Parts in Partnership: Relational Skills for DID Systems and Their Families

Dr. Athena Phillips is a clinician, educator, and innovator dedicated to supporting survivors of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), OSDD, and complex trauma. With decades of specialized experience, she has created workshops, coaching curricula, and supportive interventions for individuals, while also training therapists and mental health professionals worldwide.

As the founder of the Integrative Trauma Treatment Center (est. 2012), Athena has built a space devoted to trauma recovery and the conditions that surround it. She approaches structural dissociation not as a flaw, but as a brilliant adaptation to layered trauma—one that deserves respect, care, and curiosity. She has also authored a trauma coach curriculum designed to expand the mental health workforce worldwide. She has presented on the topic of dissociation at The Trauma Congress in Rome, Italy (2023) and other platforms such as the International Study for Trauma and Dissociation conference in 2013.

Athena’s work is rooted in the belief that every part holds wisdom, resilience, and inherent goodness. She emphasizes strength, capacity, and safety, guiding survivors and their systems toward healing at a pace that honors their needs.
Her passion is clear: to help survivors and their systems build relational skills, deepen self-understanding, and navigate recovery with compassion, creativity, and evidence-informed practices. She is also passionate about the importance of decreasing the amount of time and cost dedicated to treatment through innovation and increased access to specialized supplemental support.

The course blends psychoeducation, guided reflections, and practical relational strategies.

Skills Checklist – For Caregivers

1. Understanding Dissociation
   Learn what dissociation is, how it works, and why it develops—explained in a way that’s clear, compassionate, and stigma-free.
2. Dissociation: Rooted in Relationships
   Explore how relationships—past and present—affect dissociation, and why safe, consistent connections are vital to healing.
3. Relating with the System
   Learn to interact with all parts of your loved one’s system in ways that honor boundaries, build trust, and reduce misunderstandings.
4. Protecting Longevity: Taking Care of Yourself as Foundational
   Caregiving is a marathon, not a sprint. You’ll gain skills to protect your own well-being, set healthy limits, and stay grounded while offering support.