Dissociative Identity Disorder Awareness Day.
It’s DID Day!

Yep, March 5th, each year, we recognize, remember, and celebrate those with Dissociative Identity Disorder.  It’s DID Awareness Day.  

Much of the time, the focus is on public advocacy and increased education about DID.   We all know that DID is still poorly understood, and all too often, misrepresented in the most bizarre of ways out there in the world.  I’m sure there will be plenty of other articles and sources of information related to the general world education about the reality of DID.  We do need to advocate and teach the truth about DID, that is for sure.  Three cheers for those of you who are daring to do that — I applaud your efforts.

So today, here at Discussing Dissociation, I want to take a different approach.  I want to talk with you — the dissociative population.  My thoughts and questions are related to you and when it comes to your dissociation, what you may or may not be aware of.   But first…. 

You are AWESOME, Amazing, and Exceptional!

First, I want to re-stress the concept that you are awesome.  Yes, you’ve developed a set of unique skills, complicated abilities, and unusual talents that all come with their own inherit problems, but also those very skills and abilities helped you manage and survive all those horrible traumas.  Not for one second do I think that the trauma and abuse was okay — it clearly was NOT!  Not for one second do I think it was okay you were hurt — that was NOT okay.  Not at all.

But since those abusers and perpetrators didn’t adhere to human decency, and since you were hurt…  I think it’s important now, however many years later, to find the hidden gold in what you survived.  Reframe the pain.  Look for the silver lining.  And yes, I do see, recognize and applaud you for finding the most amazing ways to manage such horrific situations.  I’ve heard the terms:

Dissociative Identity Gifts 
Dissociative Identity Miracles 
Dissociative Abilities
or simply, Dissociative Identities

I understand all that.  I really do see your ability to be dissociative as an incredible gift, especially in times of intense trouble.  You needed a way of escape, and even if your body couldn’t leave, your mind could go far far away, and that in itself has created some fascinating strengths for you. Thank heavens you found a way to dissociate and separate yourself from the pain.  The trauma and abuse have created many difficulties for you — but the dissociation — that has been something that helped you survive the unfathomable.

I recently posted the Dissociative Superpowers article, and I really do see you as having some super-human strengths and abilities.

Have you read these articles?

• My 100 Strengths, as Said by a Group of Dissociative Trauma Survivors
• My 100 Strengths, by a Group of Dissociative Trauma Survivors, Part Two
• My 100 Strengths, as Said by a Group of Dissociative Trauma Survivors, Part 3

Don’t ever ever believe that you aren’t wonderful.  Because you are.  Yes, yes, you are.

Now that you’re dissociative, how AWARE are you?

Let’s talk for a minute about your awareness, because of course, being dissociative means that your awareness often dissociated away….   

You learned to not look.  Not be there.  Not exist.  Not be real.

That was the whole point of dissociating, right?  To not see, to not know, to not feel, to not remember.  To NOT be aware. To not be the person who went through that, so that you could stay unaware or at least much further away from the difficult moments.   Splitting apart, stepping away, leaving the body, floating to the ceiling, going numb — all these helped you to survive by NOT being aware of what was happening. 

Healing means turning that NOT having awareness into YES, having awareness.

So today, on Dissociative AWARENESS Day, I want to challenge you to look at a few things.  Healing is about re-connecting to the various bits of reality that you dissociated from.  It’s reversing the “dissociating away” process and changing into a “connecting with” process.  It’s the bringing back together what was once blown apart.   

As you are going through your healing process, think about the ways you can increase your own awareness.

Dissociative AWARENESS includes system awareness.

• Are you aware of the whole of your system?  Do you really know everyone inside?  Are you aware of all your people yet?  Even if not, it’s not too late.  You can keep finding your insiders, and building meaningful, helpful connections with them. 

• Are you aware of what your insiders need for healing?  Do you know what they find comforting, helpful, inspiring?

• Are you aware of what your people have lived through?  Do you know what traumas they had to face?  Do you know their stories, their pain, their heartbreak? 

• Are you aware of what your insiders are afraid of?  What have they had the bravery to conquer? 

• Are you aware of your insiders’ strengths and extra abilities?  They will have them.  How are they amazing? 

• Are you aware of the insiders who are hidden in the deeper, darker areas of your internal worlds?  Just like the picture at the top of this article, some of the puzzle pieces are less visible than others.  Have you taken the time to meet and connect with those who are a little less obvious to you? 

Your system can become your best friends.  They can be the most loyal, and the most trustworthy people in your life.  It’s really okay to get to know them.  Communicate and connect with them.  As hard as it might feel at times, building solid, genuine bridges with your insiders will take you a very long ways.

Dissociative AWARENESS includes personal awareness.

• Are you aware of what your body needs, feels, experiences?  Or are you still so very separated from your body that meeting basic physical needs is a challenge?   

• Are you aware of your feelings and emotions?  It’s pretty typical to split off and dissociate away your feelings.  Feelings are difficult, and often painful, and certainly complicated. 

• Are you aware of safety issues, such as, who the safe people are in your life, vs the dangerous people?  Are you aware of hidden motivations or secret relationships?  Are you aware of your own tendencies or blindspots?

• Are you aware of your behaviors in relationships?  Do you see how you treat people?  Are you repeating old family dynamics, unhealthy attachments, trauma bonds, or manipulative projections?

There is sooo much to learn as you become more and more aware of the info you used to dissociate away.  It’s okay to know.  The truth will do, and hopefully, you’ve already survived the worst of it.  That means the best is yet to come! 

Find your courage.  Stretch, grow, and find ways to be kind.  Kindness is sooo important.  Separate yourself even more from that painful history by becoming a better, healthier person. 

Gain more strength and self confidence as you gain the ability to see and remember.   Once your life is safer, you won’t need to rely on those dissociative skills as much.  It will be okay to be aware, present, and connected.

How are you going to celebrate your day?

Today, as you enjoy your DID Awareness Day, take some pride in yourself and your system. Y’all can be good people, and seriously, have some confidence in what you’ve overcome in your life.  Appreciate your system for how they’ve helped you survive, and remember, you’ve got what it takes to be great.

Today, I hope you do something fun with your people.  Celebrate with them. Take your kids out to see some ducks swimming on a pond, or go for a lovely walk on a scenic route, or pop out for a favorite treat.  Remember your teens and let them dance to their favorite music.  How about a pizza?  Anything fun, and whatever helps your insiders to feel a little bit happy and a whole lotta accepted and cared about.   

If you can, do something out there to give a positive Shout Out for the goodness in the dissociative community.  Find something supportive and kind to say, teach someone about the reality of dissociation.  Educate people online, or explain something to a neighbor.  You don’t have to out yourself as dissociative in order to teach others about the truth of dissociation.

We can make a difference.  We can teach the truth about dissociation. 

May both your impact and your awareness grow!

As always, I wish you the best in your creative, influential healing journey.  

Warmly,

Kathy

Copyright © 2008-2026 Kathy Broady and Discussing Dissociation

The post Dissociative Identity Disorder Awareness Day. How Aware are You? appeared first on Discussing Dissociation.

Dissociative Superpowers. Bet you got one! 

(or two, or three…or ten!)

During a week when we’re hearing all about the Super Bowl in football, and the Winter Olympics with hundreds of superpower athletes, I have to think about those folks with dissociative superpowers.  

Yep, if you’re dissociative, you’ve got superpowers! 

Hopefully you’ve heard the term “dissociative identity gift” because yes, in many ways, the ability to be highly dissociative is exactly a gift.   Gifts, or superpowers.  Either way — the ability to create an incredible strength in extremely difficult circumstances.

I’m curious as to what you consider some of your superpowers to be.  A few come to mind for me.  I’m listing out 10 of your superpowers, but honestly, there are probably at least 100 of them.   

Superpower:  Super Ears! 

The ability to hear many different things at once.

Yep, if you’re dissociative, you may be able listen to inside and outside at the same time. 

You can hear numerous conversations at the same time, and while you might miss bits and pieces here and there, you can hear all that input, (all that noise), and still function.  You might even be used to hearing multiple conversations at one time.  For dissociative folks, what’s so unusual about that?! 

This is pretty amazing, really, because your ability to hear, contain, understand, and make sense of so many  conversations at the same time means your brain is able to handle that much input at once.  Even if you yourself aren’t hearing all the internal-external conversations at the same time, someone is hearing them. 

It’s impressive when that much activity can happen simultaneously, and you and your system as a whole can understand all that. 

