Guest Authors

Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine

The Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine (BHI) at Massachusetts General Hospital teaches patients ways to counteract stress and build resiliency by eliciting the Relaxation Response. BHI is dedicated to research, teaching and clinical application of Mind Body Medicine and its integration into all areas of health.

Ruta Nonacs, M.D.

Ruta Nonacs, M.D. completed her residency in psychiatry and a fellowship in perinatal and reproductive psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Currently, she is a staff psychiatrist with the Perinatal and Reproductive Psychiatry Clinical Research Program at MGH. She is also the editor-in-chief of the programs website at womensmentalhealth.org. Dr. Nonacs' work has been published in a number of scientific journals and books in the area of women’s mental health. She is the author of A Deeper Shade of Blue: A Woman’s Guide to Recognizing and Treating Depression in Her Childbearing Years (Simon & Schuster).

MGH Psych Academy

Applying the faculty and resources of the Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry Academy works with clinicians, departments, governments, and other entities to improve the mental health of patients worldwide through innovative teaching methods, technology, educational research, and institution level consultation.

Project TEACH

Project TEACH is a program funded by the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH). In addition to providing consultations and training to pediatric primary care physicians, to help them provide direct care to children and teens for mild to moderate mental health concerns, Project TEACH provides a range of mental health resources for parents and family members. MGH Clay Center child psychiatrists and psychologists have served as clinical consultants to Project TEACH for the production of many of these educational resources. Visit their Parent and Family Resource page.

J. Stuart Ablon, PhD

J. Stuart Ablon, Ph.D., is the Director of Think:Kids in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is also Associate Professor and the Thomas G. Stemberg Endowed Chair in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Ablon is author of the books Changeable: The Surprising Science Behind Helping Anyone Change, Treating Explosive Kids: The Collaborative Problem Solving Approach, and The School Discipline Fix.

Frieda Aboul-Fotouh, M.D.

Frieda Aboul-Fotouh, M.D. completed her general psychiatry training in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, and received her child psychiatry training in the Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Program. She has been recognized for her interest in teaching and raising cross-cultural awareness. She is currently engaged in telepsychiatry, where she evaluates teens and adults in crisis throughout Texas.

Robert Accordino, M.D., M.Sc.

Robert Accordino, M.D., M.Sc. is the founder and president of Music for Autism. He is also a fellow in child and adolescent psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital. Dr. Accordino graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University. He earned his M.D. from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and an M.Sc. in experimental psychology from Oxford University. He completed an internship in pediatrics at Mount Sinai Hospital, and a residency in psychiatry at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Accordino has carried out significant advocacy work on behalf of children and adults with developmental conditions in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. In 2007, he was honored for service to individuals with autism and their families by Cherie Blair, wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair. Dr. Accordino is also the recipient of numerous grants and awards.

Blaise Aguirre, M.D.

Blaise Aguirre, M.D. is an expert in child psychiatry, including psychotherapy and psychopharmacology. He is co-author of Mindfulness for Borderline Personality Disorder: Relieve Your Suffering Using the Core Skill of Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Blaise is medical director of 3East (a residential dialectical behavior therapy program for young women exhibiting self-endangering behaviors and borderline personality traits), as well as a staff psychiatrist at Harvard-affiliate McLean Hospital. He is also an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Rosa Amurrio, MD

Rosa Amurrio, MD, completed her General Psychiatry training at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami and her Child & Adolescent Psychiatry training at the Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital Residency Program.

Dr. Amurrio has always maintained a keen interest in working to alleviate suffering tied to the struggles that many underserved populations have to endure. Before coming to the United States, Dr. Amurrio worked for several years in the area of Nutrition and Public Health with INCAP (Instituto de Nutrición de Centro America y Panamá) on projects aimed to decrease children's morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Later on, she was recruited by the Center for Communication Programs from Johns Hopkins University to assist in projects aimed to promote Family Planning efforts in Latin America. After finishing her residency and fellowship training, she remained part of the Mass General family for a few years serving as an Adult and C&A psychiatrist for Latino communities.

Currently, Dr. Amurrio works as a Psychiatrist for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Miami. She continues her collaboration on a voluntary basis in different capacities on issues addressing the needs of those in underserved communities.

John Badalament, Ed.M.

John Badalament, Ed.M. is the program director for The Fatherhood Project at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is the author of the acclaimed Modern Dad’s Dilemma: How To Stay Connected with Your Kids in a Rapidly Changing World, and director of the PBS documentary All Men Are Sons: Exploring The Legacy of Fatherhood. John speaks internationally and consults with schools, parent groups, government agencies, nonprofit and private-sector organizations. His work has been featured on ABC News and NPR, and in Men’s Health, Pregnancy, The Los Angeles Times and The Huffington Post. In 2010, John was named as one of the Futures Without Violence (formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund) Heroes for his commitment to ending violence against girls and women. He serves on the Honorary Board of the Ties Never Broken Campaign, a partnership with The White House. He holds a master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Suzanne Bender, M.D.

Suzanne Bender, M.D. is the senior consulting child psychiatrist on the Pediatric Gastroenterology and Child Nutrition Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is also an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. She has a long-standing interest in adult and child psychodynamic psychotherapy, and is the co-author of Becoming a Therapist: What do I Say and Why? which is used nationwide as a teaching text in psychotherapy training programs nationwide.

Raphael A. Bernier, Ph.D.

Raphael A. Bernier, PhD, is Affiliate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington (UW), and formerly Executive Director of the Seattle Children's Autism Center.

Joseph Betancourt, M.D., M.P.H.

Joseph Betancourt, MD, MPH, is the Vice President and Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer of Massachusetts General Hospital, the founder, senior advisor and faculty of the Disparities Solutions Center (DSC) at Mass General, Faculty at the Mongan Institute, an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a practicing Internal Medicine physician. He has also served on the leadership team of the Mass General Center for Diversity and Inclusion. Dr. Betancourt is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in health policy, health care disparities, diversity, and cross-cultural medicine, and has served on several Institute of Medicine Committees, including those that produced the landmark reports, Unequal Treatment and Increasing Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce. Dr. Betancourt has secured grants and contracts that have led to over 60 peer-reviewed publications, and advises private industry, government, and not-for-profit health systems on approaches to eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health care.

Michael S. Boroughs, Ph.D.

Michael S. Boroughs, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and research and clinical fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Hannah Braaten

Hannah Braaten, in addition to being the daughter of Dr. Ellen Braaten, is an assistant editor at St. Martin’s Press.

Ellen Braaten, PhD

Ellen Braaten, PhD, is executive director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP) at  Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), an associate professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School, and former co-director for the MGH Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds.  She is a psychologist, teacher, and researcher whose career has focused on improving understanding and treatment of children with learning and attention issues, particularly ADHD, learning disabilities, dyslexia, autism spectrum, and processing speed.  Ellen is frequently called on by main stream and popular media to elucidate on the complexities of learning differences and challenges among young people. She holds the Kessler Family Endowed MGH Chair in Pediatric Neuropsychological Assessment.

O'Neil Britton, MD

O'Neil Britton, MD, is the Senior Vice President, Operations, and Associate Chief Operating Officer for Mass General Brigham (MGB). In this system leadership role, Dr. Britton works across the entire span of clinical operations including all acute care, specialty and community hospitals, and physician organizations, leading initiatives that enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and service to patients. Clinically active, Britton continues to see patients and teach and mentor house-officers and students in the role of a hospitalist at MGH. His MGH role continues his mission to improve the lives of patients by enhancing care delivery and better supporting the staff that make that care possible.

Jill Buchanan

Jill Buchanan joined the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine in April 2013. She has more than 15 years of communications and strategic marketing experience in the nonprofit health and sciences arenas. Ms. Buchanan has a M.S. in Science Journalism from Boston University.

