Dr. Christine Marie
Dr. Christine Marie has a PhD in Media Psychology as well as an MA, MBA and a certificate in Positive Psychology and the Media.
She writes, trains, consults and speaks on topics such as survivor stories in the media, trauma, media misrepresentation, humiliation and public shaming, cancel culture, victim blaming in the media, the power of life story, and life legacy. She is a certified Sexual Assault Victim’s Advocate and a Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist, informed by her own life path. In an unexpected, harrowing life twist decades ago, Christine became a survivor of cult-based human trafficking which was not only traumatizing but left her lucky to be alive. On the bright side, her experience launched her expertise in human trafficking, sexual assault, cult psychology and polygamy, enabling her to become an effective advocate for others. When Dr. Christine finally agreed to share her traumatic personal story publicly with the goal of helping others, to her shock, she was misrepresented, humiliated, victim-shamed and exploited in the media. It was retraumatizing. Her recovery from this media experience was long and difficult.
Ever-resilient, Dr. Christine decided to get her PhD in Media Psychology as part of her personal quest to turn her life’s darkest moments into something that would make a difference in the world. Her dissertation research is entitled, The Traumatic Impact of Media Humiliation, Misrepresentation and Victim-shaming on Narrative Identity and Well-being. She won the 2021 Outstanding Dissertation Award for the Psychology of Media and Technology division of the American Psychological Association. She coined the psychological terms ‘media-based trauma,’ ‘traumatic media misrepresentation,’ and ‘media representation assimilation’ which refers to how seeing yourself in the media influences your sense of self. Dr. Christine’s academic specialty is in understanding how the media impacts the subjects of the media stories. She has trained psychologists, therapists, life coaches, media professionals and survivors. She appeared in many media outlets internationally, either for her own story or as an expert. She consults with major media outlets regarding strategies for sensitivity when sharing survivor stories in the media. She is thrilled to be part of the team of experts for Lenora Claire Consulting, LLC.
On a personal level, Dr. Christine is obsessed with coffee, animals, and everything vintage. She is married to her ‘Turkish prince’ husband, producer and photographer Tolga Katas. They live with their 5 snuggly chihuahuas on a little farm with mountain views, a petting zoo and hilariously friendly emotional support animals.