Dr. Ficchi is a disabled woman who wrote her doctoral thesis on this subject: Parental Approaches and Expectations, What Role Does Disability Play? She noticed that there was a common theme that came up in her research, that parenting style was notably different for those raising a child with a disability. Parents were admittedly overprotective, scared for their children, and risk-averse… but why? This was the question Dr. Ficchi sought to answer, and the answers she received are what will drive the direction of DAMES Charities Inc. for the foreseeable future.

Bio: Dr. Gabrielle Ficchi a licensed associate counselor as well as a certified rehabilitation counselor. Gabrielle has five years of both teaching and counseling experience. She currently works as the clinical director at Helping Everyday Youth, working with children to help provide community and school base treatment programs that address the external behaviors of youth with the goal to help at-risk youth to succeed in everyday life. She also works at the University of Arizona as an adjunct professor. As a counselor at the non-profit DIRECT Center forIndependence, she established a counseling program for individuals with disabilities and their families. She has taught at both the undergraduate and graduate level: teaching courses in both rehabilitation and counselor education. Her specialty and research areas focus on disability adjustment, independent living, resilience, and disability identity. She also serves as the chair of the mayor’s commission on disability issues to help raise awareness around bettering the lives of disabled individuals in our community. Her passion is to advocate for equality and justice for the disability community.