If you want to talk with your therapist about dissociation or Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), starting with a list can help. For a week or two, jot down anything you notice that concerns or confuses you, or anything that seems relevant to dissociation.
During a session, you can review the list with your therapist. If they seem hesitant or unsure, you can ask how familiar they are with dissociation and dissociative disorders.
If they indicate they are not very familiar with those topics, you can ask for referrals to therapists who have more experience with dissociation. Therapists are ethically expected to help clients access appropriate care when a concern falls outside their area of expertise.
If your therapist is familiar with dissociation and dissociative disorders, reviewing your list together can help guide the conversation and determine next steps, such as further assessment.
This page is part of the Therapy and Finding Safe, Supportive Healing section of the CommuniDID site, which explains how to evaluate therapists, recognize trauma-informed care, and understand what safe, phase-based DID treatment should look like.
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