Clinician Profiles
Our Clinicians are the heart and soul of the Hallowell Center. They are dedicated to helping people lead happier, more productive lives. Our Clinicians embody the philosophy upon which the Hallowell Center is founded. They bring intelligence, dedication and compassion to their work.
We believe it is important for you to know the educational/professional backgrounds of the people who treat you. Enclosed are descriptions of their education, professional experience and clinical expertise. Please feel free to call us to ask questions about our Clinicians and to determine who might best be suited to address your individual needs.
With all best wishes,
The Staff of the Hallowell Centers
Sudbury |
Needham |
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• Anita J. Pliner, Ph.D., J.D. |
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Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. is a graduate of Harvard College, Tulane Medical School, and a Harvard Residency Program in Adult and Child Psychiatry. He is the author of the national best sellers, Driven to Distraction, Worry, and Connect in addition to many other publications. Dr. Hallowell has been featured on national televisions’ 20/20, Dateline, The Today Show, Good Morning America, and Oprah. He lectures around the country while maintaining a private practice at the Hallowell Center. Dr. Hallowell has just released his latest book, The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness. It focuses on how to prepare children for a more productive, happy life.
Paul J. Sorgi, M.D. is a graduate of Tufts College, Tufts Medical School and a Harvard Residency Program in Adult Psychiatry. He is board certified in Psychiatry. He has served on the faculties of Harvard and the University of Massachusetts Medical Schools. Dr. Sorgi lectures on a broad range of topics related to cognitive and emotional issues. He is co-founder of the Hallowell Center, where he maintains his private practice. Dr. Sorgi is the author of The 7 Systems of Balance.
Mary Bordes, LICSW, is a founding member of the Hallowell Center team. In practice for over twenty years including twelve years at Harvard University's McLean Hospital. She is a graduate of Boston College Graduate School of Social Work with extensive experience in dual diagnoses treatment. She specializes in counseling women with ADD/ADHD and couples therapy.
Brian H. Cohen, L.I.C.S.W. is a graduate of Boston University School of Social Work. He is certified in Family Therapy and enjoys working with children, adolescents and families. Mr. Cohen develops solution oriented, strength-focused plans in collaboration with family members. He has worked in a variety of settings including Riverside Community Care, The Family Center and Westwood Lodge Hospital. Mr. Cohen is experienced in crisis intervention, domestic violence, A.D.H.D. He is a strong advocate for families and children.
Linda M. Forsythe, M.D. is a graduate of Oberlin College, Columbia University School of General Studies, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She is board certified in Adult and Child Psychiatry. Dr. Forsythe is an instructor in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, a member of the New England Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Forsythe is very active in the adoption field. She is co-founder of Archway, an organization of professionals who investigate and collaborate on issues of adoption and related studies. Besides her affiliation with the Hallowell Center, Dr. Forsythe is on staff at Massachusetts General Hospital and has a private practice in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Theresa Garvin, L.I.C.S.W. is a graduate of Columbia University, School of Social Work. She has eighteen years of experience counseling children, teens and parents in a variety of settings, including outpatient, inpatient, residential, school and community. Theresa enjoys doing play therapy and social skills groups with children, as well as individual therapy with teens and consulting with parents. Theresa has experience working with many childhood disorders as well as peer and self esteem issues.
Renee LeWinter Goldberg, Ed.D., C.E.P.(Certified Educational Planner) is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and received her doctorate from Clark University. She has taught public school and was a faculty member at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Renee was recently the assistant director of Disability Services at the University of Massachusetts-Boston. At Clark University, she established and created support services for students with learning disabilities. In addition, Dr. Goldberg has lectured throughout the country on services for students with learning disabilities and AD/HD. She has a special interest in students with learning disabilities and AD/HD.
David James Keevil, Psy.D. received his doctorate in psychology from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. Before coming to the Hallowell Center, Dr. Keevil worked with children, adolescents, and adults at a group practice in Brockton. He has also worked at the Brookline Community Mental Health Center, at the Federal E.A.P. in Boston, and with a market research consulting group. Dr. Keevil enjoys working with children, adolescents and adults, as well as with couples and families. He was trained at the Cambridge Hospital and at the Brookline Center, where he was a member of the “family team.” Prior to becoming a psychologist, Dr. Keevil worked as a teacher and administrator in a university writing program and as a professional artist.
