Dr. Christine Marie Cocchiola

Christine Marie Cocchiola, DSW, LCSW, has been a social justice advocate since the age of 19, advocating for the safety of adult and child victims of coercive control. She served as a Board Member of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and has actively supported codifying coercive control as the foundation of domestic abuse, writing policy briefs supporting these efforts and providing expert testimony at legislative hearings. Most importantly, through her own experiences as a protective parent, her clinical expertise as a trauma trained therapist, a researcher, and educator working under the tutelage of Dr. Evan Stark, Dr. Cocchiola understands the impact that coercive control has on both adult and child victims. A college professor teaching social work for over 20 years, she is the creator of The Protective Parenting Program, supporting protective parents navigating parenting children harmed by a coercive controller. Her other educational programming supports creating a greater awareness for attorneys, mental health professionals, divorce coaches, and other allies to understand the often insidious nuanced nature of coercive control. She is the co-author of the recent book, “FRAMED: Women in the Family Court Underworld.” (www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com).