I believe what I have to offer is the ability to demystify confusing topics and to devote my life to making information freely available, rather than reserving it for individuals spoken to one on one, or for those who pay. My efforts are solely to supplement, not supplant, therapists and counselors.

Perhaps precisely because I do not have Dissociative Identity Disorder myself, I greatly admire people who do. Sadly, their battered self-esteem keeps them from seeing it, but they are truly remarkable people who have suffered appallingly – almost always significantly more than they realize – and yet, despite all the odds, they have battled on and achieved far beyond what average people knowing their full situation would ever imagine. Moreover, as they continue to heal, they will discover their exciting potential to achieve astonishingly more.

I deserve no credit for thinking highly of people with Dissociative Identity Disorder. I believe anyone with an open mind would come to the same conclusion if, like me, they have the immense privilege of getting to truly know people with this condition.

I happen to have qualified academically as a psychologist, having graduated after four years’ study at university and then undergoing another six months in the field. As far as I recall, however, in my particular course, not once was Dissociative Identity Disorder mentioned and I never heard of it until very many years later.

I read a couple of paragraphs about introject alters before actually meeting this particular type of alter. Beside this, however, everything I have ever learned about Dissociative Identity Disorder has not come from the discoveries of therapists, nor theories of researchers, but from what I have learned through vast numbers of people with Dissociative Identity Disorder pouring out their hearts to me and through my personal encounters with literally many hundreds of alters. Even more significantly, what I have learned has come through continually looking to God, humbly sitting at my Master’s feet and observing in awe how Jesus loves alters and so tenderly and patiently relates to them and heals them.

I’ve found more power in God, than psychology can ever tap into. I’m so convinced of this that, whilst maintaining a love for the science, I’ve left psychology to others. Instead, I got a low paid, degrading job to support myself while I devoted my life to the best I could hope for, which is, ultimately, to encourage people to discover the greatest of all therapists.

To leave God out of my webpages might make them more popular and give me an excuse for making money but it would be as irresponsible as having the cure for AIDS and keeping it secret. As much as I ache for others to be aware of people’s plight, what’s the point of highlighting problems and ignoring the solution? My passion is that deeply wounded people be healed, and life is too short to settle for superficial cures.

I’d rather be impoverished than make money out of people’s pain. Professionals have every right to charge but I’m no professional. They deserve to be compensated for all their training, but I’m not using my university training. So I don’t even ask for donations and I have almost always refused the few who have offered. I’m of no consequence. No one needs me. Everyone needs God.

Nevertheless, I very much understand people shrinking in horror at the very mention of God. The inescapable fact is that atrocious things have been done in God’s name. If that infuriates us, imagine if there really were a loving God, what this would do to him. How would you feel if someone stole your identity so that millions accused you of hideous crimes that appalled you?

Pedophiles rarely look dangerous. They prefer to take on respected community roles to win trust and obtain victims. Sadly, this sheds undue suspicion on good people and turns many off becoming teachers, scout leaders, and so on.

Abusers often use the word love to try to justify their unloving acts and manipulate their victims. This can leave some victims so cruelly confused that even into adulthood the word love terrifies them. It is likewise common for abusers to use the word God to try to justify their ungodly behavior and manipulate the vulnerable. Victims are often left terrified of God.

Abuse, whether emotional, physical or sexual, was not only awful when it happened; unless we heal, it can hold us back for the rest of our lives. And what would be particularly tragic is if bad past experiences cause us to shun the very thing that can heal us. It is not uncommon for pain to drive us to lash out at those we need the most. And, through no fault of our own, it’s so tragically normal for us to be blinded by pain.

Abuse victims are often appallingly misunderstood. The same is true of the God who longs to heal them. It is common to malign the Almighty for letting people break his heart and his laws by doing disgusting things. He is often hated for not abusing his infinite power by instantly crushing those who do wrong. But he is the exact opposite of an abuser.

Dismiss God as an unscientific figment of a weak mind. Or convince yourself that he is aloof, cold-hearted, even monstrous; the fact remains that God is actually warm, tender-hearted and cares passionately about even the least, most despised of us. He feels your pain like a knife in his own heart. He longs to not accuse or condemn but comfort, support, encourage and heal.

I plead with everyone who might have Dissociative Identity Disorder to avail themselves of a good therapist or counselor. Ultimately, God needs no-one. He loves partnering with people, however, because he loves people. Nonetheless, God remains by far the greatest of all therapists.

Grantley Morris