SWITCHING TIME

Oneafternoonin1989,KarenOverhillwalksintopsychiatristRichardBaer’sofficecomplainingofvaguephysicalpainsanddepression.Odderstill,sherevealsthatshe’ssufferingfromapersistentmemoryproblem.Routinely,she“loses”partsofherday,findingherselfinplacesshedoesn’tremembergoingtoorbeingtoldaboutconversationsshedoesn’trememberhaving.Herproblemsaresopervasivethatsheoftenfeelslikeanimpersonatorinherownlife;shedoesn’trecognizethepeoplewhocallthemselvesherfriends,andshecan’tevenrememberbeingintimatewithherownhusband.BaerrecognizesthatKarenisonthevergeofsuicideand,whiletryingvariousmedicationstokeepheralive,attemptstodiscovertherootcauseofherstrangecomplaints.It’stheworkofmonths,andthenyears,togainKaren’strustandlearnthetrueextentofthetraumaburiedinherpast.Whatsheeventuallyrevealsisnearlybeyondbelief,anarrativeofachildhoodspentgrapplingwithunimaginablehorror.HowhasKarensurvivedwithevenatenuousgrasponsanity?ThenBaerreceivesanenvelopeinthemail.It’smarkedwithKaren’sreturnaddressbutcontainsaletterfromalittlegirlwhowritesthatshe’ssevenyearsoldandlivesinsideofKaren.SoonBaerreceiveslettersfromothersclaimingtobepartsofKaren.Underhypnosis,thesealternateKarenpersonalitiesrevealthemselvesinshockingvarietyandwithundeniabletraits—bothphysicalandpsychological.One“alter”isayoungboyfilledwithfrighteningaggression;anotheranadultmalewhoconsidershimselfKaren’sprotector;andathirdasassyflirtwhoseeksdominanceovertheothers.It’sonlybycompartmentalizingherpain,guilt,andfearinthisfashion—by“switchingtime”withalternateselvesasthesituationwarrants—thatKarenhasbeenabletofunctionsincechildhood.Realizingthathispatientrepresentsanextremecaseofmultiplepersonalitydisorder,BaerfacesthedauntingtaskofcreatingatherapythatwillmakeKarenwholeagain.Somehow,infact,hemustgainthetrustofeachofKaren’sseventeen“alters”andconvincethemofthenecessityoftheirownannihilation.AspowerfulasSybilorTheThreeFacesofEve,SwitchingTimeisthefirstcompleteaccountofsuchtherapytobetoldfromtheperspectiveofthetreatingphysician,astunninglydevotedhealerwhoworkedselflesslyfordecadessothatKarencouldonedayliveasasinglehumanbeing.FromtheHardcoveredition.