Superpower:  Super Vision!

The ability to see many different things at once.

Just like being able to hear many things at once, dissociative folks can see many things at once, both inside and outside.  Being able to see more than one direction at once is pretty incredible.  You’ve got lots of people with eyes looking out.  You can see all kinds of things!  

For example, reading what’s in front of you, while also look over to the left or the right, seeing clearly what’s happening in those other directions, even on the other side of the room, without moving your eyes… wow. 

And also, simultaneously seeing inside, looking around in the internal landscape — seeing both the inside and outside world at the same time.  Seeing more than one world at once —  super cool.  The ability to be visually aware of so many different areas at the same time is pretty fantastic.  

Superpower:  Body Blocking! 

The ability to numb out or separate from the body, or parts of the body.

I realize this superpower was developed during traumatic, painful experiences, and I mean no disrespect here.  Despite the horrible ways you learned to block the body, you learned how to block off the body!  This can be so incredibly useful.  It was an obvious help during trauma, but now, even when not in such a frightening place, you can still separate from your body as you need to.  You can step back from the body, you can numb off certain areas, and you might even be able to stand fully outside of your body.  How cool is that? 

These are useful skills during times of illness, or uncomfortable medical procedures, or injuries.  Got a sore throat?  As long as you are in-touch enough to get adequate health care, it’s pretty snazzy-jazzy to be able to step outside of that body container.  You don’t have to feel everything if you can block much of that out. Kudos to you! 

Superpower:  Emotional Exit Strategy

The ability to separate those intense emotions away for a while. 

Oh yes, the ability to send all those difficult feelings over to another place, to another self, behind a separate wall, hidden to a secret place is an absolute superpower.  Big emotions are huge, and often feel impossible to deal with so having the ability to just scoot them over there for a while is a huge superpower. 

I certainly recognize this superpower probably can’t be (shouldn’t be?) used forever, but in certain places and times, this is awesome.  Having an excessively successful emotional exit strategy provides deep relief, space to breathe, a minute to relax, and the ability to something else for awhile. There are times in life when being overwhelmed by giant emotions isn’t helpful, so…. having that ability to push those big feelings away can be a superpower, no doubt.

Superpower:  Staying Forever Young

The ability to keep a child’s heart, the joy of youth, the wonderment of being a little one. 

So many adults, as they grow up, lose the ability to relate to children and childlike feelings, childlike wonder, childlike innocence.  Dissociative survivors don’t lose touch of that. The ability to connect with outside children, is truly heart-warming. 

It’s beautiful to see the joy that children hold, the freedom of expression, the energy when playing, the desire to have fun.  I understand that some of your traumatized child parts might be less adventurous than others, but most systems have at least a few kiddos who have big ol’ lovely bursts of joy, excitement, happiness, and fun.

Superpower:  Intense Focus

The ability to dissociate and block distractions to hyper focus intensity on a particular area. 

When you have a busy internal world, and a hectic external world, it can be hard to focus on any particular “thing”.  You can succumb and swirl into the feelings of chaos, or if you go to the other end of the spectrum.  By using your dissociative superpowers, you can separate yourself away from all the many other distractions and get an intensely successful hyper focus.

When purposefully using your dissociative walls, your ability to distance from other emotions, your ability to block feelings, your ability to create space from noise, your ability to separate from other insiders, putting all those skills together mean that dissociative systems can have an incredible  ability to hyper focus on particular tasks.  You can get a whole lot done in a short amount of time with that ability to focus.  Super impressive! 

Superpower:  Memory Mammoths

The ability to remember so very very much.   

Yes, as much having DID equals bouts of amnesia and loss time, the truth is, from my perspective, the dissociative person who talks well with their insiders, has a much better memory than the average person.   

Memory might be divided up into different compartments, or layers, or people, but… the ability to remember is huge.  For example, asking different insiders to remember separate pieces of information individually, and then pulling it all together means each insider can remember something without getting overwhelmed.  Teamwork means you can put those pieces back together. 

After all, this is a skill you’ve already done, separating into separate selves, remembering different pieces of life, so when you purposefully work together to remember larger chunks of info, you’ve got it made!

Superpower:  Vocal Variations

The ability to speak in such a wide variety of voicings, vocals, vocalizations. 

This is actually more of a superpower than you might think.  So creative!

Ask someone who is not dissociative, who already doesn’t have 20 different voices, and ask them to create that many different voices and stay in character whenever they use each one of those unique vocals. Challenge someone you know.  It is much harder to re-create this than what you’d expect!

Of course, there are voice animators who have conquered this multi-vocal skill, but for the most of the population, it’s much more difficult to have as many different, and unique voicings as dissociative systems have.  Frankly, it’s pretty cool, and highly creative, so I’m calling it a superpower.

Superpower:  Pain Pusher

The ability to push pain away. 

Yep, this is a dissociative superpower for sure. 

Being able to block out the pain, or separate from the body sufficiently enough to not feel the pain, or float away far enough to not feel the pain — there are several ways that dissociative folks manage pain.  Obviously, this has it’s benefits! 

Sadly, of course, this superpower would have been learned the hard way, but still… now that you know how to do this, claim it as your ability.

This is your superpower, your skill, your strength. 

Hopefully, moving forward in life, you won’t need to use this superpower as often, and I hope that you are working on releasing the pain that your body has hidden through the years.

Superpower:  Be Anybody!

The ability to be whoever you want to be! 

Oh, you already have this superpower in spades. 

Being a dissociative system, you already know how to switch to be whoever you want to be.  Your mind is already creative, and chances are, your life story experiences have already taught you how to fit in and change to blend in among different sets of people.  Look around at your people.  They are all so very different from each other, right?  Isn’t that cool?

Of course, it’s always okay to be who you want to be, but when you want to have a variety in life, you can already think of all the unique ways to exist, and you have people who can do it!  You’re not stuck in a rut, and in some ways, it’s a beautiful life being able to be so many different people with such a variety of tastes, preferences, skills, and interests.  How can you ever get bored?

Superpowers Galore! 

Well, the Super Bowl is starting, so I gotta stop this list at 10, but you truly do have many, many dissociative superpowers! 

I do understand that some of those powers were achieved the hard way, and I’m very sorry about that.   You’ve been through far far far too much.  The world is full of too many cruelties, and I hope you’re making genuine gains in your healing.

However, today, I’m celebrating the fact that you really do and already have those abilities!  And now that you have them, they are yours to claim, yours to own, yours to use.  Reframe your pain.  These are your superpowers now!

You’ve done a lot of hard work in your healing — be sure to take some time to find the silver linings in what you’ve accomplished in life. 

It’s okay to celebrate and enjoy all who you are.

I wish you the best, in your creative, superpower-influenced healing journey.  You got this! 

Warmly,

Kathy

Copyright © 2008-2026 Kathy Broady and Discussing Dissociation

The post Dissociative Superpowers. Bet you got one!  appeared first on Discussing Dissociation.

Support through the Storm.
You don’t have to be alone.

Hello out there, especially to you who are in the massive winter storm we have covering most of the USA.

I hope you are weathering this winter storm well so far, and that you are prepared for the cold and freezing temperatures that could be hitting your area.  This is a big one!

I’m seeing news reports that say this winter storm extends out around 2300 miles, covers 40 different states, and will be impacting 235 million Americans.  Oh my.  That’s a lot of us!  Sadly, my news station ignores the Canadians just across the border, but I’m quite sure the storm is headed up that way as well.  

Before the ice settles into my Texas area, I wanted to reach out to you and let you know I’m thinking about you, and hoping the best for you.  I hope you have all the hot chocolate you need, piles of warm blankets, extra fuzzy socks, good books to read, and plenty of goodies to nibble.  Mostly, I hope you’re tucked inside into a place of warmth, out of the wind, sheltered from the snow, and not struggling.  

Once the ice starts to cover this Texas area, it’s really time to tuck inside, stay inside, and hunker down within.  Driving is far too slippery and treacherous, and trees or power lines will tumble over, cracking and crashing down from the weight of the ice.  The world becomes unpredictable, and around every turn, you might suddenly see something else to slip, slide or smash into. 

So… when the ice comes, staying safely inside is the best option, whenever possible.

How do you feel when you’re tucked inside?

The ice can feel like a wall of protection, closing you inside the areas you live.  Maybe this feels entrapping to you, or maybe you will feel safe, being protected from the outdoor wildness of the storm.  Once you’re inside, do you feel comforted, detached and numb, or more terrified?

