Multiple Selves, Multiple Voices; working with Trauma, Violation and Dissociation

Towards a cognitive model and measure of dissociation

“…They suggest that dissociation results from the child's attempt to develop a 'false self' or selves adapted to the needs of the caregiver. Recent psychodynamic formulations (e.g., Fonagy, 1991;Mollon, 1996) argue that dissociative processes reflect intrapsychic defences. Repeated 'pretending' that trauma is not occurring (denial) and acting 'as if' there is more than one part of oneself (e.g.…”

Hearing voices, dissociation, and the self: A functional-analytic perspective

“…Dissociation behaviours appear to serve several historical functions, one of which may be to avoid/escape the perspective from which your reality is being experienced, because physical escape is not possible. The model we propose bears considerable overlap, in our opinion, with a number of models outlined in the previous section, particularly those which pointed to the self and relationships with others as central to the dissociative process, in which there are alterations or fragmentations in order to escape from a painful context (Longden et al, 2012;McIntee & Compton, 1997;Mollon, 1996;Perona-Garcelan et al, 2015;Ross, 2009;Young, 1999). Furthermore, our model also complements those suggested by both Romme and Escher (2000) and by Ross (e.g.…”

“…From a psychodynamic perspective, dissociation reflects intra-psychic defences against trauma that permit pretending that trauma is not real and acting as if there is more than one part to the self (e.g. Mollon, 1996). And Mollon suggested that this begins with the child's self-hypnotic assertion: I am not here; this is not happening to me; I am not in this body.…”

Who Done It, Actually? Dissociative Identity Disorder for the Criminologist

“…In therapy, people with DID (or their alters) describe growing up in the shadow of on-going sadistic sexual, psychological and physical abuse, usually by multiple perpetrators (Chu 2011;Kluft 1999;Mollon 1996;Sachs 2008;Stain 2007). Most of them explain that abuse is inseparable from their everyday life, and is practiced and suffered by every member of their family, for generations (Middleton 2013b;Miller 2012;Sachs 2011).…”