Jacelyn Biondo

Background

About Jacelyn Biondo

Dr. Jacelyn Biondo is an Assistant Professor at Thomas Jefferson University in the Department of Health Sciences and Clinical Practice. Her research interests include: 1) Accessible and equitable healthcare for individuals with schizophrenia; 2) The role of community and belonging for those who feel under-represented; 3) Dance therapy as a brief therapy intervention for people in short-term inpatient psychiatric facilities; 4) The role of creativity in wellness. She is currently facilitating research on the relationship between mind-body connectivity and physical health awareness for individuals who are diagnosed with schizophrenia (funded by the Marian Chace Foundation) as well as de-stigmatization for healthcare providers when working with individuals with severe mental illness (funded by JeffSmart Fellowship). Dr. Biondo's doctoral research on Single-Session Dance/Movement Therapy for People with Schizophrenia was grant-funded by the Marian Chace Foundation and yielded significant results in symptom reduction. Dr. Biondo practiced clinically in an Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital for over 10 years conducting psychotherapy sessions through verbal and dance therapy groups. Her work, specializing in working with people in acute phases of schizophrenia, is grounded in object relations theory, and driven by a collaborative and creative approach with her patients. Dr. Biondo has taught nationally and internationally on topics of dance therapy, violence prevention and de-escalation techniques, single-session dance therapy, severe and persistent mental illness, dance/movement therapy skills, group dynamics, the Movement Psychodiagnostic Inventory, arts-based research, and artistic inquiry. She is a member of the Arts-Based Research Global Consortium, the Schizophrenia International Research Society, the American Counseling Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Dance Therapy Association. Dr. Biondo has served on the board of directors for her professional organization, nationally and locally, for 12 years.