Dissociative Disorders therapists in Sterling, Virginia VA

I have helped clients cope with and heal from trauma resulting in dissociative disorders for more than 15 years.  

Do you have lapses of time and have no idea what you did or how you ended up there? Do you forget what you were doing and get distracted by something else. Sometimes it's not easy to learn that there are other parts of you that take over at times, and it can be because of stress or a trigger. I'll work to help you integrate those parts so that you are whole again.  

When people experience trauma, the mind has a wonderful way of protecting us from the pain that sometimes comes at the service of disconnecting from ourselves.  

Dr. Sanness has training and expertise in complex trauma and dissociation. She works with individuals with PTSD, and comorbid dissociative disorders. Dr. Sanness uses a stage-approach to trauma treatment and teaches practical skills to help cope with dissociation such as grounding, containment, etc.  

Dissociation is something that everyone does and it exists on a spectrum. Significant dissociation, though, is often highly misunderstood and mistaken for other things. Significant dissociation can look like feeling disconnected from yourself or your body, losing time, being disoriented or not being present, significant changes in your senses, and can sometimes even result in passing out, seizures, and having dissociative identities. It most often occurs as a response to trauma or severe anxiety.