Got Parts? An Insider's Guide to Managing Life Successfully with Dissociative Identity Disorder (New Horizons in Therapy) (Paperback)

by A.T.W. (Author) "You are not alone No, really..." (more)
Key Phrases: emotional release work, dissociative disorders, time planner, New York, Safe Space, System Map (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Got Parts is a very well conceived and useful tool, particularly for those treating DID from a more functional perspective." -- Peter A. Maves, Ph.D., ISSD Fellow

"Got Parts is great tool for working therapeutically with ones internal family." -- Patricia Sherman, LCSW

"I particularly liked the chapter which emphasises the importance of taking care of body, mind and spirit holistically." -- Kathryn Livingston, Chairperson, First Person Plural (UK)

"I strongly recommend this book as a easily read, straightforward and insightful recovery tool for my clients with DID." -- Ian Landry, MA MSW RSW, Nova Scotia, Canada

"I will require got parts for new clients, refer it to other therapists and have even recommended it for others." -- Karen Hutchins, MA LPC

ATW's approach reflects that of Truddi Chase, a DID victim who prefers her alters live in a harmonious community. -- Metapsychology Online Review, Dec. 22, 2005

Product Description
Got Parts? was written by a survivor of DID in association with her therapist and therapy group. This book is filled with successful coping techniques and strategies to enhance the day-to-day functioning of adult survivors of DID in relationships, work, parenting, self-confidence, and self-care. Got Parts will help you introduce yourself to your internal family and improve its communication, integration, and well-being. Although written to carefully avoid triggering, it delivers well-grounded guidelines for living that DID people need to do on the way to recovery. Coping strategies included help you with issues related to triggers, flashbacks, and body memories. Got Parts also includes a detailed list of outside resources you can draw on. This book is intended to be used in conjunction with a therapist and is not a substitute for therapy.

Once thought of as a rare and mysterious psychiatric curiosity, Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is now understood to be a fairly common outcome of severe trauma in young children—most typically extreme and repeated physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse, and often lack of attachment. Formerly called Multiple Personality Disorder, DID is a condition in which a person has two or more distinct identities or personality states that recurrently take control of the person's consciousness and behavior. Symptoms can include depression, mood swings, panic or anxiety attacks, substance abuse, memory loss, propensity for trances, sleep and eating disorders, distrust, detachment, lack of self-care, and distress or impairment at work.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 132 pages
• Publisher: Loving Healing Press (December 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932690034
• ISBN-13: 978-1932690033
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #173,235 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #11 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Mental Health > Dissociative Disorders
  #15 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Self-Help > Inner Child
  #71 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Personal Health > Stress > Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really Love This Book!!, April 6, 2006

By	L E WILLIS (Salt Lake City, ut United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Don't let the size fool you. If you have been diagnosed with DID, then this little book of 109 pages is what you need. It doesn't go into the hows and whys of DID, the DID Source Book is great for that. What "Got Parts?" gives you is a day to day manual for getting through life with DID. I carry it in my backpack where ever I go. There are times that DID just gets me down, so I pick up the book, thumb easily to the section I want, take a minute to read about what I need to do, then I remember and do it. Another great thing about this book is that it is written by someone who has DID, who lives and fights in the trenches of DID. This brings authenticity to the book. It also has an index and is easy to locate the subject you are looking for. The writing style of the author is very easy going and she doesn't ever break into stories of her past. There is a page, however in the very back entitled, "About the Author" who remains unidentified. Even then she never talks about the details of her abuse. It's just plain good advice from someone who knows. I have several DID books, but this one is my favorite when I just need to get through the day. When I have moments of feeling crazy, I open the book. When I feel overwhelmed with emotion, I open this book. It helps me to clear my thinking and gives me immediate direction. In short, I really love this book.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful sourcebook for all people, not just those with DID, August 23, 2005

By	Ellen C. Falkenberry "ellenf" (Birmingham, AL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

My DID clients have found this little book to be helpful, informative, and encouraging. I think it's just the right length (about 100 pages) for the newly-diagnosed to digest early in treatment. It was most useful for them to finally see their experiences in black-and-white, and they relished the suggestions given in the book on how to deal with alters. For further reading I would suggest "Amongst Ourselves" by Tracy Alderman and Karen Marshall.

Incidentally, the suggestions on boundaries and life skills would be helpful to everyone, DID or not.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Worst DID book I've read, April 25, 2007

By	Concerned Reader - See all my reviews

I rarely write reviews, but after discussing this book with others who have and haven't read it, I felt the need to write and warn those with DID about it.

The tone in which it is written is very authoratative which can be quite difficult to handle for anyone who has survived trauma at the hands of authority figures. The terms "have to" and "need to" are used repeatedly. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the author was able to heal in the way she explains in this book, but it comes across as if she's saying it's the "only" way to go through the healing journey.

There are many parts that are difficult to handle in this book. One section that really got to me is when she's discussing what she sees as a need for alters to be aware of and know who's fronting all the time. Then she says they also "need to know and be able to identify who they are" if your therapist asks. She reiterates this saying the part who is out has to "be willing to answer the question 'Who's here?' or 'Who am I talking with?' " The final straw for me on this subject was when she said that answering "I don't know" or "nobody" are not acceptable and "shyness, game-playing, or simply 'being confused' are not going to help you-all...." Face it, there are times when alters who are untrusting need to be able to come "out" during therapy in order to learn to trust and not be so shy. It may take months before they're able to say their names, if they ever do. Some experts in the field question the need names at all and don't push those alters who don't have names to choose names.

I think that this type of book, where people who have recovered from DID explain their process of healing, are needed, but this one isn't it. There are a few good suggestions in the book, but if you edited out all the negatives, it would be a very short article. Don't waste your time on this like I did. Please, if you have DID, reconsider the purchase of this book.