Who am I?
Christopher M. Anderson is one of the world’s leading experts on trauma in general and the impact of trauma on men specifically. He is an advocate for survivors of trauma, child abuse, and sexual violence. As an author and a dynamic and engaging public speaker, Chris possesses a "rare gift" for addressing some of today's most challenging topics in ways that are accessible, empowering, and enlightening.
A survivor of multiple forms of childhood trauma with an ACES [Adverse Childhood Experience Study] score of 6, Chris has overcome sexual abuse, bullying, domestic violence, and a dysfunctional home. He has endured battles with addiction, severe depression, anxiety disorders, and suicidal impulses to become an internationally acclaimed public speaker and author.
Chris' professional areas of expertise are trauma, male sexual abuse, and resilience. He advocates for compassionate, trauma-informed, and holistic responses to abuse. He is also an electrician, carpenter, rigger, and proud union member.
Chris is a passionate advocate for the inclusion of survivors’ voices and perspectives into public policy discussions, research, and the development of holistic, trauma-informed practices throughout all parts of our culture. He is a member of the Board of Directors of of MaleSurvivor, a unique non-profit organization that empowers male sexual abuse survivors to collaborate with loved ones, clinicians, researchers, policy makers, and the public to build a community of hope, healing, & support. He has served in that role since 2011, and was Executive Director of the organization from 2012 to 2016. In that role he has worked with researchers, clinicians, the media, politicians, social workers, and child protection professionals to raise awareness of male sexual abuse and improve the quality and availablility of services to them nationwide.
Chris is an engaging and powerful speaker who combines an unforgettable personal history with an unmatched knowledge of male trauma and abuse and years as a successful executive in the nonprofit sector. He has trained thousands of professionals across a wide rage of disciplines in the past five years on the male experience of trauma and abuse. He is a member of numerous advisory boards and advocacy groups including the National Partnership to End Interpersonal Violence, the Child Help Partnership, and serves as a Victim Impact Consultant for the Office of Victims of Crime.
Recent Feedback:
"I loved the self care exercises that I can share with clients. Good balance of personal story, statistics/facts."
A member of IATSE Local One, Chris has worked as a stagehand on and off Broadway for over 20 years. He currently lives in New York City with his wife, Jane. He graduated in 1996 from St. John’s College in Annapolis, MD with a BA in Liberal Arts. He also likes turtles.