Dissociation Therapy in Alberta

Maybe you zone out and lose stretches of time. Maybe you feel like you're watching yourself from outside, or the world looks flat and far away, like a film. Maybe you can talk about what happened to you without feeling anything at all, and then, out of nowhere, feel everything.

Dissociation is one of the ways a mind protects itself when something is too much. It made sense once. If it keeps switching on now, when you're safe, it can be worked with. KP Psychological offers online therapy for adults who dissociate, across Alberta, including Edmonton and Calgary. Sessions are by secure video, for people who are physically in Alberta at the time of each session.

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A woman sitting by a window, her reflection in the glass beside her

What dissociation is

The NHS describes dissociation as "a way the mind copes with too much stress," where you feel disconnected from yourself and the world around you. Almost everyone dissociates a little, like driving home on autopilot. It becomes a problem when it happens often, when it's intense, or when it gets in the way of your life.

Dissociation can look like:

  • zoning out or losing time, and not being able to account for it
  • feeling unreal, as if you're outside your body or watching yourself (depersonalization)
  • the world feeling unreal, dreamlike, muffled or far away (derealization)
  • memory gaps for parts of your life, or for what happened during stressful moments
  • feeling numb, physically or emotionally
  • sudden shifts in how you feel, act or see yourself that don't feel like "you"

Dissociative disorders sit at the far end of this range. Many people who dissociate don't have one. You don't need a diagnosis to get help.

Why it happens

The NHS notes that many people with a dissociative disorder went through a traumatic event in childhood, such as abuse. When you can't fight or escape, "switching off" from what's happening is a normal defence. The trouble comes when the switch keeps flipping long after the danger has passed, in a meeting, an argument, or a quiet evening at home.

Dissociation often travels with complex trauma and PTSD. Some people with PTSD have what's called the dissociative subtype, where feeling unreal or detached is a big part of the picture.

How dissociation can affect you

  • Feeling like a passenger in your own life
  • Trouble concentrating or remembering, at work or with your family
  • Strong reactions that seem to come from nowhere
  • Feeling detached from people you care about
  • Shame or fear that something is "wrong with your brain"

None of this means you're broken. It means your nervous system learned to protect you, and hasn't yet learned that it can stand down.

What the research says

Dissociation doesn't have to hold treatment back. A 2020 meta-analysis in BJPsych Open, covering 21 studies and 1,714 patients, found that dissociation before treatment was not related to how well psychotherapy for PTSD worked, including trauma-focused therapy. The authors note that about half of clinicians had historically worried dissociation would get in the way.

EMDR and the dissociative subtype. In a Dutch study of 168 people with severe PTSD who completed an intensive programme of prolonged exposure and EMDR, 38 met the criteria for the dissociative subtype. They improved as much as everyone else, and 26 of the 38 (68%) no longer met the criteria for the dissociative subtype after treatment.

Childhood trauma. In a randomized trial of 155 adults with PTSD from childhood trauma, up to 12 sessions of EMDR reduced PTSD symptoms substantially, and dissociation improved too. Dropout was low, at 7.7%.

Care and pacing still matter. The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation recommends phase-oriented treatment for dissociative disorders: safety and stabilization first, then working through traumatic memories, then integration. NICE's PTSD guideline also recommends building in extra time for people whose dissociation makes trauma work harder.

How EMDR can help with dissociation

EMDR works on the memories that keep the "switch" flipping. The idea behind it is that experiences too big to process at the time get stored with the original fear, images and body sensations, and get triggered in the present. When those memories are processed, the trigger loses its charge, and there's less for your mind to switch off from.

With dissociation, we adapt how we work:

  • We assess first. Simple questionnaires and conversation help us understand when and how you dissociate, so we can plan around it.
  • Grounding comes before memory work. You learn ways to notice when you're drifting and come back: your senses, your breath, your feet on the floor. We practise until they're reliable.
  • We use the window of tolerance. Processing works best when you're neither flooded nor shut down. We watch for both, and we slow down or stop when you need to.
  • Smaller pieces. EMDR can be adjusted so you work with a fragment of a memory, or from a distance, rather than the whole thing at once.
  • Parts and ego-state work. Many people who dissociate experience different "parts" of themselves. Getting to know them, and helping them work together, is part of the preparation.
  • Nothing happens without your consent. If you want to stop, we stop.

In this video, Kyle explains grounding and how it helps.

Who you'd see

  • Kyle Poon, R.Psych focuses on EMDR and trauma-focused therapy, including complex PTSD, childhood trauma and dissociation. He is an EMDRIA Approved Trainer and Consultant. Kyle currently has a waitlist.
  • Marissa Whalley, R.Psych also works with trauma and PTSD, and is an EMDR Therapist. She currently has openings, often as soon as the following week.

What therapy looks like here

Sessions are 50 minutes, by secure video. Online sessions work well for many people who dissociate: you're in your own space, with your own grounding objects nearby, and we set up a plan together for what to do if you drift during a session.

A session is $250 with Kyle and $235 with Marissa. Alberta Health Care doesn't cover psychologists, but many extended health plans do, and we can bill most insurance companies directly. We also accept Veterans Affairs Canada, RCMP, NIHB, WCB-Alberta and the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program. See fees and insurance for details.

Common questions

Is EMDR safe if I dissociate?

EMDR can often be adapted. We assess dissociation first, build grounding skills, and decide together whether, when and how to begin memory work. Research suggests dissociation doesn't stop people from benefiting, and with the right preparation many people dissociate less over time.

What if I dissociate during a session?

We plan for it. You'll have grounding tools ready, and your psychologist knows how to help you come back. Online sessions include a plan for what happens if you drift, including a check-in by phone if needed.

Do I have a dissociative disorder?

Only an assessment can tell you that, and you don't need a diagnosis to start therapy. If a formal assessment would help, we can talk about it at your free consult.

How long will it take?

It depends on how long dissociation has been part of your life and what you're carrying underneath it. Stabilization comes first and takes the time it needs. We'll review progress together along the way.

Do you bill insurance directly?

We can bill most insurance companies directly, so you only pay the part your plan doesn't cover. Tell us your plan at your free consult, and we'll confirm before your first session.

Book a free 15-minute consultation

Written by Kyle Poon, M.Ed., R.Psych, EMDRIA Approved Trainer and Consultant · Reviewed September 2026

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