83a High Street

HUNTINGDON

Cambridgeshire

PE29 3DP

01480 878409

0800 181 4420

07746 799221

info@pods-online.org.uk

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PODS (Positive Outcomes for Dissociative Survivors) works to make recovery from dissociative disorders a reality through:

• training
• informing
• supporting

PODS provides:

• information and awareness training days/workshops to inform and educate about the reality of living with and recovering from dissociation, trauma and sexual abuse, suitable both for dissociative survivors, their supporters and professionals such as counsellors and psychotherapists
• opportunities for survivors, partners and supporters to meet together and provide mutual support
• a weekly telephone helpline
• ongoing e-mail support
• resources such as an e-magazine, Information Booklets and Emergency DID Information cards
• signposting to other organisations

PODS is run by Rob and Carolyn Spring, along with a team of other volunteers, most of whom suffer from a dissociative disorder. Rob is training as a counsellor and Carolyn is a freelance writer, speaker and trainer who has DID as a result of organised abuse.

PODS is supported by a Registered Charity called START (Survivors Trauma and Abuse Recovery Trust).

For a comprehensive list of books relating to dissociation, please visit our bookstore.

Dates for 2012 (booking now available):

Saturday 17 March 2012 in Huntingdon, Cambs

Saturday 20 October 2012 in Sutton Coldfield

Cost: £50.00 per person or £80.00 for a couple

(survivor plus supporter)

This workshop is suitable both for people suffering from a Dissociative Disorder and their partners, family members or other supporters, including professionals such as counsellors, psychotherapists, Community Mental Health Teams, psychologists and anyone else interested in finding out more about how dissociation is a creative and brilliant coping strategy for surviving otherwise unendurable trauma.

The day will be an information-based workshop looking at Understanding DID, What It’s Like Being DID, and Coping with and Recovering from Dissociative Disorders. It will run from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm.

Feedback from previous delegates:

• “Before the day, I was really anxious about how I was going to cope as this felt like a huge step for me to take. However, the day was brilliant and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. It was also very ‘safe’ and I actually enjoyed the day massively. Really recommended!”

• “This was a fantastic workshop which has given me a wealth of insight in my work as a therapist. A wonderful blend of theory and personal insight from two very engaging speakers. 10 out of 10!”

The last session of the day from about 3.30 pm will be an open meeting for survivors and partners/supporters which is the opportunity for people to meet together, support one another and share their experiences, facilitated by Rob. There will be a separate Q&A session for counsellors, therapists and other professionals during the final session in a different room, facilitated by Carolyn.

For further information and a booking form

please go to our events page.  

The latest edition (January 2012) of PODS free e-magazine ‘Multiple Parts’ is now available. Written for survivors by survivors, this resource is published three times a year in January, May and September and is available in PDF format. It contains articles of interest to both survivors and professionals.

Either click on the image for your free download, or go to www.pods-online.org.uk/magazine to sign up to receive future editions automatically. You can also download previous editions and past newsletters.

FREE DID Emergency Info Cards

Produced by PODS, these are wallet-handy, double-sided cards with ‘How to Help’ on one side and ‘Information on DID for Health Professionals’ on the other. These are designed to help especially in emergency situations eg admission to A&E, but can be helpful in a variety of contexts.

These cards are free to anyone who would like any!  Donations are welcome.

[resources]

MIND Booklet - “Understanding Dissociative Disorders”

We also carry a stock of the MIND booklet “Understanding Dissociative Disorders”, written by Kathryn Livingston in consultation with First Person Plural.

They are £2.00 inc P&P and can be ordered by going to our resources page.

PODS Booklet - “Resourcing Booklet”

A booklet of practical ideas to help with grounding and resourcing. “This booklet contains some ideas of things that will help you to turn down your triggered, panicking ‘back brain’ and get your sensible, thinking, problem-solving ‘front brain’ back online.” Available for free as part of our workshop days.