I’m guessing elements of your emotional state will depend on how prepared you are to navigate through the storm.  If you have enough warm resources, wind protection, shelter, water, food, entertainment ideas, your basic needs may be met.  You might feel ready for the challenge.  Maybe you have a variety of candles and flashlights in case the power goes out.  Or wood for your fireplace for added warmth.  Add in some foods that don’t need to be cooked, and a good supply of drinking water.  You might feel like a conquerer and feel all set. You’ve got what you need, and you’re ready to deal with it!  Staying inside away from the storm doesn’t have to feel horrible.  Not when you’re ready to be in your cozy little bear den.

Oh once you’re locked in by the storm, what about those other emotional needs?  What about those needs to connect to others?  (even if you don’t like to admit or accept that….)

Do you know how to feel safe and connected, even when you’re physically separated, isolated, and alone?

Do you have enough people to reach out to when you are feeling scared or isolated?  Do you have someone you can call, or text, or write to when you are feeling lonely?  Some of us can handle weather crises a little easier than others, but ultimately, having a sense of connection and community is still important for most people.

Losing our ability to reach out and connect with our family, friends, and loved ones — or anyone human — is one of the most upsetting parts of big storms.  Those power outages — losing our phone reception, losing internet, losing the ability to drive anywhere.  Loosing connection with the people you value — that can feel worse and more painful than being hungry or cold for a few days. 

When you’re isolated and separated, so many other deep, troubling feelings and fears can surface. 

Is your dearest person okay?  What if you are the one who desperately needs help?  Can you tell anyone who can hear when you are struggling? 

When does separation feel less safe than connection?

Isolation versus Connection

So many dissociative trauma survivors have already seen the worst of people.  Hideous things.  The world has far too many abusers, predators, bullies, and mean-spirited, self-centered narcissists, that’s for sure.

Folks with DID have already had waaaay too many bad experiences with people hurting them, leaving them, betraying them, destroying any sense of safety.  Sometimes being alone in the world and separated from people can feel like the safest thing ever, especially when people have been who have hurt you.  Who needs people when people have been the problem?

Maybe being away from people feels secure. Manageable.  More controllable.  Easier to navigate.  Less painful. Connection to birds, dogs, cats, trees, stuffies, books, music, spirituality, etc can feel a whole lot safer.  I mean really.  When was the last time your book refused to let you read it?  How many times has your stuffie walked out of the house, refusing to be held?  Emotional connection can be with anyone, or in many situations, with anything.  We all know someone who is more attached to their dogs than to most people.  It happens. 

And… as much as I can understand when isolation feels safest, for you, when does isolation stop feeling okay? 

Even if you need people for only a few minutes a week, or maybe a few hours a month, there may still be a deeply hidden place within you that craves for safe connection.   Even if you don’t trust that, or trust anyone to be consistent with you, that need for connection might still be there, even if you hate that.  Even if you despise that.  Even if you fear that.  Even if you deny that.

So many dissociative trauma survivors want to refuse to claim connection as important. 

I get it — it’s not the top of your list, and really, that is okay.  At the same time… to your surprise, it might not be completely erased off your list, even if you don’t want to admit that to yourself.   

Try sitting completely alone, 100% separate from people.  No phone, no tv, no radio, no form of any version of a human voice entering your day.  While there are certainly folks who find comfort in that silence longer than others, there will likely be a point when being sooooo isolated becomes hard for even the most seasoned trauma survivor who is an expert in self-seclusion.

Finding Places to Connect

So… when you do need someone (maybe) (temporarily) (not for always, just for a minute), in situations like heavy duty winter storms, for example…. where do you go? 

Of course, talk with your friends and family or trusted loved ones, whoever they are.  Your heart connection to them is important, and do keep those connections warm, kind, gentle and accessible.

Internal System Connection.

Also, for all those amazing warriors with Dissociative Identity Disorder, you have a whole world of people within.  And yes, many (or most, maybe even all) of those insiders will need connection, and they can provide a deeper sense of connection for you as well.  How connected you feel externally will genuinely be reflected by how connected you feel internally. 

Typically, the more detached, separated, removed you are from your internal selves, the more distant you will feel in the outside world.  The inside experience often gets reflected in your external experience. 

If you don’t know how to connect with your own selves, how can you truly connect with someone externally?

This is important to remember.  Doing the work it takes to learn how to connect to and attach in healthy ways with your internal system members may be the key to your social isolation issues, or relate to your fears of having people in your life.  There’s more to in than just system connection, of course, but I dare say that connecting with fully healthy relationships won’t happen externally if you refuse to, will not, cannot, or do not connect with your insiders.  Your inside people bring so much depth and meaning into your world, so to stay isolated and separated from them, you are creating blocks and limits for yourself in far more ways than you know.

Ask yourself something. When you are feeling alone and isolated in the world, at that same moment, how alone and isolated are you from your internal system?   Track that correlation over a period of time, and see if that rings true for you. 

So even if you are physically alone in a winter storm, you can use those days, those hours, that precious time to talk within.  Check with your people, do things together.  Talk out loud to them.  Share activities together — do puzzles together, share in some coloring or art work, encourage each other while you stretch with yoga exercises, breathe together while you do tai chi walking.  Address some internal landscape challenges, move more people into your internal safe spot.  Pull each other together and listen to the story one of your older ones can read to the kids.

When you’re in the storm, spend the time together with your system.  Feel the connection you have with them.  That will help you feel less alone, no doubt about it.  Besides, talking with your people about the issues at hand can lead to great problem solving skills and positive resolution to things that feel troublesome.  You and your crew — you can work it out! 

DDCF Forum Connection.

For the dissociative systems who participate in the DDCF Community Forum, the forum setting itself becomes a place of solid connection.  Right now, for example, while this winter storm covers most of America, we have a conversation thread dedicated to that very situation.  We are in communication already, talking about our experiences, relating to the cold, sharing ideas for how to navigate winter challenges, etc.  We’ve got lots of say, of course.  A few jokes, a few stories, lots of understanding.  We’re already creating the sense of community and connection even though most of us will be isolated within our homes while the storm passes over.

The whole process of being connected together, especially for a shared experience, deepens the bond we feel with each other.  We know we are a WE.  We are a group of folks, of all different shapes and sizes and every difference you can think of, but we agree to come together in a community focused on kindness, friendliness, acceptance, authenticity, etc.  We are not the same, but we share a space that creates that connection, so loneliness, alienation, separation and isolation don’t have as much room to exist. 

If you are dissociative, and feeling alone in the storm, you too have the option to join this community.  There’s room for you too.

.

Keep Reading Here.

And of course, if you still need time to process for yourself, please keep reading here.  There are many articles of helpful tips, and topics to consider.  The real question is — can you fully apply what you’re reading?  Can you really do the tasks I’ve described in these articles?   I challenge you to go deeper than lip service.  Yes, read the articles, but then put the concepts into real life practice.  Can you do that? 

AND, the connection pieces, beyond what you practice with your DID System Work, is also what you then share with your therapist, with your trusted friends, with your support group.   You can write a comment below, you can share your favorite  articles with someone else.   If you’ve learned something good and useful from Discussing Dissociation, share that with others.  Let’s keep a good thing going! 

~ ~ ~ ~

Well…  I need to go do a little more winter storm preparation around here.   So for now, I’ll sign off, and hope to hear from you during the storm if local power outages don’t interrupt that. 

Y’all take gentle care.  Please tend to your little ones and the insiders who feel the most fear of storms.  Keep those who dread the cold, all snuggled up and feeling extra warm.  Provide as much comfort for your insiders as you can.  Check in with them frequently, and really, don’t forget them!  Listen to what they are saying, and make your time together one that you can remember fondly.   You and your insiders can absolutely turn this winter weekend into a positive experience of warm  connection. 

Keep the light on!

And as always, I wish you the very best in your healing journeys.

Warmly,

Kathy

Copyright © 2008-2026 Kathy Broady and Discussing Dissociation

The post Support through the Storm. You don’t have to be alone. appeared first on Discussing Dissociation.

January 11th.
National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
 
#WearBlueDay.

Do you know anyone who has been enslaved in human trafficking?

Have you listened to their stories?  Have you felt their pain?

Did you know that many dissociative trauma survivors are used in organized trafficking groups?

Do you understand that these dissociative systems — including their inside kids, inside teens, and a variety of adults — are used, sold and enslaved in organized sex trafficking?

