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From: Katrina Lane LMFT LPC
Date: 22 Feb 1998
A horizontal split generally as I understand it referrs to repression and you could probably discuss this better than me.
A vertical split reminds me of conflict because the split remains conscious but disonneted. It avoids conflict because it is like a point of view that is unaware of other points of view. When the person is consious of one vertical split, the person has no knowledge of the other set, but the person can shift to another split. There is an amnesia barrier between the two but they can become conscious. Verticle splits occur when an experience annot be integrated with other experiences. For example, when a child has a need to view someone in an idealistic way, and experience shows the child the reality, the child may create a verticle split (unconsciously) to prevent the "dangerous" feelings from entering the relationship. Marmer says it occurs to preserve the relationship. I tend to agree with that.