Chiming in!
Tansie, I feel your pain because I've had my share of bad haircuts from stylists who don't know curly hair. I agree that it's a skill and finding a stylist who really understands can be tricky. My own hair isn't as curly as it used to be and doesn't actually "shrink" all that much, but it still falls completely differently from straight hair.
In my experience, finding a stylist you like comes down to research. Don't be afraid to go into salons and ask if anyone there is particularly good at curly hair. Don't let them tell you "we're all trained in that", actually talk to a stylist if you can. You could even try asking random women with good hair (if it's a similar length/texture to yours) where they go. I saw a woman on my train the other day (got on at my stop, too) with awesome hair, and am really regretting not asking her where she got it cut.
Oh, and I second April on the Curly Girl book. GREAT info about caring for curly hair!
