Danielle Nicole DeFrancesco has a Master's degree in Clinical Counseling and Mental Health from Syracuse University and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Miami University. She has over 3 years of experience providing counseling services to clients with addictions, mental health issues, and trauma histories. Her experience includes residential and outpatient treatment for addictions, individual and group counseling, yoga instruction for wellness and recovery, and research related to child development and mental health.

1. Danielle Nicole DeFrancesco, MS, NCC
Email: dndefran@gmail.com Phone: (216) 337-6929
EDUCATION
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY Syracuse, NewYork- December 2015 Cumulative GPA: 4.0
Master of Science in Clinical Counseling and Mental Health
MIAMI UNIVERSITY Oxford, Ohio- May 2013 Cumulative GPA: 3.25
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Minor: Child Studies
WORK EXPERIENCE
HAZELDEN --- Addictions Practitioner (Residential and IOP) Naples, FL (January 2015- Present)
 Conducted and documented introductory and initial interviews with clients and designed initial treatment plans.
 Completed thorough assessments of clients by utilizing knowledge and clinical skills to recognize symptoms of addictions
according to DSM 5 criteria and documenting data to support diagnoses.
 Identified, prioritized, and documented clinical issues to be addressed in treatment and continuing care.
 Collaborated with managed care and maintained superior clinical documentation.
 Consistently contacted and involved patient, referent and family as appropriate in assessment and care planning processes.
 Created individualized care and continuing care plans that included multidisciplinary input as well as involvement of the
patient, referent,family, and other appropriate collateral resources.
 Utilized and conducted 1:1 and group counseling consistent with 12-step facilitation principles to facilitate patient
awareness,understanding, and motivation to change related to addiction and recovery issues.
 Facilitated family conferences consistent with Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation philosophy and requested supervision when
required.
 Consulted with multidisciplinary team, patient, family and referent to address clinical issues both verbally and in writing
related to continuing care,including types of care,level of care,and intensity of services across bio psychosocial spiritual
issues and the rationale for each.
BROWNELL CENTER FOR BEHAVIORALHEALTH --- Intern Mental Health Counselor
Syracuse,NY (January 2015-December2015)
 Provided personal assistance,emotional support, and crisis counseling to over 30 clients across the lifespan with a multitude
of presenting concerns,disorders, systemic challenges, and relational dynamics.
 Engaged clients through genuineness, empathy, unconditional positive regard, and motivation to aid in their ability to
express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, in order to help them develop insight into themselves and
their relationships, while always assessing for health risks and suicidality.
 Prepared and maintained all required treatment plans, treatment records, reports, federal and state mandated forms, client
diagnostic records, and progress notes on time, utilizing a diverse range of therapeutic orientations and empirically
supported techniques based on the DSM-IV and DSM-5.
 Coordinated with families, probation officers, police, social workers,child protective services, CPEP, doctors, and SSI
coordinators to provide holistic care for clients requiring a higher degree of care and services.
 Planned, organized, and conducted weekly counseling groups for clients with co-occurring substance abuse and mental
health disorders.
 Served as a consultant for coworkers and medical staff,specifically offering consultation in areas of specialty- substance
abuse, child well being, and trauma.
 Kept up to date on new developments in counseling by reading professional literature, attending courses and seminars,
exploring concepts with supervisors, and establishing and maintaining contact with other social service agencies.
Local Address
1942 Cocoplum Court
Naples, FL 34105

