Presenter: Christine C. Forner, BSW, MSW, SP
Presenter Bio: Christine has over thirty years’ experience working with individuals with Trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorders, Traumatic Dissociation, Developmental Trauma, and Dissociative Disorders. She has specialized training in EMDR, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Psychotherapeutic Meditation techniques, and Neurofeedback. She began her career on a crisis line for teens and subsequently on the front lines working at local sexual assault centers, long-term therapeutic settings, and shelters for domestic violence survivors. Since 2011, Christine has worked in private practice, specializing in complex trauma and dissociative disorders. Christine teaches locally and at an international level on dissociation, complex trauma, and the intersection of dissociation and mindfulness. She was the President of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, served on the board of the ISSTD since 2010, and was the ISSTD treasurer from 2011-2017. Christine is the author of Dissociation, Mindfulness, and Creative Meditations: Trauma-informed practices to facilitate growth (Routledge, 2017). As well as avidly working with those who have been hurt the most, Christine has dedicated her professional life to educating others on the logic, normality, and commonality of dissociation. The summation of her work is to educate practitioners about the vital importance of their presence, patience, and care with those who have been through the most severe and brutal injuries so that they receive treatment with dignity and compassion. The four qualities of presence, patience, dignity, and compassion applied to every aspect of the therapeutic process can result in profound inner healing; something every human deserves to experience.

Presenter: Mary-Anne Kate, PhD
Presenter Bio: Dr Mary-Anne Kate is a researcher specialising in interpersonal trauma, attachment, and post-traumatic disorders. She is a Scientific Committee member of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), where she also teaches the introductory course on dissociation. Mary-Anne has written textbook chapters and articles on post-traumatic disorders, including dissociative disorders, Complex PTSD, Borderline Personality Disorder, and somatic disorders. In 2018 she was awarded the Chancellor's Doctoral Research Medal from UNE and in 2019 the David Caul Award from the ISSTD for her PhD on childhood maltreatment, parent-child dynamics, and dissociation. In 2021 Mary-Anne won the Morton Prince award for Scientific Research. Mary-Anne also has over a decade's experience as a policy analyst and program manager (Canberra-Cairo-Brussels) improving quality of life outcomes, including mental health, for vulnerable client groups such as migrants, refugees, and other minorities. Mary-Anne has been teaching on the Mental Health Masters at SCU since 2019, and holds an adjunct research position at UNE.