About Me

Complex trauma survivors with dissociative disorders - and therapists working with clients who don't respond to traditional trauma treatments - often encounter therapeutic impasses that leave both client and clinician feeling stuck and overwhelmed. Kathy Steele has spent over three decades developing and refining approaches to the most challenging trauma presentations, becoming one of the world's leading authorities on structural dissociation theory and helping thousands of clinicians understand how to work effectively with dissociative disorders and complex PTSD.

As Past President and Fellow of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) and co-author of the groundbreaking The Haunted Self: Structural Dissociation and the Treatment of Chronic Traumatization, Steele represents the pinnacle of expertise in trauma and dissociation treatment. Her award-winning book Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation: Skills Training for Patients and Therapists (co-authored with Suzette Boon and Onno van der Hart) has become the definitive resource for practitioners worldwide. Her recognition with the Lifetime Achievement Award from ISSTD in 2010 and the Cornelia B. Wilbur Award for Outstanding Clinical Contributions reflects her transformative impact on the field.

Steele's expertise spans complex trauma, dissociative disorders (including DID), structural dissociation theory, attachment trauma, Complex PTSD, therapeutic resistance and impasses, and clinical supervision. Her approach, grounded in structural dissociation theory, helps clinicians understand how chronic traumatisation creates distinct parts of the personality that require specialised treatment approaches. She specialises in cases where clients have been unsuccessful in previous therapies, where dissociative symptoms complicate treatment, or where therapists feel overwhelmed by the complexity of trauma presentations.

What sets her training apart is theoretical depth combined with practical compassion. Known for her humor, warmth, and ability to present complex issues clearly, Steele doesn't just teach theory - she shows clinicians how to create safe therapeutic relationships with the most vulnerable and fragmented clients while maintaining their own emotional stability. Her 35+ years of private practice experience gives her unmatched insight into the long-term therapeutic process required for complex trauma recovery.

For your practice, expect to gain specific techniques for working with dissociative parts, tools for managing therapeutic resistance and impasses, and frameworks for understanding how structural dissociation affects treatment planning. Her approach particularly benefits clinicians working with complex trauma survivors, those encountering dissociative presentations, or practitioners seeking advanced supervision and consultation skills.

Quick Win: Steele's "parts mapping" technique helps therapists quickly identify and understand the different parts of a dissociative client's system - often reducing therapeutic confusion and creating a roadmap for safe, effective treatment that honors each part's protective function.

Qualifications

• MN, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 1983
• BS, Nursing, University of South Carolina, 1978
• Clinical Specialist in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing (CS)
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
• Adjunct Faculty, Emory University, current
• 35+ years private practice experience (1985–2022)

Authored Books

• The Haunted Self: Structural Dissociation and the Treatment of Chronic Traumatization (co-author with Onno van der Hart and Ellert Nijenhuis, award-winning)
• Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation: Skills Training for Patients and Therapists (co-author with Suzette Boon and Onno van der Hart, award-winning)
• Treating Trauma-Related Dissociation: A Practical, Integrative Approach (co-author with Suzette Boon and Onno van der Hart)
• Numerous book chapters and peer-reviewed journal articles on trauma and dissociation

Leadership & Professional Service

• Past President and Fellow, International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD)
• Board Member, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), two terms
• Task Force Member, International Task Force on Dissociative Disorders Treatment Guidelines
• Task Force Member, Joint International Task Force on Complex PTSD Treatment Guidelines, current

Professional Experience

• International Trainer & Consultant, Complex Trauma and Dissociation, 1990–present
• International Speaker & Lecturer, Complex Trauma Topics, 1990–present
• Private Practice, Adult Psychotherapy, Atlanta, GA, 1985–December 31, 2022 (35+ years)
• Clinical Director, Metropolitan Counseling Services (non-profit psychotherapy and training center), until 2016
• Member, Metropolitan Psychotherapy Associates, Atlanta, GA, 1988–2022

Clinical Specialties

• Structural dissociation theory and treatment applications
• Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and other dissociative disorders
• Complex PTSD and chronic traumatisation
• Attachment trauma and developmental trauma disorders
• Therapeutic resistance and treatment impasses
• Clinical supervision for complex trauma cases
• Psychotherapy integration approaches for complex presentations

Media & Recognition

• The Trauma Therapist Project podcast guest (2021)
• International recognition as expert in structural dissociation theory
• Regular contributor to professional trauma and dissociation literature
• Known for humor, warmth, respect, and ability to present complex issues clearly

Ready to work confidently with the most complex trauma presentations? Discover how Kathy Steele's structural dissociation approach can help transform your understanding of dissociative disorders and give you the tools to help even the most challenging clients find integration and healing.