Amy Lister, M.D. is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and the University of Virginia School of Medicine. She completed a combined residency in Pediatrics, General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Prior to joining the Hallowell Center, Dr. Lister practiced in New York and Vermont. She is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the American Diabetes Association. She enjoys working with children and adults of all ages. Her particular areas of interest include ADHD, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and chronic medical illness.
Carol E. Montgomery, Ph.D. has over twenty years experience with neuropsychological evaluation and treatment. She has worked in a variety of settings including rehabilitation hospitals, residential homes and correctional institutions which have enabled her to acquire a strong understanding of what aspects of neuropsychological test data is relevant to the functional and behavioral problems a client faces. She is well versed in issues confronting persons with AD/HD, learning disability and brain injury and enjoys group and individual treatment of anger management issues in addition to neurobehavioral assessment.
Anita J. Pliner, Ph.D., J.D., pediatric neuropsychologist and attorney, is director of the Cogmed Program at the Hallowell Center. Dr. Pliner received her doctorate in psychology from Boston University and her law degree from Syracuse University. She completed a two year post doctoral NIMH fellowship is psychology and law and a one year fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology at North Shore Children's Hospital, where she remained as a staff neuropsychologist for 10 years on a multidisciplinary assessment team. Prior to turning to clinical work, Dr. Pliner was on the faculty of both Green Mountain College and American International College, teaching both graduate undergraduate courses in both psychology and law.
Kimberly Rawlins, M.D. is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and a Harvard Residency Program in Adult and Adolescent Psychiatry. She is board certified in Psychiatry and enjoys working with adults and adolescents who experience A.D.H.D., anxiety disorders, affective disorders as well as chronic medical illnesses. Besides her practice at the Hallowell Center, Dr. Rawlins also has a private practice in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Sarah Reiff-Hekking, Ph.D. is a Personal and Professional Coach and Clinical Psychologist with more than a decade of experience helping people create and achieve their goals. She received her Ph.D. from the SUNY at Stony Brook and an BA from DePauw University. She was on the faculty at UMass Medical School for 6 years and is an experienced coach, psychotherapist, teacher, researcher, and mentor. She enjoys coaching groups and individuals on a variety of topics including life balance, healthy lifestyles, increasing productivity and focus, and goal setting and achievement. She offers private and group coaching services in person and over the telephone. Find out more about her at www.TrueFocusCoaching.com.
Robin Roman Wright, M.A., career and ADHD coach. Robin is a graduate of the University of Chicago and received her master's degree from the University Of Chicago School Of Social Service Administration. She has presented workshops at the American Society for Training and Development's National Conference and Exposition, The First Annual Massachusetts School to Work Conference and the National Leadership Conference - Jobs for the Future. She is a member of the International Coaching Federation and the National Association of Social Workers. She uses an empowerment model in her career coaching, helping clients identify what they have to offer the marketplace and where in the world of work they might be most valued and satisfied. She enjoys working with teens who are seeking direction for their future, as well as with adults who are interested in career change or facing a job transition.
Rebecca Shafir, M.A., C.C.C. is a speech/language pathologist, voice coach and author of the award-winning book The Zen of Listening: Mindful Communication in the Age of Distraction (Quest Books 2000). Formerly of the Lahey Clinic, Ms. Shafir has over twenty years of clinical experience in the diagnosis and treatment of children and adults with speech, language, and voice disorders. Her advice has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Washington Post and other major national publications. Her specialties include LENS neurofeedback for children and adults, professional voice coaching, interview coaching for kids applying to private schools and voice feminization training.
Saumya G. Sharma, Ph.D. received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Boston University. Her internship training in neuropsychology was completed at the VA Boston Healthcare System and has completed a neuropsychology post doctoral fellowship at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Sharma has experience with a wide variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders and enjoys working with both adolescents and adults.
Thomas J. Weigel, M.D. specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, depression, anxiety and ADHD. Dr. Weigel attended the University of Wisconsin, graduating with honors and distinction in philosophy and biology. As a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, he has 10 years of special training. This includes four years of medical school at the University of Wisconsin; a one-year general medical internship at Saint Luke's Medical Center, Milwaukee; a three-year general psychiatry residency at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School; and a two-year child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston. In addition to his private practice, Dr. Weigel is a Clinical Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and has training in psychoanalysis through the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute.
Thor Bergersen, M.D. is a graduate of the University of Vermont and University of Vermont College of Medicine. He completed residency training in adult psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and University of Vermont College of Medicine, where he was part of a research group investigating the genetics and medication treatment of childhood psychiatric disorders. He served as Medical Director for a multi-clinic outpatient mental health system in eastern Massachusetts prior to joining the Hallowell Center. He is board certified in psychiatry.
