Chiara Simeone-DiFrancesco


ISST certified Schema Therapy Trainer/Supervisor for Individuals & Advanced Certified Schema Couples Therapist.
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Licensed psychologist (USA 1990) and Advanced Schema Therapist, Trainer and Supervisor since 2008. Maintains a private practice, Connect-Talk, LLC as well as the Simeone-DiFrancesco Schema Therapy with Couples Training Center™, an ISST certified clinic providing training and Educational Consultation. Founder of the ISST ST-C Special Interest Group (9/18/2010 to 2019) and member of the ST-C Certification Committee. She subsequently started the Special Interest Group, ST-OD which involves multicultural, multi-ethnic, multi-religious and minority dialogue applications both in organizations and with clients. Recent recipient of the 2022 Pope St. John Paul II Academic and Research Excellence Award. Other background includes appointments as Chief Psychologist, WI Prisons, Commissioned Corps Officer, Lieutenant in the Public Health Service—Indian Health Service, and community health centers. Originator & developer of Connect-Talk® & Needs vs. Wants introduced in the first textbook on ST-C as a co-author: ST with Couples, A Practitioner’s Guide to Healing Relationships.

Areas of focus:

Schema Therapy; Schema Therapy for Couple/Marital; ST trauma work; Connect-Talk®; Needs vs Wants;
Special focus in Couples ST: healing of past hurts through understanding the modes and “voice in the head”; ethical decision-making for couples around the areas of commitment, loyalty, and trust; Needs versus Wants sorting tool; healing of sexuality by re-uniting mind, body and spirit in the gift of self versus self-soothing; and development of shared ethical values that focus on the stability and meeting of the needs of each other and the children; overcoming betrayals and pornography.