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To the home of the Treatment of Patients with Dissociative Disorders (TOP DD) Studies

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The TOP DD Network Study Research Team

Network RCT Principal Investigator: Bethany Brand, Ph.D., from Towson University in Baltimore, Maryland.  Co-Principal Investigator: Hygge Schielke, Ph.D., from Homewood Health Centre in Guelph, Ontario. Senior Research Consultants: Frank Putnam, M.D. (University of North Carolina and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center); Richard Loewenstein, M.D. (University of Maryland Medical School).  North American Research Consultants: Ruth Lanius, M.D., Ph.D. and Paul Frewen, Ph.D. (University of Western Ontario); Amie Myrick, L.C.P.C. (Family & Children’s Services of Central Maryland); Clare Pain MD, MSc., FRCPC and Catherine Classen, Ph.D. (University of Toronto); Kathy Steele, M.N., C.S., Metropolitan Counseling Services.  European Research Consultants: Suzette Boon, Ph.D., private practice, the Netherlands; Ellen Jepsen, M.D., Ph.D., Research Institute at Modum Bad Psychiatric Center, Norway.


Suzette Boon, Ph.D.

Suzette Boon

Suzette A. Boon, Ph.D. specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of complex dissociative disorders. She translated and validated the Dutch version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Dissociative Disorders (SCID-D). She has published several books, book chapters, and many articles both on diagnosis as well as treatment of dissociative disorders.

The International Society for the Study of Dissociation (ISSD) granted her the David Caul Memorial Award, the Morton Prince Award, the President’s Award of distinction, and Lifetime Achievement Award. She developed a skills training manual, Coping with Trauma-related Dissociation: A Skills Training for Patients and Their Therapists, for patients with a complex dissociative disorder and has years of experience using this manual in structured groups in the Netherlands. The English version of this manual was published with co-authors Kathy Steele, M.N., C.S. and Onno van der Hart, Ph.D. and was awarded the Pierre Janet writing Award for the book.