At the Heart of Lost Voices
"Think about a young child whose developing a
sense of self...this child is being repeatedly raped or beaten and there's no way
to escape. They (the child) imagines it is not them that it's happening
to it's someone else. Other distinct parts may develop to contain (overwhelming)
emotions...maybe anger, fear and provide some other kinds of defenses. As time
goes on they coalesce into distinct ways of experiencing themselves which are called 'alters' or
'identities.' They may have their own names, own set of
memories, particular way that they dress, particular handwriting. If you interact with an alter, you may find that they speak in
an age appropriate way."
Richard Dalton, M.A., NCC
"The words fell out of my mouth and swirled inside my head, “Stop touching me like that.” I collapsed on the floor crying, curled up in a fetal position as memories of past sexual abuse flooded in. The nightmare that had ensued at four years of age was no longer hidden and carefully protected. I was diagnosed with DID and my parts like Lil’ C, Vince, and Susie and their voices resurfaced inside the imaginary landscape in my mind.
Like broken glass I was shattered into pieces."
Cassia Hendrickson
“People with DID have the most beautiful minds I’ve ever seen. It’s not a handicap, it’s the exact opposite…your mind has chopped itself up into parts in order to protect you… There are all these wonderful characters
inside living this life and this story inside.”
Stephanie Ault
Richard Dalton, M.A., NCC
"The words fell out of my mouth and swirled inside my head, “Stop touching me like that.” I collapsed on the floor crying, curled up in a fetal position as memories of past sexual abuse flooded in. The nightmare that had ensued at four years of age was no longer hidden and carefully protected. I was diagnosed with DID and my parts like Lil’ C, Vince, and Susie and their voices resurfaced inside the imaginary landscape in my mind.
Like broken glass I was shattered into pieces."
Cassia Hendrickson
“People with DID have the most beautiful minds I’ve ever seen. It’s not a handicap, it’s the exact opposite…your mind has chopped itself up into parts in order to protect you… There are all these wonderful characters
inside living this life and this story inside.”
Stephanie Ault
“I honestly believe some of the clients I’ve seen would not be alive today if they hadn’t had the capability to dissociate. The excruciating pain of a
traumatized, very young child would not have been possible to
survive without the ability to dissociate.”
Dr. Heather Davediuk Gingrich
"Tragically, ongoing traumatic conditions such as abuse, community violence, war, or painful medical procedures are not one-time events. For people repeatedly exposed to these experiences, especially in childhood,
dissociation is an extremely effective coping 'skill.'"
The Sidran Institute
“[Understanding Dissociative Identity Disorder] is a hard road. A lot of pain, a lot of struggle. There was nowhere we could really go. We didn’t understand it.”
Susie Orr
survive without the ability to dissociate.”
Dr. Heather Davediuk Gingrich
"Tragically, ongoing traumatic conditions such as abuse, community violence, war, or painful medical procedures are not one-time events. For people repeatedly exposed to these experiences, especially in childhood,
dissociation is an extremely effective coping 'skill.'"
The Sidran Institute
“[Understanding Dissociative Identity Disorder] is a hard road. A lot of pain, a lot of struggle. There was nowhere we could really go. We didn’t understand it.”
Susie Orr