Internal containment in the treatment of patients with dissociative disorders.

Both external and internal containment techniques are useful in treating patients with multiple personality disorder and other dissociative disorders. The author focuses on internal containment using various individualized strategies for helping these patients cope with life and work through past traumas. Because the visual imagery typically used in these strategies varies significantly from patient to patient, the author does not intend to provide an exhaustive description. The techniques are illustrated by case examples from the author's clinical practice.