Dissociative Disorders: Understanding & Healing

At my practice in Fairfield County and via virtual sessions across Connecticut, I work with individuals who have experienced profound trauma and, as a result, find themselves navigating dissociative experiences. This page offers a compassionate overview of dissociative disorders and how trauma-informed treatment can provide a path toward greater integration, resilience, and self-connection.

What are Dissociative Disorders?

Dissociation is a protective response of mind and body: in the face of overwhelming trauma, the system may “disconnect” thoughts, memories, identity, emotions or physical sensations to shield the individual from the full impact of the event.
When dissociation becomes a persistent or recurrent pattern that significantly impairs daily functioning, the experience may be understood as a dissociative disorder. According to standard references, dissociative disorders are characterized by an involuntary escape from reality, involving disconnections between thoughts, identity, consciousness and memory. NAMI+1

Major forms of dissociative disorders include:

  • Dissociative Amnesia – difficulty remembering important personal information, often of a traumatic or stressful nature, beyond normal forgetfulness. Mayo Clinic

  • Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder – experiencing oneself as detached (depersonalization) or the world around as unreal (derealization). Mayo Clinic+1

  • Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) – formerly known as “multiple personality disorder,” this involves two or more distinct identity (or self) states, with gaps in memory and shifts in self-experience and identity. Cleveland Clinic+1

While dissociative disorders are relatively rare overall (for example, DID is estimated to occur in around 1–3 % of the general population) they are far more common among individuals with complex trauma histories, particularly childhood abuse, neglect, or protracted interpersonal trauma. Cleveland Clinic+1

Why Dissociation Happens: The Link with Trauma

Dissociation is fundamentally a trauma response. When a person experiences events that overwhelm their capacity to integrate and cope — such as early childhood emotional, physical or sexual abuse; repeated neglect; or prolonged exposure to threat or harm — the psyche may compartmentalize parts of itself to survive. Cleveland Clinic+1

In this way, dissociation becomes a survival strategy: it may allow the self to function in the moment by splitting off the unbearable parts of trauma, limiting conscious access to them, or detaching from one’s body or environment. Over time these patterns can become ingrained, and when they interfere with identity, memory, emotions or relationships, they become clinically significant.

Recognising the Symptoms

While each person’s experience is unique, some of the common signs include:

  • Memory gaps or “lost time,” especially surrounding traumatic events. Mayo Clinic

  • Feeling detached from one’s body, emotions or sense of self (e.g., “watching myself from outside,” or “I feel like I’m in a dream”). Mayo Clinic

  • A sense that your surroundings are unreal or distorted—people, places or time feel changed. Mayo Clinic

  • Shifts in identity, self-state or internal sense of “who I am.” (Especially in DID) AAMFT

  • Significant distress or impairment in relationships, work, or everyday functioning. Cleveland Clinic

  • Co-occurring mood symptoms (anxiety, depression), self-harm or suicidal thinking are more common in this population and must be addressed. Cleveland Clinic+1

How Treatment Works: A Trauma-Informed, Phase-Oriented Approach

Because dissociative disorders are often rooted in trauma, treatment must be grounded in safety, stabilisation and the gradual reintegration of fragmented self-states. The journey is rarely linear—but with skilled care and a compassionate therapeutic relationship, substantial healing is possible. Key components include:

1. Establishing Safety & Stabilisation
Before engaging deeply with traumatic memories or identity states, it’s essential to build resources:

  • Developing grounding and regulation skills (for example, tracking body sensations, learning to “come back” from dissociation)

  • Establishing a safe therapeutic alliance and external supports

  • Addressing immediate safety concerns, self-harm, substance use, and co-occurring diagnoses

2. Processing Trauma & Working with Parts of Self
Once stability is in place:

  • Identifying and mapping self-states or parts (in DID) or uncovering dissociated memories or identity fragments

  • Using trauma-specific modalities to safely access, process and integrate traumatic memories and self-states

  • Approaches such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), somatic-based therapies, narrative work, and creative/embodied methods can all be applied in context with dissociation

3. Integration, Relational Repair & Life Reintegration

  • Supporting the client to build a cohesive narrative, connect with self, and re-engage in relationships and life with more continuity and choice

  • Working toward improved identity coherence, emotional resilience, and functional wellness

  • Monitoring and managing relapse risks (stress, substance use, significant triggers)

Evidence & What We Know

Research indicates that treatment of dissociative disorders is associated with reductions in dissociation, depression, PTSD symptoms and suicidality. PubMed While there is no medication that specifically “cures” dissociation, medications may alleviate co-occurring symptoms such as depression, anxiety or sleep disturbances. Mayo Clinic+1

Why Working with a Trauma-Informed Specialist Matters

Choosing a therapist who understands complex trauma, dissociation and the internal dynamics of fragmented self-states is key. As one person puts it:

“My personal opinion is that a mental health professional who specialises in trauma is your best bet. They will be familiar with dissociation and will understand the theoretical basis of treatment.” Reddit
At my practice, you’ll find a safe, judgement-free space where your story is honoured, your pace is respected and your system (however it shows up) is seen and supported.

How I Can Help You

In my practice, I bring a trauma-informed lens, offering modalities such as EMDR, Internal Family Systems, somatic awareness and integrative care tailored to dissociation and trauma. Together we work to:

  • Build safety and regulation skills

  • Slowly explore and integrate difficult memories and self-states

  • Foster greater internal cohesion, self-understanding and meaningful life participation

If you’re experiencing dissociative symptoms—memory gaps, identity shifts, disconnection from self or environment—or you’ve survived trauma and feel you’re carrying parts of yourself in hiding, you don’t have to walk this path alone. My newest page is here to hold your experiences with care and guide you toward renewed presence, connection and empowerment.

I'm ready to heal