Do you know that, for some DID Survivors, their inside kids and teens have been trained to do a wide variety of roles and the actual inside kids and teens are the ones forced to be out?

Imagine how devastating that is. Can you feel that in your heart and soul?

Are you wearing blue today?

Texas is ranked second in the USA for the most human trafficking.

Facts about Human Trafficking 

My life experience with victims of human trafficking is person-by-person (or really, system-by-system).

However, to provide a bigger picture, statistics, information and education, I’m going to share a variety of Human Trafficking Quick Facts, as listed on the Homeland Security website.  

Please go to the Homeland Security pages for more information.

Human trafficking is the crime of compelling a person to provide labor or services, or to engage in commercial sex acts. Exploitation of a minor for commercial sex is human trafficking, regardless of whether any form of force, fraud, or coercion was used.

According to the United Nations’ International Labour Organization, human traffickers victimize an estimated 27.6 million people worldwide.

• 77% of all victims are in forced labor
• 23% of all victims are in sex trafficking
• 57% are men and boys  
• 43% are women and girls
• Within sex trafficking
  • 78% are women and girls and 22% are men and boys
  • 92% are adults and 8% are children
• Within forced labor
  • 33% are women and girls and 67% men and boys
  • 73% are adults and 27% are children

Although there is no reliable estimate of human trafficking within the United States, human trafficking has been reported in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, on Tribal land, and within U.S. territories.

 

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 defines human trafficking as:

• Sex trafficking — The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, obtaining, patronizing, or soliciting of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age. (22 U.S.C. § 7102(11)(A)).

• Forced labor — The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery. (22 U.S.C. § 7102(11)(B)).

Populations At Risk

There is no single profile of a human trafficking victim because traffickers are willing to exploit anyone who can earn them a profit regardless of age, sex, socioeconomic background, nationality, or immigration status. The following are examples of groups that may be at increased risk:

• Individuals who have experienced childhood abuse or neglect
• Children and youth involved in the foster care and juvenile justice systems
• People experiencing homelessness
• Individuals living in poverty
• Survivors of violence such as intimate partner or domestic violence
• Unaccompanied alien children
• Individuals displaced due to political instability, war, and disaster
• Individuals working in industries with fewer legal protections

Who are the Traffickers?

There is no single profile of a human trafficker; their only commonality is that they are driven by profit at the expense of others. Traffickers are men and women of all ages. They can be relatives, romantic partners, or close family friends. Or they can be the people behind an employment ad or a new friend on social media or online gaming.

Human traffickers can be part of a transnational criminal organization, a local criminal network, or a gang. However, they can also be the owners of restaurant in the community, a local business offering janitorial services, a farm labor contractor supplying harvesters, or the couple next door with a live-in domestic worker or nanny. On a larger scale, traffickers can be a factory owner producing garments or electronics, or the captain of a commercial fishing vessel out at sea for months. They can be a child sex offender traveling abroad or a pimp.

Traffickers Methods of Control

Traffickers use force, fraud, and coercion to compel labor or services and commercial sex.

• Force can include the threat of and actual physical assaults and sexual violence to the victim and others around them which makes the threat even more credible, or family members.
• Fraud is often false promises – of education, a relationship, a specific job, good pay and days off, paying off a debt, sending money home to support the family, or generally of a new more secure life – but the reality is something different and inescapable.
• Coercion can be subtle or overt. Some common tactics include taking identity documents and threatening arrest and/or deportation, inhumane treatment, blackmail, shaming, isolation, addiction, and economic coercion, which can be taking advantage of existing debt or creating a debt.
• Exploitation of a minor for commercial sex is human trafficking, regardless of whether any form of force, fraud, or coercion was used.

If you or someone you know needs help,
you can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline
by calling 888-373-7888,
texting “HELP” or “INFO” to 233733,
or using their online reporting platform. 

What if you are both Dissociative and Enslaved in Sex Trafficking?

Think about how devastating this is — being both dissociative and enslaved in human trafficking.  

In these situations, not only does the DID survivor have to manage the external controls violently forced upon them, they also have their own internal system conflicts, dissociative walls, amnesiac barriers, and the whole range of difficult emotions (fear, terror, guilt, shame, humiliation, confusion, horror, embarrassment, sadness, grief, betrayal, etc).  Family relationships are typically dysfunctional, or strained, or destroyed.  Complex PTSD symptoms and extreme trauma memories from childhood to the current day can still haunt their hearts and minds, and shatter any self of self esteem.  Body memories and physical injuries can be a daily painful challenge.  The complexities of life for these dissociative trauma survivors are massive.

And yet…  Healing is possible.  Freedom is possible.  Safety is possible.  Your system can learn how to be safe from harm, and your life can change for the better.   Find someone who understands the complexities of trafficking and how that impacts the dissociative system.  Find your local crisis center, woman’s DV hotlines, or an experienced trauma therapist.

I’m not the only person out there in the world who helps free the enslaved, but you may contact me if you want to discuss your personal situation.

If you want out, you can get out.  It will take a ton of effort, but you can do it.  

Despite whatever they told you, your life belongs to you, not to the traffickers.

Fight your way out.

As always, I wish you safety and freedom in your healing journey.

Warmly,

Kathy

• National Human Trafficking Hotline: Call 1-888-3737-888, Text INFO or HELP to 233733, or use their website’s chat feature for 24/7, confidential help in over 200 languages.

• Emergency Services: If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911. 

Copyright © 2008-2026 Kathy Broady and Discussing Dissociation

The post January 11th. National Human Trafficking Awareness #WearBlueDay. appeared first on Discussing Dissociation.

500th Article
YEP! FIVE HUNDRED Articles
at Discussing Dissociation

On DID Awareness Day, March 5th, 2025, I set a goal of writing the 500th article for Discussing Dissociation during the year of 2025.  Check this out:  DID Awareness Day 2025 — more goals to reach!

That was a lofty goal, and it’s taken a lot of writing this year to reach that goal.  Thank you for taking the time to read all that.

I’m happy to say, this is the 500th article!  AND yes, it’s still 2025.   

In fact, this is the 25th article for 2025 as well.  Kinda cool numbers, hey?

Did you reach your 2025 DID Awareness Day goal?

To be fair, I didn’t reach all my goals planned for 2025, but posting the 500th free article teaching about Dissociative Identity Disorder, explaining appropriate approaches, sharing helpful tips, offering encouraging words for DID trauma survivors is no small feat.  Seems I have a lot to say — my articles have not been short this year.  It’s been a busy year and we had an awesome P4 Retreat and a super effective Small Group Intensive as well.  

Did your year go as planned?  Mine didn’t always — sometimes, but then again, when do they ever go as planned?  Life is full of twists and turns, and sometimes the best made plans still run into roadblocks.  What do you do when that happens?  I get creative, and get deeply determined to not let the naysayers of the world ruin my day.  And, the goals I didn’t get accomplished this year, I’ll work on next year.

Speaking of next year….  

How are you spending New Year’s Eve?

The DD Community is getting together for a NYE Zoom.  We’ll have some fun and ring in the new year together, a few time zones in a row.  We’ll be discussing our “Theme Word of the Year” for 2026.   We’ll do a few fun things for the inside kids, and just make a nice evening of it.

Community connection is an important part of healing, inside and out.
I hope that you and your insiders are finding ways to connect with each other, and looking forward to the upcoming months.  

Now, this may be a bit of a short article for a change, ha, but it’s already 2026 in Australia and I’ve got a NYE party to plan.  I’m watching the Sydney Fireworks and remembering the year I sat there, at the Opera House myself.

Take gentle care, and be sure to check in with your insiders tonight.  This could be a difficult evening for some of your people, so be sure to care properly for them.

I really do wish the best for you and your insiders.

I’ll write more to you in the upcoming years — reaching my 500th article is not the end of what I have to say.

You know what?  I’m ending this article with 500 words! 

May more of your dreams come true in 2026.

I wish you the best in your ongoing healing journey.

Warmly,

Kathy

Copyright © 2008-2026 Kathy Broady and Discussing Dissociation

The post 500th Article — YEP! FIVE HUNDRED Articles here at Discussing Dissociation appeared first on Discussing Dissociation.

What if your Family Visit was a Painful Disaster?

During the holidays, it’s relatively common to be in touch with the relatives.   Family visits are assumed and expected a little more than other weeks of the year.  And while so many of the holiday movies and the cards show the holidays as happy times, we all know that’s not always the case.  Quite often not the case.  Families can be great.  But not always.  Families can be one of the biggest sources of pain as well.

