Dr. Stephanie Diez-Morel

S1E8 - Get A (Plant) Life!

 Dr. Stephanie Diez-Morel (pronouns: she/her) is a professor of graduate social work students at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She is an author, trainer, and speaker on the topics of gaming and wellness. Dr. Diez-Morel has authored many scientific journal articles and presentations, as well as appeared in the media on a variety of radio, podcasts, and news outlets to discuss the topic of gaming disorder and other technology-based addictions. In 2013, Dr. Diez-Morel founded Reboot & Recover, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing education, prevention, treatment, and research on technology-based addictions. 

Dr. Diez-Morel earned her Ph.D. from Florida International University where she was awarded a student scholar in Health Disparities Research Fellowship offered through the Center for Research on US Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse (CRUSADA) funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As a C-SALUD Student Scholar in Health Disparities Research Fellow, Dr. Diez-Morel’s research contributed to the reduction and prevention of health disparities affecting the Latinx populations in the United States. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Dr. Diez-Morel has worked within nonprofit community organizations and in community hospitals providing direct clinical services to children, families, and adults experiencing addiction. In addition, she has provided education and consultation to address addictions among various communities including medical professionals, educators, caregivers, and school aged children. 

Dr. Diez-Morel is the recipient of the 2019 Most Next Award for Innovation awarded by the AICP Foundation in recognition of her problematic internet use prevention work with Reboot & Recover. In 2020 she was granted the New York University National Institutes of Health (NIH) Visiting Mentor Development Award for Addiction Research. In 2022 she was awarded the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Research Grant to examine the role of behavioral addictions among youth in the state of North Carolina. 

Dr. Diez-Morel utilizes her expertise in behavioral health and addictions to serve in her role as a board member of the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board (IGCCB) and as a gaming expert consultant with the telehealth company Kindbridge. Dr. Diez-Morel continues her clinical practice as she is dually licensed in the U.S. states of Florida and Pennsylvania. Her clinical practice areas include: technology-based addictions, gaming disorder, behavioral addictions, behavioral health, co-occurring disorders, and mental health. Her research interests include: Cyberpsychology; gaming disorder; behavioral addictions; substance use/misuse and substance use disorders; co-occurring disorders; and intersections of trauma and health.