Treating Trauma-Related Dissociation

Kathy Steele, MN, CS, is in private practice with Metropolitan Psychotherapy Associates in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a former President of the International Society for the Study of Dissociation. Suzette Boon, a pioneer in the diagnosis of trauma-related disorders, is a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist with a background in family and systemic therapy, cognitive and behavioral therapy, and hypnosis. She has worked extensively at both inpatient and outpatient psychiatric facilities. Since the late eighties, Suzette has specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with histories of early psychological trauma, in particular patients with complex dissociative disorders. She is co-founder of the European Society for Trauma and Dissociation (ESTD) and was its first president. The International Society for the Study of Dissociation (ISSD) granted her the David Caul Memorial Award in 1993, the Morton Prince Award in 1994 and the President’s Award of Distinction and the status of Fellow in 1995. In 2009, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), and in 2025, its Cornelia B. Wilbur Award for outstanding clinical contributions to the assessment and/or treatment of dissociative disorders. She is the co-author of Treating Trauma-Related Dissociation and Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation, both ISSTD Pierre Janet Writing Award winners in the Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology. She lives in Maarssen, the Netherlands. Onno van der Hart, Ph.D. is Professor Emeritus of Psychopathology of Chronic Traumatization, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands, and a psychologist. Until 2017 he was also a psychotherapist in Amstelveen, the Netherlands. He is a Past President of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS).

"This comprehensive textbook by three master clinicians is a welcome addition to the growing literature on treatment of patients who have suffered the most extreme early life trauma. A calm and steady emphasis on basic principles, illustrated with numerous case vignettes, offers wise guidance to clinicians facing the challenges of this difficult but rewarding work." -- Judith Lewis Herman, MD, Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School "Three expert, experienced clinicians and researchers who are leaders in the field have combined their vast experience and knowledge to write one of the most informative, comprehensive books on the treatment of complex trauma and trauma-generated dissociation I have ever read. This book is clearly written and presents a thorough framework for understanding trauma-generated dissociation and addresses such important issues as the collaborative therapeutic relationship, case conceptualization and treatment planning, phase-oriented treatment, and working with dissociative parts in a safe way that promotes integration. This is necessary reading for all clinicians not only for understanding and treating trauma-generated dissociation but also as a great text for therapy in general." -- Roger M. Solomon, PhD, Senior Faculty, EMDR Institute