Dissociation-Related Challenges

If you sometimes feel far away from yourself or from the world around you—like life is happening at a distance, or different versions of you handle the different demands of your life—it can be disorienting and isolating. I view dissociation as a creative way the mind protected us when things were once too much to handle.

I will work alongside you so that together, we can better understand the protective and vulnerable parts of you, help them feel safe, and ultimately help them heal from the traumas they’ve lived through. We’ll move at your pace, building connection and stability before working with difficult memories.

Dissociative experiences are wide-ranging and vary greatly from person to person. Here are some common experiences, but not all people who are dissociative will experience all of these:

• Feeling detached from surroundings – the world may look foggy, far away, or unreal (derealization).

• Feeling detached from self – watching yourself from the outside, or your body not feeling like “yours” (depersonalization).

• Distinct versions or parts of self – different ways of being that have different emotions or ways of coping with the ins and outs of day-to-day life.

• Sudden shifts in mood, abilities, or behavior – and possibly having difficulty explaining or understanding the shifts

• Internal shifts – experiencing thoughts or sensing impulses that feel like they come from inside but are largely inconsistent across common contexts.

• Memory gaps – not recalling important events, conversations, or even parts of daily life.

• Uncertainty about identity – confusion about who you are, feeling like you have different selves in different contexts.

• Numbing or shutdown – emotions or sensations disappear, leaving you flat or blank.

• Sudden overwhelm – powerful feelings or body sensations that arrive without clear triggers.

• Losing track in conversations – others notice you drift off or seem far away.

• Feeling unreal or unpresent in relationships – struggling to stay present with loved ones.

• Difficulty with consistency – work, school, or self-care routines disrupted by internal shifts.

If you have been diagnosed with a dissociative disorder or wonder if your struggles suggest a dissociative disorder diagnosis, let’s chat and see if we’re a good fit.

Reach out today to schedule a consultation.