Hillary Hurst Bush, PhD

Hillary Hurst Bush, Ph.D., is a child clinical psychologist with expertise in neuropsychological assessment and autism. Formerly a clinician and faculty member at the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP) at Massachusetts General Hospital, she now works in independent practice. She is also the founder of Thank You Sooo Much (www.thankyousooomuch.com, Instagram: @thank.you.sooo.much), an educational website and coaching service specifically focused on thank you notes. A Massachusetts native, Dr. Bush earned a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College and master’s and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from the University of Massachusetts Boston. She completed a doctoral internship focused on the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with autism at the Indiana University School of Medicine. She completed postdoctoral training in pediatric neuropsychological and psychological assessment at LEAP. She has presented her research at regional and national conferences and has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Child Neuropsychology, Journal of Applied School Psychology and The Journal of Genetic Psychology.

Yvonne C. Castañeda, LICSW

Born in Los Angeles to Mexican and Cuban parents, Yvonne Castañeda was raised in Miami, where she eventually earned a BA in International Relations from Florida International University. She has worked in the restaurant, cruise line, education and hotel industry, and was contracted as a linguist with the Department of Justice. Having suffered from Bulimia Nervosa for over 15 years, Castañeda developed a passion for fitness and later pursued a career in the fitness industry, in which she worked as a Personal Trainer and General Manager for over ten years.

Currently, Yvonne Castañeda is a Licensed Psychotherapist in Massachusetts (LICSW) and an Adjunct Professor of Boston College Graduate School of Social Work, Salem State University and Online Facilitator of BC School of Theology and Ministry. Aside from her own lived experiences, Yvonne Castañeda has worked extensively with the underserved Hispanic/Latino population as a behavioral health clinician in East Boston and Charlestown.

Yvonne Castañeda is an iPEC Certified Life Coach, a Registered Yoga Teacher, a Corrective Exercise Specialist, a Kettlebell Coach and a 2nd Dan Black Belt in Shotokan Karate.

The Lurie Center for Autism

The Lurie Center for Autism at MassGeneral Hospital for Children is a multidisciplinary program designed to evaluate and treat children, adolescents, and adults with a wide variety of conditions including autism and autism spectrum disorder, Asperger syndrome and other developmental delays. The Lurie Center is born out of a philosophy that people with developmental disabilities deserve to be viewed as individuals, each with personal patterns of talents and challenges. We strongly believe each individual deserves the opportunity for access to the quantity and quality of services needed to reach his or her full potential, regardless of economic, social or ethnic background. To learn more about the Lurie Center and the services we provide, please visit our website at www.luriecenter.org.

Michelle Chaney, M.D., MScPH

Michelle Chaney, M.D., MScPH is a resident psychiatrist at the University of Florida. She completed her undergraduate studies in economics at Harvard University, her Master of Science in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and her medical studies at the University of Florida. Dr. Chaney has presented her research, and hosted workshops, on the topic of social media at national psychiatric conferences, including the American Psychiatric Association (APA) annual meetings. She has also published in The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics, as well as the Annals of Emergency Medicine. Her interests include education, student mental health and autism spectrum disorders. Dr. Chaney will be starting her child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital in Summer 2015.

Courtney Chelo

Courtney Chelo is the behavioral health project manager at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC). In this role, she coordinates work for the Children’s Mental Health Campaign, a coalition of families, advocates, healthcare providers, educators and consumers from across Massachusetts who are dedicated to comprehensive reform of the children’s mental health system. Prior to joining the MSPCC, she served as the policy coordinator at Health Care For All, where she worked to expand access to affordable oral health care and coverage for vulnerable populations. She is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a B.S. in Environmental and Resource Economics.

MassGeneral for Children

The MassGeneral Hospital for Children (MGHfC) is dedicated to providing outstanding personalized, developmentally appropriate care for infants, children and adolescents within the context of their family and community. We recognize that excellence in patient care is the result of an interdisciplinary effort requiring collaboration from all members of the healthcare team. We are committed to providing the best care possible in a child friendly environment that includes dedicated pediatric emergency, day surgery, outpatient and inpatient services. We honor diversity, we encourage open discussion and respect the parent’s and child’s right to participate in the planning of care. We are advanced in our understanding of illness by sound medical research and education, empowered by skill and technology, and motivated by a commitment to excellence in pediatric practice that is sincere and compassionate.

Eojin Choi

Eojin Choi is an undergraduate student at Brown University studying neuroscience and science & society. She worked as a CommonHealth intern at WBUR in 2017 and wrote science and health-related articles on topics ranging from red yeast rice supplements and abortion restrictions to citizen neuroscience games and mental health resources. While she's not sure what she wants to do yet, she will continue pursuing her interests in journalism, health care, and neuroscience.

Tanishia Choice, M.D.

Tanishia Choice, M.D. is a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and an instructor at Harvard Medical School. She received her M.D. from the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. She completed her general psychiatry residency at UT Southwestern, and her fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the MGH/McLean Hospital combined program. Dr. Choice has a strong commitment to the education of clinicians and the community, and her primary academic interest is in reducing disparities in care for mental illness. Toward this end, Dr. Choice was awarded the American Psychiatric Association’s Public Psychiatry Fellowship, where she served on the Council for Minority Mental Health and Health Disparities. Dr. Choice is also developing a curriculum that will enhance pediatric access to mental health care in primary care settings.

Rana Chudnofsky, Ed.M.

Rana Chudnofsky, Ed.M. has served as the director of the Education Initiative at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital since 2006. Her areas of specialization include relaxation techniques and cognitive strategies for clinical treatment centers, schools and universities. She received her training in Biofeedback from Boston Behavioral Medicine, trained in Vipassana Meditation at Vipassana Meditation Center, and is certified in Medical Qigong. Ms. Chudnofsky graduated from Harvard University where she earned her Ed.M in Technology, Innovation, and Education. She earned her B.A. from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst with dual undergraduate degrees in psychology and education.

Mary Coleman, Ph.D.

Mary Coleman is dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Lesley University in Boston. She received her B.A. from Jackson State University, and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Coleman is a Woodrow Wilson International Scholar, the recipient of numerous national teaching awards, and has participated in scores of humanities seminars in the United States and abroad. She has received research awards from the National Science Foundation, and served on United Nations teams in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Alasdair K.T. Conn, M.D.

Alasdair K.T. Conn, M.D. was born in Sheffield, England, and received his medical training at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He completed his General Surgery residency at the University of Toronto. Dr. Conn is the chief of Emergency Services at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and Chairman of the Board for Boston MedFlight, a critical care transport program. In addition to his clinical responsibilities at MGH, Dr. Conn is also an associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School.

Nathan Cook, Ph.D.

Nathan Cook, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral fellow (clinical and research) at the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP) at Massachusetts General Hospital, a postdoctoral research fellow at the MassGeneral Hospital for Children Sports Concussion Program, and a clinical fellow in psychology at Harvard Medical School. He received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Rhode Island.

John Corbett, MD

John P. Corbett, MD is a second-year child and adolescent psychiatry fellow at the MGH/Mclean Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Training Program. He previously attended the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center training program for his adult psychiatry training where he served as Emergency Psychiatry section chief. He enjoys role-playing games, video games, reading, photography, and traveling.

Paul Crawford

Paul Crawford is Professor of Health Humanities at the School of Health Sciences and Director of the Centre for Social Futures at the Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, UK. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS) and Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health (FRSPH). As founding father of the global and rapidly developing field of health humanities, Professor Crawford leads a large program of research in applying the arts and humanities to inform and transform healthcare, health and wellbeing. He is the author of over 140 peer-reviewed articles or chapters and 13 books, most recently The Routledge Companion to Health Humanities (Palgrave, 2020), Florence Nightingale at Home (Palgrave, 2020) and Cabin Fever: Surviving Lockdown in the Coronavirus Pandemic (Emerald, 2021). He is also the commissioning editor for two series, Arts for Health (Emerald) and Routledge Studies in Literature and Health Humanities (Routledge) and is Joint Editor-in-Chief for The Encyclopedia of Health Humanities (Springer).

Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D.

Geraldine Dawson, PhD, is the Director of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, and Director of the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development at Duke University. She served as Founding Director of the University of Washington Autism Center.

