This information handout offers clinicians and clients a clear and accessible overview of dissociation, distinguishing between everyday dissociation and pathological experiences often linked with trauma.
Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
Includes client-friendly guidance. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.
Understanding dissociation is crucial for clinicians working with trauma survivors. Dissociation involves a disruption in conscious awareness, where an individual disengages from the present moment. This handout explains both everyday forms of dissociation, such as 'driving on autopilot', and pathological forms of dissociation often rooted in experiences of trauma.
By demystifying dissociation, this resource aims to reduce fear and confusion for clients, while providing clinicians with a clear, structured way to explore dissociative experiences and normalise these reactions within therapy.
The Types of Dissociation handout supports clinical work by:
Clients experiencing flashbacks, numbing, or emotional disconnection.
Individuals who experience frequent zoning out, time loss, or depersonalisation.
Clients displaying dissociation as part of immediate trauma responses.
Introduce dissociation concepts using accessible explanations.
Discuss the client's experiences of zoning out, flashbacks, or memory gaps.
Help clients understand the difference between common and problematic dissociation.
Reassure clients that dissociative responses are understandable in the context of overwhelming events.
Begin planning stabilization or grounding strategies where dissociation is impairing function.
Dissociation refers to disruptions in the normal integration of consciousness, memory, identity, emotion, and perception (Spiegel et al., 2011). In everyday life, mild dissociative experiences are common - for example, becoming so absorbed in a task that one loses awareness of the surrounding environment.
However, during traumatic events, dissociation can serve as a protective mechanism, helping individuals distance themselves from immediate physical or emotional pain (Schauer & Elbert, 2010). When trauma is severe, prolonged, or inescapable, dissociation may persist after the event, manifesting as flashbacks, emotional numbing, depersonalisation, or derealisation (Kennedy, Kennerley, & Pearson, 2013).
Understanding dissociation is critical because persistent pathological dissociation can interfere with memory processing, emotional regulation, and interpersonal functioning. Psychoeducation that normalises dissociation and frames it as a survival response can help reduce shame and support client engagement.
This handout offers a concise way to introduce these ideas, helping clients recognise dissociative patterns, reflect on their origins, and collaborate in building skills to increase present-moment awareness and emotional safety.
