Comment by Sofia on 20 Jul 2011 at 7:25 pm

Hi Karen, I finished your story in one day and admire your courage. I never met anyone like you and haven’t met you in person but feel like I’ve known you all my life. I am forever in debt to you because through your story I know I will be okay once I accept help. I am going to find a therapist after I leave this message. I am happy I no longer feel alone. Thank you, Sofia

Dear Sofia,

I am glad to hear my story encouraged you to seek help for yourself! That’s wonderful to hear. Please take care of yourself and keep in touch! I have faith in you and know the most important part of therapy is taking the first step. I’m so glad you no longer feel alone. Please know that I am here.

Wishing you all my best!

Karen

Comment by Bongo on 17 Jul 2011 at 8:41 pm

Karen I don’t know how to express the relief I have felt since finding your book…I have read 100′s of books and have done a ridiculous amount of research and getting now where..This is the first time I feel like someone is in my head…like someone really “gets IT” other then my therapist of course LOL…My therapist has sent a friend request to Richard Baer..I’m hoping they can connect…right now I have a blog trying to get the words out and in someway letting others know they are not alone….that’s what you have done for me..you have let me know I am not alone…you have touched a life….I so thank you…. Bongo

Dear Bongo,

I am touched by your kind thoughts and compliments! Thank you! I’m glad you found the courage to find relief in my story in order to help you help yourself on your own personal journey. That’s great to hear! I do understand how you’re feeling. Switching Time may be the only book that shares total integration.

Please let me know more about your blog and I will visit you there! I’m not sure whether Dr. Baer checks his Facebook, but if he does, I’m sure he’ll respond to your therapist’s request.

Wishing you all best as your continue your journey!

Karen

Comment by Jess on 14 Jun 2011 at 4:25 am

Hello Karen. I’m a 26 year old ICU RN. I have been fascinated (not sure if that’s the right word) with DID/MPD since I was about 15 years old. I initially became interested after hearing a guest speak on Oprah. Forgive me, I forget his name, I do know that he wrote “First Person Plural”. By 17, or so, I read his book multiple times and many others like it. Mainly focusing on child abuse therapy and MPD. By the time I was a junior in HS, I was set on becoming a Child Psychologist. Unfortunately, after several courses I determined that it wasn’t my calling. I want to praise you for your strength and courage. As well as, express my gratitude to you and Dr. Baer for the dedication to continuing your therapy during those questionable times. If I may ask, have your children read your story? Your Mother? I hope that their reaction cause you no pain. I look forward to incorporating yours and Dr. Baer’s strengths and patience in the care I provide for my patients and their families.

Thank you for your time,

Jess

Dear Jess,

Thank you for sharing! I thoroughly enjoy hearing stories like yours that show how my story can help see patients in a new way. Thank you for your kind, thoughtful, and amazing compliments! It is very important to me and to Dr. Baer to keep on sharing my story in hope to help others who may have been or know of someone who has been abused. I also admire you for choosing a career in the health care field. There is such a need for empathetic nurses. I can tell you have a caring spirit.

Regarding sharing my story with my children? Yes, I have. My daughter has read my story and said that it helped her understand me all the more. I verbally shared with my son, but I did not wish to push my story on him.  He had been serving as a Marine in Iraq and went through his own trauma. I asked my son not to read my story until he felt ready. My mother, on the other hand, has not read my story, because I did not share with her. I tried a few times, but her narcissism and pessimism caused me more distress and concern. My mother turns a deaf ear to me and simply ignores anything that does not pertain to her. I felt it was in my best interest for my continued well being not to share with my mother.

Dr. Baer and I wish you the very best as you care for your patients. We surely made the best of a horrific situation during my therapy years. I am grateful for all that Dr. Baer has done for me.  If I were him, I’m not sure I would have been as strong. My alter chaos most certainly was overwhelming and beyond imagination.

Karen

Comment by Jen on June 6, 2011 at 3:57 pm

Hey, not sure if you get this question but if you dont mind me asking is karen your real name?

Dear Jen,

No, Karen is not my real name. My name was changed to protect me. Dr. Baer and the publisher felt the change of my name was in my best interest. Though my name was changed, I am the same person.

Thank you for asking,

Karen

Comment by Olivia on 04 Jun 2011 at 6:10 am

I want to thank you so much again for taking the time to answer my questions! I am still amazed by everything you went through and the strength you possess to be standing here today. Here is a list of the main questions that I have been wondering. Please know that if you are not comfortable answering any of these questions i completely understand, and you don’t have to feel entitled to. I am very fortunate that i get the chance to speak with you at all.

1) I was curious as to where some of the alters names came from. Was there any reasoning behind the names of the alters? And did you name them or you just always knew them by that name?

2) After your complete integration, did it ever get any easier? Were you able to feel yourself as more as a whole? Did you become a more confident person?

3) Did any alters ever reform? How did your experience differ this time when you felt you needed to dissociate? Was there any coping mechanism you used to prevent yourself from dissociating?

4) Do you feel that the alters are more evident in your personality now then they were when you were first fully integrated? Are you still able to recognize their distinct personalities within yourself?

5) How are you doing now? How has your life changed since the book was completed? How did things work out with your husband? (if you don’t mind my asking) And how are your kids doing? How did they adapt to the different you after the integration?

6) How did you adapt after the integration? Were you ever able to sleep fully through the night?

7) How did it feel once you left Dr. Baer? When you reflected back at your relationship with him, what did you think of it?

Final and for most, I know when you were first integrated with the alters their memories didn’t feel like they happened to you. As time went on did you ever feel like they were your experiences?

I know these are a lot of questions so if you feel you only want to answer some, i completely understand and that is fine. I don’t want to rush you but my project is due soon so if you could just have the questions in by the end of the week that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much again for doing this. I truly feel honored being able to speak with you. Have a great day!

Olivia

Dear Olivia,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! There are surely many questions and more than I can answer here on my blog! However, Dr. Baer and I are beginning to write a sequel to Switching Time. In the meantime I will answer some of your questions the best I can. Thank you for your patience.

My alters’ names may have come from close relations and/or characters from television shows. I’m not sure how my alters chose their names. It’s a mystery to me, too! I knew them by name during therapy, but beforehand I knew some but not all. My life did get easier after integration as far as no switching or alter chaos. I no longer recognize distinct alters. My alters have merged within me and we are one.  I never lost any part of me.  A blending occurred and dissolved the walls that once kept my alters leading separate lives.

I am forever on a journey to wellness. It takes a lifetime and careful personal monitoring to stay healthy, to be safe, and to learn how to live to be my best self. I have some bad moments, but I quickly overcome them by acknowledging the current issue, and learning from it.  I’m like most people who struggle through good and bad times.

I never really left Dr. Baer; we continue to talk on occasion. I know he is there for me when I need him and believe he feels the same about me. My relationship with Dr. Baer has had some ups and downs, but we will remain forever respectful friends. Again, I will share more detail in the sequel.

I truly appreciate you asking these important questions. Please read the previous questions and answers from those who have written me before; you will find more of your answers in them.

Wishing you all me best!

Karen