2025 Australia-New Zealand Regional Conference

General Guidelines and Policies

All presenters must submit the following information through the required online form. Please note that the online form cannot be saved so you will need to compile this information in advance in a document to copy and paste into the form. If there are multiple presenters involved in the presentation, you should designate one person as the primary presenter and this person should be tasked with submitting the information for the group during the submission process and will be assigned additional tasks to complete if the presentation is accepted (for conferences only).

Please note that all materials included in your presentation, including any videos, must be able to be recorded. ISSTD Staff is unable to edit out any portion of the presentation following the live presentation before it is made available as a recording.

All presenters must submit the following information through the required online form:

• Title and abstract of your presentation
  • Please note that the title should clearly indicate what is being presented, and the abstract should concisely describe the clinical impact of the information being presented
  • Only provide titles and descriptions that can be supported by evidence. Including hyperbolic or exaggerated claims is NOT considered good practice.
  • Titles should me no more than 20 words and/or 80 characters.
  • Abstracts are the primary information attendees use to determine which presentations they will attend. Abstracts should clearly convey the main information that will be presented. The abstract and learning objectives are the primary information used by proposal reviewers to determine whether to accept or reject the presentation.
  • Abstracts must be written in third person.
  • Abstracts should be no less than 300 and no more than 500 words.
• Presenter Information for each presenter
  • Name as you would like it to appear in marketing materials
  • Details of highest degree (year of graduation, major, university, degree)
  • Designation (i.e. PhD, LCSW, MFT, etc.)
  • Email address & cell phone number (for staff contact only – internal)
  • 200-300 word professional biography written in third person that includes the following information:
    • Highest degree including type of degree, major, university and graduation year
    • Professional work history
    • Summary of publications (if applicable)
    • Summary of training completed
    • Involvement in ISSTD and other associations
    • Awards and designations (if applicable)
    • Click here to view an example of a biography written following these guidelines.
  • Most recent CV
  • Headshot (High Resolution, professional photo)
• At least three learning objectives that use acceptable verbs to complete the sentence, “Participants will be able to…”
  • You may only use verbs that are in the list of acceptable verbs in the Guideline for Writing Behavioral Learning Objectives.
  • Objectives must clearly state what participants will walk away being able to do/apply in their clinical practice or research.
• Five citations from peer-reviewed journals from a variety of sources from the last 10 years in American Psychological Association style.
  • Half of all references must be from the last five years from the date of your presentation. Books do not qualify as peer-reviewed sources and the citations cannot be authored by only the presenter.
  • Click here for guidelines on APA style.
  • Please pay close attention to this requirement, as this is the most frequent error received in submissions.
  • Presenters may use additional citations in their final presentation that do not meet these requirements.
    • These should be included in the presentation and referenced in a bibliography slide at the end of the presentation.
• Presentations must designate the knowledge/skill level required of the participant (i.e., Beginner/Introductory, Intermediate, or Advanced). Although these are only general guides, they are required in order to comply with continuing education regulations.
  • Beginning/Introductory: Suitable for all professional participants (including students). Introduces learners to a content area; includes information about a condition, treatment method, or issue; and involves learning and comprehending content.
  • Intermediate: Provides information that builds on knowledge practitioners with some experience already have. Focus on skill-building or adding knowledge, possibly following a brief overview of basic information, and involve using information in concrete situations and understanding the underlying structure of the material.
  • Advanced: Provides content for participants who have been working in the content area and have a clear understanding of the issues. These cover and address the complexities involved in the work and involve synthesizing material to create new patterns or structures or evaluating material for a specific purpose.
• All submissions must declare whether the presentation has potential to cause audience distress. (Yes/No)
• For Conferences Only
  • Presentations must be designated as either a clinical or research presentation. Please select only one option as the review process for each type of presentation is different and the conference committee aims to have a mix of the two types of presentations.
  • ISSTD has updated the method for review and review questions. Each presentation will now be reviewed by at least one psychologist and one social worker to comply with continuing education requirements. Reviews will be blind (reviewers will not be able to see the names of the presenters) and different questions will be asked for clinical and scientific/research presentations. We will utilize specialty reviewers when necessary to ensure each submission is properly reviewed.Reviewers will review the following information about each submission:
    • How well the presentation relates to the ISSTD Core Areas of Knowledge
    • Scientific relevance to the field of trauma and dissociation (Scientific/Research only)
    • Advancement of research in the field of trauma and dissociation (Scientific/Research only)
    • Clinical importance in the field of trauma and dissociation (Clinical only)
    • Originality and presentation of new/different perspectives
    • Inclusion of how sociocultural determinants are addressed
    • Connection of presentation to the conference theme

Reviewers will also review the presentation writing style and adherence to guidelines. Presentations may be accepted on the condition that changes be made to ensure the information is clear and in line with the guidelines.

