Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates

RPA’s Therapy Dog George (DOB 11/6/21) is currently in training for volunteer services at our sites and local hospital visits. Updates to come.

Chris Pagnani, MD is the Medical Director and Founder of Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates. He treats adolescents (18 +) and adults in his outpatient private practice of psychiatry. In addition to private practice, he is an Instructor at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, he supervises Interns and Medical Residents at Jefferson Hospital, and is an elected member of the Young Professionals Board for Uplift, The Center for Grieving Children. Dr. Pagnani maintains medical licenses in PA, NJ, NY, DE, MD, FL and CA.

Paula Bu, MD treats adults (18+) in her private practice and serves as a psychiatric consultant to students at Haverford College through their Counseling and Psychological Services. She is Board Certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and supervises Resident Physicians at The University of Pennsylvania. She has significant experience treating members of people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and college/grad students. In addition to medication management, she is available for psychotherapy that is individualized to your needs.

Lauren M. Carone, M.A. has dedicated over a decade to improving quality of and access to care by providing therapy and clinical supervision within the mental health and addictions field.

Karen Chen, PMHNP, treats adolescents ages 18+ and adults with depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, PMDD, bipolar disorder, and more. She is also a Clinical Instructor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and co-chair of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association’s Southeast Pennsylvania region.

Richard D’Amato, CRNP is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, with training and experience treating patients with various psychiatric disorders across the lifespan.

Cara Gouldey, CRNP is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, who offers telehealth and in-person treatment for adults and adolescents in the Center City Philadelphia office. She is accepting new patients at this time. Cara is trained across the spectrum of psychiatric diagnoses, and she specializes in the management of depression, anxiety (generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder), and ADHD.

Kimberly Joffe is a psychiatric nurse practitioner who treats ages eighteen and up in her outpatient private practice of psychiatry in Paoli, PA.  She is currently a clinical preceptor for psychiatric nurse practitioner students for The University of Pennsylvania.  In addition to outpatient private practice, Kim also works at Chester County Hospital, a Penn Medicine entity, treating patients with a wide array of psychiatric emergencies in addition to psychiatric illness with medical comorbidities.

Tammy Lafferty, CRNP is dual Board Certified as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. She provides holistic treatment to her patients and can treat individuals with various medical comorbidities.

Erica Liebman, Psy.D. is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Pennsylvania. She works with adults and couples who are navigating difficulties including but not limited to relational distress, trauma, depression and anxiety. Her approach is to lead with non-judgment and gentle curiosity, sprinkled with moments of humor. Dr. Liebman aims to make the process of therapy feel like a rewarding process of increasing self-awareness.

Ms. Mendelovich completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and a Master’s Degree in Health Administration. She participates in ongoing specialized training in the addictions and Mental Health fields. She brings over 25 years of clinical experience across a variety of settings including detoxification, inpatient hospitalization and outpatient programs offering individual and group therapy. Sonya is a trainer and speaker on the Recovery Oriented System of Care in collaboration with Philadelphia’s DBHIDS.

Elizabeth, a two-time graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, has approximately a decade of experience in the mental health field. She provides a holistic approach, treats patients aged 18 and up via telehealth in PA and NJ. She has special interest in treating students and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Dr. Muzere is dual board-certified in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (her focus) and Adult Psychiatry as well. Dr. Muzere works with the child and family to determine the cause of emotional and behavioral challenges and assess potential biological, social, and psychological contributing factors. She collaborates with the child and family to create an individualized treatment plan incorporating evidence-based medication management and therapy. She also collaborates with therapists, schools, and Pediatricians to optimize care of patients.

Nicole Palaio, MS, LPC is a licensed clinical therapist in Pennsylvania. Nicole is passionate about working with adolescents and adults using evidence-based therapeutic techniques, including: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Trauma-informed interventions to assist with improved emotion regulation, interpersonal and communication skills, self-concept, and self-worth.

Chandani Patel, MA, LPC is a licensed clinical therapist in Pennsylvania providing individual therapy to adults (18+) at our Center City Philadelphia location and virtually via telemedicine. She treats a variety of psychological struggles including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, PTSD/ Traumatic stress, life transitions, cultural adjustment, attachment and relationship distress.

