ABSTRACT
The prevalence of dissociation, which is commonly severe in diverse forms of complex trauma, poses many treatment challenges. While a phased therapy approach has long been recommended for treating complex trauma, the advisability of this approach has also been challenged in different ways. The focus of this chapter is whether phased treatment for complex trauma and its attendant dissociation is necessary or whether ‘first line’ exposure-based treatments are effective and sufficient. This seemingly straightforward question invites queries and raises complications around optimal treatment of complex trauma-related dissociation, which the chapter also highlights and explores.
