A Couple of Multiples: The Reality of Living with Dissociative Identity Disorder
There’s never a dull moment for hosts, Drew and Garden System, who are a couple that have both been diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. While they are navigating their healing journey, they continue to manage full time careers, raise four teenagers and a house full of pets. Not only do they aim to speak to people who have lived experience with DID and their supporters, but also therapists and anyone who wants to learn more. The podcast talks about Dissociative Identity Disorder in a way that someone who knows nothing about DID will be able to understand, and at the same time is designed to be a resource for therapists, while supporting and validating those with lived experience. Dissociative Identity Disorder is a highly stigmatized mental health diagnosis that has been subject to many myths and misinformation over the years. These myths, along with highly-sensationalized media portrayals, have led to many who still believe this disorder is not real and simply created by therapists who impose themselves on highly suggestible clients. The goal of the podcast is to dispel these myths and educate the world at large the truth about Dissociative Identity Disorder, and the reality of what having this diagnosis really looks like. The brain had to find a unique way to cope in order to survive the trauma people with DID faced from a very young age. Also, this condition is not rare, although many reputable sources still cite it as such. People with DID are ordinary members in your community that you might encounter in your daily life. Drew and Garden System want to shed light on the challenging symptoms people with DID face and share how they have overcome those challenges and found the gifts of joy that all of their parts bring to each other.
Episodes
Drew & Garden System interview Monika Ostroff LICSW, CEDS-S (creator and host of Healing My Parts Podcast) and talk about treatment for eating disorders when a client also has dissociative identity disorder. In depth topics include navigating different selves, their eating behaviors and working on internal communication. They discuss the impact of trauma on the development of eating disorders, and various myths su...
Drew & Garden System have an insightful and informative conversation with Dr. Alison Miller, the author of Demystifying Mind Control & Ritual Abuse: A Manual for Therapists. Dr. Alison Miller shares important signs that therapists should be aware of when assessing for ritual abuse in their clients with DID and provides education on overcoming the programming of mind control.
Thank you to our amazing sponsors:
Drew & Garden System discuss in-patient/hospitalization care for people living with dissociative identity disorder with Donna Earle, LPC, CCPT. They cover important topics such as helpful tips for hospital staff, the differences between the different levels of care, and identifying potential treatment centers.
Please note that the hospitals and treatment centers listed are NOT recommended or endorsed by A Couple o...
Drew & Garden System have a candid conversation with Amy Wagner, LMFT/LMHC! Amy Wagner is an EMDRIA approved consultant and they all discuss the many dos and don'ts of using EMDR when clients live with dissociative identity disorder. They discuss the eight phases, resourcing skills, and what to do when clients dissociate or switch during session. You won't want to miss this amazing discussion!
Thank to ou...
Did you know that dissociative disorders are almost as common as mood disorders? Drew & Garden System chat with Dorinna Ruh, LCSW and cover valuable information about prevalence rates, how to recognize dissociation in yourself or in your client, ways to assess for a dissociative disorder, and a few EMDR tips as well! If you're working with complex trauma, then you're working with dissociation. You won&ap...
Note: We highly encourage you to listen to Parts I & II before listening to this episode, as we continue to honor our truth and authenticity, which may feel more intense than the previous episodes on this subject. We would like for you to be able to determine if this episode will be something you want to listen to or pass on, so here are some details of what we share in this season 3 finale. The first thing we tal...
Drew & Garden System have a candid conversation with Garden System's two oldest children, both adults now, about what it was like growing up with a parent that has dissociative identity disorder.
Please visit acoupleofmultiples.com to see all of our current offerings!
Our amazing sponsors for Season 3:
The Institute for Creative Mindfulness, one of the largest EMDR Therapy training programs in North Americ...
Drew & Garden System give an off script interview of each other and share personal stories of what it is like to be a parent when you have dissociative identity disorder. They each dive into topics such as how different selves show up as a parent, interact with the children, and how they navigate the challenges that having DID brings to the role of parenthood. They also touch on the challenges of being a blended f...
