Antonia Pieracci, Ph.D.

Antonia M. Pieracci, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist and Founding Partner at CBTDenver in Denver, CO. Dr. Pieracci specializes in cognitive-behavioral therapy for individuals with anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and insomnia although she treats many other problems as well. Dr. Pieracci also has expertise in women’s mental health during pregnancy and postpartum. Her approach is skills-based, short-term and compassionate. In her clinical work, Dr. Pieracci teaches clients skills to manage stress and anxiety; reduce depression and insomnia; improve relationships, self-image, and productivity; and to create meaningful lives. Her treatment incorporates cognitive, behavioral, mindfulness, and acceptance techniques. She is trained in the following: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), Behavioral Activation (BA), Prolonged Exposure (PE), Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for PTSD.

Dr. Pieracci is a Summa Cum Laude graduate from the University of Pennsylvania. As an undergraduate she worked with Dr. Martin Seligman, considered the founding father of Positive Psychology. She earned her doctorate degree from Temple University in Philadelphia where she was awarded a University Fellowship and specialized in research and treatment of mood and eating disorders. She completed her predoctoral internship at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York and her postdoctoral fellowship at The American Institute for Cognitive Therapy (AICT) in New York City. As a postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Pieracci trained with Dr.’s Robert Leahy and Dennis Tirch in advanced cognitive-behavior therapy techniques and she became a Senior Staff member at AICT in 2006. While practicing in New York City, Dr. Pieracci also served as an Adjunct Clinical Supervisor in the Ferkauf Graduate Program in Clinical Psychology. After moving to Colorado, Dr. Pieracci became a Senior Instructor at the University of Colorado Denver Depression Center. During her stay at the University she developed and co-directed the Dialectical Behavior Therapy program. Dr. Pieracci also served as an Adjunct Clinical Supervisor for the Professional Psychology Program at the University of Denver and developed an externship training program for doctoral students interested in advanced training in evidence-based psychotherapies. Dr. Pieracci has consulted with local organizations to develop mental health programming and to train clinicians. She is a Diplomate of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy and member of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science.

In addition to her clinical work and managing CBTDenver, Dr. Pieracci enjoys mentoring students interested in mental health and the field of psychology through her alma maters and local Denver Public School middle and high schools.

Selected presentations and publications

• Brody, P. and Pieracci, A. (November 5, 2010). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for relapse prevention in depression. Presented to the faculty at the Graduate School of Professional Psychology, University of Denver.

• Pieracci, A. (February 10, 2010). Cognitive-behavior therapy for postpartum depression and anxiety. Presented at Grand Rounds to the faculty and students at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

• Safford, S.M., Alloy, L.B., Pieracci, A.M. (2007). A comparison of two measures of parental behavior. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 16, 375-384.

• Alloy, L.B., Abramson, L.Y., Gibb, B.E., Crossfield, A.G., Pieracci, A.M., Spasojevic, J., & Steinberg, J.A. (2004). Developmental antecedents of cognitive vulnerability to depression: Review of findings from the Cognitive Vulnerability to Depression Project. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly, 18, 115-133.