Catherine Birgeneau, Ph.D. is a graduate of Yale University and University of Massachusetts/Boston. She completed a clinical internship at Harvard Medical School in the Massachusetts Mental Health Center and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital combined internship. After receiving her doctorate, she completed a post-doctoral fellowship in psychoeducational and neuropsychological testing. She has taught classes in the Psychology Department and Women’s Studies department at UMass Boston and Wheelock College. Catherine is experienced in psychoeducational consulting, individual and group therapy with adult and adolescents, and neuropsychological assessments.
Georgia Ede, M.D. is a graduate of Carleton College in Minnesota and of the University of Vermont College of Medicine. She has complete residency training at the Cambridge Hospital/Harvard Medical School’s Program for Adult Psychiatry and is board certified in General Adult Psychiatry. Prior to joining the Hallowell Center, she maintained a large community-based private practice in Falmouth, Massachusetts, where she also served as a consultation psychiatrist to Falmouth Hospital and as a staff psychopharmacologist for Cape Cod Human Services. Areas of special interest within her field include the psychopharmacology of attention and mood disorders, nutritional approaches to regulation of attention, mood, sleep and appetite, and the role of nutrition in the management of common ailments such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Migraine, Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia. In addition to her affiliation with the Hallowell Center, she is also a staff Psychiatrist at Harvard University Health Services in Cambridge.
David D. Kemmerer, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist who completed both postdoctoral work and his clinical internship at Cambridge Hospital/Harvard Medical School. He continues to maintain affiliation with Harvard Medical School as a clinical instructor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry. He specializes in short and long-term individual psychotherapy with older adolescents and adults, as well as psychological testing. He was recently distinguished as a 2007-2008 Fellow of the American Psychoanalytic Association. He received his doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of Tennessee, where he focused on both clinical practice and research related to psychotherapy processes, personality functioning, and psychological testing. He has presented papers at national conferences including the American Psychological Association, The American Psychoanalytic Association, and The Society for Personality Assessment.
Shelley L. Rattet, Ph.D. Shelley L. Rattet, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist health service provider and trained clinical neuropsychologist, specializing in pediatric neuropsychology. She received her Ph.D. in clinical developmental psychology from Suffolk University and completed her postdoctoral fellowship in developmental neuropsychology at North Shore Children’s Hospital, where she remained on staff for many years. Dr. Rattet has been published in peer reviewed journals and has been employed as an instructor in psychology at various colleges and universities in the Boston area. In addition to working at the Hallowell Center, she has a private practice in Natick and provides training and supervision in testing at the Brookline Mental Health Center. Dr. Rattet is experienced in the evaluation and diagnosis of ADHD, learning disorders, language processing disorders, emotional and behavioral disorders, and pervasive developmental disorders. She works primarily with children, adolescents and young adults between the ages of 3 and 25 years of age. Dr. Rattet is also the Cogmed Working Memory Training provider at the Hallowell Center in Needham.
Alissa K. Coggins, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist. She received her BA in both Spanish and Comparative Areas: Latin American Studies from Duke University and her doctorate in clinical psychology from Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Coggins has had training at Harvard Medical School, and at the Behavioral Medicine Program of the Cambridge Health Alliance. She is currently a staff psychologist at Children's Hospital. She has extensive experience in cognitive behavioral therapy in both children and adults. She also provides counseling and psychotherapy for individuals, couples, and families.
Christine Robinson, M.Ed. received her Bachelor’s Degree from Clark University in Psychology and English and her Master’s Degree in Education from Fitchburg State College. She holds her Massachusetts’ teacher’s license and has received training and certification from the Federation for Children with Special Needs.
With over 20 years of management and sales experience, Christine is a problem solver with excellent negotiation skills who will bring solutions to your family. Christine has had personal experience advocating for her own child and has worked with many families over the past several years seeking appropriate services and programs for their children.
David Lipsitt, Psy.D. holds a post-doctoral fellowship in clinical psychology at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, having received his doctorate from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. He currently specializes in treating children and adolescents diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome and other conditions, using interventions that include social pragmatic skill-building and distress tolerance. David is experienced in psychological assessment and testing, as well child, adult and group psychotherapy, integrating approaches from psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral therapy, as well as behavioral medicine.
