Dr. Deborah Gioia-Hasick, LCSW, MD, LCSW-C

Dr. Deborah Gioia-Hasick brings decades of clinical practice and teaching to her work with individuals, families, and young adults. She earned a Master of Social Work (MSW) in 1981 and completed a PhD in 2000; she later received clinical licensure and now holds LCSW credentials. Over a long career she spent eighteen years supporting young adults with schizophrenia and their family networks, leading multi-family groups and skill-building sessions that emphasized psychosocial education, symptom management, and rebuilding communication and cognitive abilities.

Her training has included a year of specialized work in sexual health and sex therapy at UCLA where she provided couples counseling, and she has developed and taught mindfulness-based stress reduction practices to students and groups. Since 2001 she has taught both Masters and PhD students, offering hands-on clinical instruction in evidence-based treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy while maintaining motivational interviewing as her foundational, collaborative approach before moving into more targeted interventions.

Dr. Gioia-Hasick is particularly interested in vocational identity and helping young adults clarify and reach career and personal goals - a focus reflected in her doctoral dissertation, Meaning of Work for Young Adults with Schizophrenia. More recently she has pursued training in climate-focused trauma and resiliency and welcomes clients experiencing stress and disruption related to environmental change. She is a licensed clinical social worker with active licenses in California (LCSW 117041) and Maryland (LCSW-C 16324), and she brings 37 years of experience to her therapeutic practice.