About The Plural Association
About us:
The Plural Association is a ‘by plural – for plurals’ nonprofit, founded on February 5th 2020, in the Netherlands but serving plurals worldwide.
Our mission statement is to: ‘’Empower plurals, where plurals is defined as everyone who self-identifies as being or having more than one individual within a single body, by developing and using their capacities to actively shape their own lives and that of the plural community and the society of which they are part, in economic, social and political terms.’’
We are just starting up but we have big dreams and plans including a by plurals for plurals warmline, training and events.
The Plural Association is run by Plurals, for Plurals and based on peer to peer support. We call upon the expertise and knowledge of lived experienced plurals and our community leaders. Introduction to team members can be found below. TPA does not follow one ideology and is inclusive of all, of course systems who do not identify with the Plural label are also welcome.
We know how hard it is to find someone to talk to who is also Plural and understands what it is like. This is currently and has been for a long time, a huge lack in what is offered to Plurals worldwide. Hence one of the main aims of TPA is to set up a platform that includes a phone warmline, live chat and email option, where trained Plural volunteers read or listen to the worries and stories of Plurals and their individual headmates.
If desired, we converse with them and answer their questions surrounding plurality, through the concept of peer to peer support and from our own lived experience perspectives, whilst always empowering the collective Plural we speak with.
Feedback & Reviews
We are thankful for the trust the community put in us and for the feedback they provide us with
”A wonderful cause supported and run by wonderful people!”
Jessie
”very supportive, great community, and very caring!”
Alexandra
” They are a driving force in the improvement of plural culture, acceptance, and forward thinking.”
Melissa
The Plural Warmline Platform
Community & connection
Training & workshops
We are building a platform that will provide email, live chat and a warmline phone option. Where plurals and their headmates can talk to a trained, lived experienced plural, about their stories and worries. There is no other service like this that is inclusive of all forms of plurality and that is available worldwide.
Hence The Plural Association
hopes to fill this need,
that is so desperately needed for our community.
3.7% of the world population has Dissociative Identity Disorder, many more are Plural in other ways, they use labels with beautiful names like Endogenic, Median Systems, Quoigenic and many more.
Yet the media and parts of the clinical community likes to portray us as extremely rare.
The only way that attitude is going to change is if we let our voices be heard.
We think this nonprofit is a great way to do that.
Knowing you are not the only one, experiencing that you are not alone is healing.
Hence we want to make it easy for you to meet other Plurals, by organising events and other services.
We want to provide resources, information and advice
to both plurals and those that help us,
by providing training and workshops.
We train our warmline volunteers and also the clinical community, social workers and other warm/hotlines. Contact us to talk about the options.
We make sure to be involved in the conversations about plurals,
by society, the media and the clinical community.
With the motto ‘’nothing about us, without us.’’
Team introduction:
Stronghold – They/Them (Plural) – Netherlands – Founders –
Is a disabled queer Plural activist and advocate, mother, artist and organizer.
They have traveled internationally for nonprofit work, speaking engagements and for educational purposes since 2007 and focus since 2017 on Plurals and DID with their organisation Power to the Plurals.
They also founded and admin AlterNation a free, online inclusive of all support group for Plurals, that serves nearly 2500 Plurals worldwide in a tight community.
They have released over 50 educational videos on Dissociative Identity Disorder and other forms of Plurality.
Their website also contains over 50 different articles and various resources. Some of which have been translated by community members in 5 different languages to help Plurals worldwide!
Power to the Plurals has worked closely together with Plural Events to organise the first online and free Plural Positivity World Conference 2019 where they presented multiple sessions themselves as well.
Azi Bass – She/They (Plural) – USA – Team Member –
She is an ADA advocate for people with disabilities and their service dogs.
She is a longstanding admin for the largest Plural support group on Facebook and helps advocate for each of their 7.5k+ members on a daily basis.
She is a speaker on Plurality and service dogs amongst other topics.
They have an in depth understanding of Plurality and Dissociative identity disorder through their work and own lived experience.
They have had different educational opportunities they participated in over the years.
They worked for a multibillion dollar nonprofit and their skills and expertise they bring to the team are invaluable!
Laura Puddefoot – She/They (Plural) – Australia – Team Member –
Advocates for mental health, support and education.
Worked on statewide projects for LGBTIQ+ rights and diversity including speaking at international conferences and for organisational training sessions.
Currently studying a double bachelors in psychology.
Living with Dissociative Identity Disorder with a service dog named Milo, Laura was a part of the staff from Plural Events, who organised and presented a part of the first Plural Positivity World Conference 2019.
She also co-facilitates a Dissociative Disorders support group based in Melbourne and admins a Plural group online.
She is excited to be a part of this new venture and we are so glad to have her dedicated selves on board!