Additional Materials to Submit Two (Webinar) or Three (Seminar/Conference) Weeks before the Event:

A Dropbox link will be provided to upload each of the following:

• These items are required no less than 2 weeks prior to the webinar/seminar/conference. Reminders will be sent about the submission of these materials with specific due dates.
  • Powerpoint presentation folder
  • CE Questions folder for recorded presentations (guidelines on writing questions linked here, due two weeks before a webinar and three weeks before a conference)
    • Please see the CE Questions Guidelines for do’s and don’ts.
  • Full bibliography for all references used during the presentation. At least 5 references of these references must be from within the last five years from the date of the webinar and 75% of these references should be from peer-reviewed sources.

Please also note the following

• Case material and biographical information must be disguised so that the client’s identity is concealed.
• Presentations should be original contributions (i.e., they have not been published prior to the date that you submitted the abstract).
• Information not following these guidelines will require revision before publication of your conference presentation information and registration are posted.
• If you plan to use videos as part of your presentation, you must notify ISSTD staff at least three weeks prior to the event and must provide videos to us via Dropbox.
• If you have any questions about your submission, please email cfas@isst-d.org.

Contact Information
Email: cfas@isst-d.org
Phone: +1 844.994.7783

Meet our Plenary Speakers!

Julian D. Ford, PhD, ABPP
Julian D. Ford, PhD, ABPP. is a board certified clinical psychologist and tenured Professor of Psychiatry and Law at the University of Connecticut where he is chair of two School of Medicine/Dental Medicine Institutional Review Boards and is the Interim Division Chief for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Ford is Director Emeritus and Senior Advisor for the Center for Trauma Recovery and Juvenile Justice (2012-2026) and Director and Principal Investigator of the Center for the Treatment of Developmental Trauma Disorders (2016-2027) in the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

Dr. Ford is past President of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and a Fellow of the American Psychological Association. He is the incoming Editor of the Journal of Trauma and Dissociation (2024) and has served as Associate Editor for the Journal of Trauma and Dissociation and European Journal of Psychotraumatoology and on the Editorial Board of six peer review Journals. He has published more than 325 articles and book chapters and is the author or editor of 10 books, including Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders in Children and Adolescents: Scientific Foundations and Therapeutic Models, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, 2nd Edition, Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders in Adults, 2nd Edition, and Critical Moments: Transforming Crises into Turning Points in Psychotherapy.

Dr. Ford was Principal Investigator of the national Developmental Trauma Disorder Field trial research study, and developed and has conducted randomized clinical trial and effectiveness studies with the Trauma Affect Regulation: Guide for Education and Therapy (TARGET©) model for youth, families, and adults with traumatic stress disorders.

Christine Courtois PhD, ABPP
Christine A. Courtois, PhD, ABPP, is a licensed psychologist, psychotherapist (with broad experience in outpatient and inpatient treatment), workshop leader, and consultant specializing in posttraumatic and dissociative conditions and disorders. Her approach is integrative, relational, and trauma-referenced, based upon respect for the client and his/her life experience. Dr. Courtois is the appointed chair of the American Psychological Association PTSD Guidelines Development Panel (guidelines due to be released in 2017). Dr. Courtois has authored, with Dr. Julian Ford, Treating Complex Trauma: A Sequenced, Relationship-based Approach,(2013, Guilford Press), and co-edited Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders in Children and Adolescents, Scientific Foundations and Therapeutic Models, published in July, 2013. She is also co-editor of Spiritually-Oriented Psychotherapy for Trauma (2014, American Psychological Association). As well she has authored It’s Not You, It’s What Happened to You, a book for consumers available on Kindle/Amazon and brought out the second edition of Healing the Incest Wound: Adult Survivors in Therapy (W. W. Norton), co-edited (with Dr. Ford) Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders: An Evidence-based Guide (2009, Guilford Press) and authored Recollections of Sexual Abuse: Treatment Principles and Guidelines (1999, W. W. Norton), and Healing the Incest Wound: Adult Survivors in Therapy (1988, W. W. Norton). She has also co-edited a special section on complex trauma with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk in the Journal of Traumatic Stress (2005). Dr. Courtois is past Founding Associate Editor of the journal Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, & Policy http://www.apa.org/journals/tra/) and is the recipient of numerous professional awards.

