An Overview of Complex Trauma-Related Disorder Treatment and the Treatment of Patients with Dissociative Disorders (TOP DD) Studies’ Research Findings

Abstract

This chapter reviews research about treatment for trauma-related disorders (TRDs) and discusses the functions of risky, unhealthy behaviors in TRDs. Teaching patients four core skills that provide safer ways to meet these functions promotes stabilization: grounding, separating past from present, self-compassionate emotion regulation, and getting healthy needs met safely. The Finding Solid Ground educational program teaches these skills and was the foundation of the Treatment of Patients with Dissociative Disorders (TOP DD) Network study. Together, the TOP DD studies show that when individuals with TRDs are treated by clinicians who focus on dissociative and other trauma-based symptoms, patients’ safety improves, hospitalizations become less frequent, and treatment costs decrease. The TOP DD studies indicate that education about safety, emotion regulation, and symptom management, combined with individual therapy that addresses TRDs, is associated with a wide range of improvements for TRD individuals. Treatment focused on TRDs help highly dissociative individuals find solid ground in healing from trauma.