Education and Training
Formal Education
Psychology Doctor in Clinical Psychology, (Psy.D.), 2007, Alliant International University/California School of Professional Psychology, Fresno and Sacramento, California, .
MA in Clinical Psychology, 2005, Alliant International University, California School of Professional Psychology, Fresno, California.
BA in Psychology, magna cum laude,1999, University of California, Davis, California.
High School Education: Liceo Psico-Socio-Pedagogico Veronica Gambara, 1971-1974, Brescia, Italy.
Training
To be on top of the available research and latest clinical knowledge is an ethical duty for a psychologist, and a great passion of mine.
On ongoing basis, I receive advanced training in several areas that are of particular interest to me, and vastly exceed my formal continuing education requirements. The ongoing learning widens my scope of practice and deepens my knowledge, contributing to continuously develop my treatment style to offer a more informed and helpful approach to my patients.
TRAINING TOPICS include:
CONTEXTUAL BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE:
(Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Functional Analytical Psychotherapy and Relational Frame Theory)
MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION (MBSR)
SELF-COMPASSION
DEEPENING PRESENCE
SOMATICALLY-FOCUSED TRAUMA TREATMENT
SOMATIC EXPERIENCING (3 years of the certification training completed)
CONTEMPLATIVE NEUROSCIENCE
MEDITATION
TRANSPERSONAL PSYCHOLOGY
INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE
PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATION WITHDRAWAL
COGNITIVE PROCESSING THERAPY
INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEM
PSYCHOANALYSIS and PSYCHOSYNTHESIS
and many more...
All trainings and are led by top experts in their fields, esteemed, ethical and respected scholars, researchers, clinicians, as well as spiritual teachers.
I enjoy the uniqueness, and mostly the effectiveness, of body-based approaches which recognizes the importance of addressing the body in order to process and hence "renegotiate" the effects of traumatic events in people's life. Trauma can be devastating and destructive. Trauma renegotiation (and post-traumatic growth) can bring rich rewards in term of meaningful, deep transformations that can enrich life to levels before unknown.
Practicing what I preach is very important to me; this means to continue practicing self-development and the ability to stay present with my experience, which is recognized by neuroscience research as a great skill to cope with a variety of body/mind situations and afflictions (See Kabat Zinn, Neff, Hayes, Hanson, Harris, and many others -only clinically relevant references are mentioned here).
I regularly attend weekend and week-longs mindfulness and presence retreats, attending a week-long retreat at least once a year. These retreats allow me to continue strong on my self-development path, as well as to pass on what I learn to my interns and supervisees, and enrich my clinical practice to better help my patients.
In addition, I attend my share of webinars and zoom events, on the topics including the one listed above and many other areas of interest to me, which I'm realizing may be too many to list here!
***UPDATE!
With great joy, I have attended my yearly week-long spiritual retreat, on land, in November 2022, the first since 2019. The next one will happen in September 2023.
Attending ACBS (Association for Contextual Behavioral Sciences) world conference is an important part of my training and development as a person and professional, and I truly cherish the experience. It not only affords me exposure to the latest research data and happenings in the field and participation in unique wonderful experiential workshops, but also exposure to other cultures, and precious connections with colleagues I only see there, once a year. In addition, it's also a great deal of fun!
Lastly, I constantly read books, articles, and blogs related to psychology, which add to my learning, and I regularly consult with other professionals to process and enrich my work.
The data, concepts and techniques learned during advanced training and personal reading, as well as quality consultation, are of great benefit to my practice, which remains vital and cutting-edge informed.
All that been said, my specialty areas are ACT, MBSR, and SOMATIC THERAPY, applied to individuals, couples and groups.
Psychology Doctor in Clinical Psychology, (Psy.D.), 2007, Alliant International University/California School of Professional Psychology, Fresno and Sacramento, California, .
MA in Clinical Psychology, 2005, Alliant International University, California School of Professional Psychology, Fresno, California.
BA in Psychology, magna cum laude,1999, University of California, Davis, California.
High School Education: Liceo Psico-Socio-Pedagogico Veronica Gambara, 1971-1974, Brescia, Italy.
Training
To be on top of the available research and latest clinical knowledge is an ethical duty for a psychologist, and a great passion of mine.