Michael Delman

Michael Delman is the CEO and founder of Beyond BookSmart, an executive function coaching company with offices in Boston, Chicago, Providence and New York City, as well as online coaching throughout the United States and world. He led Beyond BookSmart to become the first organization to apply Dr. James Prochaska’s Transtheoretical Model of Change to help students tackle academic challenges. Michael is also the co-founder and former principal of the McAuliffe Regional Charter Public School in Framingham, Massachusetts. Previously, as a teacher in Southborough, Michael received the Anti-Defamation League’s Teacher Incentive Award for creating a superior learning environment for his students.

Jennifer Derenne, M.D.

Jennifer Derenne, MD, is a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist with expertise in feeding and eating disorders. She completed her training at the Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital Psychiatry Training Programs. She is currently the Psychiatric Director of the Comprehensive Care Program at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, which specializes in the medical stabilization of eating disorders. She is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Terrance M. Dolan, MD

Terrance M. Dolan, MD is a second-year child and adolescent psychiatry fellow at the MGH/Mclean Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Training Program. He currently serves as the Chief Fellow representing the MGH/McLean in the Program in Psychodynamics. He previously attended the VA Boston Healthcare System – Harvard South Shore training program for his adult psychiatry training where he served as Executive Chief Resident & Chief Resident of Education. He enjoys role-playing games, hiking, video games, in-door rock climbing, gardening, and reading in his outdoor hammock.

Jim Doorley, PhD

Jim Doorley, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), where he works with the Sport Psychology Program. He is currently a T32 research fellow in Integrative Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Health Outcomes and Interdisciplinary Research (CHOIR) at MGH. Jim’s clinical work focuses on treating adolescent and adult athletes with sport-related musculoskeletal injuries, concussions, and anxiety. His current research focuses on developing, testing, and implementing mind-body interventions for chronic pain and acute orthopedic injury. Jim also provides mental performance consulting to high school, collegiate, and professional athletes.

Judith Edersheim, J.D., M.D.

Judith Edersheim, J.D., M.D. is co-director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Law, Brain & Behavior, and an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. For more information, please see www.clbb.org.

Fernando Espi Forcen, MD, PhD

Dr. Fernando Espi Forcen was born and raised in Spain and graduated from Medical School at the University of Murcia. At the University of Murcia, he also earned and was awarded best PhD by the health science program for the 2015-16 academic years for his dissertation on the History of Psychiatry titled “Demons, Fast and Death: Mental Health in the Late Middle Ages,” which studied the approach to mental illness in Europe during the 13th and 14th centuries. He completed his psychiatry residency at Metrohealth Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and followed that with a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Chicago, and another fellowship in psycho-oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

As an attending, Dr. Espi Forcen worked at Rush from 2015 to 2020 to as a consult liaison psychiatrist with a particular focus on patients in need of liver and kidney transplants. He worked with the underserved community of West Chicago, and was granted a National Interest Green Card. In the scientific field, Dr. Espi Forcen’s publications have contributed to a variety of aspects in the field of neuropsychiatry. He studied akathisia in children and adolescents and patients with cancer, and did a study in patients with catatonia comparing the phenomenology in patients who had catatonia associated with another mental disorder as compared to those who had catatonic disorder due to a medical condition. In addition, he has published extensively in the field of history of psychiatry. Another area of interest and research has been cultural psychiatry, particularly studies in cultural aspects in International Medical Graduates and historical aspects of Hispanic and Latinx Psychiatry.

One of Dr. Espi Forcen’s main interests is the depiction of psychiatry in the media. He has published articles on horror films and TV shows, and has presented this work at most of the major academic meetings, including the APA, WPA, APM, AACAP and AAAP. He is the founding editor of the Journal of Humanistic Psychiatry and the author of the book Monsters, Demons and Psychopaths: Psychiatry and Horror Film. In this book, he examines society’s perception of mental illness throughout horror film according to its historical context. He also started a psychiatry podcast titled El Ultimo Humanists with more than 10,000 subscribers.

Gretchen Fischer Felopulos, PhD

Gretchen Fischer Felopulos, Ph.D. is a staff psychologist in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and the Sports Psychology Program at Massachusetts General Hospital. She worked as a school psychologist and coordinator of learning services for an area private school for several years, and continues to specialize in neuropsychological and psychological evaluations and consultation on issues related to learning, executive function skills, social-emotional functioning, and school service plans. As the Education & Training Coordinator for the MGH Center for Gun Violence Prevention, Dr. Felopulos is invested in training students and hospital staff on gun violence prevention in clinical care, as well as community outreach and education on firearm safety.

Lisa B. Fiore, Ph.D.

Lisa B. Fiore, Ph.D. is a professor of education at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she also serves as director of the Child Homelessness Initiative (CHI). She teaches undergraduate and graduate students preparing to be early childhood and elementary educators, and also enjoys working with in-service teachers on professional development. Dr. Fiore's current research interests focus on Social-Emotional Learning and Development, Mindfulness in Education, and integrating inspiration from the early childhood education practices in Reggio Emilia, Italy. The mother of two young children, she is reminded daily of the competence and curiosity of young people, and how much grown-ups have to learn about the way things work. She is the author of several books for teachers and families, including LifeSmart: Exploring Human Development, Your Anxious Child: How Parents and Teachers Can Relieve Anxiety in Children, and the forthcoming Your Child’s Social and Emotional Well-being: A Complete Guide for Parents and Those Who Help Them.

Anne K. Fishel, Ph.D.

Anne K. Fishel, Ph.D. is the author of Home for Dinner: Mixing Food, Fun, and Conversation for a Happier Family and Healthier Kids (Amacom, January 2015), and a founding member of The Family Dinner Project. She is also director of the Family and Couples Therapy Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, and an associate professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School.

Angela Fitch, MD, FACP, FOMA

Angela Fitch, MD, FACP, FOMA is a leader in the field of obesity medicine. She is the current president of the Obesity Medicine Association and the 2017 winner of their Clinician of the Year Award. She served as chair of the clinical management section of the Obesity Society in 2015–2016. She practiced primary care for 10 years before becoming a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine in 2012. She comes to Knownwell by way of Boston, where she divides her time between academia, activism, and medicine. She is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard University, the former co-director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center, a board member of the Obesity Action Coalition, and a founding member of the Massachusetts Coalition for Action on Obesity. Dr. Fitch is board-certified in obesity medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics.

"I’ve been practicing medicine for about twenty-five years now, and happily practicing obesity medicine and metabolic health full-time for the past ten.

"On reflection, it makes sense that I’d come home to obesity medicine through pediatrics. During childhood, I’d witnessed my brother have obesity. I still see him deal with this disease every day, well into adulthood. As for me, I was comparatively lucky: my struggle with weight showed up later—once I’d had a child and my work-life balance went stressfully out of wack. I developed sleep apnea and hypertension as a result and knew that, for myself and for my body (and may not be true for all), I needed to lose weight for my health. I already ate well and I exercised often, but I increased my focus on improving my lifestyle habits. All to no effect. Ultimately, I needed to address my weight with the full suite of obesity medicine services. Years of studying it, treating it, and experiencing it first-hand have taught me categorically that obesity is a disease, and that people living with obesity deserve medical care free from moral judgment and discrimination whether they are seeking comprehensive primary care, weight and cardiometabolic health management or obesity treatment, all should be welcome without bias or stigma.

"For the 115 million people living with the disease of obesity in the US today there are only about 5,000 obesity medicine specialists, including me. People living with obesity need care. We need care that dispenses with weight-based stigma because it recognizes obesity for what it is: a chronic and sometimes life-long disease. We need better care with easier access. We need empathetic care that encourages us to be the best versions of ourselves, regardless of what the scale says. And we need it now. Delivering the care that we need is my personal and professional mission. It is also the promise that Brooke and I have placed at the heart of Knownwell."

Marshall Forstein, M.D.

