Dissociation and depersonalisation are real, common, and often misunderstood experiences - especially for young people. As online conversations about mental health have grown, platforms like TikTok have become key spaces where young people are describing their experiences of “feeling unreal” or “watching life through a fog.”
But while social media has opened up conversations, it has also created new challenges - from misinformation and stigma to confusion about what dissociation really means and how best to support people who experience it.
This free 90-minute webinar brings together researchers, clinicians, and young people with lived experience to launch Understanding Dissociation and Depersonalisation — a new co-produced booklet created to help people talk about dissociation with confidence, compassion, and clarity.
What dissociation and depersonalisation are - and what they aren’t
How young people are talking about dissociation online
How professionals can respond helpfully and reduce stigma
How co-production and lived experience shaped this new resource
How to use the booklet to start better conversations in clinical, educational, or personal settings
Attendees will also receive free access to the booklet and an opportunity to share feedback through a short impact survey.
Dr Emma Černis – Clinical Psychologist & Researcher, University of Birmingham
Joe Perkins – Author (Life on Autopilot) and Lived Experience Advocate, Unreal
Gwendalyn Webb – Unreal and Lived Experience Advocate
Dr Claudia Hallett – Principal Clinical Lead, South London and Maudsley NHS depersonalisation service
Young Person with Lived Experience.
Chaired by BBC's Kathryn Stanczyszyn
This event is open to everyone, including:
Young people experiencing dissociation or supporting someone who is
Mental health professionals, GPs, and counsellors
Teachers, parents, carers, and youth workers
Researchers and students in psychology or mental health fields
No prior knowledge is required - just curiosity and a willingness to learn.
✅ Gain up-to-date, evidence-based understanding of dissociation
✅ Hear directly from experts and people with lived experience
✅ Learn how to recognise and respond to dissociation compassionately
✅ Access a free co-produced booklet and practical conversation tools
✅ Take part in a movement to make dissociation better understood
Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology
School of Psychology
Dr Emma Černis is a clinical psychologist with expertise in complex mental health difficulties. Her research focuses on understanding dissociative experiences from a cognitive-behavioural perspective.