This week, lots of folks have been hurting.  For you, it’s been rough, it’s been painful.  It’s certainly not been the makings of a Hallmark movie. I’m writing this note to make sure you know you’ve not been forgotten.  Someone out here is thinking of you, and knowing that your heart is hurting.

Did you experience any of these tragedies this week?

• angry arguments with family members, those kinds of ugly arguments that hurts your very soul?
• attacking accusations where you were gaslighted, blamed, or even falsely charged with doing something harmful?
• deeply felt betrayals where someone you trusted did or said something that sharply stabbed you in the heart?
• violent assaults, where you were physically or sexually abused, left hurting, bruised, and bleeding?
• abandoned, where you were left behind, ignored, forgotten, alone, and excluded from the gatherings?
• personal devastation, with no food, no shelter, no resources, no health care, no vehicle, no support?
• a sudden crisis, such as a death of a loved one, or injuries, car wrecks, medical emergencies, or some unexpected loss?
• bullying, cyberbullying, ugly gossip, lies, trash-talking troll attacks, slander, or hate crimes?
• divorce, break-ups, or the ending of a significant relationship?

There are so many ways to experience pain.  Our world can be truly cruel.

If you had any version of a disastrous holiday week, my heart goes out to you.  It hurts, and would have been awful for you.  Sadly, the tragedies in the world don’t stop just because we have a holiday scheduled.

Where to you go from here?

Sad, desolate, vicious holidays can happen for anyone.   I clearly haven’t done a world poll, but I would guess that a whole lot of people have holiday experiences and memories that are filled with pain and heartbreak.  Really, when you’re hurting, you’re hurting.  There’s not a whole lot more to say about that — hurt hurts! 

There are a few things you can do about that tho’.   You might not have been able to prevent the hurt, but now, you can do a few things to address the hurt.  Your pain is real, palpable, genuine… and yet, the person who can best address that pain is you.

When painful events happen to you…

How do you manage your emotions?
How do you tend to your heartache?
What do you with the hurt you feel?  

Discussing Dissociation
Well… you’re already reading here, so I’ll start here, and yes, I have to agree, coming to Discussing Dissociation is a great idea.  I’m all for that one, of course, and there are articles about tons of topics that are pertinent to the dissociative community.  Everyone who has Dissociative Identity Disorder has had family pain of some sort, trauma and abuse of all varieties, and years of emotional pain.  It comes with the territory of having DID — those dissociative abilities didn’t develop from all the happy moments in your life.  SO… while you’re hurting, this site can be a comforting resource for you.  

I’m going to highlight a variety of links that might help you find relatable DD articles as well. See below. 

And, when you find an article here that matches how you feel, be sure to read the comments.  Some of the articles have dozens of comments.  You can see that you’re not alone in the world — sadly enough, there are other people out there who also hurt in those same ways.

Find additional supports.
Do you have others you can turn to for comfort?  Maybe you’ve got a good friend, or a support group, a church e-group, or a faithful dog by your side. If there is anyone else you can be with for solace, that’s helpful.  Other people (or dogs, or cats, or horses, or birds…) may be able to fill in the gap where your family could not.

Sitting alone with your pain.
Sometimes, just curling up in a tight little private place is comfort, even if there is no one else with you.  Building those thick walls around you — dissociatively and literally — can help you feel more secure.  Sitting safely, secure in your silence, hidden away with your pain may be the exact thing you need to do.  

Even if you are alone, you can do things to help yourself feel better in your wounded place.  Sometimes, just sitting alone is okay.  Yep, I know that might not sound like much of a plan, but sometimes, just sitting safely with your pain is exactly the needed spot in your healing process.  You might not want to talk with anyone or go anywhere anyway.  If you can help address your wound just by sitting quietly, then by all means, go for it. Reading a good book or watching tv can take you somewhere else in your mind, if you need the escape.   And of course, working on a puzzle is a good way to sit quietly and think, or not think.

Creative expression.
You have all heard about the benefits of using art as a way to communicate — drawing your pain, painting a picture of what you feel, making a collage about the chaos.  Or there are the writing options, such as journalling, acronyms, word exercises, etc that help you to write about your pain in creative ways.  Music is a great way to express pain — y’all know that I prefer the piano, but music of any kind can be deeply meaningful.  Dance and movement allows the body to show how feelings as well.

Challenge yourself.
Sometimes, while you’re hurting, distracting yourself with another goal can help pass some time, while you’re also working on your pain level.  Give yourself quiet attainable goals — read 3 books this week.  Make 25 forum posts this week.  Read 10 DD articles each day.  Go for a mile (or one block) walk each day.  Watch 4 new motivational / inspirational speakers or spiritual leaders on YouTube.  Mixing it up your activities is good idea — your mind, body, soul, and spirit will all need some healing time.  So… use a little distraction, some creative expression, learn something new, deepen your faith, and participate in physical movement will help balance the different areas of your life.

Meet your Basic Needs
Even when your heart is hurting, even after a family fight — maybe especially after a family fight — it is important to still do good self care.  This includes everything from remembering to eat healthy foods, drink more water, get enough sleep, clean up areas your home around you.  Depression can easily set in after family conflict, so working hard to fight against that is important. Meeting your basic physical needs can help to prevent an emotional crash.  

Remember — self care, not self-harm, is the key here.  Personal safety is crucial.  No more harm!  Comfort yourself with gentleness, kindness, softness. With all your strength, resist the urge to do self injury.

DID System Work
You knew I would put DID System Work on the list, surely you did!  Because of course, if you’re dissociative, and you’re having big feelings, especially after a difficult time, your internal system is going to be stirred up and feeling fear.  

You’ll feel the effects of PTSD, and you might have some extra flashbacks or body memories happening.  Current day chaos and pain will stir up previous memories of chaos and pain.  And those memories may be held by others inside.  Internal system communication is essential to resolve any internal chaos — choose healthy ways to speak with each other internally.  

And of course, if you had family conflict in the outside world, any internal family introject parts you may have will also be activated and stirred up as well.  What happens outside, ripples inside, so look for the ways your insiders feel the impact in your internal worlds.

Time distortion, time confusion, and missing time can happen, especially after intense family conflict, so check in with your people.  Someone was present, and someone knows what happened.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You take it from there….

Okay, I’m going to stop here.  I could talk for hours and hours about addressing the pain from family disasters, and hopefully, I’ve given you some helpful places to go to address your feelings.  I’ve given you a huge ol’ mountain-size pile of links and reading material if you are needing a few more ideas on how to manage painful family conflict.  Obviously, that’s going to take some time if you click through all those links! 

I want you to be gentle with yourself.  Clearly, one “little family incident” can create a whole internal landslide of work to do with your insiders.  For real —  be gentle with yourselves, and kind with your insiders as you figure out the layers of impact.  Being dissociative, you will most certainly feel an internal response to outside family disturbances.  Instead of giving yourself a hard time about that, look at ways to understand, and then you’ll be better able to help your system with the internal mess.

This is all part of your healing journey.  Recognizing the pain spots, and then helping those who are feeling the most hurt.  

Even the hurting moments can be turned into healing moments.

I really am sorry for your pain, and still wishing better times for you during your healing journey.

Warmly, 

Kathy

Copyright © 2008-2026 Kathy Broady and Discussing Dissociation

The post What if your Family Visit was a Painful Disaster? appeared first on Discussing Dissociation.

Wishing You a Double Dose of Peace

As the beauty of this winter holiday season begins, I have many peace-filled wishes to share with you.  

I hope you are sitting with a good friend.  Or maybe near a loved one.  Or along side a dear companion, or close-by a cherished pet-friend, or if you prefer, with some really good books, and maybe a couple of good stuffies.

For you with a dissociative system, I encourage you to also sit with your insiders, feeling that connection and companionship with them.  They are your people — the more cohesion there is among you, the better.

And as you find your very own comfy cozy place, I hope you experience a peace-filled view, both inside and out.

Peaceful thoughts from sweet Pinky and little baby JoeJoe.

Pink and Joe have been important to the DD community for many years.   Who knew, way back in 2015, this pair of Australian kelpies would enjoy more than a decade of being friendly, helpful, playful companions for dissociative trauma survivors all over the world.  

