Have just come back from the new therapist - 2nd time I have seen her. Today I asked her what she knew about dissociative disorders... she said she has worked with quite a few people with disassociative disorders and in fact has several other disassociative clients currently, so although she wouldn't say call herself an expert in disassociation she has had 'quite a bit of experience'. I was understandably skeptical and asked her what her understanding of dissociation is. She summed up by saying "disassociation is what happens when you are remembering a traumatic event and lose touch with the here and now. 'You disassociate from what is going on around you.'" At which point I asked her if she knows any therapists in the area who specialize in treating clients with dissociative disorders.
Seriously people. Come on!