Book · 2011
Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation
by Suzette Boon
A skills workbook for patients and clinicians treating trauma-related dissociation, built around structured exercises and psychoeducation about dissociative parts.
What does Reddit think of Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation?
Seven mentions across seven years, split between r/InternalFamilySystems (4) and r/therapists (3). The data is thin but directional. In r/therapists, a clinician who worked on a trauma disorders unit singled it out as the entry point for DID-related work, specifically preferring the patient-facing version over its companion clinician text. Another therapist (↑8) recommended it alongside consultation with an EMDR specialist and named Dolores Mosquera in the same breath. That's an endorsement from inside the specialty, not a casual hand-wave. Over in r/InternalFamilySystems, readers reach for it when parts-work clicks but dissociation still feels destabilizing. One commenter (↑6) placed it in the exact window when curiosity about their parts first developed, framing it as timely reinforcement. Volume is low. The community that recommends it, though, recommends it specifically.
Community feedback & reader fit
Themes
- · Dissociative parts and structural dissociation theory
- · Skills-based psychoeducation for trauma survivors
- · Clinician guidance for DID and complex PTSD work
- · Integration with IFS parts-work frameworks
- · Worksheets and structured exercises for self-paced progress
Common praise
- + Therapists who work trauma disorders units point to it as the practical starting place for DID-related treatment.
- + Readers in r/InternalFamilySystems report it arrived at exactly the right moment — after parts-work concepts clicked but dissociation still felt destabilizing.
- + The patient-facing version gets preferred over the clinician companion text by at least one specialist who has read both.
- + Multiple commenters cite it alongside named experts like Dolores Mosquera, placing it in credible clinical company.
Common criticism
- − Only 7 total mentions across 7 years means Reddit hasn't put serious volume behind it either way.
- − No commenter describes completing the workbook or reports on whether the exercises held up over time.
- − The IFS community mentions it but doesn't integrate it deeply — it appears as a supplemental title rather than a core recommendation.
Who it's for
You're somewhere past diagnosis but the dissociative episodes still catch you off guard — this is the workbook r/InternalFamilySystems readers reach for at that stage. Clinicians treating DID or complex PTSD will find it recommended by peers who've actually used it on trauma units, not just seen it on a syllabus. If you're doing IFS work and dissociation keeps interrupting the process, several commenters found it useful as a companion rather than a replacement. Those looking for a quick primer on trauma theory without worksheets should look elsewhere.
Mentions over time
Top subreddits
Which Reddit comments matter for Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation?
The most relevant excerpts across the subreddits where this book is mentioned — opinionated, argued takes first, then top-upvoted mentions. Click through to read the full thread.
“There's a quote from the book *Coping With Trauma-Related Dissociation* that has resonated deeply with me as an explanation for it too: "Many traumatized individuals were quite isolated from supportive others during their childhoods. They typically endured the aftermath of abuse alone. On the one h…
“*Complex PTSD: From Surviving To Thriving* and *The Complex PTSD Workbook: A Mind-Body Approach to Regaining Emotional Control and Becoming Whole* are the the most popular books for CPTSD. Add *Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation: Skills Training for Patients and Therapists* if you have notable …
“I recommend “Coping with trauma-related dissociation: skills for training patients and therapists” it’s on sale on Amazon right now
“Maybe check out this book: "Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation: Skills Training for Patients and Therapists" by Boon, Steele, and van der Hart. It's a good resource for starting work with DID.
“‘*Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation: Skills Training for Patients and Therapists*’ by Suzette Boon is the book I was assigned to work thorough in the Trauma wards. It’s heavy. I would try to get it from the library if you decide to use it. It takes a lot of time I get through. Ideally it’d be …
“I couldn’t get through tbkts, but I got a lot out of Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors and Coping with Trauma-related Dissociation: Skills Training For Patients And Therapists. They’re both less friendly-readable than Pete Walker, a bit academic, but more useful ime than tbkts
“I had a similar experience with a regular psychologist but, now that I see a trauma specialist, I've realised our difficulty is valid. This book has a lot of advice on being functional while dealing with trauma: Coping With Trauma-Related Dissociation.
“Yes, indeed. My therapist does this work. Recommended reading: Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation. DID is not the only reason for a person to have multiple internal “voices,” or “parts.” You’re not crazy if you’re hearing different perspectives in your head!
“*The Haunted Self* is a great resource. So is *Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation*. Both use the framework of Structural Dissociation, which explain that CPTSD and DID exist on the same spectrum of trauma disorders, which is why it can be confusing to understand the difference. The main diffe…
“Also good is "Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation: Skills Training for Patients and Therapists (Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology)" by Suzette Boon (Author), Kathy Steele (Author), Onno van der Hart (Author)
“Check out these books. I experience exactly the same thing you go through. I feel like I'm a different person depending on the spaces I'm in, sometimes depending on time of day. These books really helped me feel like I'm not crazy. Trauma and Dissociation Informed Internal Family Systems: How to Su…
“sounds like parts work to me. my therapist works with me through a book called coping with trauma-related dissociation that's helped me so far on that kind of thing
“A good place to start is consultation (obvs! Especially with an EMDR clinician) and also Coping With Trauma-Related Dissociation is a great book with worksheets and stuff. I like it better than the therapist version of the book (treating trauma related dissociation). Also Dolores Mosquera and Kathy …
“I formerly worked on a trauma disorders unit that specialized in DID. IFS wasn't really used at the time, though acknowledgement and working with alters/states/parts was, as well as CBT, DBT, and mindfulness. Below is a book that was used on the unit by patients. Great place to start out for DID rel…
“This might help Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation: Skills Training for Patients and Therapists (Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology)
Convinced? Pick up Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation
Readers also mention
Books that share discussion threads with Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation — counted from the comments, not curated.
Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation — frequently asked
What does Reddit actually think of Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation?+
Positive but sparse. Seven mentions across r/InternalFamilySystems and r/therapists over seven years, with no negative takes on record. The praise is specific: clinicians recommend it for DID entry-level work, and IFS practitioners cite it as useful once parts-work concepts are already clicking. Low volume means this is specialty word-of-mouth, not broad consensus.
Is Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation better for patients or for therapists?+
Patients, according to r/therapists. A clinician with trauma unit experience (↑8) explicitly said she prefers this patient-facing version over its companion clinician text, Treating Trauma-Related Dissociation. The workbook format and worksheets seem to be what earns the preference, not just subject matter.
How does Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation fit alongside IFS work?+
As a supplement. In r/InternalFamilySystems, commenters don't position it as an alternative to parts-work — one reader (↑6) picked it up right when curiosity about their parts first clicked, using it to reinforce that progress. Another (↑9) pairs it with other trauma-dissociation titles to normalize the experience of feeling like a different person across contexts.
Should I read Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation if I haven't been diagnosed with DID?+
Depends on your symptoms. The r/InternalFamilySystems recommendations don't gate it behind a DID diagnosis — commenters describe using it for dissociative experiences broadly: waking up feeling like days were skipped, shifting sense of self across spaces. If structural dissociation shows up in your trauma work, the book appears relevant regardless of formal diagnosis.