Episode 9: Interview with Nancy Roosa about the Evaluation Process

Nancy Roosa, Psy.D. has been engaged in providing neuropsychological evaluations for children since 1997. She enjoys working with a range of children, particularly those with autism spectrum disorders, as well as children with attentional issues, executive function deficits, anxiety disorders, learning disabilities, or other social, emotional or behavioral problems.

Dr. Roosa’s evaluations are highly-individualized and comprehensive, integrating data obtained from a wide range of standardized assessment tools with information gained from history, input from parents, teachers and providers, and important observations gleaned from interacting with the child. Her approach to testing is playful and supportive.

Her evaluations are particularly useful for children with complex profiles and those whose presentations do not fit neatly into any one diagnostic box.

As part of this process, Dr. Roosa is frequently engaged in school visits, IEP Team Meetings, home observations and phone consultations with collateral providers.

Dr. Roosa has also consulted with several area schools, either about individual children or about programmatic concerns. She speaks to parent or school groups, upon request.

Dr. Roosa values the process of ongoing training. She has been trained in the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule and Collaborative Problem Solving techniques. She regularly works with behavioral therapists, developmental psychologists, speech language therapists, occupational therapists and other providers to coordinate a child’s treatment.

Dr. Roosa began her work with children in 1980, with an internship at Bradley Hospital in Providence R.I. She has also worked at several Boston area hospitals, youth guidance centers, college counseling centers and community mental health centers.

She graduated from Brown University with a degree in Neural Science and then completed her graduate work at Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. Her dissertation was entitled: Parenting a Child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Making Meaning when the Experts Disagree.

Dr. Roosa is a member of Massachusetts Neuropsychological Association, Massachusetts Psychological Association, and The American Psychological Association.

Dr. Roosa is most proud of her own two children, who are growing up much too quickly and continually finding creative ways to challenge her own parenting skills along the way. You can find Nancy on FaceBook, LinkdIn or email her at [email protected].