Demystifying Dissociation and Recognizing Plurality
$180* | 6 CEUs | In Person
$180* | 6 CEUs | In Person
Demystifying Dissociation is focused on exposure to empirical research, theoretical frameworks and case examples for conceptualizing and recognizing plurality rather than training you to do formal assessment, diagnosis and treatment of dissociative disorders.
REGISTRATION COMING SOON
Date: Friday, September 25, 2026
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Program Cost: $180* (see below for discount rate)
Delivery: In Person (Lunch provided)
The Dissociative Disorders, and Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) in particular, are misunderstood and
stigmatized, both in popular culture and in the healthcare field. Mental health professionals often receive little to no training in how to recognize and treat these conditions, and unfortunately many of us enter the field armed only with misconceptions and fear. For clients with histories of complex, relational, and/or interfamilial trauma, some degree of fragmentation of the self is not just a possibility but a likelihood. To be truly trauma-informed therapists, we must be prepared to recognize, assess for, and navigate dissociative presentations.
Through a combination of lecture, case examples, experiential exercises and interactive discussion, this workshop will offer a bird's eye view of dissociation and experiences of plurality across a spectrum. You will be exposed to research, theoretical frameworks, and treatment models that offer various perspectives on dissociative phenomena.
We will discuss cross-cultural assessment of dissociation and the tendency in the field to over-diagnose and pathologize survival strategies and normal responses to oppression for Black, Indigenous
and other People of Color. We will consider the phenomenon of “cultural splitting” as one of these strategies, and as a dissociative phenomenon. Case examples will be given.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify at least 3 common myths and misconceptions about Dissociative Disorders, DID, and plurality
- Define plurality from both the structural dissociation and ego-state theoretical perspectives
- Recognize signs and symptoms of plurality across various clinical presentations through the use of case examples
- Identify multiple assessment tools for diagnosis and case conceptualization of Dissociative Disorders
- Know where to go next for ongoing training, support and resources
Instructor:
Maisy Hughes, PhD, LMFT is a relational therapist at People First Therapy Group and AAMFT approved supervisor. She works with individuals, couples and families with a range of presenting problems, but she specializes in supporting folks with complex trauma histories and dissociative disorders. Her therapeutic approach incorporates EMDR, ego-state therapy, clinical hypnosis, and is rooted in attachment theory.
Cost | CEUs
Program Cost: $180
*Discount Rate: $150 for BMC alumnae/i, faculty, staff, field instructors of current GSSWSR MSS students, current MSS students, and agency-funded groups of 3 or more
CEUs: 6
REGISTRATION COMING SOON