Working at the coalface with victims of trauma and adversity
Explore the key issues faced by psychologists, psychiatrists, GPs, social workers, counsellors and others dealing with patients or clients affected by adversity and trauma.
Learn the latest techniques and methodologies that are being applied in the real world to help support the mental health and well-being of both children and adults. Discover the consequences of living in long-term trauma and conflict, and the progress being made in the prevention and intervention in mental health consequences of trauma.
Meet the Scientific Committee

Yair Bar Haim
Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Certified Clinical Psychologist, School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University

Grant Blashki
Associate Professor, Nossal Institute and Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute,
The University of Melbourne,
Melbourne, Australia

Omer Bonne
Head, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Center,
Jerusalem, Israel

Richard Bryant
Professor of Psychology,
University of New South Wales,
Sydney, Australia

David Forbes
Director, Phoenix Australia,
Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

Esti Galili-Weisstub

Jayashri Kulkarni
Professor of Psychiatry, The Alfred and Monash University,
Melbourne, Australia

Shafiq Masalha
Clinical psychotherapist; President of ERICE (Empowerment and Resilience In Children Everywhere); Senior Academic Lecturer,
Tel Aviv University &
Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Meaghan O’Donnell
Head of Research, Phoenix Australia, Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, and Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne,
Melbourne, Australia
Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Center,
Jerusalem, Israel
What People Say
ALEX HOLMES
Consultant Psychiatrist, Associate Professor, Royal Melbourne Hospital
I was very fortunate to attend the
2017 International Conference on Trauma and Mental Health. The speakers were international experts who spoke with depth and authenticity. The venue and accommodation were excellent. Jerusalem is an extraordinary city, complex and welcoming, and deeply moving. Time spent outside the city was equally engaging. I believe that attendees of the 2020 conference would have a similarly enjoyable experience.
ANNETTE GOLDENBERG
Melbourne Psychologist
The conference ran for two days and was very well organised. I learnt a lot and it was very special to attend a conference in a place where I feel so at home! If Hadassah Australia decides
to host another mental health conference in Israel, I would
love to attend.
ESTHER TAKAC
Melbourne Psychologist
I was impressed by the quality
of many of the presentations. The conference venue on Mt Scopus was in the lovely Dan Panorama hotel with beautiful views, the meals provided were plentiful and delicious and hearing Amos Oz speak at the Opening Dinner was
very special and inspiring.
MANNY WAKS
Chief Executive Officer,
Kol v'Oz
The Hadassah Australia PTSD conference was outstanding in many ways; professionally-run, high-level presenters and participants, great facilities, and networking opportunities in unique settings. I walked away more knowledgeable about matters relating to PTSD, felt I contributed to other subject-matter experts, and made several new personal and professional connections.