A trauma-informed glossary for partners, insiders, and survivors
This glossary is designed to help partners, allies, and system-fluent readers understand the symbolic language and tactical terms used across convicDID. These aren’t clinical definitions—they’re survival tools. Every term here was coined or decoded through lived experience. This is for those who are ready and willing to listen differently.
Please keep in mind: every system is different.
You’ll need to take time to figure out how these terms apply to your specific situation.
But this guide will help you know what to look and listen for when learning how to communicate with your “system of choice.”
It will also help you understand things you might otherwise miss when reading other posts within convicDID.
In a nutshell:
It’s one of those things I wish I had back then to help me through this journey.
I went through it so you don’t have to.
🔹 System
A collection of distinct parts (or alters) within one body, formed as a survival response to trauma. Each part may have its own identity, role, memories, and emotional charge. The system works together—sometimes in harmony, sometimes in conflict—to protect the whole.
🔹 Host
The part most often fronting in daily life, often seen as “the person” by outsiders. The host may or may not be aware of the system, and may not hold all memories. Supporting the host alone is not the same as supporting the system.
🔹 Alters
Individual parts within a DID system. Alters may have different names, ages, genders, roles, and emotional needs. They are not imaginary or fake—they are real, valid, and formed through trauma. Every alter serves a purpose. Alters are also referred to as “parts“
🔹 Fronting
When a part is actively in control of the body. The part fronting may speak, move, and interact with others. Fronting can shift rapidly or subtly, and not all switches are visible to outsiders. The alter that is fronting is the one we are interacting with in the external world, in that particular moment.
🔹 Switch
A change in which part is fronting. Switches can be triggered by emotion, environment, memory, or internal system dynamics. Some switches are smooth and cooperative; others are chaotic or involuntary. They can happen several times within one sentence, and externally may not be seen, but they are “predictably unpredictable.” This is an essential part of the protection functionality of the system, and is not something that anyone should even attempt to control.
🔹 System-Fluent
Someone who understands and respects the internal logic, language, and emotional choreography of a DID system. System-fluent supporters listen symbolically, track breadcrumbs, and adapt communication to match the part fronting.
🔹 Trauma-Informed
An approach that centers safety, consent, and emotional attunement. Being trauma-informed means recognizing that behaviors are survival strategies, not character flaws. It means asking: What happened to you? instead of What’s wrong with you?
🔹 Random Word Drop
a word or phrase that is randomly text to me or said out loud in a direct manner, with no supporting information. This is a coding technique that is quite common to ensure that something isn’t removed from memory and the System is not able to locate. (I’m assuming others do this to at least) – Would love to hear some thumbs uip for anyone who does this or something similar!
🔹 Breadcrumbs
Symbolic clues dropped by system parts—often in language, tone, or behavior. Breadcrumbs may seem confusing at first, but they carry emotional truth. Tracking breadcrumbs is how partners decode meaning and build trust. Backwards breakcrumbs refer to the past and breadcrumbs are regarding the present and future.
🔹 System of Choice (SoC)
The DID system you support. Whether it’s your partner, friend, client, or loved one—this phrase centers loyalty and intentionality. You didn’t choose the trauma, but you did choose to stay. That matters.
🔹 Internal World
The private, inner space where system parts interact, communicate, and exist beyond what outsiders can see. It may include symbolic locations, emotional landscapes, or memory vaults. Not all systems experience an internal world the same way—and not all parts have access to it. Learning how to respect boundaries while learning who you can and can not trust, internally, is all part of the work systems who are in therapy do. What goes on in the internal world can be thought of as what goes on in the external world, but only the system has access to it.
🔹 External World
The shared physical reality—the body, the environment, the people around. When a part is fronting, they’re navigating the external world. But their perception may be shaped by trauma, memory, or internal dynamics. What’s “real” outside may feel distorted inside. The part you are able to speak with at any given time is in the external world, and may or may not know what happened when they were not there personally and have to rely on communication from other parts to keep them up to date on happenings they miss. As a supporter you are often looked to to help keep various parts in tune with things and it’s very important to know that when communicating with a system they may be talking about happenings of their internal world in a manner that sounds external because they don’t necessarily know the difference. Remember, both worlds are their reality. They may not see them as different places. (And that varies by PART, not by system.)
🔹 Trigger
Any stimulus—internal or external—that activates a trauma response or causes a system shift. Triggers aren’t always loud or obvious. They can be subtle, symbolic, or emotional. Being trauma-informed means learning to recognize triggers without judgment—and responding with safety, not control. They can be people, places, things, sounds, smells, and even feelings. Identifying triggers is an important part of system mapping and a crucial part of therapy work. DO NOT PLAY WITH TRIGGERS!!!!!!!
🔹 Collapse
A system shutdown. Emotional withdrawal, fragmented syntax, or symbolic fog. Often triggered by environmental stressors, symbolic breaches, or override chaos. Collapse may look like silence, but it’s tactical—sometimes host-level, sometimes a full system retreat.
