In-Person & Online Dissociation Therapy in Madison & Across Wisconsin

Bringing all those parts of yourself back together, so you can feel whole.

Have you ever felt like you’re physically here, but mentally somewhere else? 

You might find yourself going through the motions of daily life without truly feeling present. It’s like you're an observer—rather than a participant—in your own life. The boundaries between past, present, and future are blurry, leaving you feeling lost and untethered. In your day-to-day routine, you’re losing track of time and struggling to concentrate. Losing focus is making it difficult to stay engaged in tasks or conversations for extended periods. 

Your experience might include gaps in your memory, where you can't recall what you did earlier in the day or why you’ve arrived somewhere. Forming deeper connections and maintaining relationships is difficult because it feels like you’re emotionally detached and having trouble expressing your feelings. It might be frustrating when dissociative tendencies interrupt your work life, causing you to forget instructions and miss deadlines. 

Experiencing dissociation can often feel like navigating through a dense fog where the world around you seems distant and unreal. It's as if you're watching yourself from afar, disconnected from your own emotions, thoughts, and sensations. In moments of stress or trauma, this dissociative state can intensify, creating a sense of detachment from reality that can be disorienting and overwhelming.

Your thoughts—and maybe even your life— feel scattered or broken. No matter what you do, the pieces refuse to come back together. There may be an inner yearning to reconnect with the present and to feel grounded in yourself again. Or maybe just want to feel some sense of normalcy away from this hazy, disconnected place you’re stuck in.

You might be…

  • Zoning out frequently, losing track of time

  • Feeling like you’re “watching” your life & not living it

  • Experiencing emotional numbness

  • Noticing sudden shifts in your mood or behavior

  • Noticing gaps in your memory

  • Finding it hard to recognize yourself in the mirror

  • Just “going through the motions”

  • Difficulty connecting with others & yourself

Discover newfound clarity to lift the fog. 

Let’s help you get through the day without feeling like you're constantly drifting off.

Dissociation is like your mind hitting the pause button, leaving you feeling disconnected from your thoughts, memories, and even your own sense of self. It's like your brain's way of saying, "Hold on, let's take a breather." Individuals experiencing dissociative tendencies may feel as though they're observing themselves from outside their bodies or find themselves in a dreamlike state.

The reality is that dissociation is a coping skill. It’s not something to be ashamed of. It typically involves a disruption in the normal integration of consciousness, memory, identity, emotion, perception, body representation, motor control, and behavior. The mind uses dissociation to cope with overwhelming stress, trauma, or other challenging experiences. Dissociative tendencies can manifest in various ways, ranging from mild feelings of being "zoned out" or disconnected from reality, to more severe experiences such as dissociative amnesia. This is where gaps in memory occur, potentially leading to dissociative identity disorder (DID), where distinct identities or personality states emerge.

The experience of dissociative therapy can vary greatly from person to person, but we see it as a journey of self-discovery and healing. We recognize the significant role that trauma plays in dissociation and prioritize a trauma-informed lens in the work that we do with our clients. Our therapy environment was created to be safe and supportive, providing you the proper space to begin your healing and recovery. While this process has challenges, it can also be rewarding as you confront difficult emotions and memories while learning new ways to navigate your internal experiences.

Our team of therapists is here to tailor our approach to fit your needs, experiences, and goals. We've got a toolkit filled with evidence-based techniques like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Internal Family Systems, and more, all aimed at getting to the heart of what's been bothering you.

Some methods our therapists use include…

  • An approach that frames the mind as a system of various parts, each with its own unique qualities and outlook. Through this, you can learn to accept and appreciate every part of yourself, and how to live in harmony with all of them.

  • A method that encourages individuals to accept their thoughts and feelings, fostering mindfulness, and then commit to actions aligned with their values to improve overall well-being.

  • A type of therapy that helps people process and heal from traumatic memories by using bilateral stimulation (like eye movements) to activate the brain's natural healing mechanisms.

  • Combines talk therapy techniques with mindfulness to help individuals regulate emotions, improve relationships, and develop healthy coping mechanisms.

Therapy for dissociation can help you…

Strengthen boundaries

Advocate for your needs to protect yourself from potential triggers.

Improve communication

Express yourself freely and understand your emotions for fulfilling conversations and meaningful relationships. 

Establish inner harmony

Reconnect the fragmented pieces of yourself for inner balance and a sense of wholeness.

Gain personal control

Tap into your personal power and control so you can manage your thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Find clarity

Dive into the root causes of dissociative behavior and improve self-awareness. 

Learn practical coping skills

Cultivate mindfulness techniques to help you stay grounded and present.

Zone in on what’s causing you to zone out.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Dissociative experiences are different for everyone. Some common signs include feeling disconnected from oneself or one's surroundings, experiencing memory gaps, feeling like one is watching oneself from outside the body, or having a sense of unreality. If you feel like you might be experiencing dissociation or have more questions, please reach out to schedule a consultation.

  • Dissociation is a broader phenomenon that encompasses various experiences, ranging from mild detachment to more severe dissociative disorders like Dissociative Identity Disorder. DID involves the presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states, each with its own way of thinking and relating to the world. While dissociation is a common feature of DID, not everyone who experiences dissociation has DID.

  • While dissociation is often linked to trauma, it can also occur in response to other factors such as extreme stress, overwhelming emotions, or certain medical conditions. However, trauma is a significant contributor to dissociative experiences for many people. Regardless of the cause, therapy can help individuals understand and manage dissociation in a healthy way.