Episode 1
Maggie's Mirrors
In each episode of Series 5 you will hear the words and music of Maggie Bell, who experienced sexual, physical and emotional abuse by her brother for 17 years, from the ages of 5 to 22 years.
Sibling abuse is an often neglected aspect of incest and, like all forms of intrafamilial abuse, it carries longlasting impact on the victim-survivors. For Maggie, the prolonged severe abuse she endured resulted in Dissociative Identity Disorder or D.I.D., in which different memories, reactions and feelings were isolated into separate parts of her personality.
To hear more about DID please listen to Episode 1 and for more about Maggie’s story please listen to Episode 2. During the long years of her abuse Maggie used music as a way to escape her trauma as well as to express herself when words were not allowed.
All of the pieces you will hear in this series have been created by Maggie as part of an exploration of living with D.I.D, with different parts or groups of parts composing each piece as a way of explaining the experiences or feelings they hold. Dr Jan Ewing.
This episode introduces Maggie, a survivor of severe childhood incest who lives with dissociative identity disorder (DID) a condition born from relentless early trauma that fractured her sense of self into many distinct parts, or “alters.” Rather than words, Maggie expresses her inner world through music: haunting, beautiful, and sometimes dissonant compositions created by different alters, each holding a fragment of her pain, resilience, or lost innocence.
Once misunderstood as “multiple personalities,” DID is now recognized as a survival response to unbearable abuse especially within families—where dissociation shields a child’s mind by compartmentalizing trauma. Maggie’s system is polyfragmented, with at least 60 known parts, each contributing to her musical journey toward healing. Narrated with insight by her therapist, Dr. Jan Ewing, and introduced by John Waters, this episode demystifies DID: it’s not rare, not dangerous, and not performative but a hidden reality for many survivors. Maggie’s music doesn’t just tell her story, it is her story, echoing the silent screams of a child who learned to disappear to stay alive.
Dr Jan Ewing, Composer and Story-teller: Maggie Bell
John Waters is an English-born Australian film, theatre and television actor, singer, guitarist, songwriter, and musician. John has been in the industry for over 50 years, and was part of the Australian children's television series Play School for 18 years.
John is an accomplished musician, and since 1992 has toured many times with his one-man show Looking Through a Glass Onion. Co-written with friend and musician, Stewart D'Arrietta, the show is a tribute to John featuring numerous examples of Lennon's music, words and images.
John is an ambassador for The Australian Children's Music Foundation.