The Amazing Protector Maze
Categorised in: Professional Resources
A major goal when working with the dissociative client is to find, befriend, and elicit the help of the protector/s. In simple cases of dissociation which have only a few alters, there may be a protector who only comes out when protection is needed. Complex systems may have a host alter or a group of host alters who are the protectors. These alters have great control and may even be feared by others inside. They hold high status due to the suffering they sustained to attain their position. It is imperative that the person appreciate what the protector/s suffered on their behalf for rapid healing to commence.
After listening to a didactic presentation about protectors, a client approached me with great passion. The client’s protector part which was out, indignantly retorted the disdain they had for the original person using them to be the “bad guy” and taking all the hits for them. The protector demanded that the original person step up to the plate and take their own responsibility! Needless to say, this was a breakthrough with extensive positive ramifications for the person.
We need to keep in mind that dissociation is a way for a person to blame shift onto parts of themselves, that for which they are afraid to be responsible. Our primary job is to help the person mature to accept personal responsibility for their thoughts and actions. This is the greatest time for the therapist, prayer counselor or support person to remind the client of the total forgiveness available to them through the cross and loving blood of Jesus Christ. I like to tell people that it really does not matter what sins or how many sins they are truly responsible for, the blood of Christ has paid for A L L!! All they need to do is accept this magnificent truth and ask for forgiveness. They will be forgiven. They also need to extend the same forgiveness towards those who have harmed them and trust the Righteous Judge to manage justice. Forgiveness is the major key to healing second only to salvation. It is important to ascertain that your client completely understands forgiveness in order for them to fully enter into it. (Please see Basic Healing Concepts Laws of Sowing and Reaping and The Healing Process for more about it.) Forgiveness paves the way for integration.
Since dissociation is all about protection and denial of the conflict, protectors of all kinds can be found. Some protectors are very obvious due to their bravado or hostile demeanor and behavior. These are usually skilled in carrying out their threats. If these present often, the person will be having significant sociological problems. In males, we often find frequent criminal charges associated with these alters.
Some protectors are not so obvious. There are many human ways to protect. Demure, manipulative, sugar sweet parts can be ready to fend away a would-be threat. Silence is also used for protection. These silent ones often have names like ‘nobody’. We are familiar with “chatty Cathy syndrome” …as long as she talks there is no possibility that another can say anything negatively. Of course, there is always blame shifting for protection. Lying is a strong way to protect but gets the person into a lot of trouble. You may find runners who just take off and run when they feel threatened. They will probably not know why they ran or where they went. They just run. Sleep can be a good protection. One client would quickly fall asleep whenever she tried to read the Holy Bible. There was a implanted belief that Bible reading would harm her. Some alters are totally compliant. They believe this prevents any conflict and thereby keeps the original person safe. They can easily be confused with “victim” alters, whom we will address in future articles.
An air of ultra-arrogance and confidence is often used when the person feels very insecure. These alters are especially present with authority figures. They may be masters at putting others down, verbally shredding another person or almost always opposing what another is saying. This seems to be born out of experiencing coercion to agree with their abusers against their own belief system. There is such a strong commitment to their belief system, that they vow to always resist other’s opinions on some level, thereby seeing themselves as being true to themselves.
These protectors can be major blocks to interventions because the person is compromised in understanding that the counselor or support person has something of value to offer or may know something they do not. Due to the degree of pride, there is usually major demonization involved as well. It will be necessary to deal with the vows after the demonic is disabled. (See Basic Healing Concepts under A.C.A.C.I.A. Resources, then Foundational Teachings). Careful instruction will be needed to help the person choose to use the wise skill of open mindedness until all the facts are in. They are in great need of being able to trust authority figures and being affirmed in their opinions with praise as well.
A vital teaching for a client in bondage to such vows is to clarify for them that a vow robs them of freedom of choice to do anything other than the vow, even if it is the better choice. Once the vow is renounced, they have restored freedom to choose something new or they can even choose to do what the old vow required if they want!
Now the topic of internal or inside protection will be discussed. So far outward observable behaviors have been addressed. It is crucial to understand that it is possible for a whole system or systems of internal structures to be in place to “protect” the original person. While these may not appear protective to most of us, it is a belief system of the person.
In mind control subjects, parts are often instructed to actually physically hurt themselves if they violate the wishes of the programmers. This may surface as a pain in some part of the body, inability to use a body part or manifestation of symptoms of a disease. For instance, a person may not be able to talk in session. There is such a constant and powerful component of “don’t talk and don’t tell” in most clients that it is common to find many variations of protection around this theme. Confusion is often a “job” of protectors. One client spent the entire afternoon driving around the city to avoid coming for an appointment. She was not lost, she did know the way to the office. The confusion in her mind cleared simultaneously with my office closing time.
Upon entering a significant memory, the person may experience severe vertigo or dizziness. At other times a wash of generalized pain may be experienced throughout the client’s body. This too is often a protector performing their “job” to interrupt the memory and thereby, theoretically protect the original person. The belief is that telling the memory will bring dire consequences. In reality, of course, they are really protecting the perpetrator/s. That is one reason the program is in place in the first place.
Memory retrieval and healing for a protector is pivotal. It reveals to other co-conscious aspects of the person, the extraordinary agony which the protector has suffered to protect them. This engenders compassion and forgiveness for the protector [themselves] and enables easier forgiveness of themselves for hurting themselves. Once this animosity towards the protector/s is gone and the protector/s gets new genuine protective skills, the entire person’s life is better. A new trust is developed for themselves. Since protectors are often hosts, once they are healed, greater access to other alters is possible for healing. This same strategy is needed for adequate healing regarding the reporters and saboteurs. We will visit their story next time.
Look for protectors who are “sold out” or totally loyal to the dark side [whatever the label]. They may have aspirations for fame and glory with that organization. Knowing how the story ends is often helpful in altering loyalties. Assisting the person to understand that they are double minded regarding their destiny can simplify their struggle. Even though it is one or more of their alters who are loyal to the organization, it is still just themselves alone, not someone else. They ultimately need to and can choose their life purpose and destiny! This knowledge is greatly empowering and hopeful.
Help the client identify the protective coping skills which they currently use. Explore with them if they are adaptive or mal-adaptive. Are they working in their best interest? Be ready to offer new alternatives for the mal-adaptive protective behaviors and thinking patterns. I bless you with finding, befriending and applying the healing of Jesus Christ to the valiant protectors and creating bridges between them and others in the person for the end of total integration.