Dr. Forstein attended The College of Medicine, University of Vermont after a career of teaching high school English, where he developed a lifelong interest in teaching and education. He completed an internship at Presbyterian Hospital, Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco and his residency in psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital. He teaches medical students, and is the Program Director for the Adult Psychiatry Residency at the Cambridge Health Alliance, where he has been a staff psychiatrist since 1984. Dr. Forstein has been a principal investigator on an HIV Education and Training Grant through the federal Center for Mental Health Services, and teaches and has published on sexual minority issues in medicine and on the neuropsychiatry and psychosocial aspects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The JED Foundation

JED is a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults. We’re partnering with high schools and colleges to strengthen their mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems. We’re equipping teens and young adults with the skills and knowledge to help themselves and each other. We’re encouraging community awareness, understanding and action for young adult mental health. Learn more: https://www.jedfoundation.org/

Geri Fox, M.D., M.H.P.E., F.A.A.C.A.P.

Geri Fox, M.D., M.H.P.E., F.A.A.C.A.P. is director of Psychiatry Undergraduate Medical Education, and assistant dean of Graduate Medical Education at University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Fox's clinical practice philosophy is to be a family's psychiatrist throughout the life cycle, including family systems in transition. She works with individuals, couples, and families from infancy through old age. Click here to view a number of video clips and other works by Dr. Fox.

Gregory Fricchione, M.D.

Gregory Fricchione, M.D. is associate chief of psychiatry and director of the Division of Psychiatry and Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He is also director of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine. Dr. Fricchione has published over seventy journal articles since 1983. He has made important original contributions to the treatment of patients with catatonia, and to the management of cardiac patients who suffer from co-morbid psychiatric conditions. Most recently he has been involved in research on neuroimmune mechanisms underlying diseases that connect mind and body.

Carey Goldberg

Carey Goldberg is the editor of WBUR's CommonHealth blog. She has been the Boston bureau chief of The New York Times, a staff Moscow correspondent for The Los Angeles Times, and a health/science reporter for The Boston Globe. She was a Knight Science Journalism fellow at MIT; graduated summa cum laude from Yale; and did graduate work at Harvard. She is co-author of the triple memoir "Three Wishes: A True Story Of Good Friends, Crushing Heartbreak and Astonishing Luck On Our Way To Love and Motherhood."

Lorolyn A. Gorrindo

Lorolyn A. Gorrindo has worked for 25 years in education. She was a classroom teacher for 15 years before entering school administration. She served as director of Curriculum and Instruction before her present position as the assistant superintendent of Education Services for Douglas County School District in Minden, Nevada.

Tristan Gorrindo, M.D.

Tristan Gorrindo, M.D. is the director of education for the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in Washington, D.C. He was formerly the managing director of The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and director of postgraduate medical education for the Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry Academy.

Emily K. Gray, M.D.

Emily K. Gray, M.D. is director of the Teen Mentor Program within the Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a staff psychiatrist at MGH, and a faculty member of Harvard Medical School. She was a three-time All-American rower while completing her undergraduate studies at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where she also completed her M.D. and adult psychiatry residency training. She received her child and adolescent psychiatry training at MGH/McLean Hospital. Dr. Gray is interested in education, prevention and advocacy around eating disorders, and recently received a research grant to study eating disorders in adolescent females.

Dan Greenberg

Dan Greenberg grew up in Lexington, MA, and has lived in the Chicago area for the past seven years. He graduated from Northwestern University with a bachelor’s degree in manufacturing and design engineering, and a master’s degree in engineering design and innovation. He currently works as a product development engineer, and still enjoys playing and seeing live music with friends.

Elisa H. Hamilton

Elisa H. Hamilton is a socially engaged multimedia artist who creates inclusive artworks that emphasize shared spaces and the hopeful examination of our everyday places, objects, and experiences. A Boston-area native, her work has been shown locally and nationally in solo and group exhibitions. In 2017 Hamilton was honored by the Improper Bostonian as Boston’s Best Creative Catalyst. Her ongoing project Dance Spot has engaged with communities around Boston, as well as at the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Lincoln, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, and Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA. Hamilton has been the recipient of four public art grants to create temporary public works in Boston’s Fort Point neighborhood, and a Creative City grant from New England Foundation for the Arts. She has held artist residencies with Vermont Studio Center, Boston Center for the Arts, the Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts, and the Fenway Alliance. Projects include Sound Lab, a collaborative community sound project that was featured in Listen Hear: The Art of Sound at Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum; Community Legacy, a participatory installation in collaboration with the MIT List Visual Arts Center; Slideshow, a story sharing project and interactive photo exhibit co-presented by HUBweek and Now+There; and Pack Our Bags, an interactive installation featured in the exhibition Nine Moments for Now at the Ethelbert Cooper Gallery of African and African American Art, Cambridge, MA.

Aude Henin, Ph.D.

Aude Henin, Ph.D. is the co-founder and co-director of the Child Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is also an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Henin specializes in the cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) of children, adolescents and young adults with mood and anxiety disorders. She has conducted research to evaluate the efficacy of CBT approaches for youth, as well as risk factors for the development of mood and anxiety disorders in children. She has received funding for her work from the National Institute of Mental Heath, Department of Defense, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation and Harvard University.

Grace Eujeania Herman

Grace Eujeania Herman grew up in Newton, Massachusetts, and attended public high school. She is a 2014 graduate of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, where she received her bachelor’s degree in environmental medicine. Currently, she is a clinical research coordinator for the Substance Use Disorder Initiative at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dina Hirshfeld-Becker, Ph.D.

Dina Hirshfeld-Becker, Ph.D. is co-director of the MGH Child Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, and an associate professor of psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. She specializes in CBT with children, adolescents and young adults with anxiety and mood disorders, and has particular expertise in treating anxiety in preschool and early elementary school children. Dr. Hirshfeld-Becker’s research interests focus on identifying early temperamental, behavioral and familial risk factors for childhood disorders, and on using this information to develop preventative interventions. She serves on the Scientific Advisory Council of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

Daniel Hosker, M.D.

Daniel Hosker, MD is a child psychiatrist who recently completed a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at MGH/McLean. Though most of his time has been dedicated to completing training, his clinical and research interest revolves around exploring how sports participation and physical activity can impact youth mental health and wellness. Towards this end, he has delivered multiple Grand Rounds presentations on the subject at various institutions, has worked with the NBA to help create and curate content guiding mental health and wellness, and has published in educational journals on the topic, with hopes of educating youth, parents, coaches, and medical providers alike. His goal is to leverage what we are learning about supplementing youth mental health and wellness with physical activity to continue to advance access to mental health resources for youth, decrease stigma associated with mental illness, and improve mental health practices and policies nationally.

Brian Ibsen

Brian Ibsen is a parent.

Abigail M. Judge, Ph.D.

Abigail M. Judge, Ph.D. is a clinical and child forensic psychologist. She is co-editor of two books, including Adolescent Sexual Behavior in the Digital Age: Considerations for Clinicians, Legal Professionals, and Educators. Dr. Judge divides her time between private practice in Cambridge and a new service at MGH for survivors of commercial sexual exploitation / human trafficking and other forms of interpersonal violence. She is on the part-time clinical faculty at Harvard Medical School. Visit Dr. Judge online: www.abigailjudge.com.

Julie Kaplow, PhD

Dr. Kaplow serves as Director of the Trauma and Grief Center at Texas Children's Hospital, a SAMHSA-funded Treatment and Service Adaptation Center of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. In this role, she oversees evidence-based assessment, treatment, and research with youth and families exposed to traumas and/or losses, and develops and disseminates trauma- and bereavement-informed “best practices” to community providers nationwide. Dr. Kaplow’s primary research interests focus on the biological, behavioral, and psychological consequences of childhood trauma and bereavement, with an emphasis on therapeutically modifiable factors that can be used to inform psychosocial interventions. Dr. Kaplow is board certified by the American Board of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (ABCCAP) of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP).

Christopher Keary, MD

Dr. Keary is a child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist with a specific interest in the care for individuals with developmental disabilities including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Williams Syndrome and Angelman Syndrome. His educational work and research focus is on improving the understanding of developmental disorders and their quality of care.

