The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy

What Therapists Should Know About Dissociation and Dissociative Disorders: An Interview with Dr. Jamie Marich

Listen Later
What Therapists Should Know About Dissociation and Dissociative Disorders: An Interview with Dr. Jamie Marich

Curt and Katie interview Dr. Jamie Marich, author of Dissociation Made Simple, about dissociation and dissociative identities. We talk with Jamie about what therapists often get wrong as well as some basics on what dissociation is and how best to understand and treat it (when it actually needs treating).

Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!

In this podcast episode, we talk about how therapists can support clients navigating dissociation

A friend of the show, Dr. Jamie Marich, wrote a book Dissociation Made Simple, and we wanted to talk about it!

What are therapists getting wrong when learning about and treating dissociation?
  • Not believing in dissociative identities or dissociative systems
  • Fear of and misunderstanding of dissociation
  • Thinking of dissociation as a dirt word and something to avoid
  • Believing that dissociation must always be healed (when in fact it could be useful at times)
    • What is dissociation? What is dissociative identity disorder or dissociative experience?
    • Exploring different definitions and conceptualizations
    • It is a lot of different things
    • Severing/separating from the present moment or from aspects of ourselves
    • Disaggregation or dividing your self into parts
    • Purposeful, meeting a need or protection
    • The shift to thinking about elements of dissociation as adaptive or maladaptive situationally
      • How can therapists support clients in understanding and managing their own dissociation?
      • Helping clients to identify what purpose their dissociation is serving
      • Assessing dissociative profile through an inventory in the book (triggers, how we dissociate, adaptive/maladaptive)
      • All dissociative behaviors can be assessed as adaptive or maladaptive
        • How can a therapist assess for dissociative identities or systems?
        • Language may vary (parts, defenders, team, selves, side, aspect, etc.)
        • Previous diagnosis or self-diagnosis
        • Listen for the experience (a “part of me” wants this, a “side of me” wants this)
        • Speaking in a parts-informed way
        • Exploring for thinking from different parts of self, potentially even already with names
        • Dissociative Identities inventories
          • What are clinical goals with clients who have dissociative experiences and/or identities?
          • When working with someone with a system, will need to get buy in from all elements of the team for treatment goals
          • Goals may not align across different parts
          • The theory that you’re working with a family
          • Many clients have Chronic PTSD and the focus of treatment may be trauma
          • The importance of being trauma informed
          • Grounding, anchoring, or settling into the present moment
          • The goal is usually NOT integration
          • Cohesion, communication, or cooperation
            • How can therapists overcome their fear about dissociation?
            • Identifying your own dissociation
            • Overcoming the “us versus them” related to dissociation
            • Moving away from bias and stereotypes of folks who dissociate


              • Resources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:

              We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance!

              Dissociation Made Simple (the book)

              Jamie’s website: redefinetherapy.com

              Jamie’s social media:

               Trauma Therapist Rants on Twitter

              Trauma Therapist Rants on TikTok


              Stay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:

              Patreon

              Buy Me A Coffee


              Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:

              Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/

              Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/

              ...more
              View all episodesView all episodes
              Download on the App Store
              The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie VernoyBy Curt Widhalm, LMFT and Katie Vernoy, LMFT
              • 4.4
              • 4.4
              • 4.4
              • 4.4
              • 4.4

              4.4

              235 ratings

              More shows like The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy

              View all
              The Trauma Therapist by Guy Crawford Macpherson

              The Trauma Therapist

              528 Listeners

              Therapy Chat by Laura Reagan, LCSW-C

              Therapy Chat

              685 Listeners

              Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson by Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Forrest Hanson

              Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

              2,481 Listeners

              Counselor Toolbox Podcast with DocSnipes by Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes

              Counselor Toolbox Podcast with DocSnipes

              617 Listeners

              Therapist Uncensored Podcast by Sue Marriott LCSW, CGP & Ann Kelley PhD

              Therapist Uncensored Podcast

              1,388 Listeners

              Psychologists Off the Clock by Debbie Sorensen, Jill Stoddard, Yael Schonbrun, Michael Herold & Emily Edlynn

              Psychologists Off the Clock

              322 Listeners

              The Couples Therapist Couch by Shane Birkel

              The Couples Therapist Couch

              267 Listeners

              Attachment Theory in Action by The Knowledge Center

              Attachment Theory in Action

              152 Listeners

              Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast by David Puder, M.D.

              Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast

              1,324 Listeners

              Light Up The Couch by Clearly Clinical

              Light Up The Couch

              321 Listeners

              The One Inside: An Internal Family Systems (IFS) podcast by Tammy Sollenberger

              The One Inside: An Internal Family Systems (IFS) podcast

              269 Listeners

              Notice That by Jen Savage, Melissa Benintendi, and Bridger Falkenstien

              Notice That

              310 Listeners

              The Leading Edge in Emotionally Focused Therapy by theleadingedgeineft

              The Leading Edge in Emotionally Focused Therapy

              214 Listeners

              Dear Therapists with Lori Gottlieb and Guy Winch by iHeartPodcasts

              Dear Therapists with Lori Gottlieb and Guy Winch

              2,337 Listeners

              Trauma Rewired by Jennifer Wallace & Elisabeth Kristof

              Trauma Rewired

              305 Listeners