Trauma Therapist vs. Experienced DID Therapist

I'd like to hear the difference one would expect in working with a trauma therapist versus an experienced DID professional.

I imagine that each therapist, whether a trauma T or a DID T, would come with their own mixed bag of life, educational, and work experiences.

My understanding of the difference is that a Trauma T works with individuals who have had past trauma and maybe they have PTSD, Depression, a DD, or personality disorder, etc...but they do not specifically specialize in DID, where a DID T is one who specializes in Trauma with a sub-specialty in the DD's or DID(more educational and work experience).

That's my thought.

Mine is both. She works with people with PTSD a lot, and is one of the few experts around here on DID. A specialist in any particular disorder may tend to diagnose that disorder more often than other therapists do. It can be because they recognize the symptoms more readily, or because they see what they expect to see.

Interestingly, I don't have DID or PTSD, but my T discussed PTSD-like symptoms when dx came up, and started to do some ego state work with me. She pointed out that PTSD and BPD are also dissociative disorders, and I agree with her on that. I self-diagnose with BPD, and I really believe that it is the dx that is the best fit for me, but she doesn't seem to like BPD as a concept, and apparently doesn't use that one. But I can see how BPD has some features and symptoms in common with PTSD and DID. Mainly dissociation, emotional dysregulation, and trauma history of some kind.

So, specialization can make a difference in how they might conceptualize your symptoms.

Writingwithink:

Here is hoping that whoever you choose, an experienced trauma therapist or an experieced DID therapist, it is someone who meets you at your point of need and is kind.

Sincerely,
H.













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Interesting question for sure! Thanks for asking it!

Thanks for your thoughts. This is my situation: I have an appointment scheduled this Saturday with a DID specialist who has been published extensively on the subject. I have another appointment scheduled with a trauma specialist soon thereafter. Both have been in their respective fields for decades. If the trauma therapist would work with me and I were to want to select her, would I see her researching and going about treating me the way all the materials show how DID is treated: system work first, trauma, etc.? Or would a trauma therapist proceed with their normal way of doing things, whatever that is?

I have heard of people seeing two Ts at once - in order to make the most of both areas of expertise. If you can afford it, it might be the best way to go. They even collaborate on your healing if they team up!