Dr. Keary works full time caring for patients with autism and other developmental disabilities across the age range and severity of impairment. He is the Behavioral Director of the MGH Angelman Syndrome Clinic and the psychiatric consultant for various specialty clinics at MGH providing care for patients with chromosomal disorders. He has expertise in the treatment of psychiatric disorders in and behavioral complications of pervasive developmental disorders.

In addition to clinical work, Dr. Keary teaches medical students, residents, and fellows in programs associated with Harvard Medical School to understand and provide excellent care for individuals with developmental disorders. His educational responsibilities also include lectures directed to patients, families and treaters regarding mental health care for persons with disabilities. He’s been involved in committee activities developing guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of mental illness in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

John F. Kelly, Ph.D.

John F. Kelly, Ph.D. is the founder and director of the Recovery Research Institute, the program director of the Addiction Recovery Management Service (ARMS), and the associate director of the Center for Addiction Medicine, all at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is also an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Kelly has served as a consultant to U.S. federal agencies such as The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH); to non-federal institutions such as the Betty Ford Institute and the Hazelden Foundation; and internationally to the British Parliament Drugs Misuse Taskforce.

Bernard Kinane, MD

Bernard Kinane, MD is Chief of the Pediatric Pulmonary Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Associate Chief for Education, and Director of the Pediatric Sleep Program and Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Exercise Laboratory.

Dr. Kinane graduated from University College Dublin in 1983 with an MB. He completed Pediatric Residencies in Dublin (1987) and at the University of Texas South Western Medical School (1989). Following the completion of a Pediatric Pulmonary Fellowship at the MGH in 1992, he joined the faculty. He was appointed Chief of Pediatric Pulmonary (2000). In addition, he holds a number of leadership positions including Associate Chief for Education and Director of the Pediatric Sleep Program.

Since joining the faculty, Dr. Kinane has provided cutting edge clinical care to patients with a variety of pulmonary conditions including asthma, interstitial lung disease, sleep disorders, pneumonia, primary ciliary dyskinesia and pulmonary congenital abnormalities. He is seen as a International Expert on the genetic basis and treatment of interstitial lung disease, lung developmental abnormalities and the regulation of breathing.

His research focuses on the basic cause of interstitial lung disease and asthma. His sleep research focuses on the regulation of respiration and safe transportation of infants in car seats.

Dr. Kinane is also committed to the education of medical students, trainees and patients. He has won numerous teaching awards since joining the faculty. He has a particular focus on the use of social media to educate teenagers about a healthy lifestyle and asthma management.

Carol. A. Kinlan, M.Ed., M.B.A.

Carol. A. Kinlan, M.Ed., M.B.A. is an educational consultant at McMillan,Howland, & Spence in Boston, MA, who specializes in helping families find the best school and college for traditional students, as well as students with learning disabilities and attentional and organizational challenges.

Carol A. Kinlan, M.Ed., M.B.A.

Carol A. Kinlan, M.Ed., M.B.A. is an educational consultant at McMillan Education in Boston, MA, who specializes in helping families find the best school and college for traditional students, as well as students with learning disabilities and attentional and organizational challenges.

Robert Kinscherff, Ph.D., J.D.

Robert Kinscherff, Ph.D., J.D. is a clinical/forensic psychologist and attorney who serves as associate vice president and faculty for the Doctoral Clinical Psychology Program at William James College; scientific faculty for the Center for Law, Brain and Behavior at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH); and senior associate at the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice. During the 2015-2016 academic year, he will focus on scholarship and teaching in juvenile justice through his role as the joint senior fellow in Law and Neuroscience for the MGH Center for Law, Brain and Behavior and the Petrie-Flom Center of Harvard Law School.

Hal Kronsberg, M.D.

Hal Kronsberg, M.D. is a child and adolescent psychiatry fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital. Long before medical school and residency, he taught seventh grade math and coached basketball at a public school in rural Mississippi. He would subsequently work with adolescents struggling with a variety of conditions at McLean Hospital’s residential units before completing medical school at Weill Cornell Medical College, and an adult psychiatry residency at NewYork Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center. He is particularly interested in the relationship between mental health services, the public school system, and resiliency-building in children and adolescents.

Raymond Levy, Psy.D.

Raymond Levy, Psy.D., is founding director of The Fatherhood Project in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. The Project aims to build programs both within medical services at Mass General, and in the community that increase emotional connection between fathers and their children. Dr. Levy runs fathering skills groups for incarcerated and divorced dads, and facilitates workshops and serves on panels at fatherhood conferences. He is also an assistant clinical professor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Levy is a father to a son and a daughter.

Howard Liu, M.D., M.B.A.

Howard Liu, MD, MBA, is a nationally recognized psychiatrist, educator, workforce expert, social media innovator, and health care leader at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). He serves as the Chair of the UNMC Department of Psychiatry, a Professor with Tenure in the UNMC College of Medicine, and as the President of the Association of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry (ADMSEP). Previous roles include state workforce director, psychiatry clerkship director and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Faculty Development. He is active on Twitter @DrHowardLiu as a mental health and gender equity advocate.

Mary Lyons-Hunter, Psy.D.

Mary Lyons-Hunter, PsyD, is the Unit Chief of Behavioral Health for the MGH Chelsea HealthCare Center. She has engaged with and cared for residents in the Chelsea community for over 22 years in this role. Her clinical interests include anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. Dr. Lyons-Hunter earned a bachelor’s degree from Regis College and her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from William James College.

Becca Mason, M.Ed.

Becca Mason, M.Ed. joined Codman Academy in 2014 after spending five years as a lead K1/K2 teacher with Conservatory Lab Charter School, a music-based, expeditionary learning public charter school in Boston. She is also an adjunct professor with Lesley University's Graduate School of Education, where she teaches early childhood education. Becca is a huge fan of the arts, and incorporates dance, music, drama, storytelling and fine arts into her classroom and private life. She earned her B.A. in political science with a focus in public policy from The George Washington University, and her M.Ed. in early childhood education with a focus in fine arts from Lesley University.

Patrick McGuinness

Patrick grew up in Fairfield, CT and received his B.A. in psychology from The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. He has experience in Genetic Neuropharmacology research and currently serves as Psychometrician at the Learning and Emotion Assessment Program (LEAP) at MGH. His current research interests include cognitive functioning in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Darshan Mehta, MD, MPH

Dr. Mehta is Medical Director and Director of Medical Education for the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (BHI-MGH) and Director of Education at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital (OCIM). His educational and research interests include curricular development in complementary and integrative medical therapies, mind/body educational interventions in health professions training, and promotion of professionalism in medical trainees. He directs medical student and resident rotational electives at BHI-MGH and the Osher Center. Dr. Mehta sees patients at both locations in a consultative role for use of complementary and integrative medical therapies, as well as mind/body interventions for stress management and stress reduction.

Jamie Menhall

Jamie Menhall is a 10th grade student at Boston University Academy. He recently completed an internship at the Stepping Stones Center for Autism Treatment in Dubai, for which he completed 40 hours of Applied Behavior Analysis training in autism spectrum disorders, and worked with young autistic children. In addition to his involvement with autism therapy and research, Jamie is an expert skier, accomplished piano player, and karate practitioner. He is also an avid football follower.

Cynthia W. Moore, Ph.D.

Cynthia W. Moore, Ph.D. is the associate director of the Marjorie E. Korff Parenting At a Challenging Time (PACT) Program at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and an assistant professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School. She joined the PACT Program (www.mghpact.org) in 2003, and began caring for individuals and families coping with a parent's medical illness, focusing particularly on promoting children's resilience. As an interest in bereavement in children and adults grew from this work, Dr. Moore has gone on to join the Complicated Grief Program at MGH, through which she provides state-of-the-art therapy for patients suffering from complicated grief. She lectures locally and nationally about how parents and healthcare professionals can support children's resilience during challenging times, and conducts research on parenting-related distress in adults with cancer.

