Simple definition Internal agreements are shared understandings within a dissociative system about how certain situations will be handled, such as who handles work, home, or socializing. These agreements help parts…
Developing internal agreements is often a gradual process Internal agreements generally develop over time as a system identifies a need. They often develop as communication and awareness within the system…
About the examples Internal agreements can take many forms. They don’t have to be formal, rigid, or perfectly followed to be meaningful. Many systems start with simple, flexible understandings that…
When everything feels like it’s happening to you Times when you feel completely helpless can be overwhelming. Like a leaf caught in a raging river, you may get pushed this…
Workplace Accommodations for Dissociation and Trauma Many people with DID or other dissociative disorders work. However, work environments are often designed for people who do not experience dissociation, trauma triggers,…
The exhaustion that doesn’t match the day Have you ever realized you’re exhausted, but nothing in your day explains it? There’s actually a reason this happens, and most people with…
Trauma Systems Are Built to Monitor Safety Dissociative systems developed as a survival strategy, often in very dangerous environments. As a result, most systems are constantly on the lookout for…
Multiple Emotional Reactions at the Same Time Have you ever walked away from an ordinary interaction with someone feeling emotionally drained? It might not even be a dramatic or intense…
People who have dissociative systems often carry a heavier mental workload than people without systems. Systems must handle internal coordination, multiple perspectives, and differences in memory access. All of this…
Many people imagine trauma therapy as focusing on processing traumatic memories. They are often surprised to learn that memory processing is actually the second phase of trauma therapy. Why Trauma…