2. NATURAL SENSES, SYRACUSE U., PRIVATE INSTRUCTOR --- Certified Yoga Instructor/Recovery Yoga
Practitioner (200hr) Syracuse, NY (April 2015-present)
 Designed and implemented 60-90 minute yoga classes in both group and individual settings to clients across the lifespan
experiencing physical, emotional distress, and/or repressed feelings.
 Established individual relationships with all clients adhering to individual needs by utilizing empathy, person-centered
approaches,communication, interpersonal skills, breath work, and posture alignment.
 Lead and organized educational workshops on yoga lifestyle and philosophy, as well as mental health topics appealing to
stress reduction, alleviation of depressive symptoms, and increasing one’s ability to self-regulate emotions through
techniques centering around mindfulness, in order to increase balance of body and mind.
 Lead “12-Step” yoga classes which integrated mindfulness, breath work, and therapeutic release for clients in recovery
utilizing a traditional 12 step model featuring emotional expression and release through (asana) postures.
 Shared personal stories about my recovery and the ways in which yoga and a healthy lifestyle have changed my life to
clients that were struggling with personal challenges, as well as in group settings.
JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF DEWITT --- Preschool Teacher Dewitt, NY (August 2013-August 2014)
 Worked primarily with 3 to 4 year olds to enhance skill building, language and arts integration, and social and emotional
competency.
 Worked one-on-one with children with presenting behavioral and emotional concerns as well as systemic challenges.
 Collaborated with parents and other therapeutic aids to create IEPs and discuss techniques for working with each unique
child concerning styles of development and behavior.
INCREDIBLE YEARS DINOSAURSCHOOL IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT --- Clinical Psychology ResearchAssistant
(Child Devt.) Oxford, OH (September 2012-May 2013)
 Taught positive skill-building tools to children ages 3 to 6 whom displayed presenting concerns, systemic challenges, and
difficulty with relational dynamics as related to disrupted social and emotional learning.
 Implemented, created,and organized activities utilizing gold standard child methodologies, puppeteering, and activities of
mindfulness and relaxation, to promote social and emotional skill integration.
 Developed schemas through puppeteering designed to integrate positive role modeling both inside and outside of the
classroom.
MU BEHAVIOR,EMOTIONS,& RELATIONSHIPS LAB --- Clinical Psychology ResearchAssistant (Child Devt.)
Oxford, OH (August 2011-May 2013)
 Developmental research assistant and experimenter for visits with children 12 to 15 months of age and their parents; leading
activities designed to examine symptoms of anxiety, stress,and attachment.
 Experiments included the “Strange Situation,” as well as exposure to anxiety evoking stimuli, free play, puppet shows, and
clown interaction.
 Coded hundreds of videos for particular anxiety stimuli and behaviors, as well as completed at least 20 hours of data entry
per week.
 Presented findings and discussed relevant research at weekly meetings with lab supervisors, doctoral researchers,and
undergraduate research assistants.
UH RAINBOW BABIES AND CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL --- Children’s Trauma Volunteer Cleveland, OH (Summer 2012)
 Used expressive and play therapy techniques to support the adjustment in lifestyle of children ages 1 month to 18 years
whom had experienced physical and emotional trauma.
LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE AND INVOLVEMENT
 CHI SIGMA IOTA THE INTERNATIONAL HONOR SOCIETYFOR STUDENTS, PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS &
COUNSELOR EDUCATORS -- Social Chair Syracuse U. (August 2014-Present)
 AMERICAN COUNSELINGASSOCIATION Syracuse U. (August 2013-Present)

3.  RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE -- Volunteer Syracuse, NY & Cincinnati, OH (August 2010-December 2015)
 ALPHA DELTA PI SORORITY ALUMNI –- Music Chair Miami U. (January 2010-May 2013)
 M.U. GREEK LIFE -- Greek Life Guide Miami U. (August 2012-May 2013)
 BEST BUDDIES –- Buddy and Advocate to special needs resident Miami U. (August 2011-May 2013)
 EDU. PSYCH. MENTORINGPROGRAM –- Child Mentor Miami U. (September 2012-May 2013)
 CHORALIERS CHOIR –- Secretary Miami U. (August 2009-May 2011)
 PSI CHI HONORS FRATERNITY ALUMNI Miami U. (August 2010-Present)
 NATIONAL SOCIETY OF COLLEGIATE SCHOLARS Miami U. (August 2010-Present)
 INTERNATIONAL DEAN’S LIST SOCIETY Miami U. (August 2010-December2015)