Leah Morelli, MD

Leah Morelli, MD, is a fellow in the MGH/McLean Child and Adolescent Psychiatry training program. She completed her adult psychiatry residency training at MGH/McLean and received her MD from the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Prior to medical school, she conducted clinical research at MGH on bipolar disorder. Dr. Morelli is interested in mental health treatment of medically ill children, school-based mental health, building resiliency, and advocacy. Her passions outside of work include figure skating, training her dog, and trying new coffee shops.

Mireya Nadal-Vicens, M.D., Ph.D.

Mireya Nadal-Vicens, M.D., Ph.D. conducts research in the Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders and Center for Addiction Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is also an instructor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Joel T. Nigg, Ph.D.

Joel T. Nigg, PhD, is Director of the Division of Psychology and Professor of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Behavioral Neuroscience at Oregon Health and Science University.

Gil Noam, Ed.D., Ph.D.

Gil Noam, Ed.D., Ph.D. (Habil) is the founder and director of the Program in Education, Afterschool & Resiliency (PEAR) at Harvard University. An associate professor at Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital focusing on prevention and resilience, Dr. Noam trained as a clinical and developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst in both Europe and the United States. Dr. Noam has a strong interest in translating research and innovation to support resilience in youth in educational settings. He served as the director of the Risk and Prevention Program at Harvard, and is the founder of the RALLY Prevention Program, an intervention that combines early detection of health, mental health and learning problems in middle school youth, and pioneers a new professional role: "prevention practitioner."

Alexia Norton Jones

Alexia Norton Jones is the grandchild of W.W. Norton, founder of the publishing house by the same name, and daughter of Clarence Jones, who served for nine years as Martin Luther King, Jr.'s attorney and draft speech writer. Passionate about literature, theater and the creative arts, Alexia's current projects include a personal memoir entitled The Gods Make Great, as well as a situation comedy teleplay entitled "Over The Top," loosely based upon her real life adventures as a "biracial heiress with no airs."

Ranna Parekh, M.D., M.P.H.

Ranna Parekh, M.D., M.P.H. is medical director of the Adolescent Dual Diagnosis Residential Treatment Program at McLean Hospital, assistant in psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Parekh is a practicing child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist, and has lectured locally and nationally on child and adolescent psychiatry and substance abuse.

Holly Peek, MD, MPH

Holly Peek, MD, MPH, received her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine. She also received a dual Masters of Public Health degree at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, with a concentration in global community health and behavioral sciences. She completed a residency program in adult psychiatry at Tulane University and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, training at both Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital.

Dr. Peek is board certified in both adult and child and adolescent psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She also has a private practice where she specializes in child, adolescent, and adult psychotherapy and medication evaluation and management. Dr. Peek is an instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and serves as the assistant medical director for the Klarman Eating Disorders Center at McLean. Dr. Peek has been recognized with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Educational Outreach Award, the American Psychiatric Association Child and Adolescent Fellowship, and the Robert Heath Society Gonzalez Prize for scientific writing.

Deirdre Phillips

Deedee Phillips is the former managing director for the MGH Clay Center. Her commitment to mental health education for youth began in her prior role as Executive Director of The Autism Consortium, a unique clinical and research collaboration based at Harvard Medical School. The Consortium brought together many of Boston’s premier research and healthcare institutions to catalyze progress in understanding autism, improve diagnosis and clinical care, facilitate funding/investment in Boston autism research, build community and deliver needed resources to families. The Consortium contributed to establishing Boston as a nationally respected center for autism research and care. Deedee previously served as a senior executive at several financial institutions including Bank Boston, FleetBoston and Putnam Investments where she managed relationships with public officials, communicated policy positions, and represented these companies in Washington. She has also served in leadership/board positions at numerous national, regional and state business councils and local nonprofit organizations including WGBH and Horizons for Homeless Children. She also served as a member of the MA Autism Commission, appointed by Governor Charlie Baker.

Elizabeth G. Pinsky, MD

Elizabeth G. Pinsky, M.D., is a pediatrician and child psychiatrist at Shriners Hospital for Children and Massachusetts General Hospital, where she directs the outpatient Child and Adolescent Medical Psychiatry clinic and consults with the inpatient pediatric medical and surgical units.

Stephen Power, NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Stephen Power is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer who has worked at Massachusetts General Hospital for the past 13 years. For the past 9 years, he has been part of Mass General's nationally recognized fitness and nutrition program, Be-Fit.  He is a Fitness Instructor for Boston Children's School and the MGH Children's Center, and has a particular interest in understanding and solving the growing problem of childhood obesity.

Laura Prager, M.D.

Laura M. Prager, M.D. is the director of the Child Psychiatry Emergency Service at Massachusetts General Hospital, and an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. She is an assistant editor for the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and a reviewer for the journals Pediatrics, Critical Care Medicine and Psychosomatics. She is the author of Suicide by Security Blanket, and Other Stories from the Child Psychiatry Emergency Service.

Jubilee Project

Believing that well-told stories can change the world, Jason, Eddie and Eric joined together to create Jubilee Project, a production group that makes films to inspire change. Their diverse backgrounds - Jason worked in business, Eddie at the White House, and Eric is currently enrolled at Harvard Medical School - allows them to bring a variety of experiences to the table, but what truly unifies them is a passion for philanthropy and filmmaking. Since the inception of Jubilee Project 4 years ago, they have made over 100 videos garnering over 10 million views on YouTube, and supported causes like autism, sex trafficking and HIV/AIDS. Explore their YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/jubileeProject.

Paula K. Rauch, M.D.

Paula K. Rauch, M.D. is the founding director of the Marjorie E. Korff Parenting At a Challenging Time (PACT) Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. This unique program provides expert parental guidance to support the emotional health and well-being of children when a parent is seriously ill. Dr. Rauch is also program director of the Family Support component of the Home Base Program, a partnership between the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital, which works to heal the invisible wounds of war for post 9/11 veterans and their families. Additionally, she supervises on the Consultation Service to Pediatrics, and is an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Rauch has been honored with numerous clinical and teaching awards, including the Kenneth B. Schwartz Compassionate Caregiver of the Year Award. She co-authored the book Raising an Emotionally Healthy Child When a Parent is Sick, along with many chapters and journal articles addressing the impact on children of medical illness in the family.

Annabel Reddick

Annabel is a 17-year-old high school senior with a passion for creative writing. She channeled this creativity as one way of processing and sharing her reflections of living through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gerald Reid, Ph.D.

Gerald Reid, Ph.D. completed his doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology at Boston University where he was the project manager of the Social Adjustment and Bullying Prevention research laboratory. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital within the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP), gained several years of training at Boston University’s Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CARD), and obtained valuable training at several other sites. Currently, Dr. Reid is a licensed psychologist in private practice providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), neuropsychological assessment, and sport psychology consultation for children, adolescents, college students, and young adults in Boston, MA (www.ReidConnect.com). Additionally, Dr. Reid is a Part-Time Faculty member at Boston University in the Counseling Psychology and Applied Human Development graduate program within the Wheelock College of Education. Dr. Reid is also a research associate at Boston University and clinical consultant at Harvard University.

Alvin Rosenfeld, M.D.

Alvin Rosenfeld, M.D., along with Nicole Wise, co-authored Hyper-Parenting (St. Martins Press, 2000) and The Over-Scheduled Child (Griffin/St. Martins, 2001). You can find out more about this topic at www.hyperparenting.com. Dr. Rosenfeld is on the faculty of Weill/Cornell Medical School, and practices child, adolescent and adult psychiatry in New York City and Greenwich, Connecticut.

Anthony L. Rostain, M.D., M.A.

Anthony L. Rostain, M.D., M.A. is professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and vice chair of education for the Department of Psychiatry. He is also co-director of the Penn Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program, director of the Developmental Neuropsychiatry Program at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and co-chair of the President and Provost’s Task Force on Student Psychological Health and Welfare at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Rostain is a co-author of the books Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Adult ADHD: An Integrative Psychosocial and Medical Approach, Second Edition, as well as The Adult ADHD Tool Kit: Using CBT to Facilitate Coping Inside and Out (Routledge Press, 2015).

