Part III The Hot Topic: Sex & Intimacy When You Have Dissociative Identity Disorder

Note: We highly encourage you to listen to Parts I & II before listening to this episode, as we continue to honor our truth and authenticity, which may feel more intense than the previous episodes on this subject. We would like for you to be able to determine if this episode will be something you want to listen to or pass on, so here are some details of what we share in this season 3 finale. The first thing we talk about is being "turned on" and how that isn’t always a good feeling and can be triggering. And then we talk about the Big O, but just so you know, we use the actual word and all the actual words in this episode, and also colorful language here and there. We also talk about selves that were created to quote “like” sex, and we discuss flashbacks, body memories and switching. We talk about how we manage our sexual selves, including perceptions of feeling like a perpetrator. We go over the topic of consent, and we also talk about the feelings of guilt that come up for either wanting sex or not wanting sex when in a romantic relationship. Please remember that you may pause and come back if you feel yourself or selves feeling triggered or dissociated. Please take good care of yourself or selves while listening.

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Our amazing sponsors for Season 3:
The Institute for Creative Mindfulness, one of the largest EMDR Therapy training programs in North America is directed by Dr. Jamie+ Marich, the only EMDR therapy trainer who is “out” as a plural and offers the full EMDR Therapy basic training in a way that honors lived experience and destigmatizes dissociation in clinical work. We felt so validated when we were able to authentically participate in this training as Garden System! Go to www.instituteforcreativemindfulness.com for a full list of upcoming trainings, both online and in-person, offered by Dr. Jamie and her selected network of EMDR trainers.

Dr. Wendy Aporta, with Bearings Therapy, is a marriage and family therapist specializing in military and first responder individuals, families, and couples.  She is proficient with clients experiencing PTSD, CPTSD, and dissociative disorders. For her, helping those with traumatic experiences is not just a job, it is a vocation. She is experienced in multiple modalities, and utilizes whatever is best for her c

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Remember, this podcast is not a substitute for therapy. The purpose of this podcast is to educate and provide information on dissociative identity disorder. We share our personal stories, interview guests who also live with DID, and we interview mental health professionals to share their clinical knowledge.

And most importantly: remember that every system is different. What works for one may not work for another—and that’s okay. Your journey is valid, your healing is real, and we’re so glad you’re hanging out with A Couple of Multiples.

Articles cited in Seasons 4 & 5:

Brand, B. L., Sar, V., Stavropoulos, P., Krüger, C., Korzekwa, M., Martínez-Taboas, A., & Middleton, W. (2016). Separating Fact from Fiction: An Empirical Examination of Six Myths About Dissociative Identity Disorder. Harvard review of psychiatry, 24(4), 257–270. https://doi.org/10.1097/HRP.0000000000000100