Hi MC,

I think it can be good to have a treatment team for some. I have 2 Ts and a P. My P is for med management, so that's why I see her. My primary T is who I saw first and she's my "everything" T but, I have an ED that was severe when we started so I work with T2 because she specializes in that (I was in an eating disorder half day program and she was assigned to me as my case liaison with my T). That is still what T2 does with me - she "reports" my sessions to T1 (sends notes) but it does not go the other way around. T2 has a different modality which is rare in my area and that is primarily why I still see her. T has said it is rare and difficult. In discussing some concerns with her when I saw a CBT T for some skills while I was adjusting to my new job she had some reservations but let me know that of there was any conflicting information I was receiving to bring it up with her. I also discussed my concern I was just "hunting for care" rather than doing the work or looking for someone with different boundaries to avoid dealing with any/hers. She didn't think this was the case - but we had discussed this in the past when talking about multiple Ts in general.

I think all Ts should know about eachother of you elect that approach and that each should be fulfilling a specific individual role. It's counter productive for me at times to process the same thing. Depending on where the client is at, and where they can go in their healing I think the team will discuss. For me I liken it to if I had cancer... I see a team of different parts rather than go to three different hospitals for the same thing. It's a lot to manage so a good "team lead" will help a lot! Is discuss with your primary T.

I will let Liese explain splitting but to give a short opinion on my part... I think it's comparing them and then it's transference on a group level... You hate one and therefore hate all, you are positive with one and then positive with all, you are negative with one and then super positive with the others (and the other way around as well). A lacking example would be a child asks mom if they can stay up late and she says no, so they go ask Dad and Dad says yes... Then the kid thinks mom is all bad and dad is all good and the decision with one changes the relationship with another.

I caution against the idea of more than one without fully investigating your needs. No harm in trying especially if your T is open to it.

There is a good definition of splitting here (midway through the page). http://www.bandbacktogether.co...-disorder-resources/ . It is seen a lot in BPD (which is close to CPTSD and can involve significant areas of attachment stuff) and NPD - so in looking for info be aware you will see these diagnosis but it doesn't mean that is your issue - it's just where splitting information is. For those who have experienced abuse people in their lives as splitting it could be you were the "all bad" kid and your sibling was "all good" and maybe if something happened the definitions would switch (or not). Or one minute your past T was the greatest ever and now or occasionally they are the worst ever. So it's not integrating good and bad in some sense in one person, in the self, or multiple people. It happens with Ts, parents, at work, friends... Everywhere or anywhere. I know I split my parents - I can only think of all the good things or all the bad things - they are split in to almost two sets of parents. I've yet to integrate that they could be good and bad at the same time... So the processing there has been difficult. I also do this with myself (extreme self hate or apathy and occasionally acceptance and have a more difficult time with "the whole").