What happens when trauma doesn’t just shape memories — but reshapes the body itself?

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Frank Putnam, one of the most influential researchers in the field of childhood trauma and dissociation. For more than four decades, Dr. Putnam has studied how early maltreatment affects development, health, and survival across the lifespan.

His groundbreaking Female Growth and Development Study has followed survivors of childhood abuse for more than 35 years, revealing something profound: trauma doesn’t only affect the mind. It changes biology, aging, health, and even the next generation.

Together we explore how dissociation develops in childhood, why trauma survivors often experience earlier physical illness, and what the science actually tells us about healing.

This conversation bridges research, clinical care, and lived experience — offering a rare look at the long arc of trauma and the resilience of those who survive it.

Key Moments

03:20 — How childhood trauma can accelerate biological aging09:45 — Dissociation as a survival strategy, not a disorder18:10 — The origins of the Female Growth and Development Study32:40 — The “tentacles” of trauma across physical health and development46:15 — What clinicians often misunderstand about dissociation58:30 — Why stabilizing daily life must come before trauma processing

About Our Guest

Frank W. Putnam, MD is a professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and one of the leading researchers on childhood trauma and dissociation.

His newest book, Old Before Their Time: A Scientific Life Investigating How Maltreatment Harms Children and the Adults They Become, brings together decades of research on the lifelong impact of childhood abuse.

Who This Episode Is For

• Survivors navigating dissociation, DID, or complex trauma• Clinicians working with trauma and dissociative systems• Anyone interested in the intersection of science, trauma, and healing

Resources

📘 Old Before Their Time — Dr. Frank Putnam 📩Contact Dr. Frank Putnam 🌀About Dr. Putnam 🌐 healingmyparts.org

What if dissociative identity disorder is a brilliant, life-saving strategy?

In this moving and grounded conversation, therapist and author Sally Maslansky shares her lived experience of DID and the therapeutic relationship that changed everything.

Diagnosed in the 1990s (when it was still called MPD), Sally entered treatment during a cultural moment steeped in fear and shame. But her therapist, Dr. Dan Siegel, offered something radically different:

Not “What’s wrong with you?”But “What did your mind do to survive?”

From disorganized attachment to learned secure attachment.From fragmentation to fluidity.From terror without context to memory with meaning.

⏱ Timestamps

00:04 – Romania, terror, and the shock of not remembering childhoodAdoption awakens something she can’t ignore.

08:58 – The diagnosis in the 90sFrom “Am I crazy?” to “This is a brilliant adaptation.”

11:33 – Disorganized attachment: fear without solutionHow the brain fragments to survive.

14:37 – Parts as verbs, not nounsWhy dissociated states are processes — not separate people.

21:46 – What healing actually feels likeMemory intact. Suffering over.

33:55 – Implicit vs. explicit memory“If I’m hysterical, it’s historical.”

If you’ve ever feared that healing means losing your parts, this episode offers another picture.

Memory intact.Suffering over.Safety carried securely from the inside.

Links & Resources

Sally’s Website

Sally’s Book A Brilliant Adaptation

Sally at the Psychotherapy Networker Symposium March 20th

Sally & Dr Dan Siegel Speaking March 11th

The Wheel of Awareness

Dr Dan Siegel’s Website

Dr Ruth Lanius Website

Dr. Bethany Brand’s Website

HealingMyParts.org

In this deeply nuanced conversation, we’re joined by author and survivor Cheryl Rainfield to explore the realities of cult torture, dissociative identity, and the layered impact of organized abuse.

We unpack what it means to reclaim the word torture, how cult-created programming functions inside dissociative systems, and how healing unfolds when compassion replaces fear.

We explore:

• Why some survivors reclaim the term cult torture• How programming operates — and how it can be gently dismantled• The distinction between cult-created parts and other trauma-based or persecutory parts• Subtle indicators that may suggest a history of organized abuse• Why relational repair, attachment, and emotional responsiveness matter profoundly in treatment• What therapists often misunderstand about working with survivors of organized abuse• How systems can begin building trust with cult created parts

This conversation does not sensationalize. It names. It clarifies. And it holds hope.

Cheryl speaks candidly about what survivors need most: to be believed, to be heard, and to be met with steady compassion.

Whether you are a survivor, clinician, or someone seeking to better understand complex dissociation, we hope this episode offers clarity, validation, and thoughtful guidance.

Time Stamps

00:00 – Introduction + reclaiming the term “cult torture”08:40 – What programming is and how it functions21:15 – Cult-created parts vs. persecutory/trauma parts36:20 – Subtle signs of organized abuse histories52:10 – What therapists need to understand1:06:30 – Modifying modalities (EMDR, grounding, attachment needs)1:20:45 – Community, writing, and reclaiming voice1:32:00 – Hope for survivors + practical next steps

Content Note

This episode discusses organized abuse, dissociation, and suicidality. Please listen at your own pace and care for yourself as needed.

Connect with Cheryl

CherylRainfield.com

Cheryl’s Books

Cheryl’s Social Media

TikTok @Cherylrainfield

Instagram @Cherylrainfield

Facebook Cheryl Rainfield

YouTube Cheryl.Rainfield

Substack Cheryl Rainfield

Cheryl’s Articles

Some Signs and Symptoms of Cult Torture and How To Help:

Article on cult torture and programming:

Cheryl’s Links to Resources on Cult torture and DID

Cheryl’s Recommended Books on cult torture/RAMCOA:

Becoming Yourself by Alison Miller

Healing The Unimaginable by Alison Miller

Demystifying Mind Control & Ritual Abuse

Safe Passage to Healing by Chrystine Oksana.

Cheryl’s Recommended Websites:

Survivorship.org

ra-info.org

ritualabuse.us

endritualabuse.org

grassroots-ra-mc-collective.org