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The Girls Within: A True Story of Triumph over Trauma and Abuse

Author(s) : Gill Frost

Reviews and Endorsements

This is an inspirational book which tells gripping, interweaving real-life stories. First, it is about the respectful relationship between a thoughtful therapist and a courageous patient (and parts of a patient) with dissociative identity disorder. Second, with the subject hardly included in UK trainings, it helpfully shows Gill Frost’s responsible and reflective ways of making sense of what is happening, the hopes and hurdles. Third, we witness the hard work and integrity of all “the girls within” as they dare to tell their stories and offer their pieces of the jigsaw. At times harrowing, although never gratuitously, and ultimately hopeful, the unfolding account of “the girls within” will help professionals and survivors alike.
Dr Valerie Sinason, President of the Institute of Psychotherapy and Disability

Gill Frost, with her client Vivian and internal family, have written a remarkable book – a full and detailed account of a successful but lengthy psychotherapy of dissociative identity disorder (DID), resulting in a harmonious association of previously dissociated personality parts. This engaging narrative describes the inevitable challenges to the therapist’s assumptions, theoretical framework, and technique presented by DID – and the need to adapt and respond to the particular traumas, roles and functions, and age-specific cognitions of different dissociative alters. A crucial component was the use of an energy psychology modality, known as AIT but internally called ‘Whooshing’. The resulting text is a very significant contribution to the literature in the three areas of trauma, DID, and energy psychotherapy.
Dr Phil Mollon, psychoanalyst and author of Shame and Jealousy: The Hidden Turmoils, Psychoanalytic Energy Psychotherapy, and The Fragile Self: The Structure of Narcissistic Disturbance

It takes a unique kind of courage to go to deep places with a client who becomes a constellation of clients. Gill Frost has that courage, allied to the bravery of Vivian, Little Vivvi, Izzy, and others. The result is a compelling account of therapy that touches the soul.
Alistair Ross, Associate Professor – Psychotherapy, Oxford University

This book is a gift to people living and working with dissociative identity disorder. Thank you to Vivian and all her internal family for allowing Gill to share their incredible journey. The genuineness and power of this story captures the innate drive to survive a childhood that is beyond horrendous.
‘Gill’s honesty with her own challenging journey, which runs parallel to that of Vivian and her internal family, allows the reader to share her roller coaster of emotions: elation, confusion, total despair, sadness, frustration, and, at times, peace and joy.
‘Clinicians reading this book will welcome how Gill continually emphasises the importance of the therapeutic relationship with all the parts and how, when this is firmly established and in partnership with Vivian, she introduces advanced integrative therapy (AIT), “Wooshing” to little Vivvi and “Calming Therapy” to Izzy. This offers a unique insight into how other therapies can support the core therapy when the conditions are right. Gill’s respectful curiosity and loving approach at all times is validating for each part, enabling trust to be experienced for the first time in their lives. Her firm and consistent boundaries, which are at the heart of the healing process, provide the bedrock on which this amazing journey unfolds. Making the links to difficulties in adult Vivian’s life helps us all to understand the impact of unresolved childhood abuse that continues to have an impact on every hour of every day.
‘This book has captured the way different personalities have developed, how important each role was in survival, and how logical they are within the context of Vivian’s childhood. The beauty of this story is tangible on every page and I want to thank Vivian, Little Vivvi, Izzy, and the other parts for allowing us to hear and share their story. I also want to thank the whole team because this book will offer hope and insight to survivors, therapists, and many others. Through the humane storytelling, we can all, whatever depths we plunge to, know things can change and to always hold onto this.
“Tough emotions are our contact with life,” says Susan David, psychologist – be mindful of this when reading this book.
Melanie Goodwin, co-founder and chair of First Person Plural