"Things happen, but I don't remember."
You know you were angry this morning, but you can't remember why. You know you drove to work, and worked all day, but when you think about it, the time seems hazy. At dinner, someone says, "Hey, remember that time we..."and you totally play along that you do, but you don't.
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When you're under stress, it gets worse. You don't just forget some things. You forget everything. Sometimes you feel a rage inside with no idea where it came from. Sometimes you are staring in the mirror and don't recognize your own reflection.
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Sometimes, you see something behind you in the mirror. You're hearing voices. You know it's not real, but you also know this is definitely not normal.
You start to worry: "Am I going crazy?"
Dissociation is more than "multiple personalities."
Mild dissociative experiences are common. Just about everyone has experienced driving the same route to work as usual and somehow just magically arriving there. Your mind was elsewhere, and you were on autopilot. Completely normal. Problematic dissociation might look like:
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You feel disconnected from the world around you most or all the time. You feel separate from everyone else, like there’s an invisible barrier you can’t get around. You may start to wonder if you’re even real, or if the world is actually real.
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Your default feeling state is “numb.” You rarely feel happy and rarely feel sad. You’re just going through the motions, and you have been for a very long time. You have been numb for so long, you’re not even sure what would make you happy. Are you burnt out? Maybe, but you know if you stop for even a moment, you might collapse and never get up.
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Everyone knows you’re awful when you’re angry. Sometimes the anger comes out of nowhere, but when it does, you will say or do anything, no matter the consequences. You hate this but can’t seem to stop it. It’s like you’re a different person when you’re mad.
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You’ve been in therapy before, but nothing is helping. In fact, the more you try to take deep breaths or challenge negative thoughts, the worse you feel. Last time you tried to meditate, you heard voices. Last time you woke up from a nightmare, you were sure you saw something in the corner of the room. You’re terrified, and don’t know what to do.
Whit Davison, LCSW
I'm Whit, and I specialize in therapy for dissociation in all of its forms.
I specialize in working with dissociation in all of its forms, including: depersonalization and derealization (DPDR), dissociative amnesia, dissociative symptoms caused by anxiety or overwhelm, and dissociative identity disorder.
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One of the fascinating and terrifying things about dissociation is that while there are overall patterns and similarities between people experiencing dissociation, each person's experience is unique. The same symptoms can look very different from person to person, leading to being misdiagnosed, overmedicated, given the wrong treatment, self-blame as treatments fail, and even despair and suicidal thoughts as things continue to get worse.
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I will work with you to:
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Sort out what is really going on in there. When we can clearly see where dissociation is causing issues, we can target the specific problems with the right treatment.
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Tackle dissociation from the outside in with logic and insight and from the inside out by addressing the root causes of the dissociation (like CPTSD).
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Figure out who you really are without all the internal conflict and help you live the life you genuinely want.​​
Therapy for dissociation works both online and in person.
Clients with dissociation should plan to attend sessions weekly, every 10 days, or bi-weekly. The key to success with dissociative disorders is regular, ongoing treatment.
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Therapy intensives may be appropriate as part of ongoing regular treatment or in very specific other circumstances.
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There has been no difference in outcomes for clients I have worked with in person vs. those I have met with online. What is most important is that you are comfortable!​​​
Is therapy for dissociation right for you?
Each mental health provider you see gives you a different diagnosis, but no therapy or medication really seems to help.
(The average time to receive an accurate diagnosis for dissociative disorders is 6.8 years.)
You feel comfortable with my logic-based, cognitive approach to therapy. Other treatments for dissociation are body-based or somatic, and while effective, they do not work for everyone.
You are worried that you will not be accepted by your therapist because you are hearing voices, seeing things, or having experiences that "seem crazy."
It's time to work with me if:
You currently need crisis care. Stabilization comes before therapy for dissociation. Please check out my crisis page for more information.
Are not able to commit to regular appointments and some of your own work outside of therapy. Consistent and persistent focus is the best therapy for dissociation.
Are looking for somatic or body-based treatments focused on awareness of physical sensations as a main path to understanding.
I may not the right choice for you if you:
