Therapists Bios

Nancy McDermott J.D.-LL.M., LCSW

Director of Clinical Services

Nancy is the Director of Clinical Services at Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, LLC, a child, adolescent, young adult and family therapist, as well as a neurofeedback practitioner and former attorney. She is known for her engaging personality, caring demeanor and quick wit. Nancy’s therapeutic approach is to provide her clients with support and encouragement to create more functional behavioral patterns, while building on her clients’ strengths and recognizing the mind-body connection, as well as gaining a deep understanding of how to hack into neuroscience to be more focused, less anxious and moody, and just be the best version of themselves they can be.

Nancy utilizes a psychodynamic approach, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), solution-focused therapy, family system dynamics, attachment theory, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT or tapping), biofeedback, meditation, guided visualization, and executive function training. As the Director of Clinical Services, Nancy teaches children, teens, adults, and parents how to maximize brain functioning in order to reduce issues or symptoms.

In the past, she has worked with abused and neglected children, adolescents facing legal action, parents with emotional and mental health issues, as well as families in crisis. Nancy has also assisted clients in negotiating the criminal and family court systems in New York City.

Nancy works exclusively with our BrainBehaviorReset™ Program clients is known for working with “failure to launch” young adults who are stuck, as well as college students who struggle with anxiety or depression. She works to develop a client’s and their family’s full potential to live their best life.

Katherine “Kate” Coffey, LCSW – Senior Level Therapist

Kate is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years of experience in clinical, agency, and school settings. Kate’s focus is on getting children, adolescents, and adults to connect to their body sensations, so they can learn how to cope with stress and become resilient to break free from the worry, stress, and activation looping. She supports individuals and families using a solution-focused, strengths-based approach, and believes that all people have the capacity to create and sustain positive change within themselves. Her therapeutic approach is holistic, compassionate and client-centered, always meeting people where they are at.

Kate has worked extensively with stress, anxiety and anxiety-related conditions, as well as trauma and abuse survivors. Her specialty is working with clients that are stuck or experienced repeated treatment failures but are ready for change. Using somatic therapy and neuroscience, Kate is able to guide her clients to use resources to make step-by-step change in our BrainBehaviorReset™ Program.

Her interest in trauma-informed therapy and supporting treatment resistant clients led her to complete 2 (of 3) years of Dr. Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing Practitioner Program, and she holds a Level 1 Certification in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. In addition, Kate is a Certified Hypnotherapist and a Reiki Master.

In her work with individuals and families, Kate utilizes ERP for OCD, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, play therapy, social skills training, parenting groups, mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques, EFT and somatic psychotherapy. She works with children, adolescents and adults who are dealing with issues related to Trauma/PTSD, Anxiety, ADHD and executive functioning, chronic medical issues, Lyme, PANS/PANDAS, self-esteem issues, depression and mood disorders, emotional dysregulation, separation/divorce, foster care/adoption and grief/loss.

Michele Bernal, LPC, CCMHC – Senior Level ERP/ OCD Therapist

Michele Bernal is a compassionate Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor who works with children, adolescents, and young adults, as well as families and supports parenting. Michele always takes a client-centered approach to meeting the client where they are at, has a holistic mindset, and is committed to helping clients explore, set, and meet achievable goals. Michele regularly supports young individuals and children with ADHD, chronic illness, including PANS/PANDAS, Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease, OCD, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and sensory issues, Anxiety and stress, Depression, grief, gender identity and LBQT, adjustment issues, developmental lags, family conflict, and who are in emotional or behavioral crisis. Michele specializes in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and has received training through the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) and MASS General Hospital.

In our BrainBehaviorReset™ Program, with kids, teens, and young adults with OCD, she uses Exposure Therapy and more specifically Exposure Response and Prevention (ERP) to address obsessions and compulsions in children and young adults. Michele gives parents the tools and training to help their child or teen, “talk back to their OCD and anxiety.” ERP takes a scientific approach that dismantles rituals, obsessions and compulsions and when combined with tools such as neurofeedback in our BBR program, is highly effective. .

Michele has extensive clinical experience in working with children and families. Strengthening family functioning with a focus on parent-child bonding, attachment, and interaction while promoting social and emotional resiliency and competence is the foundation to Michele’s clinical work.

Michele has experience providing home-based intensive outpatient treatment services, running parenting groups, as well as providing individual clinical support. Michele brings a positive and strength-based approach to her clinical work while incorporating holistic and research-based techniques found in Solution Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EFT/Tapping, psychoeducation, mindfulness, meditation, Parents as Teachers theory of change, and attachment theory.

Jennifer Smith, LMFT – Senior Level Therapist

Jennifer Smith is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with more than twenty-five years of clinical experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families. Jennifer’s specialty area is children, teens, and young adults with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), executive functioning dysfunction, learning disabilities, school issues, anxiety and behavioral disorders.

Working with parents and couples who are challenged by parenting is an area of expertise that Jennifer has helped hundreds of parents to achieve calm communication and happy families. Jennifer guides worried parents along the path to success at home and school by focusing on science-backed strategies that give parents the tools they need to create calm.

Jen is an innovative therapist who incorporates research-based approaches, including ERP for OCD, CBT, DBT, psycho-education, mindfulness, expressive art therapy, and play therapy when working with children and teens.

Jennifer uses a strength-based neuroscience-driven approach, one that provides assistance and guidance while focusing on the resources, strength, and problem-solving potentials of both the individual and family. Jennifer believes that change is possible for every child and family with hope, belief, and consistent purposeful micro actions.

Mary Beth Cooke, M. Ed.

Learning, Executive Functioning, and Behavioral Therapist

Mary Beth is a learning specialist who provides behavioral support to parents, affiliated providers, and school staff on-site at home, school, at our office, and remotely via video sessions. She is a Certified Special Education Teacher and behavioral, executive functioning, and learning specialist. Mary Beth Cooke, M. Ed. makes concrete written plans for home and school and can provide on-going support if needed. In our BrainBehaviorReset™ Program, she works with with young and school aged children and gives parents concrete tools to help children become more alert, less distracted, less impulsive, learn how to get through their school work independently, organize differently, and most importantly gain the self-confidence to get stuff done on their own without so much parent help. Mary Beth knows through two decades of experience that giving children the tools early is key to not only getting good grades and getting less calls from the principal about behavior, but for helping these bright kiddos to feel good about themselves. And what does every parent want? …A happy, successful kid! Contact us so you and your child can use what we know about the brain to turn things around.