Born on 18-12-1979 in Empoli (Florence), Italy. Enabling to the exercise of the profession of Psychologist and specialized in Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology and Psychotherapy. Ph.D. in Psychology with a Thesis entitled “Minority stress in the Italian gay and lesbian population: the role of internalized homonegativity”. Clinical psychologist at the Miller Institute - Institute of Psychology and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Genoa and Florence. Collaboration to the clinical and research activities of the Perinatal Depression Research and Screening Unit (PND-ReScU) at the Department of Psychiatry - University of Pisa. Psychologist of Health Counseling of the Association IREOS (Center Services Community Queer Florence). Collaboration to the training and research activities of the Association Rainbow Parents Network - lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual parents with children from heterosexual relationships. Participation at conferences of health psychology, cognitive-behavioral therapy, clinical sexology; publication of papers on international journals and books of clinical psychology and sexology; member of: European Health Psychology Society; Italian Association of Psychology; Italian Association of Analysis and Modification of Behavior and Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy; National Observatory on Gender Identity; Association Mindfulness for Tuscany – This is it.
Reason for joining: Learning and improving knowledge, skills and methods about body image issues and concerns, especially regarding the psychological and social aspects, processes and needs characterizing visible difference and disfigurement, both for research purposes and for interventions, training and treatments within clinical practice, also with the aim of sharing these new knowledge, skills and methods with Italian colleagues.
Current research interest in relation to the COST Action: Following psychosocial aspects of appearance, visible difference, disfigurement, and related constructs, features and effects: •Quality of Life and psychosocial wellbeing in people with appearance related concerns; •psychosocial needs of burn injured patients; •features, wellbeing and needs of children and adolescents born with a cleft lip and/or palate and their families and friends; •provision of care for patients with disfiguring conditions; •features, support and advice for people with visible difference in their intimacy; •	psychosocial impact of changes to appearance as a result of cancer treatment; •psychosocial predictors and outcomes of cosmetic surgery; •body image and Gender Dysphoria; •Body Dysmorphic Disorder.