Integration questions-don't think any triggers-

So it's been awhile. My SO had DID. He has been doing really well, recently his personality has changed a little bit, and it kind of reflects one of his alters. I know its not the alter, so my questions are can integration happen without therapy? can it just naturally happen? Also what exactly happens during integration, from what I have gathered the two personalities kind of combine. Integration was never in the future, so I am just curious to the slight personality change

Maybe he is, maybe he isn't. Integration can happen without therapy, yes. We are seemingly going through an integration now that has not been planned or worked on. You can read about this here. Best of luck.

*TW* I am putting a TW because all systems are differet and I do not want to offend anyone who is against integration. I am speaking of my situation and experience only and not what you should or shouldn't do or what is right or wrong. So please- no offense if you do not believe in integration.

integration can happen in various ways. It can be planned or done spontaneously and definitely it can be without therapy. first, you have to be co-conscious. There has to be a process mentally, cognitively, where you understand how that alter developed, it's role in protecting the system. Usually through therapy you come to understand what triggers that alter to come out and then finding ways that the alter can combine skills so to speak in a less "exteme" way. That part is all cogitive and requires opportunities to "practice." Then for me (different for everyone) I've experienced just not needing that alter and thanked him/her for being there and visualized like a graduation ceremony where the alter gave thoses skills to another. Another time after realizing cognitively how that particular alter was "harmful to my relationships" in the attempt to protect me- I saw it more as a light fragmenting and zooming like a crash. The feeling in both occasions was very serene and a feeling of accomplishment and balance. It was not scary and it did not feel like death- it was literally a feeling it's time to heal and move forward. There are techniques like EMDR that are rapid. I do not know anything about it, but it does require visualization and it's done by a certified and licensed professional trained in that technique.