A Couple of Multiples: The Reality of Living with Dissociative Identity Disorder
There’s never a dull moment for hosts, Drew and Garden System, who are a couple that have both been diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. While they are navigating their healing journey, they continue to manage full time careers, raise four teenagers and a house full of pets. Not only do they aim to speak to people who have lived experience with DID and their supporters, but also therapists and anyone who wants to learn more. The podcast talks about Dissociative Identity Disorder in a way that someone who knows nothing about DID will be able to understand, and at the same time is designed to be a resource for therapists, while supporting and validating those with lived experience. Dissociative Identity Disorder is a highly stigmatized mental health diagnosis that has been subject to many myths and misinformation over the years. These myths, along with highly-sensationalized media portrayals, have led to many who still believe this disorder is not real and simply created by therapists who impose themselves on highly suggestible clients. The goal of the podcast is to dispel these myths and educate the world at large the truth about Dissociative Identity Disorder, and the reality of what having this diagnosis really looks like. The brain had to find a unique way to cope in order to survive the trauma people with DID faced from a very young age. Also, this condition is not rare, although many reputable sources still cite it as such. People with DID are ordinary members in your community that you might encounter in your daily life. Drew and Garden System want to shed light on the challenging symptoms people with DID face and share how they have overcome those challenges and found the gifts of joy that all of their parts bring to each other.
A Couple of Multiples: The Reality of Living with Dissociative Identity Disorder
Finding Community When You Have Dissociative Identity Disorder: An Interview with Jaime Pollack, founder of An Infinite Mind
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Drew & Garden System have a friendly conversation with Jaime Pollack, founder of An Infinite Mind and the Healing Together conference for those with dissociative disorders, their supporters, and mental health clinicians. They talk about the power of community and how finding others with DID have positively impacted their healing journey. Jaime shares pertinent information about the Healing Together conference that is held each year in Orlando, Florida, with the next one coming up on February 14th - 16th 2025! You can register now by visiting https://www.aninfinitemind.org/healing-together-conference.
Jaime Pollack lives in Central Florida where she works as a district Pre-K special education resource teacher. She also works part-time as an in-home early interventionist for special needs children aged birth to three. In 2005, she was diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) resulting from childhood trauma. Jaime searched for support only to find there were very limited resources available. Her efforts to find support for herself led her to seek out other survivors living with the disorder. As she found others living with DID, she witnessed firsthand the challenges they shared and decided to shift her focus to help others, like herself, living with DID. Her passion to help others led to the creation of An Infinite Mind in January of 2008. Jaime spends her free time traveling with her husband, being out in nature, and snuggling her dog and 2 cats on the couch.
If you enjoyed this episode please leave us a review! You can visit our website at: acoupleofmultiples.com. Remember, every system is unique and your experiences may be different from ours. And that’s okay! You matter and are loved for being all of yous.
Our amazing Season 3 sponsors:
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-pe
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Visit our website: acoupleofmultiples.com to sign up for our mailing list, join our private, on-line community Hearts Multiplied, register for peer coaching, consultations, and workshops!
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
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