On ongoing basis, I receive advanced training in several areas that are of particular interest to me, and vastly exceed my formal continuing education requirements. The ongoing learning widens my scope of practice and deepens my knowledge, contributing to continuously develop my treatment style to offer a more informed and helpful approach to my patients.
TRAINING TOPICS include:
CONTEXTUAL BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE:
(Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Functional Analytical Psychotherapy and Relational Frame Theory)
MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION (MBSR)
SELF-COMPASSION
DEEPENING PRESENCE
SOMATICALLY-FOCUSED TRAUMA TREATMENT
SOMATIC EXPERIENCING (3 years of the certification training completed)
CONTEMPLATIVE NEUROSCIENCE
MEDITATION
TRANSPERSONAL PSYCHOLOGY
INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE
PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATION WITHDRAWAL
COGNITIVE PROCESSING THERAPY
INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEM
PSYCHOANALYSIS and PSYCHOSYNTHESIS
and many more...
All trainings and are led by top experts in their fields, esteemed, ethical and respected scholars, researchers, clinicians, as well as spiritual teachers.
I enjoy the uniqueness, and mostly the effectiveness, of body-based approaches which recognizes the importance of addressing the body in order to process and hence "renegotiate" the effects of traumatic events in people's life. Trauma can be devastating and destructive. Trauma renegotiation (and post-traumatic growth) can bring rich rewards in term of meaningful, deep transformations that can enrich life to levels before unknown.
Practicing what I preach is very important to me; this means to continue practicing self-development and the ability to stay present with my experience, which is recognized by neuroscience research as a great skill to cope with a variety of body/mind situations and afflictions (See Kabat Zinn, Neff, Hayes, Hanson, Harris, and many others -only clinically relevant references are mentioned here).
I regularly attend weekend and week-longs mindfulness and presence retreats, attending a week-long retreat at least once a year. These retreats allow me to continue strong on my self-development path, as well as to pass on what I learn to my interns and supervisees, and enrich my clinical practice to better help my patients.
In addition, I attend my share of webinars and zoom events, on the topics including the one listed above and many other areas of interest to me, which I'm realizing may be too many to list here!
***UPDATE!
With great joy, I have attended my yearly week-long spiritual retreat, on land, in November 2022, the first since 2019. The next one will happen in September 2023.
Attending ACBS (Association for Contextual Behavioral Sciences) world conference is an important part of my training and development as a person and professional, and I truly cherish the experience. It not only affords me exposure to the latest research data and happenings in the field and participation in unique wonderful experiential workshops, but also exposure to other cultures, and precious connections with colleagues I only see there, once a year. In addition, it's also a great deal of fun!
Lastly, I constantly read books, articles, and blogs related to psychology, which add to my learning, and I regularly consult with other professionals to process and enrich my work.
The data, concepts and techniques learned during advanced training and personal reading, as well as quality consultation, are of great benefit to my practice, which remains vital and cutting-edge informed.
All that been said, my specialty areas are ACT, MBSR, and SOMATIC THERAPY, applied to individuals, couples and groups.
Professional Affiliations, Past and Present,
and Organizations I Like and Follow
Northern California Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology (NCSPP), current member
Association for Contextual Behavioral Sciences, Member (03/11-Present)
Center for the Study of Empathic Therapy, Education & Living, Member (04/18-present)
Mad in America, https://www.madinamerica.com, (2011-present)
International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry, (ISEPP) (10/11-present)
Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute, (02/14-present)
MindFreedom http://www.mindfreedom.org
PAST MEMBERSHIPS:
American Psychological Association, Past, Member, Division 12, (12/03-12/11))
Sacramento Valley Psychological Association, Past, Member of the Board of Directors, Diversity Chair (01/13-03/14)
Association for Contextual Behavioral Sciences, Member (03/11-Present)
Center for the Study of Empathic Therapy, Education & Living, Member (04/18-present)
Mad in America, https://www.madinamerica.com, (2011-present)
International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry, (ISEPP) (10/11-present)
Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute, (02/14-present)
MindFreedom http://www.mindfreedom.org
PAST MEMBERSHIPS:
American Psychological Association, Past, Member, Division 12, (12/03-12/11))
Sacramento Valley Psychological Association, Past, Member of the Board of Directors, Diversity Chair (01/13-03/14)