Thoughts on Record: Podcast of the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Thoughts on Record is the podcast of the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (OICBT) located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Each week we explore topics relevant to clinicians and mental health consumers from a cognitive behavioural perspective; however, if you’re generally interested in psychology, psychotherapy, evolutionary psychology, mental health, the brain, dynamics of human behaviour, creativity, wellness & performance then this podcast will certainly be of interest to you. Thoughts on Record is hosted by OICBT clinical psychologist Dr. Pete Kelly, C. Psych. Dr. Kelly is a Clinical Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa and Adjunct Research Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Carleton University. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Kelly is actively involved in directing speciality programming at OICBT, teaching and supervision, providing workshops to mental health professionals and is a frequent speaker to organizations around the impact of stress on well-being. Email the show: oicbtpodcast@gmail.com. You can visit the OICBT at www.ottawacbt.ca. Original theme music courtesy of OPK5, outro music courtesy of Baldhero & Van Whelan https://baldherovanwhelan.bandcamp.com
Thoughts on Record: Podcast of the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Sally Maslansky, LMFT: A Brilliant Adaptation: Trauma, Dissociation, and Healing
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What if dissociation isn't a disorder to be feared, but an extraordinary adaptation that once helped a child survive?
In this episode of Thoughts on Record, Dr. Pete Kelly speaks with licensed marriage and family therapist Sally Maslansky about her memoir, A Brilliant Adaptation, and her remarkable journey of discovering that much of her childhood was inaccessible to memory. Together, they explore how developmental trauma can fragment identity, why dissociation emerges as a survival strategy, and what it takes to gradually integrate a life story that was once too overwhelming to remember.
Drawing on attachment theory, interpersonal neurobiology, and her own lived experience, Sally discusses dissociative identity disorder through a compassionate, evidence-informed lens. The conversation examines concepts such as structural dissociation, "fear without solution," autobiographical memory, and the importance of pacing trauma work. They also explore the central role of the therapeutic relationship, curiosity, embodiment, and emotional safety in fostering healing and integration.
Whether you're a mental health professional, someone living with the effects of trauma, or simply interested in how the mind protects itself under overwhelming circumstances, this conversation offers a thoughtful and deeply human perspective on trauma, resilience, and recovery.
Guest: Sally Maslansky, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and author of A Brilliant Adaptation: A Therapist's Journey into the Hidden World of Dissociative Identity Disorder.