David H. Rubin, M.D.

David H. Rubin, M.D. is director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training for Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital. He is also a member of the Harvard Medical School faculty. Dr. Rubin is currently conducting research in the area of biological markers of social withdrawal in children and adolescents. He frequently serves as a consultant to inpatient psychiatric services, as well as to the popular media, and was recently featured in Horizon Films’ documentary The Passage of Time.

Wes Sanders, Ph.D.

Dr. Wesley Sanders is a Staff Psychologist at Home Base and specializes in the treatment of PTSD and readjustment issues, including family and parenting difficulties. He provides both individual and group therapy services at Home Base. He is trained in Prolonged Exposure Therapy and is a VA certified provider of Cognitive Processing Therapy for the treatment of PTSD. He received his M.A. from the College of William & Mary and his Ph.D. from the University of Vermont. Dr. Sanders completed his internship at the VA Boston Healthcare System and his post-doctoral fellowship in the Women’s Health Sciences Division of the National Center for PTSD. He also served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve for 8 years, receiving an honorable discharge at the rank of Sergeant. His research interests focus on supporting military/veteran families, particularly during transition to civilian life.

Steven Schlozman, MD

Steven Schlozman, MD, is an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School (HMS), course director of the psychopathology class for the MIT-HMS Program in Health, Sciences and Technology, and former co-director of the Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds. Dr. Schlozman has been involved in national efforts to increase recruitment into psychiatry and to decrease stigma with regard to psychiatric illness, and is particularly interested in the power of stories and narratives to help people to understand mental health issues. He has been the keynote speaker for the International Health Humanities Conference and has lectured internationally about the importance of stories in the practice of medicine. In keeping with his love of narrative, he writes short fiction, and has published two novels. His first novel, The Zombie Autopsies, was optioned for film adaptation by the late George Romero, creator of Night of the Living Dead. At the undergraduate level, Dr. Schlozman teaches a freshman seminar at Harvard University that focuses on horror and thrillers in literature and film.

Laurie Schoen

Laurie Schoen received her B.A. in early childhood education from Lesley University in Boston. In the more than two decades since her graduation, Laurie has been a compassionate, fierce and effective advocate for homeless children. Emblematic of her advocacy for children is her founding of Great Beginnings: A Newton Kindergarten Readiness Program, as well as US4Kids, a collaborative organization that works directly with Project HEALTH, Share Our Strength and Horizons for Homeless Children. Thanks to support from Laurie and the Schoen Family Foundation, the Child Homelessness Initiative (CHI) was established at Lesley University in 2011.

Joseph Shrand, M.D.

Joseph Shrand, M.D. is an instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and the medical director of CASTLE (Clean and Sober Teens Living Empowered), an intervention unit for at-risk teens that is part of High Point Treatment Center in Brockton, MA. Dr. Shrand is triple Board Certified in adult psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Shrand routinely gives lectures on Theory of Mind and its application to re-conceptualize the behaviors of patients. He is the author of Manage Your Stress: Overcoming Stress in the Modern World, and Outsmarting Anger: 7 Strategies for Defusing Our Most Dangerous Emotion. (Outsmarting Anger won the "Books for a Better Life - Psychology Self-Help" Award for 2013.)

Kevin Simon, MD

Dr. Kevin M. Simon is the City of Boston's first Chief Behavioral Health Officer. Dr. Simon is an Attending Psychiatrist at Boston Children's Hospital, an Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, a current Commonwealth Fund Fellow in Minority Health Policy at Harvard University, and the Medical Director of Wayside Youth & Family Network. Clinically, he practices as a Child & Adolescent Addiction Psychiatrist caring for youth & families through the Adolescent Substance Use & Addiction Program "ASAP Clinic" at Boston Children's Hospital. Academically, his research focuses on the intersections of mental health, substance use, and justice systems. His writings on health equity, mental health, and substance use are in notable journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, American Journal of Public Health, and Health Affairs. As an administrative leader and consultant, Dr. Simon leads or guides teams by developing vulnerable trust, constructive conflict, demonstrated commitment, accountability, and attention to results.

Rand Spero, CFP®, MBA, Ed.M.

Rand Spero, CFP®, MBA, Ed.M. is a founding advisory council member for The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, and president of Street Smart Financial, a fee-only financial firm that works with individuals and families on their long-term planning and investing needs. He believes that career and lifestyle values must be incorporated into any meaningful financial plan, and has been an organizational consultant for firms such as Novartis, John Hancock and Time Warner. He teaches courses on personal financial matters at the Tufts University Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Rand has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Consumer Reports Money Adviser and Smart Money. He is a trustee of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

Susan Sprich, PhD

Dr. Susan Sprich received her BA in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and her PhD in Clinical Psychology from The University at Albany, State University of New York. She completed her clinical psychology internship training and post-doctoral training at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)/Harvard Medical School. She has been affiliated with MGH since 1994. She has served as the Director of Psychology Training since 2021 and the Clinical Director of Psychology since 2022. She was appointed as the Director of Postgraduate Psychology Education for the MGH Psychiatry Academy in 2015, and is also an Assistant Professor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Sprich is co-author of 27 chapters and articles on a range of topics including psychosocial treatments for ADHD in adults and adolescents, trichotillomania, and social anxiety. She is a co-author of Mastering Your Adult ADHD – Therapist Guide and Client Workbook and the first author of Overcoming ADHD in Adolescence—Therapist Guide and Client Workbook, published by Oxford University Press in the 'Treatments That Work' series. She served as a co-editor of the MGH CBT Handbook, published by Springer in 2016 and is currently the lead editor of the second edition of this Handbook. She is currently an Associate Editor of the journal, Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. She teaches and supervises psychology interns and psychiatry residents at Massachusetts General Hospital. She was the recipient of the Emerson Award from MGH for her dissertation research and she was awarded a Scholars in Medicine Fellowship through Harvard Medical School. She was given an award for excellence in mentoring by the psychology interns in 2015, the Behavioral Medicine Service award in 2018 and she won the American Psychological Association Outstanding Contributions to Continuing Professional Development Award in 2021. Dr. Sprich has been involved in research projects focused on ADHD, BDD, OCD and Autism spectrum disorders. Dr. Sprich has extensive clinical experience working with ADHD, anxiety, Trichotillomania, OCD, and other Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders.

Susan Swick, M.D., M.P.H.

Susan Swick, M.D., M.P.H. is the chief of child and adolescent psychiatry at Newton-Wellesley Hospital where she also directs the Parenting At a Challenging Time (PACT) Program at the hospital's Vernon Cancer Center. Additionally, she is an instructor in psychiatry for Massachusetts General Hospital’s division of child and adolescent psychiatry and for Harvard Medical School, where she directs a course on parent guidance for the child psychiatry fellows.    

Jennifer Thomas, Ph.D.

Jennifer Thomas, Ph.D. is co-director of the Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she has evaluated and treated individuals of all ages with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and other eating disorders in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Dr. Thomas is also an assistant professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School. You can follow Dr. Thomas on Twitter at @drjennythomas.

Barbara Thorp, LICSW

Barbara Thorp is the program director of the One Fund Center at Massachusetts General Hospital. The One Fund Center was established in October, 2014 with a grant from One Fund Boston to provide on-going supportive services to those who were injured at the Marathon Bombing as well as family members of the injured and those families who lost loved ones. Barbara received her B.A. in Child Development from Simmons College and her MSW from Rutgers University School of Social Work. Prior to her work with the One Fund Center Barbara was employed by the Archdiocese of Boston for thirty-five years where she directed the outreach to the survivors of clergy sexual abuse. She has three adult children and three grand-daughters ages 2, 8 and 11.

