In The Haunted Self, Onno van der Hart, Ellert Nijenhuis, and Kathy Steele explain how severe and prolonged traumatic experiences can divide the personality. They call this structural dissociation. According to the authors, dissociation is not merely “feeling cut off,” but a genuine separation between parts of the personality that carry different tasks.

One part focuses on daily life and tries to function normally. This is called the seemingly normal part. Other parts remain connected to fear, pain, memories, and survival responses such as fight, flight, or freeze. These trauma-oriented parts can suddenly become active due to triggers in the present.

The authors describe that symptoms such as flashbacks, panic, shame, physical tension, memory problems, and erratic behavior are often better understood from this internal division. People then do not react “illogically,” but from parts that were once necessary for survival.

Treatment therefore requires a safe and step-by-step approach. First comes stabilization: increasing safety, learning to regulate emotions, and building cooperation between parts. After that, trauma processing can take place. In the final phase, integration is central: greater coherence, freedom of choice, and participation in everyday life.

The book connects theory, research, and practice. It shows that trauma can leave deep marks on body and mind, but also that recovery is possible. With understanding, pace, and a good therapeutic relationship, split-off experiences can be processed step by step. The core message is that symptoms are often survival reactions and not a sign of weakness or unwillingness.