Books on dissociation and dissociative identity disorder

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	1. Coping with Trauma Related Dissociation Suzette Boon, Kathy Steele & Onno van der Hart This book was written to be used in a ‘skills group training’ scenario for people with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) or DDNOS, but the authors also recognise the value of the book being used alongside individual psychotherapy, so it really is suitable for everyone. Both clients and therapists will get something out of it, especially as it focuses on the initial work that needs to be done in the first of the ‘three phase treatment approach’ recommended in the ISSTD guidelines. Not only does it have a great, straightforward way of explaining dissociation and DID/DDNOS, but it is also very broad in its coverage of topics — things like shame, anger, grounding, cognitive distortions, boundaries in relationships and improving communication between parts/alters. There are also ‘homework exercises’ to do which are very helpful indeed and it skilfully combines theory with practical application.

	2. Understanding and Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder: A Relational Approach Elizabeth Howell Working within the realm of relational psychoanalysis, Howell puts forth a multifaceted approach to the treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder. She begins with an explanation of dissociation theory and research that includes the dynamic unconscious, trauma theory, attachment, and neuroscience. She then discusses the identification and diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) before moving on to outline a phase-oriented treatment plan, which includes facilitating a multileveled co-constructed therapeutic relationship, emphasizing the multiplicity of transferences, countertransferences, and kinds of potential enactments. She then expands the treatment possibilities to include dreamwork, before moving on to discuss the risks involved in the treatment of DID and how to mitigate them. All concepts and technical approaches are woven together with rich clinical examples.

	3. The Dissociative Identity Disorder Sourcebook Deborah Bray Haddock Written from the patient’s perspective, this book is a practical guide for people with DID as well as for partners, supporters and therapists. It is a good introductory overview of DID, and is very readable. It considers how to find and work with an appropriate therapist (although this is very US-based), the benefits and challenge of both individual and group therapies, and the phases of treatment. It includes many useful exercises and tools for sharing information, managing feelings, and setting up a basic safety plan.

	4. The Haunted Self Onno van der Hart, Ellert R S Nijenhuis, Kathy Steele This is the book that provides a comprehensive framework for understanding DID. Based on the now well-known theory of structural dissociation of the personality (Apparently Normal Personalities and Emotional Personalities), the authors expound in this book their model of phase-oriented treatment based on helping clients to learn more effective mental and behavioural strategies to enable them to be more adaptive in life and to resolve their structural dissociation. Although an academic and densely-written book, almost every page has an insight that will causes lightbulbs to turn on, and the overall scope of the theory of structural dissociation has been extraordinarily helpful in understanding how and why different parts of a DID person's internal system or 'team' act, think and feel the way they do, and why conflict is so intrinsic.

	5. Attachment, Trauma and Multiplicity: Working with Dissociative Identity Disorder Valerie Sinason (Editor) This revised edition investigates the subject of Dissociative Identity Disorder. With brand new chapters on police work and attachment theory it has been fully updated to include new research and the latest understanding of patterns of attachment theory that lead to dissociation. With contributions from psychotherapists, psychiatrists, psychoanalysts and service users this book covers the background history and a description of the condition along with the issues of diagnoses and treatment. It also looks at the phenomenon of DID; the conflicting models of the human mind that have been found to try and understand DID; the political conflict over the subject including problems for the police; and clinical accounts and personal writing of people with DID.

	6. Rebuilding Shattered Lives: Treating Complex PTSD and Dissociative Disorders James A. Chu Children, adolescents, and adults who experience developmentally adverse interpersonal trauma are at risk not only for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but also for other anxiety, affective, addictive, conduct, eating, psychotic personality disorders, as well as for retraumatization. Now in this recently released and updated Second Edition, this book describes the theoretical constructs of how complex trauma–related clinical syndromes evolve and present in adult patients, integrating theories concerning posttraumatic stress disorder, dissociation and personality development. This book is an authoritative clinical guide to the treatment of patients with complex posttraumatic and dissociative disorders.

	7. Forensic Aspects of Dissociative Identity Disorder Adah Sachs and Graeme Galton (Editors) This ground-breaking book examines the role of crime in the lives of people with Dissociative Identity Disorder, a condition which appears to be caused by prolonged trauma in infancy and childhood. This trauma may be linked with crimes committed against them, crimes they have witnessed, and crimes they have committed under duress. This collection of essays by a range of distinguished international contributors explores the complex legal, ethical, moral, and clinical questions which face psychotherapists and other professionals working with people suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder. Contributors to this book are drawn from the following professions: psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, counselling, psychology, medicine, law, police, and social work.

	8. Mindsight Daniel Siegel This groundbreaking book is on what the author himself has coined 'mindsight', the capacity for insight and empathy that allows you to make positive changes in your brain and in your life. Using lots of individual case studies to demonstrate the innovative integration of brain science with the practice of psychotherapy, this book shows how mindsight can be applied to alleviate a range of psychological and interpersonal problems. With warmth and humour, Dan Siegel shows us how to observe the workings of our minds, allowing us to understand why we think, feel, and act the way we do, and how, by following the proper steps, we can literally change the wiring and architecture of our brains. Whilst not addressing the topic of DID at all, the book is nevertheless extraordinarily helpful in providing practical skills in areas such as affect regulation, as well as providing an overarching theory of 'integration' that will be incredibly helpful to both survivors and clinicians.

	9. Trauma and the Body Pat Ogden, Kekuni Minton & Claire Pain Psychological trauma profoundly affects the body, often disrupting normal physical functioning when left unresolved. "Scholarly, practical and readable" according to one therapist, in this book Pat Ogden demonstrates how the body was involved in the original trauma and how it must be included in the 'talking cure' for integrated healing. It is the book that forms the basis for Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, arguably one of the most effective current treatments for complex trauma. This book is a comprehensive, well-organised, and practical reference on a somatic approach to trauma treatment.

	10. Today I’m Alice Alice Jamieson There have been a few autobiographies/biographies of people with DID, including Sybil by Flora Rheta Schreiber, First Person Plural by Cameron West, When Rabbit Howls by Truddi Chase, The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes, A Fractured Mind by Robert Oxnam and Fractured by Ruth Dee. But this is one of the most recent, and one of the best. It is a ‘brutally honest memoir’ as one reviewer put it, and some readers will certainly find it triggering due to some fairly explicit descriptions of the abuse that Alice suffered (so beware!) but one of the strengths of the book is that it so clearly describes the causes of DID. Everyone’s experience of DID is different, but it is often helpful to read about someone else’s experience of trauma, dissociation and DID, and this book gives as good an insight as any.