Mai Uchida, MD

Dr. Mai Uchida is a board certified child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist and the Director of the Child Depression Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital. She is the Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and Attending Physician at Massachusetts General Hospital in the Pediatric Psychopharmacology and Adult ADHD Program. As a clinician-researcher, her focus has been on the early identification of pediatric psychopathology. In collaboration with Dr. John Gabrieli at MIT, she has published on the fMRI based biomarkers of the risk for development of major depression, and received the First Prize Department of Psychiatry Award of MGH, MassGeneral for Children Innovation and Feasibility Award as well as the Dupont Warren Fellowship and Livingston Award for her works on this topic. She has done clinical and neuroimaging based investigation of emotional dysregulation, and has received the Louis V Gertsner Award for this work. She is a current K awardee from the National Institute of Mental Health to investigate clinical and neural indicators of the risk for developing ADHD. Dr. Uchida’s clinical expertise is in diagnosing and in the medication management of children with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and ADHD, as well as adult ADHD. She loves interacting with children and trying to help families through the difficulties of emotional and behavioral challenges. In addition, Dr. Uchida is a committed advocate for mental health. She has articulated her thoughts in a number of international publications, including the International Herald Tribune, Asahi Shimbun, and Boston Globe on topics ranging from suicide prevention, informed consent to the experience of being a Japanese female physician in America. As a mother of two sons, her commitment in helping children and their families’ emotional well-being is not only professional, but also deeply personal as well. When she is not working, she is 99% mom, but in the 1% of her time, she enjoys creating visual art, skiing, figure skating, dancing flamenco, and singing along to Broadway show tunes.

Arshya Vahabzadeh, M.D.

Arshya Vahabzadeh, M.D. is a leadership fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He practices as a resident child and adolescent psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital, in addition to being a clinical fellow at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Vahabzadeh is also a trained family physician, having completed training under the Royal College of General Practitioners. Dr. Vahabzadeh is deeply interested in neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and schizophrenia. His research experience has encompassed several lines of study, including genetics, novel psychopharmacology and social cognition. Dr. Vahabzadeh is also a strong proponent of mental health education, and has written editorials for Psychology Today, The Huffington Post, APA Healthy Minds, Boston Magazine and CNN. During residency, Dr. Vahabzadeh has been recognized with several awards including the American College of Psychiatrists Laughlin Fellowship, the American Medical Association Foundation Leadership Award, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Educational Outreach Award, three successive Joe and Hope Skobba Resident Research Awards, a CADEF travel grant, and the Emory University Department of Psychiatry's Medical Student Teaching Award.

Daisy Novoa Vásquez

Daisy Novoa Vásquez is a Chilean-Ecuadorian writer. She immigrated to the United States in 2002. She is a contributing columnist for the Hispanic newspaper El Planeta of Boston, and for several websites. She has participated as Writer in Residence for Hispanic Writers Week, a program from the University of Massachusetts that aims to educate students of Boston Public Schools about the importance of using writing as a tool for educational advancement, communication and as an alternative for conflict resolution. Daisy writes poetry and short stories (mainly in Spanish) covering a variety of themes and styles; her new publication is the book of poems Fluir en ausencia (Artepoética Press, New York, 2014). Learn more about Daisy at www.daisynovoavasquez.com

Mark Vonnegut, M.D.

Mark Vonnegut, M.D. is a Boston-area pediatrician who writes and speaks on mental health topics. His two books, The Eden Express and Just Like Someone Without Mental Illness Only More So: A Memoir, are available on Amazon. Dr. Vonnegut was born in Chicago, the son of Kurt and Jane Vonnegut, grew up mostly on Cape Cod, started a commune in British Columbia, went to Harvard Medical School, completed his internship and residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, and is very proud of continuing to write, paint and play music through it all.

Betty Wang, MD

Betty Wang, MD is a board-certified child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). In addition to providing care to children, adolescents and families within the outpatient child psychiatry department at MGH, she also provides guidance regarding psychiatric issues to pediatricians within the state as part of the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project. Within the department of adult psychiatry at MGH, she is the psychiatric liaison to the obstetrics department caring for women with mental health concerns during their pregnancies and initial postpartum periods.

Amanda Ward, Ph.D.

Amanda Ward, PhD, is currently a licensed staff psychologist at the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP) at Massachusetts General Hospital. She has experience with neuropsychological and psychological assessment across multiple settings including pediatric specialty clinics, outpatient clinics, and inpatient medical units. Dr. Ward graduated with highest honors from Loyola University Chicago prior to completing her doctoral training in Clinical Psychology at the same institution. She completed a doctoral internship in child and adolescent psychology at Stanford Children’s Hospital / Children’s Health Council in Palo Alto, CA, as well as a postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychological assessment at the LEAP program. Dr. Ward’s research has previously been published in journals such as the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, the Journal of Early Adolescence, and the Journal of Communication Disorders. She has also presented at international meetings for the Society for Research in Child Development and the Society for Research in Adolescence.

Khadijah Booth Watkins, M.D., M.P.H.

Associate Director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training Program of Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital. In addition, she provides clinical care to children, adolescents, and families in the Child Outpatient Clinic and continues to teach and supervise fellows, residents, and medical students. Dr. Booth Watkins specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of psychiatric disorders in children, adolescents, and adults. Areas of particular interest and expertise are Anxiety Disorders, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, student and college mental health, mental health within schools, diversity, inclusion, and suicide prevention.

Heidi R. Webb, Ed.M, J.D.

Heidi R. Webb, Ed.M., J.D. has been licensed to practice law in Massachusetts and before the Federal District and Appeals Courts since 1986. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Heidi received a masters in Education from Harvard University, where she concentrated in counseling and consulting psychology. Soon after graduating, she was granted a fellowship with the Institute for Educational Leadership in Washington, D.C. Hoping to merge her backgrounds in education, psychology and law, Heidi embarked on a solo law practice in 1998 to give clients a more effective means of navigating through their divorce, and into their next life stage. At her firm, Consilium Divorce Consultations, clients receive not only legal advice, but life-planning strategies, and emotional, financial and logistical support during this critical life transition. They are guided through the labyrinth that is the divorce process, and helped to make calm, informed decisions, hire appropriate legal counsel and start their new journey after divorce with attainable goals.

Marilyn Wilcher

Marilyn Wilcher, senior director of the Benson-Henry Institute (BHI), has been associated with the Institute since its founding in 1988 as the Mind Body Medical Institute — first as a trustee and later as senior vice president. During these years, she was involved in many aspects of the Institute, including administrative oversight of clinical areas, finances, development and marketing. At BHI, her primary responsibilities include marketing, clinical administration, and the Resilient Youth Program. Ms. Wilcher launched the program, which was formally known as The Education Initiative, in 1989 to offer a relaxation response-based curriculum to students and educators. She and her staff have successfully trained thousands of students and educators in independent, urban, suburban and special needs schools throughout the United States. Ms. Wilcher is an honors graduate of Wellesley College and did post graduate work at the University of Washington.

Tim Wilens, MD

Dr. Timothy Wilens is chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and is co-director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is also MGH Trustees Chair in Addiction Medicine and a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Wilens' research interests include the relationship among attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder and substance abuse, as well as the pharmacotherapy of ADHD and juvenile bipolar disorder across the lifespan.

Nicole Wise

Nicole Wise is a freelance journalist who has specialized in writing about health and family issues for more than a decade. Her articles have appeared in a wide range of publications, including The New York Times, Redbook, Parents, Parenting, Child, Woman’s Day, Cosmopolitan, Country Living and others. Ms. Wise has also been a writer/consultant for Yale University’s Bush Center in Child Development and Social Policy, and for the Connecticut Commission on Children.

Janet Wozniak, MD

Dr. Janet Wozniak is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and at Massachusetts General Hospital. After receiving her BA from Harvard College, Dr. Wozniak completed medical school at Cornell Medical University. She completed residencies in adult, child, and adolescent psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Wozniak has been honored with a Massachusetts General Hospital Women's Careers Faculty Development Award. Dr. Wozniak's research focuses on the course, characteristics, and pharmacological treatment of juvenile onset bipolar disorder. Her research has been supported by the Stanley Research Foundation, NARSAD and public service grants from the National Institutes of Mental Health. She is widely regarded as an expert in pediatric bipolar disorder.