May you, too, find a meaningful road in your life, no matter where that road takes you, despite the unexpected twists and turns.  And as you go, may you meet many interesting people along the way, have many exciting adventures, and travel far and wide to many beautiful places.

Oh, and JoeJoe adds… may you do a lot of happy “Go Joe’s” along the way! 

May your year be doubly bright and colorful.

Rainbow lorikeets fly together, singing as they go.  They zip and flip around in all directions, never complaining, seeming to never tire.  Being so naturally beautiful and amazing, they of course, make your day feel better, more cheerful, and peacefully  light-hearted, just because they are there.  

May your life be one that creates joy and beauty too, just because you’re there, making the space a little better.  It doesn’t take that much to bring a smile to someone’s face.  May you and your insiders be people who find ways to spread good cheer, inside and out, helping others feel a little better, even on the rough days.

And may these fascinating multi-colored lorikeets who function well in large groups inspire you to bring your people together, no matter your differences, encourage you to share space together, and making your inside world a little brighter too!

May you have twooo many good days ahead!

Jorgie and Jordy, the fuzzy darker orange boys from the DD-adopted litter of kittens, wish you many, many good days ahead.  In this picture, they are only 15 days old, and just starting to see, hear, and experience the world. 

Can you imagine being only 15 days old?  What do the littlest ones in your system think about these tiny orange kittens?  Can you hear your little ones talking with you?  What are they saying?  Take the time to stop what you’re doing and listen inside — what do you hear?  Learning to have ongoing frequent internal communication is the key to your healing.  And, in oh so many ways, good communication starts with listening more than talking.

This year, may your internal eyes and ears pop open like Jorgie and Jordy’s were starting to do.  May you learn to hear what you need to hear for your healing and your growth.

Oh, and by the way, both of these orange J-boys have grown into big ol’ huge cats now.  They aren’t little any more — they are easily 15+ pounds each.  Yep!  Huge cats! 

May you pair-up with the courage to meet someone new!  

Sometimes in life, we see someone new.   Do you have the courage to meet new people?

What if you need to meet someone new inside your system?  What if you are first meeting someone much bigger than you?  Or what if you are first-time meeting someone much smaller than you?  When the differences are massive, how do you handle that?

Pixie and Jazzy are clearly very different from each other, but these two gals have learned how to be great pals.  They play, they nose-nuzzle, they buddy-up together.  Their wish for you this year is to learn how to be friends with the people in your system who are definitely different from you, to have the courage to meet them, and the willingness to build a lasting quality relationship with them.  

The good news is, insiders who are different from you will likely have a whole new set of strengths and abilities, not the same as your skills.  It’s probably advantageous to your team to bring them in as friends and companions.  They will have something positive to contribute to your healing.

May you also become friends with all those imperfect insiders.

Jorgie and JJ Kitty have become very good buds, and their lop-sided mustaches have not prevented their friendship from growing.  These are very imperfect cats.  They have many troubles.  

Jorgie is a little too hefty and his fur mats too easily.  He gets in the way and crawls into the cabinets far too quickly.  Sometimes, he’s a bit of a bully and plays too rough.  He uses his sharp little claws in not-so-great ways.

JJ, is also a very imperfect cat.  He has his broken front leg which is permanently bent, not fully functional, and gives him a chronic limp.  His crooked mustache is a stark feature, and his jaw isn’t quite right due to his early kitten-hood trauma.  (Did I tell you that story yet?  I’ll have to write more about him.)  

Anyway, the point is, these two cats are not perfect.  They have issues. They have troubles. They aren’t perfectly gorgeous.  

AND, they are wonderful.  Their quirks just make them funny and interesting.  They are oddballs and a bit weird, but they fit right in.  They are friends with each and every dog, and nose-boopie all of them, even Joe.  Yep, kelpie-cats, all of them.

What’s the obvious moral of the story here?  Do you accept your weird, wonky insiders?  Can you find ways to understand them despite their weirdness?  Can you accept them despite the trauma they’ve been through?

May you find truly loyal friends this year.

Zeekee and Cowboy are true blue brothers.  They are an unlikely pair, and they don’t look like or act alike, they aren’t the same size or shape, but they are nearly inseparable.  They know what loyalty means.  It’s sad, in some ways, that these little puppies understand more about sticking faithfully with their good buddy than people do.  

Their wish for you is to build relationships with people who are not flip-flops.  To find people who stay loyal to the truth and don’t hurt you with betrayal and back-stabbing.  These little pup-cakes can teach many people lessons about how to stay friends with their friends!

This wish also includes being loyal to your insiders.  What does that mean?  That means for insiders to learn to not do things that hurt the others in the system.  That means for system folks to spend time together, and figure out how to enjoy each other’s company, and how to build trust with each other.  This means to stay away from outside abusers and to not participate in harmful activities, and that every single person in your system gets to live a safe life.  

We wish loyal friends in your life who are truly kind to you, and not someone who hurts you.

Wishes of peace and more peace from the whole kelpie-crew.

From the whole kelpie family and me, we wish these things for you, and we wish you the very best this holiday season.  

May you find ways to peacefully sit with your own family — either your inside system family or your outside family.   When it comes to your insiders, may your differences not get in the way and may the blending of your strengths be something you cherish and use for growth.

We send you warm thoughts and wishes for this holiday season.

Most of all, we wish you loads of peace in your healing journey.

Warmly, 

Kathy

Copyright © 2008-2026 Kathy Broady and Discussing Dissociation

The post Wishing You a Double Dose of Peace, and a whole lot More appeared first on Discussing Dissociation.

Darkness Exists —  Are You Deceived by its Dazzle?

It’s the shortest day of the year, the day with the most darkness, and the longest of nights.  Winter Solstice can mean many things to different people, but today, I think of the ways the depths of darkness has dazzled far too many people.  The money, the power, the control, the fame, the party drugs, the excessive sex life, the cover-up’s ….  Do these things motivate you? Are you willing to hurt and destroy others, just so you can have something you want?  Does it matter when others are pulverized to a bloody pulp when you want a good time?  Are you so desperate to feel good or right or powerful that you will viciously attack others in the process?  Are you willing to sell your soul for a few dollars or a “great party”?

Hopefully, if you’re reading here at DD, these are not your goals in life.

I’ve spent decades of time listening to women who have been devastated and destroyed by the depravity of darkness.

Whether they were a young innocent child growing up in a nasty cult, or a child sold into sex slavery, or a child whose life was dominated by violence, or a child owned by a sex trafficking network, the vile truth about deep ugly darkness exists.  And sadly, it has taken its deadly toll on far too many people.

Belonging to and feeling owned or controlled by people who rule in darkness is life-shattering. Life-threatening.  Life-changing.

These women have been torn to shreds, dissociated into dozens of internal pieces, pushed to the brink, forced beyond any normal pain tolerance, broken far beyond anything acceptable.  The life-long scars left behind are atrocious.

Recently, I’ve been watching the series, Secrets of the Bunny Ranch.  Oh my goodness. Secrets of the Bunny Ranch is a 2025 A&E documentary series revealing the ugly, dark reality behind Dennis Hof’s famous legal brothels. The documentary focuses on the Moonlite Bunny Ranch, but it mentions Hof’s additional brothels as well, such as the Kit Kat Ranch,  Sagebrush Ranch, and Love Ranch.  The brothel life looks anything but awesome.  It shows young women being deceived by a dark dazzle, duped by the draw of the dollar.  This documentary clearly demonstrates how the Bunny Ranch sex workers experienced manipulation, abuse, violence, pain, entrapment, fear, exhaustion, addictions, poverty, rape, beatings, danger, and debt bondage.  The alleged glamor is nothing but putrid gore.

And these are the legal brothels.  The hidden, illegal sex trafficking warehouses are even worse.  FAR worse.  The Bunny Ranch is a piece of cake compared to the hidden trafficking world that controls dissociative trauma survivors.  And SRA cults?  So gruesome, repulsive, and evil to the core.

Where’s the dazzle in being enslaved in this pain-filled, depraved lifestyle?  Is this really what they want?  I suppose this lifestyle fits for those who have insatiable appetites for power, for money, and while feeling no compassion, lacking any care for how many people they hurt. They close their hearts and are willing to have that predatory spirit.  

It’s shockingly horrifying to think the world has so many people willing to sell themselves into these lifestyles.

Thankfully, there is the other side of the story….

Yet at the same time, I have been dazzled myself.

Not to worry — I have not been dazzled by the bright shiny deceptive points of evil.  Nope.  Not interested in that at all. 

