Dissociative Disorders

I have training and experience working with folx living with complex dissociation, structural dissociation, depersonalization and derealization.

At InnerCalm Wellness, we offer specialized treatment for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) with dissociative symptoms. These conditions often cause individuals to feel detached from themselves or reality, making daily life overwhelming. Our team combines evidence-based therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), TMS, and Spravato, to help clients reconnect with themselves, manage their symptoms, and regain control of their mental health for lasting recovery.

Dissociation is something we all experience from time to time, but we often overlook it in therapy. In my work, I help clients identify their dissociative experiences and learn to work to regain full awareness of life through mindfulness practice, working with dissociative parts, and sensorimotor work.

I have training in depth psychotherapy, EMDR, and DBT, which can all be used to help people progress in their recovery from dissociative disorders. I have experience working with people who are diagnosed with dissociative disorders.

I frequently work with plurality, Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), Otherwise Specified Dissociative Disorder (OSDD), etc. My goal is to facilitate consistent communication collaboration, and cooperation among your parts (sometimes called "headmates," "alters," other terms). To me, "integration" or fusing a system (into a singlet) is not a necessary therapeutic goal.

I have worked with folks with Dissociative Systems for 8 years! Once I learned EMDR and noticed most folks experienced some sort of dissociation, I knew I had to learn more. Dissociation is NOT the problem. I specialize in working with Military/First Responders, Queer/LGBTQIA+ and Neurodivergent communities experiencing dissociation or with a dissociative system. I do not push my clients toward integration. You are the leader of your system, I just help guide you to healing!

I'm a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (level 2) and I've been working with Dissociative Identity Disorder for 5 years. Before trauma work is done, we first focus on stabilizing your system and equipping you with skills and techniques to improve regulation and decrease the chaos. I'm trauma-informed and non-confrontational in my approach. See the video at my website for more information about DID.

Trauma is full of painful memories, feelings and body sensations, and any number of things can trigger those. It's natural for us to not want to feel or remember what happened. This can result in dissociation where we "check out" to varying degrees. This however can make it difficult to live our lives, engage in meaningful relationships, succeed in our jobs, and even participate in therapy. I have experience working with dissociative disorders to help you feel more present.

I have worked with folks with Dissociative Systems for 8 years! Once I learned EMDR and noticed most folks experienced some sort of dissociation, I knew I had to learn more. Dissociation is NOT the problem. I specialize in working with Military/First Responders, Queer/LGBTQIA+ and Neurodivergent communities experiencing dissociation or with a dissociative system. I do not push my clients toward integration. You are the leader of your system, I just help guide you to healing!

Dissociative disorders are more common than many realize. Because I specialize in trauma, and dissociation is a very common and primal response to trauma, I have training in this area, with sensitivity to complex trauma, RA, and other somatic trauma responses.

I work with people who may experience derealization, depersonalization, or don't feel connected to body, space, and/or time. Dissociation is a spectrum that ranges from very mild symptoms through to forms of dissociative identify disorder. The important thing to know is this is what we humans do, you're not"crazy." Some of us may need more help to feel grounded and/or present. Treatment modalities include EMDR with Ego State and embodied skills practices.

Dissociation is not a dirty word. I have years of personal and professional experience working with dissociative responses and focus on normalizing the experience, building skills to minimize it when it is unhelpful, and helping folks let go of the shame that often comes with it.

There are always valid reasons why our nervous systems protect us with dissociative experiences. But that doesn’t make them any less disruptive and painful. Together, we could befriend and study your unique nervous system and inner world, so that we learn what you most need to feel safer. Because when your nervous system and inner world feel safer, you’ll have less intense and fewer disruptive dissociative experiences.

As a trauma and embodiment specialist, dissociative disorders are a special area of interest for me, as well as a particular area of expertise.

I have experience with, and passion for working with people who struggle with dissociation including Dissociative Amnesia, Depersonalization / Derealization, OSDD, and Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). https://praxisthriving.com/dissociation

I provide trauma-informed therapy for clients living with complex PTSD and dissociative disorders to understand and accept all parts of themselves, learn to discern and trust themselves and others, and heal from the past to embrace a more hopeful future.

When clients find themselves either 'blanking' out, feeling numb, or not having memories for parts of their lives, particularly childhood, this is often a symptom of dissociation, which I have extensive training and experience in treating as this is often a trauma response. However, for a person to be whole again, they need to reclaim these exiled parts of themselves and this integration is possible with specialized treatment including EMDR and somatic work.

I have worked with folks with Dissociative Systems for 8 years! Once I learned EMDR and noticed most folks experienced some sort of dissociation, I knew I had to learn more. Dissociation is NOT the problem. I specialize in working with Military/First Responders, Queer/LGBTQIA+ and Neurodivergent communities experiencing dissociation or with a dissociative system. I do not push my clients toward integration. You are the leader of your system, I just help guide you to healing!

Dissociation exists on a spectrum, and can be an intelligent survival strategy implemented to deal with trauma, significant pain or stress, or overwhelm. Helping survivors with dissociative symptoms and experiences, I utilize a trauma-informed and neurobiological lens - including structural dissociation model, sensorimotor psychotherapy (somatic), and mindfulness.