Drew and Garden System talk about how in the beginning a system feels separated from each other, even feeling like enemies. There often is difficulty in listening to selves, because it is hard to learn and believe what parts hold and about trauma that occurred. They talk about how they developed relationships within their systems, navigating selves with different values, beliefs and behaviors. Drew and Garden System s...
Drew & Garden System go more in depth about sex & intimacy and how it affects one's romantic relationship. They talk about sexual alters, the challenges littles bring, and how they have navigated personal experiences in the moment. They wrap up discussing shame and how they came into acceptance of their sexuality. Obvious trigger warnings apply.
Interested in attending the System Mapping workshop...
Drew & Garden System have a friendly conversation with Jaime Pollack, founder of An Infinite Mind and the Healing Together conference for those with dissociative disorders, their supporters, and mental health clinicians. They talk about the power of community and how finding others with DID have positively impacted their healing journey. Jaime shares pertinent information about the Healing Together conference that...
Drew & Garden System have an honest talk about sex and intimacy and how it affects one's romantic relationship. They talk about how their different selves show up in the relationship, the challenges of engaging in sex, and strategies to manage the triggers that inevitably come up. This episode definitely contains TMI and colorful language and the trigger warning should be obvious here, peoples.
If yo...
In this incredible interview episode, Drew & Garden System dive into the therapeutic relationship with Kelly Caniglia, a Somatically focused Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in North Carolina, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in FL, a Clinical supervisor in both states as well as Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. Kelly specializes in working with Dissociative Identity Disorder and the plural commu...
Drew & Garden System have a candid conversation about relationships when one partner has dissociative identity disorder. Gianu System & Jonathan help provide hope through their personal stories as they share how they overcame challenges navigating their successful long-term relationship.
Jenna (@gianusystem) and Jonathan (@splendid_supporter) were married for over fifteen years before they knew that J...
True to this season's theme, Drew & Garden System have an intimate conversation with another couple of multiples, LS & Melanie Scarboro, about relationships and dissociative identity disorder. Both LS and Melanie live with DID and they share personal stories of how they navigate the daily challenges that having DID brings to maintaining an intimate relationship as well as all the amazingness that it bring...
Drew & Garden System, a couple both living with dissociative identity disorder, share personal, intimate stories about their relationship including the many benefits and the unique challenges that arise when two multiples are in a relationship with each other. They also cover important tools, such as system mapping, emotional regulation & co-regulation, to help improve awareness of self beliefs that can get in...
Drew & Garden System, a married couple who both have Dissociative Identity Disorder, welcome listeners to Season 3 which focuses on relationships and DID. Many people with Dissociative Identity Disorder were unable to form a secure attachment to a caregiver when they were a child, often due to trauma, neglect or abuse. Drew & Garden System, share personal examples of attachment wounds, and the four different a...
In this season 2 finale, Drew & Garden System share personal stories of experiencing shame, denial of being a multiple, and coming to acceptance of having dissociative identity disorder.
Please visit https://acoupleofmultiples.com to sign up for our mailing list where you can learn more about our online community called Hearts Multiplied, for those living with a dissociative disorder, their supporters, a...
Drew & Garden System share personal stories of how they brought all of their selves together to aid in the ability to switch on purpose and access all of the strengths and skills that each self holds. They talk about co-consciousness and ways that they practiced this skill amongst their selves.
Please visit https://acoupleofmultiples.com to sign up for our mailing list where you can learn more about our o...
Drew & Garden System share personal stories of how they resolved internal conflicts, using a concept called trust by proxy, how they determined what was best for the whole system, how to identify and use the strengths of each self within the system, and some of the ways to keep up with all the daily little things when you live with Dissociative Identity Disorder.
Please visit https://acoupleofmultiples.co...
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