Living with a dissociative disorder can feel isolating. You may experience gaps in your memory, hear voices inside your head, feel disconnected from your body or emotions, or sense that different parts of you have different thoughts, feelings, and even names. The world often misunderstands dissociation, shaped more by dramatic portrayals in media than by the real, lived experiences of people dealing with these conditions every day. If you’re looking for a therapist who truly understands dissociative disorders, you’ve come to the right place.
I’m Christy Ford, a Certified IFS Therapist and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional practicing in Manassas, VA. I am one of the few Certified IFS Therapists in Northern Virginia who specializes in the treatment of dissociative disorders, including Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and Other Specified Dissociative Disorder (OSDD). I have spent years training in and focusing on this area of practice, and I bring both specialized expertise and compassion to every client I serve.
Looking for a therapist who understands dissociation? Call (571) 229-3418 or book your first session.
What Are Dissociative Disorders?
Dissociation exists on a continuum. On the mild end, most people experience everyday dissociation, like zoning out during a long drive or getting lost in a book. On the more significant end of the spectrum, dissociation becomes a persistent way of coping with overwhelming experience, and this is where dissociative disorders live.
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is characterized by the presence of two or more distinct identity states, or “alters,” that recurrently influence a person’s behavior, thoughts, and experience. People with DID often experience amnesia, with gaps in memory that go beyond ordinary forgetfulness. DID develops in early childhood as a creative survival mechanism in response to severe, repeated trauma. The mind, unable to integrate overwhelming experiences, compartmentalizes them into separate parts of identity.
Other Specified Dissociative Disorder (OSDD) encompasses conditions that involve significant dissociative symptoms but may not meet the full diagnostic criteria for DID. A person with OSDD might experience distinct internal parts without full amnesia between them, or may have chronic depersonalization or derealization.
Other dissociative experiences include:
- Depersonalization: feeling detached from your own body, thoughts, or feelings, as if observing yourself from outside
- Derealization: feeling that the world around you is unreal, dreamlike, or distorted
- Dissociative amnesia: gaps in memory for personal information, everyday events, or traumatic experiences
All dissociative disorders are fundamentally rooted in trauma. They represent the mind’s remarkable ability to protect itself when circumstances are too much to bear. Understanding this is the foundation of effective treatment.
Signs You May Be Experiencing Pathological Dissociation
Many people live with dissociative symptoms for years without understanding what they’re experiencing. Some common signs include:
- Losing chunks of time or finding yourself somewhere without knowing how you got there
- Discovering items, writings, or other evidence of actions you don’t remember
- Hearing voices inside your head: conversations, commentary, or arguments among internal parts
- Feeling like there are distinct “versions” of yourself with different ages, preferences, or temperaments
- Emotional or behavioral shifts that feel sudden and don’t match the situation
- Feeling detached from your body, watching yourself from a distance
- Difficulty recognizing yourself in the mirror at times
- Chronic feelings of unreality or that the world around you is foggy or dreamlike
- Being told by others that you said or did things you don’t recall
- A fragmented sense of personal history, feeling like your life story has gaps or doesn’t fully belong to you
If these experiences resonate, it does not mean something is wrong with you. It means your mind developed an extraordinary capacity to protect you. With the right support, you can work toward greater internal cooperation and recovery.
How IFS Therapy Helps with Dissociative Disorders
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is uniquely suited for the treatment of dissociative disorders. While other therapy models had to be adapted to work with the concept of internal “parts,” IFS was built on this very foundation. For someone living with DID or OSDD, IFS provides a natural, respectful, and non-pathologizing framework.
In IFS-based treatment for dissociative disorders, we work toward:
- Internal communication: helping parts within your system begin to communicate and cooperate with one another, reducing internal conflict and confusion
- Safety and stabilization: establishing trust both in the therapeutic relationship and within your system, ensuring that no part is pushed before it is ready
- Honoring all parts: every part in your system, regardless of its role or behavior, is approached with curiosity and respect. There are no “bad” parts, only parts carrying extreme burdens
- Trauma processing: when the system is ready, we can work with parts that hold traumatic material, using the IFS unburdening process to help them release what they’ve been carrying
- System harmony: the goal is not to eliminate parts or force integration. Instead, we work toward a system where parts can coexist with greater cooperation, trust, and shared purpose
This approach recognizes that your parts saved your life. They deserve gratitude, not dismissal. The goal is helping them find new, less extreme roles, not erasing them.
My Approach to Dissociative Disorder Treatment
Treating dissociative disorders requires specialized knowledge, patience, and a willingness to sit with complexity. This is not work that every therapist is trained to do, and I take the responsibility seriously.
As a Certified IFS Therapist (one of only 21 in Virginia and one of only 23 in Florida), I hold the highest credential available in Internal Family Systems therapy. Combined with my certification as a Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) and nineteen years of clinical experience, I bring a level of expertise to this work that is rare in the Northern Virginia area. I work at the intersection of trauma and dissociation, understanding that effective treatment must address both.
My approach is collaborative and system-centered. I work with your whole system, not just the parts that present in sessions. I listen to all voices, honor all protectors, and move at the pace that your system dictates. I integrate insights from multiple therapeutic frameworks as needed, always grounding our work in the IFS model. You can read more about my clinical background on my about page.
What to Expect in Sessions
Therapy for dissociative disorders is typically a longer-term process, and for good reason. The trauma that gave rise to dissociation was repeated and prolonged, and recovery requires patience and care.
Early Phase: We begin with building trust and safety. I’ll get to know your system: who’s there, what roles different parts play, and what they need. We establish communication channels between parts and develop strategies for managing dissociative symptoms in daily life.
Middle Phase: As trust builds, we begin the deeper work of processing the trauma held by different parts. This happens at the pace your system sets. We use the IFS framework to help traumatized parts release their burdens, always with the support and permission of protective parts.
Ongoing Growth: As parts heal, the system reorganizes. Clients often report greater internal harmony, fewer dissociative episodes, improved relationships, and a more coherent sense of self and personal history.
Sessions are 50 minutes, available in-person in Manassas, VA and via telehealth throughout Virginia and Florida. The fee is $215 per session, and I accept Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance. An initial consultation is available so that you (and your system) can determine whether this feels like the right fit.
What I Bring to This Work
- One of few Certified IFS Therapists in Northern Virginia specializing in dissociative disorders, a rare combination of credential and focus area.
- Certified Clinical Trauma Professional with a thorough understanding of the complex trauma that underlies dissociation.
- 19+ years of clinical experience working at the intersection of trauma and dissociation.
- Parts-respectful approach: your system will be heard, honored, and never forced into changes it isn’t ready for.
- Comprehensive care: expertise that extends to related conditions including trauma/PTSD, anxiety, eating disorders, and more.
If you’re ready to take the next step, schedule a consultation or call (571) 229-3418. I’m happy to answer any questions about how I work with dissociative disorders.