This episode is filled with so much heart and wisdom. Amanda Ball discovered they were a system later in life and that discovery turned everything upside down. Amanda shares her story of how she discovered she was a system We dive into an authentic conversation that covers topics from loss, deep grief, and real stigma to aphantasia, preventing switching, relationships and much more. We recognize that not everyone can access therapy and even those who can are often on long waitlists. We discussed many accessible resources for healing that can be found free online.
You can find Amanda on Instagram. See below for their full bio!
Resources:
The Dissociative Disorders Alliance
Theresa https://www.dis-sos.com/about-us/
Adrienne & Co (Formerly Known as Dr. Adrian Fletcher)
BIO: Amanda Ball (She/He/They) lives with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and collectively she and other selves are known as the ETERNITY System.
Amanda had a long career and held senior posts in the Food, Drink and Agricultural industry, mainly in Strategy, Planning, Training, Marketing and Communication roles and continue to champion British Food. Whilst no longer able to pursue a career, they continue to use their skills through mentoring and volunteering work and are a future trustee of a soon to be registered charity, ‘The Dissociative Disorders Alliance’. Their professional values are ‘Focus, Clarity, Direction’.
They strive to make the complexities of living with DID accessible to others, by sharing everyday experiences through advocacy work. Notable highlights to date include planning and executing the launch of ‘The Girls Within’ a book written by debut author and retired therapist Gill Frost. The book launch provided a springboard for a live Webinar, ‘Dissociative Identity Disorder, The Hidden Condition’ and a follow up Webcast ‘Demystifying Dissociative Identity Disorder’. The recordings, hosted on Karnac Books YouTube channel, have had over 16K views to date.
They also undertake public speaking and media work and have appeared as guests on BBC Radio 2 Jeremy Vine Show as well as other BBC regional stations, sharing their lived experience of DID.
With their symptoms and subsequent diagnosis being relatively recently (2016), life and their identity until then was focused almost entirely on work. As a result, they are still finding their way when it comes to rest and play, however their determination and curiosity gained through work and life experience, are proving helpful characteristics in their journey through therapy.
Running has become an essential part of everyday life in the Cotswolds, not just through the exercise itself but by providing social connections being a member of a local club. They have also started to keep a growing collection of house plants alive!
Episode 16 Amanda Ball -The Eternity System