Switching Time

A Doctor's Harrowing Story of Treating a Woman with 17 Personalities

By: Richard Baer M.D.

Narrated by: Lloyd James

Length: 12 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

Switching Time is the first story centering on multiple personality disorder to be told by the treating physician. It is the incredible saga of a young woman stranded in unimaginable darkness who, in order to survive, created 17 different versions of herself.

In 1989, Karen Overhill walked into the office of psychiatrist Richard Baer complaining of depression. She poured out a litany of complaints, but in the disengaged way of someone who has experienced a terrible trauma. Slowly, Baer began to peel back the layers, eventually learning that Karen had been the victim of childhood sexual abuse. As time passed, though, his patient worsened and began to talk continually of suicide. Details of her abuse accumulated until he saw, via hypnosis, the true dimension of what Karen had suffered.

Baer was at a loss to explain Karen's sanity, precarious though it was, until he received a letter from a little girl, Claire. One by one, Karen's "alters" began showing themselves: men, women, young boys, a toddler, black, white, vicious, nurturing, prim, licentious. And their "stepping out" confronted Baer with the challenge of a lifetime. Somehow, to save Karen, he would have to gain the trust of her alters in order to destroy them.

©2007 Richard Baer, M.D. (P)2007 Tantor Media Inc.

Critic reviews

"An important and insightful look into the world of a multiple." (Cameron West, author of First Person Plural)
"Vivid...loaded with fascinating details... richly rewarding." (Colin Ross, author of Multiple Personality Order and The Osiris Complex)

Long, but fantastic voice acting

This book is quite interesting, though it did go on for quite some time. I suppose it could have been shorter... that would have given us the main idea. However, the voice acting of Lloyd James was outstanding. He changed his voice for each "alter", giving us a rather vivid perspective of the phenomenon (since a real person that suffers from MPD must also use the same vocal chords for their different personalities). Well done, Lloyd!

Fantastic and Inspiring story.

Thank you so much for sharing this journey. As a psychology teacher I appreciate the information you shared as do my students.

Amazing story

It is truly amazing to think about how the human mind can create different personalities to protect oneself. This is truly a spectacular story of one woman's journey thru the struggles of reintegration with the help of an exceptional Doctor. So worth the 'read'

eye - openingly genuine

Any additional comments?

I purchased this book because it was on sale and the subject intrigued me. I was astonished by the brutality perpetuated on a child and in her coping mechanisms. This book has opened my eyes to child abuse in a way i never before imagined. Anyone who may have struggled with child abuse or would wish for it to never exist would benefit from this title. A STRONG recommendation.

Profound read about DID

Profoundly touching and insightful. You feel as if you were on the journey yourself. The reader did a phenomenal job vocally portraying the alters, and reading in general.

love it!

this book opened my eyes and touched my heart in ways I can't describe. i absolutely loved it and couldn't put it down.

Nothing really new

added to the endless multiple personality canon.

Couldn't help myself

This book is a bit like a car wreck that you can't help straining to see as you drive by. Morbid curiosity keeps you hooked into this tale, but it's not for the faint-hearted. The details of this woman's abuse are graphic even if not everything is revealed. (To be honest, I'd hate to hear worse.) I was riveted by the story nonetheless.

A good mix of clinical documentary & storytelling

I purchased this title with a bit of hesitation because I feared it might be a Sybil knock-off. I was pleasantly surprised to find that, although there are some inherent similarities of the symptoms and histories of people with multiple personality disorder, this story is truly unique and full of new insights. The mix of clinical documentary and storytelling really impressed me - just enough clinical text-book information mixed in with the story to both inform and entertain the reader. Of course, the story itself is tragic and horrifying in many ways - but I didn't find it to be over-done or terribly vulgar. If you are curious and find the subject matter intriguing, this book might be just what you're looking for.

Another Statanist that goes Multiple!

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No, but it isn't a bad book, just more of the same. I loved the Sybil book but I understand that book has been discredited somewhat.

Were the concepts of this book easy to follow, or were they too technical?

Very easy to follow. Discovers missing time, thinks multiple and voila! she has 17 plus personalities. It's almost a formula.

What three words best describe Lloyd James’s performance?

Average, adequate and bland.

Did Switching Time inspire you to do anything?

Not get another of these kind of books...

Any additional comments?

I am very skeptical about Satanist cults and their tie in to multiple personality disorder. Has anyone ever been caught and tried for being in one of these cults?
I have no doubt that children are abused every day, but from the stories in this book, why weren't there several children that had MPD in that area?
Very hard to believe the entire premise.