In this chapter we discuss specific therapeutic techniques besides general therapeutic theories and principles that we discussed in this book so far. There are many discussions to be made regarding dissociative symptoms, but here we focus on those who are directly related to our daily clinical practice with these people.
Contacting different identities
It might not be proper to consider that a process of contacting other identities involves specific techniques. I believe that contact should occur in a most natural process in which a clinician invites a patient to switch to another identity, when it makes therapeutic sense to do so. What the clinicians do mainly is to assist the patient through the process.
Contacting other identities should not be done artificially, ritualistically, or for a manipulative purpose. It should be done with most care, including its effect on other clinicians and family members, as there are still people who frown at allowing switching to occur or encourage it during the session. Putting that argument aside, let us consider situations where invitation of switching is inevitable or impending, and ethical problem should not be major concern. In other situations where the patients really want the switching to occur, but does not know how to do, the therapist might assist the switching with less ethical.
Practical Procedure
First of all, offer a relaxing chair, and invite the patient to sit in and get relaxed. Or using the same chair, ask the patient to slouch and lean his/her back against the back of the chair. Upon induction of relaxation ask politely the patient if he/she can talk to the patient
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