Meeting the needs of clients with dissociative identity disorder: considerations for psychotherapy

Abstract

Psychotherapy for clients with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is different to therapy with most clients because these clients are multiple, comprising one or more host, and one or more alter personalities. The necessary components to be addressed in order that clients can live successfully either as a multiple or as an integrated person are outlined, discussed and critiqued. These include increasing awareness and understanding between the host(s) and the alter(s) and encouraging communication and collaboration between the identities through psycho-education. As trauma material has not been fully realised, a key component of therapy is working through trauma events; the BASK model is introduced as a method to facilitate this process. Finally, considerations for integration are evaluated and discussed.

Keywords:

• counselling
• dissociative identity disorder
• multiple personality disorder
• psychotherapy
• trauma