Maria A. Geraci

Maria A. Geraci is currently Director of the CBPT Research Center.

She is a developmental and educational psychologist and cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist.

She obtained the specialization in CBT Psychotherapy at the Humanitas School of Specialization in Rome (LUMSA University).

She specialized in Psychological Evaluation at Sapienza University of Rome and earned a Master’s in Play Therapy from the International Academy for Play Therapy in Lugano.

For 18 years, she has worked in schools as a school psychologist, focusing on analyzing and intervening in behavior, education, and organization. She has worked as a trainer and school psychologist in more than 100 schools throughout the country.

In clinical settings, she has consistently been involved in evaluating and intervening in Neurodevelopmental Disorders like Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

She is part of the CBPT-Learning Team, acknowledged by the Lazio Region for DSA certification, at the CBPT Research Center.

As a CBT psychotherapist for 10 years, she has been addressing cognitive-behavioral aspects of Neurodevelopmental Disorders using a BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL approach.

She teaches at LUMSA University and the Humanitas University Consortium in programs like Master of Pediatric Psychology, Master of Psychomotricity, and Master of Neuropsychology of Developmental Age.

She is a professor of several schools of Psychotherapy (Humanitas Psychotherapy School, ANSVI – Academy of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychosomatic Christ the King, Santa Chiara Institute).

She is a teacher at Roma Capitale and trainer of various school prevention projects, in various areas of the schools of Lazio, on problems involving developmental psychology and psychopathology and the psychology of education.

RECENT ARTICLES NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINES

E’ autrice di diverse pubblicazioni, articoli nazionali e internazionali su temi riguardanti i Disturbi del Neurosviluppo, il Coping, la Play Therapy Cognitivo-Comportamentale ed è Direttrice della COllana Editoriale “Play Therapy” edita da Armando Editore.

• Geraci, M. A. (2024) La play therapy cognitivo-comportamentale: dalla teoria alla pratica clinica. Psicologia clinica dello sviluppo, 1-36.
• Geraci, M. A., Argento, O., & Pergolizzi, F. (2024). Questionario sull’uso del gioco nella pratica clinica con un campione di psicologi italiani. Psicologia clinica dello sviluppo, 28(1), 145-158.
• Zanaboni, M. P., Pasca, L., Geraci, M. A., Varesio, C., Guglielmetti, M., Tagliabue, A., … & De Giorgis, V. (2023). Case report: KETOLAND the psychoeducation program for ketogenic diet. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1155717.
• Desiderio, MR I. e  Geraci M. A., (2020) “Problemi emotivo comportamentali in quadri DSA. L’accordo genitori/insegnanti. Psicologia dell’Educazione, n. 3/2020
• Pepe C., Desiderio MR, Geraci M. A., (2019) Efficacia dell’ABA Verbal Behavior in un gruppo di pazienti italiani. Antropologia Studi e ricerche volume 6/2019 (ISSN 2344-2824; ISSN-L 0039-3886)
• Piliego L., Geraci MA (2019) Analisi di efficacia nel trattamento delle disabilità di lettura-scrittura nei
  bambini delle scuole primarie e secondarie. Antropologia Studi e Ricerche volume 6/2019
• Buonomo, I., Fiorilli, C., Geraci, MA, Pepe, A. (2017).  Temperamento e difficoltà socio-emotive: il
  lato oscuro delle disabilità dell’apprendimento. The Journal of Genetic Psychology (p.1 – 14)   (ISSN 2344-2824; ISSN-L 0039- 3886)
• Piccardi L., Marano A., Geraci M.A , Legge E., D’Amico S. (2016). Differenze nella scelta delle strategie di coping in preadolescenti esposti e non esposti al sisma dell’Aquila del 6 aprile 2009. Differenze nelle strategie di coping dei preadolescenti con e senza esposizione al terremoto dell’Aquila (Centro Italia) 2009. Epidemiologia e prevenzione 40(2):53-58 DOI:10.1080/0022132 5.2017.1304890
  DOI: 10.19191/EP16.2 S1.P053.049 9.
• D’Amico, S., Marano, A., Geraci, M. A., & Legge, E. (2013). Perceived self-efficacy and coping styles related to stressful critical life events. PloS one, 8(7), e67571.

PUBLISHED MANUALS

The book aims to present the Cognitive-Behavioral Play Therapy model in a theoretical-clinical framework. Cognitive-Behavioral Play Therapy emphasizes the direct involvement of the child, with various problems, in the therapeutic process. All interventions include regular meetings with parents in order to gather information on the child’s progress, to monitor and intervene on parent-child interaction, giving indications relating to areas of interest.

There are many ways in which we perceive stressful events and activate resources to work out solutions. This volume brings together the main national and international strands on the topic of coping, highlighting that learning and recognizing effective strategies for coping with difficult situations is the key to raising individual and relational well-being.

The book aims to describe the various Neurodevelopmental Disorders, in light of the new DSM-V framework, and to examine possible specialized treatments and educational interventions taking into account school indications. A number of disorders from this new grouping are included within the book, such as Intellectual Disability, Communication Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Specific Learning Disorder (SLD).