Healing can happen without integration. Healing means being able to live a whole and healthy life. It means allowing the trauma pain to be known and expressed. It means processing through the past and being able to live a healthy life in the present.

Co-consciousness is not the same as being integrated. But it is a step towards integration. Co-conscious is being aware of your own mind while at the same time being aware of the mind of an alter. This is a state I would encourage anyone with DID to try to work towards. By being aware of what is going on inside with the alter minds, a person can make choices which are healthy.

Being integrated for me feels very different. It almost feels like someone put a bunch of different fruit into a blender and made a smoothie which has one standard flavor. I can still sense the flavors of the alters, but it is all one me.