When Dissociation is in the Room: Recognising & Responding to Dissociative Systems in ED Treatment

About this event

Dissociation is significantly more common in eating disorder populations than many clinicians realize, yet it remains one of the most frequently missed—and misinterpreted—clinical presentations in treatment settings. Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and Other Specified Dissociative Disorder (OSDD-1) occur at substantially higher rates among individuals with eating disorders than in the general population, but often go unrecognized for years. When a client appears inconsistent, unmotivated, or resistant to treatment, dissociation may be the more accurate explanation. This webinar introduces clinicians to the clinical presentation of dissociative systems in eating disorder settings, with a focus on recognition and real-time response. Participants will learn to identify subtle and overt indicators of dissociation across sessions and providers, distinguish switching from mood variability or emotional dysregulation, and understand why standard treatment frameworks — including goal-setting, safety planning, and skills-based interventions — may fail when applied to a dissociative system without modification. Drawing on 28 years of clinical experience in eating disorder treatment and lived experience as a clinician with Dissociative Identity Disorder, presenter Monika Ostroff offers a formulation-based framework that reframes treatment inconsistency, apparent noncompliance, and fluctuating progress through a dissociative lens. Practical, immediately applicable clinical responses are emphasized throughout.

This training is designed for eating disorder clinicians across levels of care who wish to better recognize dissociation in their current caseloads and respond with greater confidence, curiosity, and clinical accuracy.