As well as repeating our introductory workshop ‘Living with Dissociation’ twice in 2012, we will also be rolling out two NEW workshops/training days:

‘Trauma and the Body - Somatisation and Dissociation’

• Huntingdon on 28 April 2012
• Bradford on 26 May 2012
• Hemel Hempstead on 1 December 2012

‘Recovering from Trauma: Healthy Boundaries and Relationships’

• Huntingdon on 30 June 2012
• Hemel Hempstead on 14 July 2012
• Bradford on 13 October 2012

For more information and to book, go to our events page.

Grounding Poster

Been to the PODS workshop ‘Living with Dissociation’? Remember the brain science stuff about grounding?  Well here’s a poster to help you remember the three strategies for grounding based on the three parts of the front brain.

They are £2.50 inc P&P and can be ordered by going to our resources page.

PODS has a new name!

Whilst keeping the same acronym, we recently decided to change what it stands for. Previously Partners of Dissociative Survivors, during 2011 our worked developed extensively and support for partners now represents only about 5% of our ongoing area of operation.

We have therefore changed our name to more accurately represent what we do and the message of hope for recovery and ‘positive outcomes for dissociative survivors’ that we are aiming for.

Support for partners will continue as will our key work of “training, informing and supporting”.

You are here: PODS > home

PODS now has its own page on Facebook. Please visit it by clicking on the link below and ‘like’ it to receive updates and wall posts.

You can also sign up to our ‘Cause’ to raise awareness of DID. This is an app within Facebook.

And finally ... follow Carolyn (@CarolynSpring) on Twitter!

We have recently added some news articles to our information page including prevalence statistics for DID and dissociative studies and other articles such as:

• An Introduction to Dissociation and Dissociative Identity Disorder
• The Road Less Travelled: How to Support Your DID Partner
• The 64 Billion Dollar Question: Unique Answers to the Question of Who Funds Therapy
• The Nintendo Wii as a Therapy Tool?
• How common is DID? / How common are dissociative disorders?

[more articles ...]

Unversity of Essex - Jessica Floris

Living with a Controversial Disorder: A qualitative exploration of experiences in individuals who have a formal diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder

• Have you been formally diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder in the last two years?
• What is it like to have your experiences described or explained in this way?
• Would you be willing to talk about your experiences in confidence?

Jessica is looking for people who have been given a formal diagnosis of DID by a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals at the Clinic for Dissociative Studies or the Pottergate Centre within the last two years, to take part in one-to-one, confidential interviews about their experiences of living with DID before and after receiving their diagnosis.

Click here for an information sheet explaining the study in more detail, or email Jessica at jcflor@essex.ac.uk if you have any queries or might be interested in participating.

Please recycle your ink cartridges and help raise funds for PODS. Send off (via FREEPOST) your used inkjet cartridges for recycling.  If they’re eligible, we will receive a small commission and you’ll be helping to save the environment!

Click here to download the FREEPOST label, with our unique barcode.

FREE Downloadable Grounding and Coping Resources

• ‘Emotional Thermometer’ - this is a sheet to fill out either on your own, with a partner, or with a therapist, to identify what kinds of emotions you have on a 0-100 degrees scale.  You list this sliding scale of emotions on one side of the thermometer, and on the other side, you identify what kinds of things you can do to cope when you’re feeling that way.

• ‘Alphabet of Emotions’ - it’s very common for survivors of abuse, including dissociative survivors, to struggle to put words to their feelings.  This is a common symptom called ‘alexithymia’.  This ‘Alphabet of Emotions’ can help you to start identifying your feelings and increasing your emotional vocabulary.  There is a sheet of possible emotions on one page with some fun cartoon characters, and on the next is a grid where you can start to build up your vocabulary of feelings.  This can be very helpful when you get into a crisis so that even in your worst moments you can point at the sheet to communicate!

[resources]

PODS runs a helpline on Tuesday evenings between 6 and 8 pm.  If you cannot get through, please leave a message and we will phone you back ASAP. Appointments can also be made to speak at other times - please either leave a message or email.  This is not a ‘crisis’ helpline (like the Samaritans) but we are happy to speak with DID survivors, partners and anyone who is living with or supporting someone with dissociation or DID, or professionals seeking advice.

Helpline Number: 0800 181 4420 (freephone)