How Making a Timeline Can Help You Heal from the Past
(Summary) For people with dissociative identity disorder (DID), other specified dissociative disorder (OSDD), or complex PTSD, parts stuck in “trauma time” may feel like they are still living in the past. A timeline is a practical, creative tool to help those trauma-holding parts recognize that it’s 2025—not childhood anymore. By filling the timeline with milestones such as graduations, moves, relationships, pets, and achievements, you provide “breadcrumbs” that connect the past to the present. This not only helps parts anchor in reality, but also encourages system-wide cooperation, as different alters can contribute memories, drawings, or ideas to build the story of your life together.
Recently, I discussed the three reasons it’s important to help any of your trauma-holding parts who are stuck in trauma time become oriented to the present. That is, it’s important to help those parts understand that they are no longer living in that traumatic childhood; things are different now. Today, I’m going to talk about one tool for helping your parts understand that they are in 2025 and not many years ago.
What is this tool? A timeline! The timeline is a chance to get as creative as you’d like. You can put a pictures of your milestones on it, for example. Or if some of your parts are artistic, they might draw some of the milestones. Perhaps you could make a manga timeline. Or if music is your thing, perhaps you make a timeline with songs you love from those years to help anchor events.
One very important point of this timeline is that you are not going to focus on traumatic events. What you want to do is create a timeline of major milestones in your life, such as graduating from high school, moving away from your caretakers, meeting your partner, and so on. So on your timeline, you might start it with your the date of your birth. But then add milestones that matter to your system. If you remember having a wonderful summer in 4th grade because you got to go to a summer camp, put that on there. You want to fill this timeline with “breadcrumbs” that help your parts see how the body got from childhood to where you are now. If you always wanted a dog or cat as a child but weren’t allowed to have one but you have one now as an adult, putting the date on your timeline of when you brought your pet home can be an important piece of evidence that you definitely aren’t back in 2010 now! A picture of you standing by your first car may blow away the young eight year old inside you who thinks it’s 2006. That might grab their attention and then help them follow the other surprising pieces of evidence on your timeline that show it’s 2025.
This makes a great system project because many parts may have an interest in contributing to the timeline. So it can also be a tool for encouraging more communication and cooperation.
As trauma-holding parts are beginning to understand that it’s 2025, they may have times of confusion, when they wonder if they imagined that or that even though they know you told them it’s 2025, they still feel like they are 13 in 2012. The timeline is a great tool for helping them to re-trace your story to see how the body got to 2025 even though they were stuck in 2012 for many years. It may mean you don’t have to review the facts and the evidence verbally with some of those parts as much, because they have the timeline as a reference they can check for themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this timeline different from a trauma timeline?
A trauma timeline usually maps out difficult or painful events to understand the impact of trauma. This healing timeline is different: it focuses on positive or neutral milestones—proof that life has moved forward. It’s designed to orient parts to the present without re-traumatizing them.
Why shouldn’t I include traumatic events on the timeline?
The goal of the timeline is to orient parts to the present, not re-traumatize them. Focusing on positive or neutral milestones—like getting a pet, graduating, moving, or meeting supportive people—helps parts feel safe while learning that life has continued beyond trauma.
What kinds of milestones can I add to a healing timeline?
You might include moving into your first apartment, graduating school, starting a job, bringing home a pet, or getting your first car. Photos, drawings, or even favorite songs from different years can also be included to make the timeline more engaging and relatable for parts.
How does a timeline help parts stuck in trauma-time?
The timeline acts as “evidence” that the traumatic past isn’t happening now. A photo of your current home, your child, or your tattoo—things you didn’t have in childhood—helps young parts realize it’s 2025, not years ago. It reduces confusion and strengthens orientation to the present.
Can making a timeline improve system communication?
Yes. Building the timeline can be a collaborative system project, with different parts contributing their memories, drawings, or favorite milestones. This fosters communication, cooperation, and a shared sense of history.