Gudrun Frerichs
Beyond The Tree House
Copyright © 2020 by Gudrun Frerichs
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmittedin any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise withoutwritten permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distributeit by any other means without permission.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it arethe work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localitiesis entirely coincidental.
Gudrun Frerichs asserts the moral right to be identified asthe author of this work.
Gudrun Frerichs has no responsibility for the persistenceor accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does notguarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.
Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks.All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarksand registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with anyproduct or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed thebook.
First edition
Editing by Svea Berling
Cover art by Suzie O'Connel
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Contents
Disclaimer
Preface
The Tribe Family
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Thank You
Preview Chapter One: Girl From The Tree House
Acknowlegements
About the Author
Also by Gudrun Frerichs
Disclaimer
This story may triggers some people. Even though I have abstained from describing experiences of childhood abuse in detail, there are general references to abuse. Survivors who read this book might need to make sure they have access to supportive services and or caring others as reading the book could triggers personal experiences.
Even though I am writing about real problems trauma survivors with DID are experiencing in their lives, this is a novel, a made up story. For the sake of the narrative, my heroine has a high level of functioning. This is not always the case and often requires years of working with supportive health professionals.
Multiples usually have had horrendous childhood experiences that cause them emotional pain, overwhelming fears and anxieties, that may have led to unhelpful coping strategies. At no time is it my intention to minimize the need for compassion, emotional support, and care Multiples require whilst on their journey of recovery.
At last but not least:
My depiction of the internal communication and co-operation in both my novels about the tree house people is a simplified and idealized one to serve the narrative. Although I have seen this happening in my practice, it requires in most cases intensive therapy to achieve that.
This is also the case for the integration process. This too is very different from person to person. I never intended it to be a ‘road-map’ for what has to happen in order for the Multiple to be well. Communication, co-operation, and integration are different for each person.
Preface
For over twenty-five years I’ve worked as a psychotherapist with trauma survivors diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID, previously Multiple Personality Disorder). Most of them thought they were crazy while I didn’t see anything I could label as ‘crazy’.
When you read Elise’s story, you hopefully get a sense of my respect and admiration for people with that diagnosis. Over the years I’ve listened to believers, non-believers, and doubters only to realize that in all that verbal warfare the person at the center of the discussion got left behind. Often the condition is sensationalized and the focus is on the ‘dysfunctional’ behavior. I wanted to show the perspective of the Multiple and the courage and strength required to face one’s traumatic past.
Many Multiples are highly functioning and work successfully in responsible, demanding jobs. In times of stress, being triggered, or suffering additional trauma, Multiples, like any other person, dissociate more and their ability to cope can quickly reach critical limits.
A multiple once told me: The other day I told a friend of many years - he actually has experienced me at my worst when things were really hanging on a thin thread - that I am a Multiple. I couldn’t believe his reaction - he is a health professional and knows about DID - he just didn’t believe me. No way, he said. He even got angry when I insisted…I thought that was quite funny. Here I was, for years plagued by shame, thinking it must be written on my forehead that I am strange and odd - and people didn’t notice anything.
I invite you to walk for a while in the shoes of a Multiple, try them on for size, and hopefully come to see that Multiples are neither green-eyed monsters nor raving lunatics but people who need support and compassion.
The Tribe Family
Ama: mother of the Tribe, in her fifties.
Amadeus: (angry) protector, in his twenties
Caroline:self-harms, 24 yrs. old
Elise: our front person 43 yrs. old
Elizabeth: the original child born 1976
Jimmy: boy, early teens
Lilly: fixes situations, 19 yrs. old
Lizette:speaks French, loves fashion, 17 yrs. old
Luke: man around the house,