I have been totally impressed by something else.  

I’ve had the privilege to talk with many dissociative trauma survivors who have refused to participate in that evil.  

These light-filled women have the courage to leave, to go, to refuse.  These are amazing warriors, fighting spirits, hearts of gold!

Are you a DID Survivor who has one of those incredible stories of resilience?  A determination to find freedom and safety?  Are you holding onto a supernatural strength to fight and leave those pits of darkness?  

YOU are my heroes.

These survivors are those who choose to walk away from evil.  These survivors are those who choose love over hatred.  These survivors are those who choose kindness over torture.  These survivors are those who choose light-filled life over a gnarly dark dungeon.  No matter the cost, having the courage, the strength, and the determination to leave those worlds dripping in darkness is nothing short of inspirational.

And yes, leaving evil can be done.  Leaving the torture of trafficking is possible.  Breaking the chains of generational cults can happen.  Don’t be deceived by the “you can never leave” messages you were taught.  Nope — those are lies, and you really can get out.  It’s not easy — not saying that.  It’s exceedingly difficult to get out — expensive, exhausting, lonely, frightening.  There aren’t many quick or easy paths out.  It requires a long, hard fight.  You gotta be strong, and you gotta really really want out.

But if your heart doesn’t belong to evil, neither does your life.  

If your soul desires to be filled with light, then make your life match accordingly.  

Be authentic to who you are — your life depends on it.

The truth is, once you are old enough and can get your own resources, you get to choose who you belong to.  You don’t have to stay attached to what you were born into, adopted into, married into, or sold into.  You get to find your very own pathway out, and live the life you want to have.  Be strong.  Be courageous.  Others have left their lives drenched in evil — you can too.

No one I know has a perfect life.  But you can certainly join the crew of amazing warrior women who have fought their way out of evil.   Find your freedom, find yourself.   You can do it.  

On this weekend of the most darkness, let your light shine.

You can do it.  You’ve got it in you!

I hope that you find the safest light, goodness, freedom, and ongoing safety in your healing journey.

Warmly,

Kathy 

Copyright © 2008-2026 Kathy Broady and Discussing Dissociation

The post Darkness Exists — Are You Deceived by its Dazzle? appeared first on Discussing Dissociation.

Seven Years of DDCF ?!!  
Yep, it’s our 7th Anniversary
Whoot, whoot! 

Which means…. seven years of friendships, peer support, conversations, and community connection.

I can’t say this strongly enough.  One of the most beautiful aspects of the DD Community Forum is the depth of relationships that have been formed.  The connections are real, the friendships are solid.  No one is perfect, obviously, but real people can make real bonds when the environment is safe, warm, properly-boundaried, and interesting.

We’ve created more than seven in-person events, more than 70 zoom groups, more than 170 videos, more than 177,777 posts written.  We’re a busy group, and you can bet on this — there’s lots more excellent events and ideas coming!

We’ve adopted more than 7 kittens, we’ve met in person in more than 7 different towns.

We have had at least 7,777,777 laughs, probably shed more than 7000 tears, and weathered more storms than I care to count.  (Storms get to blow away, so those storms don’t get to count!)

We have walked more than 70 miles of adventure walks.  And after all of House Mom’s 700 amazing desserts, we needed those walks! 

Walking side-by-side, literally, or physically, through the hard days, the sad times, and the fun spots has created an unforgettable bond.  

Everyone needs someone to walk with.

Who has walked your journey with you?

This deeply personal statement was recently sent to me.

To gratefully honor the person who took the time to share their heart so beautifully, I share their personal story of connection with the DD Community with you.

“There are rare moments in life when you meet someone whose kindness, compassion, and understanding change not only your world but your whole life. For me, Kathy is that person. From our very first conversation, I felt seen, heard, and supported. Before I found the Blog and joined the DID Forum, I felt like I had to struggle alone and was so lost in the darkness. Living with DID often feels overwhelming and isolating. Then I discovered the spaces that Kathy built—her Blog, the Forum, and then the retreats. It was Kathy and the resources she created that helped me find my way out of the darkness and I was no longer alone. Her knowledge and many years of experience have allowed me to understand myself and my journey, and her hope has made me believe that healing is possible if you are willing to do the work.

The Blog, DID Forum, and retreats she created are more than just websites—they are lifelines and sources of hope. It is rare to find spaces that not only encourage open communication but also provide support and a genuine sense of belonging. These treasured spaces are the only places where we can be seen, accepted and supported

When Kathy created the forum, she established a place where judgment is replaced by encouragement, and fear is gently turned into hope. The forum has welcomed everyone by nurturing an atmosphere where every question is met with thoughtful responses, and each contribution is valued.  The forum is more than an online space; it is a collage of voices echoing hope, compassion, and the courage to speak the unspeakable.  Members of the forum demonstrate the courage it takes to show up, the strength it takes to heal, and the kindness it takes to care but also by the commitment to growth, understanding and resilience.

Before joining the forum, I felt like my story didn’t matter. But here, I found the courage to speak the words that never could be spoken and the strength to challenge old “childhood” rules. I found knowledge that replaced confusion and support that eased my pain. I found friends who became the best support system I have ever had in my life—people who truly understand and stand by me through the hardest times and celebrate with me on the successful things in my life.

Support within the forums and retreats transcends the superficial. It is threaded through late-night messages of reassurance, heartfelt responses to disclosures, and the gentle guidance offered by forum members who are on similar journeys as we are. It is found in communal laughter, in tears shed together, and in the unwavering reminder: you do not walk this path alone.

Kathy and my forum friends gave me the gift of believing that my voice matters. Her forum is proof that every story deserves to be heard. She has empowered us not just to heal ourselves, but to reach out and support others who are also struggling. My self-confidence has grown, my anxiety has lessened, and my belief in the future feels real—thanks to Kathy’s and my forum friends’ unwavering support. 

Kathy strength is quiet yet powerful.  It is evident in the moments where words are unnecessary, as she simply sits with you in your struggles and pain.  She leads not from a distance, but with her whole heart.  She is the heart of these spaces, and her example inspires all of us to keep moving forward, together.

I am far from alone in this. I’ve read so many stories from fellow survivors whose lives have been changed by Kathy’s compassion and understanding. I see people who once doubted themselves now standing tall, thanks to her encouragement and support. I see hope restored, and so much growth within our forum community.

I am constantly inspired by Kathy’s advocacy. She doesn’t just support us here—she encourages us to speak up, to educate, and to shine our own lights into the world. Because of her, I now have the tools and the courage to advocate for myself and others. The awareness she spreads, both inside and outside the forum, is making a real difference in how DID is understood and supported.

Healing is never linear, and there are still dark days. But because of Kathy and the priceless spaces she has created, I know that there will always be a place where I am welcomed, supported, and understood. Kathy’s dedication stands as a reminder that positive change is possible, that every voice deserves to be heard, and that self awareness and perseverance is the most enduring foundation for growth.  Her dedication is a light that will never fade, and I am endlessly grateful.  This community will long shine as a guiding light—for survivors, and all who journey together—embracing the power of compassion and connection.  Kathy’s light shines on us all, and it’s a light that I carry with me, even on my darkest days.

Kathy, thank you for everything you have done, and continue to do, for me and for all of us. Your wisdom, gentle caring and hope have changed lives—including mine. The light you’ve brought into the world will never stop shining, and your legacy will continue in every story shared and every survivor who finds comfort in this community. With all my heart, thank you.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I was speechless after reading that.  

Thoroughly heart-touched, spirit-overflowing, and a bit gob-smacked, but also, I feel grateful, thankful, and honored that this person has found my presence and the DD Community to be so deeply valuable.  It’s so encouraging to hear when someone sees and experiences the depth of your heart, your dreams, your hopes, your plans.  Thank YOU for really seeing, finding, and living out the intention and purpose of DDCF.  Your experience is the whole reason DDCF exists….

To the writer — we’ll talk more, privately, of course, and you really mean so very very much to me.  You are one beautiful soul yourself.

To the readers still reading…. 

Again I ask you, who has walked your journey with you?

Who can you trust?  Who hears your heart, and accepts your warts?  Who “gets it”?

And in your life, who doesn’t flip on you, or betray you, or abandon you?

Who understands your life, your struggles, your heartaches?   Do you have good people in your life?

Genuine friendships and quality relationships are hard to find.   Staying connected to authentic people who are dissociatively-minded and kind-hearted makes the path forward so much brighter.

