Truddi Chase
Encyclopedia
Truddi Chase was the author of the book When Rabbit Howls (1987), an autobiography
about her experiences after being diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder
. According to her personal account, she was born near Rochester, New York
and grew up in small nearby towns.
and physically abused
by her stepfather and beaten and neglected by her mother during her childhood and teenage years. By her report, she had always remembered that molestation and abuse occurred from the age of two onwards but that she could not focus on details before going into therapy. It was during sessions with hypnotherapist
, Dr. Robert Phillips that she concluded that she had multiple personalities.
Unlike most people documented with MPD (the official diagnosis at that time), Chase refused to integrate her personalities, instead thinking of them as a cooperating team. In her book, she describes giving talks to convicted child molesters to explain her abuse history and to warn them that child abuse is psychologically devastating.
In a television interview with Oprah Winfrey
, Chase stated that a Washington Post reporter had tracked down her family, including her stepfather, who denied everything. Another interview with Phil Donahue
revealed that Phillips himself had sought out the family and discovered that her mother had also sexually abused her. The mother had died just before the book's publication.
miniseries, retitled Voices Within: The Lives of Truddi Chase
which cast Shelley Long
in the title role. Truddi worked very closely with the screenwriter to ensure the adaptation was genuine.
's radio program, and one of the first on The Oprah Winfrey Show
. She returned in 1990 for a second interview.
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
about her experiences after being diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder
Dissociative identity disorder
Dissociative identity disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis and describes a condition in which a person displays multiple distinct identities , each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment....
. According to her personal account, she was born near Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
and grew up in small nearby towns.
Life
In her autobiography and in numerous interviews, Chase wrote that she was repeatedly and violently sexuallySexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
and physically abused
Physical abuse
Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation, injury, or other physical suffering or bodily harm.-Forms of physical abuse:*Striking*Punching*Belting*Pushing, pulling*Slapping*Whipping*Striking with an object...
by her stepfather and beaten and neglected by her mother during her childhood and teenage years. By her report, she had always remembered that molestation and abuse occurred from the age of two onwards but that she could not focus on details before going into therapy. It was during sessions with hypnotherapist
Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy is a therapy that is undertaken with a subject in hypnosis.The word "hypnosis" is an abbreviation of James Braid's term "neuro-hypnotism", meaning "sleep of the nervous system"....
, Dr. Robert Phillips that she concluded that she had multiple personalities.
Unlike most people documented with MPD (the official diagnosis at that time), Chase refused to integrate her personalities, instead thinking of them as a cooperating team. In her book, she describes giving talks to convicted child molesters to explain her abuse history and to warn them that child abuse is psychologically devastating.
In a television interview with Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
, Chase stated that a Washington Post reporter had tracked down her family, including her stepfather, who denied everything. Another interview with Phil Donahue
Phil Donahue
Phillip John "Phil" Donahue is an American media personality, writer, and film producer best known as the creator and host of The Phil Donahue Show. The television program, also known as Donahue, was the first to use a talk show format. The show had a 26-year run on U.S...
revealed that Phillips himself had sought out the family and discovered that her mother had also sexually abused her. The mother had died just before the book's publication.
When Rabbit Howls
In 1990, the autobiography was made into a two-part CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
miniseries, retitled Voices Within: The Lives of Truddi Chase
Voices Within: The Lives of Truddi Chase
Voices Within: The Lives of Truddi Chase is an ABC-Network miniseries based on When Rabbit Howls, the autobiography of Truddi Chase, a woman who after being sexually abused as a child, copes by developing 90 personalities. The four-hour miniseries, which was directed by Lamont Johnson stars Emmy...
which cast Shelley Long
Shelley Long
Shelley Lee Long is an American actress best known for her role as Diane Chambers on the sitcom Cheers, for which she won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress and two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress...
in the title role. Truddi worked very closely with the screenwriter to ensure the adaptation was genuine.
Appearances
Chase was the first guest on Oprah WinfreyOprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
's radio program, and one of the first on The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
. She returned in 1990 for a second interview.
External links
- Voices Within: The Lives of Truddi Chase, a TV-movie adaptation of When Rabbit Howls, at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
.