In her past life, Christine developed a positive parenting program and a success-oriented, art-based curriculum to teach young children to read, write and love it.
In an unexpected, harrowing life twist, Christine also became a survivor of human trafficking, followed by exploitative misrepresentation and humiliation in the media. However, her recovery from this experience resulted in post-traumatic growth and launched her personal quest to turn her life’s darkest moments into something that would make a difference in the world. Among other things, her contributions include two new psychological constructs – ‘mediated representation assimilation’ and ‘traumatic media misrepresentation.’
Today, Christine Marie writes, trains or speaks on topics such as media psychology, media misrepresentation, humiliation and public shaming, victim blaming in the media, trauma bonds, positive psychology, personal branding, positive parenting, the power of story, life legacy and the digital afterlife, as well as cult psychology, polygamy, human trafficking, female empowerment and human rights. She is the founder of Voices for Dignity, a nonprofit organization that promotes online kindness and compassion, and that contributes resources and advocacy for survivors of humiliation, oppression, human trafficking, spiritual abuse, public humiliation, etc.
She has appeared on or in a number of media, a sampling of which is below.
Christine’s doctoral research is titled The Traumatic Impact of Humiliation, Misrepresentation and Victim-blaming in the Media on Narrative Identity and Well-being. She is a certified Sexual Assault Victim’s Advocate (UCASA), a Master Life Coach, a Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist (CCTS-I), a Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist for Sex Trafficking and Exploitation (CCTS-STE), and has studied cult psychology under the tutelage and in collaboration with world experts.
She currently lives in Southern Utah with her husband where she is an intermediary between the FLDS people and the United Effort Plan trust, which was formerly their religious land trust.
More details are available on Christine’s LinkedIn.
Education
Fielding Graduate University Jan. 2017 — May 2020
PhD, Psychology, emphasis in Media Psychology
Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Traumatic Impact of Media Humiliation, Misrepresentation and Victim-blaming on Narrative Identity and Well-being
▪ Topics in Media Psychology include neuromarketing, media persuasion and influence, branding, transmedia storytelling, social media behavior, online engagement, virtual reality, mobile media, fandom, emerging technologies, human cognition and behavior, user experience, film impact, viral marketing etc.
▪ This specialized, cutting-edge field researches psychological principles involved in traditional media –print, television, film, music, PR.
▪ Positive psychology is the scientific study of human flourishing, and an applied approach to optimal functioning that enables individuals, communities and organizations to thrive
▪ The exciting new field is founded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves, and to enhance their personal and professional lives
▪ Positive psychology builds people’s strengths, boosts optimism and promotes happiness. Combining media with positive psychology creates an expertise in understanding how to use media and technology in the best ways possible to enhance the well-being and goals of individuals and society.
Fielding Graduate University 2020
Additional diploma for the special concentration of Positive Psychology and Media
Fielding Graduate University Apr. 2014 — Jan. 2017
Master’s Degree, Psychology, GPA 3.98
Emphasis: Media Psychology | Personal, Business, Entertainment, Education, Advocacy, Communities, Social Good
University of Phoenix Mar. 2006 — Jun. 2008
Master of Business Administration, MBA, GPA 3.92
Emphasis: Transformational Leadership, Branding, Marketing
Brigham Young University Sep. 1980 — Jun. 1989
Bachelor of Science, Psychology
Emphasis: Parenting and Child Psychology
Certifications
2020 – Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist – Individual
Arizona Trauma Institute
2020 – Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist – Sex Trafficking and Exploitation
Arizona Trauma Institute
2017 – Certified Sexual Assault Victim Advocate
Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Awards & Achievements
2020 – Nominated for Dissertation Award
Dissertation committee is presenting my research to the American Psychological Association to be considered for an award
2016 – Las Vegas 25 Most Beautiful People (Beautiful accomplishments)
L’Vegue Magazine honored 25 people in Las Vegas for ‘inner beauty’ as demonstrated by their work making the world a better place. Specifically mentioned in the presentation of my award was my work with human trafficking survivors.
2013 – VIP of the Year for Excellence in Online Media
Named VIP of the Year by Worldwide Who’s Who for Excellence in Online Media. This special
distinction honors individuals who have shown exceptional commitment to achieving personal and professional success, particularly in the digital world.
1996 – National Community Service Award
1995 – Mrs. Michigan, United States of America Pageant
1992 – Young Mother of the Year (Virginia), American Mothers Association
Published 22 educational books, numerous articles, and is in the process of completing a Guidebook for Journalists, Producers and Other Media Professionals
Personal
Christine has a passion for social justice and inclusiveness. Her current activism work involves helping and empowering vulnerable women and children within human trafficking or from polygamist communities. Her academic passion is educating society about the traumatic impact of media misrepresentation, exploitation, humiliation, victim-blaming and public shaming. Her unique background as a polygamy-based trafficking survivor who went on to achieve a PhD positions her as an expert educator and consultant on these topics.
Presentations and Publications (Partial List)
June 2020 Online curriculum – Introduction to Cults (co-creator, in process)
Mar 2020 Trained Hostage Negotiator instructor Mark Lowther and assisted him in preparing for new trainings
on cults for police workshops
Jan. 2020 Traumatic Media Humiliation and Misrepresentation (poster session)
Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, CA
Jan. 2020 Media Misrepresentation and Humiliation (presentation)
Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, CA
Nov. 2019 The Complications of Helping People from Plural Communities (presentation)
International Cultic Studies Association, Santa Fe, NM
July 2019 Human Trafficking and Combatting Human Slavery (presentation, panelist)
International Cultic Studies Association and Info-sect, Manchester, England
May 2018 Getting to Know the FLDS: An Outsider’s Perspective from a Media and Positive Psychology Lens.
Sunstone Conference
Jan. 2017 Helping the FLDS in Crisis: What One Outsider Never Expected to Find Behind the FLDS Walls,
Sunstone Magazine
Nov. 2016 When Polygamy Becomes Trafficking (presentation)
Polygamy and Legal Issues Conference, Salt Lake City, UT
June 2016 Media, Victim-Blaming, Trauma, and Recovery: How Personal and Public Narratives Impact
Survivors of Traumatic Psychological Manipulation (presentation)
International Cultic Studies Association, Dallas, TX
Sept. 2014 Human Trafficking as a Commercial Cult Mind-Control Phenomenon
International Cultic Studies Association, Washington DC (panelist)
Sept. 2014 Modern Day Slavery or Consenting Adults? Polygamy and the Violation of Human Rights
(presentation)
International Cultic Studies Association, Washington DC
Polygamy-Related Media Appearances
- Short Creek: A Culture in Crisis (in production)
- Keep Sweet (in production)
- Cults and Extreme Beliefs, A & E
- Warren Jeffs’ polygamous sect, FLDS, in ‘sacred land’ standoff, NBC Left Field
- Escaping Polygamy, LMN
- Sister Wives, TLC
- Prophet or Predator, Investigation Discovery
- ThinkUtah
- Various podcasts