Georgi DiStefano, LCSW, received her BA with highest honors from Richmond College, City University of New York and her Masters in Social Work from State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Currently Ms. DiStefano is the Executive/Clinical Director for the San Diego State University’s Center for Alcohol & Drug Studies & Services, Driving Under the Influence Program.

Ms. DiStefano provides corporate wellness trainings and substance abuse seminars for a wide variety of organizations, including the National Association of Social Workers, Viejas Enterprises, Horizon HealthCare, City of Temecula, California, County of San Diego and SeaWorld.

Ms. DiStefano has also provided consultation to organizations such as Kaiser Permanente, Cooper Iverson Corp, Pacific Exchange as well as the A.S.K. Organization, Japan. Ms. DiStefano is the only American recognized as an honorary member of the Japanese Social Work Association, having completed five lecture tours in Japan, training doctors, nurses and social workers in chemical dependency treatment.

In 1991 Ms. DiStefano was awarded the Clinical Social Worker of the Year by the Society of Clinical Social Work, San Diego Chapter.

At the 2005 70th Annual Alcoholics Anonymous International Convention in Toronto, Canada, Ms. DiStefano was honored for her professional contribution in the field of Addiction Medicine; one of only twenty other attendees from around the world honored at that convention.

In 2004, Ms. DiStefano conceived The Paradigm Developmental Model of Treatment. In 2007 this model was adapted for multiple DUI offenders. Ms. DiStefano and co-author Mindy Hohman, PhD have written several articles about the model and oversaw a pilot research project utilizing the model.

The Paradigm Developmental Model of Treatment (DiStefano, Hohman) is a guide for counselors to strategically select interventions to be used in individual work which is based on clinical themes inherent in the 12-Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. Interventions utilize a motivational interviewing style and cognitive behavioral exercises.

A fifteen question assessment instrument has been developed and validated as result of the research conducted. A book on the subject is in the process of publication and will available to clinicians and the general public by March 2010.

For more information on this project please contact Georgi DiStefano at: gdistefano at sdsuduip.com