Jessica M. Plocher, CRNP has over a decade of experience working in the mental health field, including working as a mental health resource specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) 2003-2008, working at The Johns Hopkins Hospital for the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in both clinical and supervisor roles and serving as an Instructor at The University of Pennsylvania.

Angelo Rannazzisi, Psy.D. is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Pennsylvania. Dr Rannazzisi utilizes evidence-based treatments to help guide patients towards positive change and address a range of emotional, behavioral and adjustment problems. Specifically, Dr Rannazzisi treats adults and adolescents utilizing a combination of Motivational interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Rachel Reis, CRNP, has over a decade of experience providing compassionate, evidence-based care to patients and their families, helping them achieve mental and physical wellness and ultimately, optimal quality of life. Her experiences as a provider in outpatient psychiatry and as a nurse in inpatient and emergency psychiatry, critical care and healthcare epidemiology, have served to provide Ms. Reis with an intimate understanding of the human experience and a genuine, empathic approach to the treatment of psychiatric conditions.

Helen Rice, CRNP provides patient-centered, holistic, and evidence-based care to patients (ages 18+), specializing in the treatment of Mood Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, ADHD, and more. In addition to psychiatric evaluation and medication management, she specializes in Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) for the treatment of chronic pain and medically unexplained conditions (see PRT page for further detail).

Thomas Scary, MD, MA is an Adult Psychiatrist who is Board Certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He received his bachelors from NYU, his medical degree from Temple University, and he trained in Psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center, serving as Chief Resident among his peers. He treats patients for mood disorders, anxiety disorders, ADHD and other psychiatric struggles.

Loretta Sernekos, PhD, CRNP, is an Advanced Senior Lecturer at The University of Pennsylvania and the 2023 recipient of the prestigious University of Pennsylvania Provost award, given to one lecturer University Wide in all of the Health Science departments at Penn (Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine) each year. In addition to teaching, she provides holistic, empathic, and evidence-based care to her patients at Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates. Her prior experience as a nurse practitioner in outpatient primary care informs her thinking regarding psychiatric conditions and their relationship to the whole person’s physical and emotional health. She practices evidence-based care in the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric conditions, as well as other medical conditions.

Kristine V. Spano, Psy.D. is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Pennsylvania. Dr. Spano treats clients 18 years of age and up, in her private practice at Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates. As a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist, her primary goal is to help clients understand the interdependency of thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Along with CBT, she utilizes mindfulness-based and trauma-informed interventions that emphasize the mind-body connection. In addition to her private practice, Dr. Spano serves as The Director of Psychotherapy at Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates.

Additional states Dr. Spano serves listed in full bio.

Rosemarie Vickery, CRNP has over 30 years of nursing experience. She provides medication management and therapy for individuals struggling with various mental health disorders including anxiety, depression and ADHD. She additionally has over 10 years of experience providing care for individuals struggling with eating disorders.

Elizabeth Wray, CRNP, is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, with experience treating patients of all ages. Prior to becoming a nurse practitioner, Ms. Wray worked as a registered nurse in multiple settings, including a psychiatric emergency department, psychiatric inpatient facility, and psychiatric medical/surgical unit. This unique combination of experience has shaped Ms. Wray’s practice in the holistic treatment of Mood Disorders (such as Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder), Anxiety Disorders (including PTSD and Generalized Anxiety Disorder), as well as ADHD and other psychiatric disorders.

Dr. Yeo is an American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology board certified psychiatrist who specializes in both Child & Adolescent Psychiatry as well as Adult Psychiatry. She offers evidence-based treatment that is individualized to the unique needs of each patient with psychotherapy and medication management. She has experience working with all ages from school aged children to older adults, often coordinates with other providers to ensure comprehensive and integrated care, and is proficient in treating medically complex patients and those who suffer from multiple psychiatric diagnoses.

John Dougherty, III DO trained in Psychiatry at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and is Board Certified in Both Adult Psychiatry and Family Medicine. He serves as a collaborator for the Nurse Practitioners of Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates and maintains his own private practice in West Chester, PA.

James Yi, MD PhD trained in Adult Psychiatry at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He has served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at The University of Pennsylvania, lectured both Nationally and Internationally and has over a dozen publications. He serves as a collaborator for the Nurse Practitioners of Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates and maintains his own private practice in Blue Bell, PA.