your own pace and pause or step away whenever you need to.

And most importantly: remember that every system is different. What works for one may not work for another—and that’s okay. Your journey is valid, your healing is real, and we’re so glad you’re hanging out with A Couple of Multiples.

Articles cited in Seasons 4 & 5:

Brand, B. L., Sar, V., Stavropoulos, P., Krüger, C., Korzekwa, M., Martínez-Taboas, A., & Middleton, W. (2016). Separating Fact from Fiction: An Empirical Examination of S...

Trigger Warning: Brief discussions of persecutor and sexual alters. Discovering that you are not the only one inhabiting your body can be a little disconcerting. This episode goes over all the different types of parts one could discover in their system and the different roles these parts might take on. Learning all about one's selves can help foster internal compassion and cooperation among all parts. Drew and Garden System share how their systems have learned to operate as a team with co-consciousness.

Follow us on Instagram: @acoupleofmultiples, @note_to_selves, @seidi_gardensystem, @mindfulmultiplicityinstitute

Follow us on TikTok: @seidi_gardensystem, @note_to_selves

Follow us on Facebook: A Couple of Multiples - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556823127239 

Visit our website: acoupleofmultiples.com to sign up for our mailing list, join our private, on-line community Hearts Multiplied, register for peer coaching, consultations, and workshops!

This podcast is for education and sharing experiences. It is not therapy, medical advice, or a substitute for individualized care from a qualified professional. The experiences and perspectives shared here may not reflect those of every system. Guest views are their own. Listening does not establish a therapeutic relationship.

This episode discusses trauma, dissociation, and therapy. Please listen at your own pace and pause or step away whenever you need to.

And most importantly: remember that every system is different. What works for one may not work for another—and that’s okay. Your journey is valid, your healing is real, and we’re so glad you’re hanging out with A Couple of Multiples.

Articles cited in Seasons 4 & 5:

Brand, B. L., Sar, V., Stavropoulos, P., Krüger, C., Korzekwa, M., Martínez-Taboas, A., & Middleton, W. (2016). Separating Fact from Fiction: An Empirical Examination of S...