D. Michael Coy MA, LICSW
D. Michael Coy, MA, LICSW, (he/they) is a 2006 graduate of The Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at the University of Chicago and currently maintains a private practice in Bremerton, Washington, USA.

Michael is an EMDRIA Approved Consultant and has served EMDRIA in a number of different volunteer capacities over the years. He has presented on EMDR therapy and dissociation for EMDRIA, ISSTD, and independently, and serves as lead trainer for ISSTD’s EMDR therapy basic training, which he helped develop. He co-authored the MID Interpretive Manual, 2nd through 4th Editions, and has updated and managed both the MID Analysis and MID website since 2016. Michael has taught and consulted for hundreds of clinicians, both in the US and internationally, on using the MID for diagnosis, case conceptualization, and treatment.

Michael was co-author of both an article on screening for dissociation in EMDR therapy that appeared in the Journal of EMDR Practice and Research in 2022 and a book chapter on diagnostic instruments for dissociation published in Dissociation and Dissociative Disorders: Past, Present, Future (2nd Edition) in 2022. He is sole author of a chapter on the Autohypnotic Model of Dissociation, which will be part of a forthcoming book on childhood dissociation Michael is currently co-authoring a book on EMDR and dissociation with his frequent collaborator Jennifer Madere. Michael also developed the Introject Decathexis (Id) Protocol, a powerful integrative approach to help unbind perpetrator-identifying states.

Michael was elected to ISSTD’s Board of Directors in 2017, served as Treasurer from 2018 to 2023, and was elected President-Elect for 2024. He was named a Fellow of ISSTD in 2019 and has been honored with a number of awards from the Society, including the Cornelia B. Wilbur Award for Outstanding Clinical Contributions to the Treatment of Dissociative Disorders in 2022.

Preliminary Online Schedule

Our full online preliminary conference schedule will be available in June 2025. This schedule will give you a full breakdown of the schedule for each day, provided details on each conference presentation and introduce you to our conference speakers. This site can be used to created your individual conference schedule and this information will link to our conference app.

Schedule Highlights

Friday, 31 October 2025
Pre-Conference Workshops (Four Tracks )
Saturday, 1 November 2025
Main Conference Day One
Sunday, 2 November 2025
Main Conference Day Two

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand sits upon large hills with beautiful views of the waterfront and working harbour, Te Whanganui a Tara. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range and is the third largest city in New Zealand.

Dive into New Zealand’s rich cultural history by visiting the National Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa, or viewing The National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa. Wellington is also well known for its wonderful coffee, cafes and restaurants. You can also take a walk along the Skyline Walkway to explore Wellington’s highest peaks.

Hotels within Walking Distance of the Venue

QT Wellington – 190 m
TRYP by Wyndham Wellington – 300 m
U Residence Hotel – 240 m
Bay Plaza Hotel – 500 m
DoubleTree by Hilton Wellington – 950 m
And more!

Travel

Wellington International Airport
Stewart Duff Drive, Rongotai, Wellington 6022, New Zealand
Public transport is available from the airport via buses, ride share, and taxis. More information is available here.

Getting Around Wellington
Accessible transportation overview
Wellington Cable Car
East by West Ferry

Wellington isite Visitor Information Centre

Sponsorship Opportunities

We anticipate approximately 300 social workers, marriage & family therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, general practitioners/primary care physicians, and counselors from across Australia and New Zealand, and beyond. This conference is an opportunity for your organisation to provide support to clinicians in the field and introduce your organisation to attendees.

PRESENTING SPONSOR PACKAGE (LIMIT 3) – $5,000 NZ

• Sponsorship of one of three major events: Opening Ceremony, Conference Dinner or Closing Ceremony including signage
• Two complimentary conference registrations
• Acknowledgement on the conference website and online program
• Acknowledgement on event signage and during conference
• Free conference totebag insert (400 provided by sponsor)

MAJOR SPONSOR PACKAGE – $2500 NZ

• Sponsorship of one break or lunch including signage
• One complimentary conference registration
• Acknowledgement on the conference website and online program
• Acknowledgement on event signage and during conference
• Free conference totebag insert (400 provided by sponsor)

GENERAL SPONSOR PACKAGE – $800 NZ

• Acknowledgement on the conference website and online program

Contact ISSTD staff via email at cfas@isst-d.org for additional information or to develop a custom sponsor package today.