Communicating with parts

So I've been doing parts work and can normally focus on it in the t's office but am not sure if I'm doing it right. I often just say what come to mind I don't "see" much. When I try to do it on my own to see who is activated it's muffled and I usually just fall asleep or completely "zone out" any tips for this? To clairify I'm not did I believe It's ddnos

Sorry hun, does it matter? Others are others. Have you tried journaling? Maybe one day you can connect to the voice in the writing. Good luck Hun

Thanks AlwaysChanging2. I feel some pressure to be able to communicate with the parts. I believe the idea is if we can all communicate then I am able to see who is activated and why and what the others need which I hope may reduce symptoms. lol I guess its the whole "allowing the process thing" thats driving me bananas

Is the pressure self imposed? Or is it because of your therapist? Some say that they can't verbally communicate with their parts, but that they come across as strong impulses and feelings.

Come to find out that I was always able to talk to my others, but they worked into my thinking, combining ideas and thoughts which made us an excellent problem solver. I never noticed that the voices were different.

I used to do automatic handwriting until I noticed that the words would pop into my head as I started to write it.

I learned this years ago and it was slow at first. I first started it thirty years ago to connect to the subconscious. Now I write like normal fast. Kewl thing is that the writings all have different types of handwriting.

Then someone suggested to just talk to them, and that's how we connect today.

in my experience, when i tried to do work and would fall asleep, it was my brain putting the brakes on; NOT READY! therapy and alter work reveals layers. the mind will only reveal what it is ready to reveal (or reveal what you can handle). It might be saying TIME OUT!

I also did automatic writing until the words popped in my head before I could get them to paper.

Remember your mind is also like a muscle - it too needs to recoup every now and then.

You too? Coooool! You did that too? It's so nice to find other real people the same as I am...sorry, no offense!

Hope this is helpful. If you search the link to the lower right under communication, several more will come up as well.

Developing Internal Communication ? Starting with the Basics | Discussing Dissociation

Using the Internal Landscape to Increase Internal Communication | Discussing Dissociation

Thank you for those links. I read them and got them, but it's nice to know that I'm walking in the right direction, I hope I hope.

Thanks so much everyone for the replys. My T mentioned I have a small window for tolerance for this work still but that it would get bigger the more we work on it. I realize it is a skill so I try to work hard on developing it and patience is probably one of the toughest things for me but it is great to know it will get clearer

"Just talk to them."
Actually, that's brilliant.
We can spend all our attention looking outward that we miss what is inside. So it does require skill development. With effort, it is possible.

I know, I've never tried and feared what might or might not happen. To talk inwards and to get a reply is so unsettling. Initial reaction is usually "Am I imagining this or is it real?".

It takes awhile to accept what you are hearing and experiencing as really really really real, it did me at least.

What helped me establish that it was real was that all the voices are different, not like other people's voices, but different versions of the bodies voice. I've never noticed that before which is why I probably never picked up on it. Of course, we were still in elected denial and paid no attention to ourselves.

All the parts are all part of you, in the end.

Personally, I try to figure out how I can find that core identity that I'm lacking. The lack of that core identity is what causes me to have these distinct parts instead of accepting that I'm a person with diverse goals, interests, and emotions.

sepia officinalis,
Core identity can super elusive. Sometimes I think there isn't one. Or maybe the core identity is whatever has the capacity to embrace all the parts. Not sure.

"All the parts are all of you, in the end."

All the parts are connected, for sure. All the parts have emerged in this one life externally identified by a particular legal name. It can be so hard to see some of them as "me." Perhaps that's the heart of DID.

What caused me to have these distinct parts is the trauma and abuse I suffered from for the first 18 years of life. Whatever original or birth personality there was has hidden years ago.

As far as core personality, we don't have one. We can create a public image with everyone working together playing the part, acting, pretending, or whatever you want to call it, an illusion for the outside world to keep us insiders hidden.

We are perceived as the sum of our parts. A little kooky at times. It's worked for 47 years till we got tired of it, even though we still do it for the public. At home we became a little more lax.

The only way to get back to singledom is through integration through working with a T. I can't see it for myself at this time, so we exist in co-operation. Good luck with your quest.

LOL that sounds like me