So when you find a good thing…. hold tight!  Why do you think we’re still a strong community, seven years later! 

To those of you in DDCF, THANK YOU!

You have been incredible.  

You have been inspirational.  

You have been kind.

You have been fun!

You have been inquisitive.  

You have been good-natured.  

You have been brave. 

Happy 7th anniversary to you all.  

WE are a fantastic community, and that is worth its weight in gold.  You mean the world to me — you truly do.

Thank you, thank you, and thank you — seven years of thank you’s.  

Oh hey — don’t forget.  We’re gonna have our Zoom Party this week — see you there! 

And to those of you who are still reading here at Discussing Dissociation, thank you too!  Of course, you are welcome to join DDCF and be part of this amazing community.  Our doors are open, and we are happy to meet new friends.  Maybe we’ll see you soon too.

I hope that you find the very best support and safe community connections in your healing journey.

Happy 7th.  That’s awesome.

Warmly,

Kathy 

Are YOU looking for a safe place where you can connect to genuine community?

It’s a very busy time of year right now, so I’ll be brief. Yes, yes, yes, if you and your system are looking for a place to belong, a place to feel connected to other like-minded people, a place to relate with folks who know what a plural-life is like, and a place where conversation is respectful and kind, please feel free to join us.   

New memberships are available at any time. 

Click HERE for more information.

Copyright © 2008-2026 Kathy Broady and Discussing Dissociation

The post Who has Walked Your Journey with You? appeared first on Discussing Dissociation.

Seventeen years of Discussing Dissociation

Yep, 17 years ago, this blog website started.

It’s absolutely changed my life.

Hopefully, it’s had a positive impact for you as well.

Hello hello to you….

This year, on this 17th anniversary of Discussing Dissociation, I want to just write to you.   Not to teach you something, not to make a particular point, not to give you an example of what is helpful, not to tell you about the latest new resource, but to share a bit about how this process has been.  It’s been 17 years.  That’s a long time to write to you.  It’s been great!  But it’s also been very painful.

During these years of time, I’ve heard back from you too.  You’ve also written to me!  There are nearly 14,000 comments on this blog alone — that’s a lot of participation on your part.  That’s not including countless social media comments, myriads of forum posts, and the thousands of private emails I’ve received in response to what I’ve written to you.  You’ve told me your hurts, your struggles, your pain, your successes.  You’ve asked questions, shared victories, and sometimes even sent your cranky fussy arguments to me. 

During this process of writing to you for 17 years, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know so many different dissociative survivors. That in itself has been fantastic and very fulfilling.  For the world to ever ever question whether DID is a real thing or not…. wow.  There is so much proof, just on this blog, or in my inbox.  I have tons of evidence that proves how real you are.  I know you’re real.  I don’t doubt you.  I have seen you, and I give you my voice of support.

Of course, over the 17 years, there have been some incredible moments — no doubt about that.  I’ve met some of the most inspirational people, some of the strongest warriors, some of the most tender souls, some of the most creative people in the world.   The amount of talent and abilities in the dissociative population holds is immeasurable.  You are truly amazing!  I am repeatedly deeply and flat-out impressed by the ways you’ve learned to cope and all the fantastic ways you use your brain.  Your dissociative abilities are nothing short of mind-blowing.

And yet, this process of getting closely connected to you — a population of people who hold the most severe trauma histories… the most exorbitant amount of pain, the most grueling family violence stories….  it’s also, not been easy.  Let’s be real here.  It’s not always fun. Oh my gosh.  My heart breaks.  

You hurt, and I see that.  You hurt, and I feel that.  The trauma is real.  The abuse was real.  The betrayal, abandonment, neglect… all that is real. The amount of pain you carry on an everyday level is so far beyond any reasonable request thrown onto any person, any teenager, let alone any young child.  My heart really does go out to you.  I feel such deep compassion for those unfair, unwarranted injuries you’ve received… Through no fault of your own, you’ve truly been violated, abused, assaulted, hurt, devastated, left for dead.  Hurt in more ways than I ever knew existed.  Beaten up in the most bizarre ways.  It’s shocking and discouraging, disheartening and devastating to hear how evil the world is out there.   So of course, all that cruel craziness leaves those holes in your heart, the limp in your step, the loneliness in your day, the breaks and aches in your spirit, the fears and panic in your night.  These can all be big ol’ giant massive wounds.  Yes, the pain is real.

And sometimes, that pain spills out in all kinds of not-so-helpful ways.  Not everyone is nice, and definitely not everyone is kind.  I see you attacking each other — inside and out.  I see you twist words and refuse to accept kindness.  I see you too fearful to believe that good can exist.  I experience some of the pain-fueled aggression getting sharply aimed at me. I hear how you were hurt by the way the venom pours back out.  The anger, the rage, the mistrust, the suspicions — all very very real thoughts and feelings, even if displaced onto the wrong target.  I’ve seen too many genuine helpers leave the field due to the mess, the chaos, the unrecognized ugly trauma-dynamics that play out in the current day world.  This too, breaks my heart.

Coming from a life of hurt really doesn’t mean you get to hurt others.  As much as that was “normal” in your world, it’s still not the best way to live a happy, fulfilling life.  You were taught some twisted, bizarre, horrific beliefs and rules — I get that.  And I encourage you to change those.  Become someone better than you were raised to be.  Raise those old standards!  Outgrow those old family dynamics.  Reach for better.  Change the world by bringing more light and goodness into our living space.  

I wish something far better for you than a life filled with anger, than a life fueled by manipulation, than a life propelled by pain.   Address your hurts —  your real hurts, the original hurts — and heal the source of your pain.   Taking your feelings out on the wrong target isn’t going to give you the peace you want and need.  Be kind to the folks who are on your side.  Work really hard to figure out who is helping you, versus who is hurting you.  Seems obvious, right?  Should be clear, right?  Oh, not always, and that’s how the mix-up’s begin.  

So be careful, be smart, be creative.  Think about what helps you grow.  Find interesting activities that help you and your insiders.  Find ways to express your pain without attacking anyone else.  Explore ways to be kind, and caring, gentle, faithful and true.  Betraying your friends doesn’t make you a very good friend.  Treating people with hatred doesn’t make you endearing.  Consider your actions, because even if you “feel” like lashing out, maybe that’s not the best answer for you, or the community around you.  You didn’t like people spilling their hatred onto you.  Why would you do that to someone else?

I really do want the best for you.  I want you to heal, to grow, to learn, to thrive.  I want you to meet all your insiders with kindness, caring, compassion, grace, and gratitude.  I want you to improve your life so your little ones never have to be hungry or starved or stripped, or never left dirty in the dark and cold in their confusion ever again.  I want you to learn how to tend to your injuries, how to heal from your pain, and how to blossom a life that radiates beauty out to others.   Your life can be as wonderful as you make it.   Did you know that?  It really can be.  

Like the picture at the top of this page, I want you to be a winner. I want you to grow. I want you to enjoy life. I want you to succeed in every way possible, as long as that doesn’t involve crushing others along the way.  I want you to feel successful, to know you’re connected in safe ways, to feel the warmth that belongs in your heart.  

Despite all the messy, hurtful trauma-reverberations I’ve experienced through the years, I do feel like a winner having had 17+ years with you.  I do believe we can make the world a better place.  I do see progress, and I do see many people growing and blossoming in all the most wonderful of ways.  I KNOW I’m in that wining place when the people around me achieve these once-unattainable goals.  I see growth in my forum community.  I cheer you on as you are getting more and more free, and no longer enslaved to the trauma that held you back.  I know the people in my life experience growth, healing, and inner peace.  It’s more than obvious.  

So to you, especially to those of you who have been my nearest and dearest through these decades of time, I give you my deepest votes of gratitude, my warmest expressions of kindness, my biggest cheers and congratulations.  You who solidly stand with your community and with me, as a voice for good during times of trouble, those who stay true to your friends and don’t betray their dissociative community (inside or out), those who can see light winning over darkness, you are the most precious.  We get to have the best connection of all!

You have made this complicated roller coaster ride worth it.  Life is better with you in it.  Thank you, thank you, and may the world be extra kind to you too.

And of course, I wish you to be a true winner in your deeply painful healing journey. 

Warmly, 

Kathy

Copyright © 2008-2026 Kathy Broady and Discussing Dissociation

The post 17 Years of Discussing Dissociation. Sadly, the heartbreak still happens. appeared first on Discussing Dissociation.