in order for me to answer that with out scaring you you might want to know something about dissociation and how it works....

dissociation is a normal reaction to things...its kind of like you know how if someone says something you dont like you feel mad, or if someone says something you think is funny you laugh....well dissociation is like that, something happens and as a result of that "something" your body reacts to that something by making you feel numb, spacey, disconnected...

those that have DID when they encounter that "something" the reaction is dissociating to the point of where an alter takes control.

here on psych central and in NY (my location) that "something" is called a trigger.

well therapy is all about talking about triggering things, learning how to handle/take care of those triggering things.

example in my therapy sessions my treatment provider and I talk about the abuse I went through, my feelings associated with that abuse, feeling depressed, suicidal and many other hard to handle (in other words triggering) topics/problems in my life..

which all adds up to whether I was aware of it or not from the moment I entered therapy up until my alters all integrated with me my therapist was having conversations with my alters.or in your words "seeing" my alters.

it was actually my treatment provider who realized I had alters and had me go through the diagnostic testing procedures for dissociative disorders. She did so because she had, had conversations with my alters before I was even aware of it....

example my first therapy session would be a series of feeling nervous, scared, unsure of meeting the therapist. I could not handle those emotions so I would dissociate and an alter would be the one to keep that appointment meeting with the therapist for the first time.

another example if something triggered me into having a flashback about the abuse I went through well the result was which ever alter who's job, purpose, reason for being was to handle flashbacks, or that abuse event, would take control.

one thing you need to know about DID type alters. they dont just appear one day. they are there from very early childhood taking over any time you cant or are having trouble handling something..it could be stressing out because of a test in school or even just going to school can be hard on some people, it could be a death, a health problem anything but the alters have been taking control regardless of whether a person is in treatment or not. some people know when their alters are in control and others do not, and some have a mixture of consciousness when their alters take control. it affects more than just therapy sessions. the alters take control in every aspect of a persons life ...occupational, social, and other important areas of functioning.

some people who have gone through years and years of therapy can learn how to do things like communicate with their alters, set boundaries/rules and such but its hard work and depends upon how much co consciousness you have with the alters.

if someone has dissociative type alters just going to the first therapist of their life will most likely make that person scared, nervous, anxious/anxiety ridden enough to where they dissociate into what ever alters who's job it is to handle those emotions and doctor / therapy appointments, just because dissociation is a reaction to being triggered.

if you think you have alters and that an alter took control during your therapy sessions you can talk with your treatment providers about diagnostic testing and how to be more grounded/relaxed in therapy so it doesnt happen so often.