Crystals graduated from John F. Kennedy University with a Master’s in Counseling Psychology, and a specialization in child and adolescent therapy. She’s used a variety of creative modalities including visual art, fiction writing, drama, sand-tray, and outdoor exploration to facilitate groups, educational events, and individual sessions.
Crystals’ life trajectory took a sharp turn in 2009 when with 2500 hours towards MFT licensure she needed to focus full time on her personal emotional healing. During these years she felt she had lost her career and she wasn’t making progress. However, the struggles and growth during this time have provided her with wisdom and the lived experience that is now the cornerstone of her professional development. Crystals spent 10 years in the mental health system, seeing multiple doctors, therapists, and specialists, before she was diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder and began working with a therapist who knew how to help. This experience isn’t uncommon because most of the time multiplicity is unnoticeable, and even skilled trauma therapists miss the signs. On average people with DID are in the mental health system 7-10 years before being correctly diagnosed. Crystals’ own journey and that of the many friends, colleagues, and clients she’s met over the years led her to create a coaching service to help people find a therapist who is a good fit. She also provides consultation for therapists. This way people who feel a connection with someone they are working with can refer them to Crystals where they can ask questions and learn directly from someone with clinical training, lived experience of multiplicity, and who has had both difficult and rewarding experiences participating in mental health services.
Many have a hard time understanding that multiplicity isn’t a disorder. Being a “we” and not just one “me”, is a brilliant way of responding to an unbearable situation. The disorder “Dissociative Identity Disorder” has to do with lack of communication, conflict among insiders, and the ways these in combination with complex trauma affect functioning and quality of life. When people learn that a friend or family member is multiple there can be a variety of responses including fear, confusion and curiosity. It can be hard to know how to be supportive and what questions are okay to ask. For someone who’s multiple answering questions about one’s own system is often stressful, even when they want the someone to know and understand them. Support and education for friends and family can be hard to find. Crystals offers one-on-one sessions, family/friend/couples work, educational workshops, and events.
For many, the process of emotional healing is a long and painful journey, with obstacles and setbacks. This can be discouraging, especially with so much pressure to set goals and being told that recovery is possible. We are taught that people need to be making progress and when this doesn’t seem to be happening it can feel like failure. Sometimes we just need someone to see how much we’re hurting and to be able to be there without resorting to emotional regulation, coping skills, or grounding. Crystals work is about emotional acceptance and comes out of her own learning, supportive therapeutic experiences, and time spent in supportive communities and with others with lived experience.
Multifaceted Journeys 