Understanding and Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder (or Multiple Personality Disorder)

This book is aimed at psychotherapy providers (although it is likely to also be of interest to sufferers and their families) who want to gain a comprehensive understanding of the essential principles of assessing and working with clients with DID. Using vignettes, the author describes the structure of the personality of someone with DID and guides the reader through the various assessment tools. Issues and considerations for each of the three stages of therapy are outlined and discussed. In the beginning stage, therapy focuses on stabilization, containment and strengthening the host. In the middle stage, the key elements include mapping the identities and working through trauma events. The Bask model is described as a method for this process. In the final stages of therapy, the author evaluates the concept of integration versus multiple living and describes some of the processes clients undergo towards the end of therapy.