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Rothman Center for Neuropsychiatry

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The Rothman Center for Pediatric Neuropsychiatry at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and the University of South Florida features programs to help children with a wide range of psychiatric, behavioral and neurocognitive conditions. The Rothman Center is a Tourette Association of America Center of Excellence.

Comprehensive Evaluation

Our clinic provides comprehensive psychiatric, behavioral and neurocognitive evaluations to:

  • Help the clinician fully understand an individual’s concerns
  • Assist with diagnosing psychiatric, behavioral and learning problems
  • Inform appropriate treatment recommendations

Psychiatric evaluations consist of a detailed medical history, neurological examination, and an interview with the individual and his or her family to assess psychosocial functioning. This clinic offers expertise and consultation on the role of immune function and nutrition in neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Please call 727-767-8230 and request a telephone intake. An expert physician and/or psychologist will review your information and we will schedule the appropriate service(s) shortly. Please have prior records available to help us best determine the most appropriate level of care.

Your first visit will be a diagnostic/initial evaluation so that we can discuss various treatment options with you. We view this initial appointment as an opportunity for you to get to know us, as well – it is our aim for you to understand all decisions we make regarding you/your child’s care.

For out-of-town families considering services (in particular, our intensive program), one of our doctors can discuss the Rothman Center’s programs with you in detail prior to scheduling.

We are offering treatment for Florida residents via telehealth during the COVID-19 Crisis.

Treatment Programs

  • Tic disorders
  • Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Asperger's syndrome
  • Autism spectrum disorders
  • Depression
  • Tourette's syndrome
  • Trichotillomania (hair pulling)
  • Skin picking
  • Body dysmorphic disorder
  • Learning disabilities
  • Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (medical services)
  • School refusal
  • Generalized anxiety disorder & separation anxiety
  • PANS (Pediatric Acute Neuropsychiatric Syndrome)
  • PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcus)
  • Phobias
  • Prader-Willi syndrome
  • Stereotypic movement disorder
  • Misophonia
  • Food refusal
 

Contact Information

To schedule an appointment or to learn more about the Rothman Center, contact us at:

Phone: 727-767-8230
Fax: 727-767-7786
Email: rothmanctr@usf.edu

Location

We are located in St. Petersburg, Florida, on the Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital campus.

The Rothman Center is on the 4th floor of the 601 Tower of the Bayfront Medical Plaza. We are at 601 7th St. S, Suite 425, St. Petersburg, FL, 33701.

Parking is in the West Garage, or there is free valet. There are meters to the north side of the building (for a fee). It is about a 2-minute drive or 7-minute walk from our former location at Johns Hopkins All Children's.

Meet Our Staff

Tanya K. Murphy, M.D.

Dr. Murphy is a professor of pediatrics at USF Health and holds the Maurice A. and Thelma P. Rothman Endowed Chair in Developmental Pediatrics with a joint appointment in the University of South Florida Department of Psychiatry since 2008.

After graduating from the College of Medicine at the University of Florida, Dr. Murphy stayed at UF to complete her residency in general psychiatry and fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry. As a member of the Department of Psychiatry faculty, she served as director of the UF Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Program, director of the UF Child Anxiety & Tic Disorder Clinic, and medical director for the UF Autism Unit. From 2005-2008 she was chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UF.

Dr. Murphy is board-certified in psychiatry and child psychiatry. She also holds a Master of Science in clinical investigation. She has received several major grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and has more than 275 publications. Her current research focuses on understanding the role of infections and the immune system in the onset of childhood psychiatric disorders and pharmacological and psychological treatments for Tourette's syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Dr. Murphy is a member of the National Tourette Syndrome Association Medical Advisory Board and the International Obsessive Compulsive Foundation Scientific Advisory Board. She is a member of numerous professional organizations including the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, the Movement Disorders Society, the American College of Psychiatrists, the American Neuropsychiatric Association and Biological Psychiatry. She has been named as a top doctor in pediatric psychiatry by U.S. News & World Report.

Betty Horng, Ph.D.

Dr. Horng is a clinical associate professor with the University of South Florida and licensed clinical psychologist. She specializes in the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as other primary anxiety disorders such as social phobia, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. She earned her Ph.D. in clinical Ppsychology from Binghamton University (a State University of New York). Dr. Horng completed her internship at the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania, followed by a two-year, post-doctoral fellowship at the St. Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute in which she acquired specialized training in the treatment of anxiety disorders in an intensive outpatient setting.

Adam B. Lewin, Ph.D., ABPP

Dr. Lewin is a tenured professor and interim division chief of Pediatric Neuropsychiatry. He is the program director for the USF Rothman Center and the OCD, Anxiety and Related Disorders Program. His primary appointment is with the Department of Pediatrics at the University of South Florida with a joint appointment in psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences. He holds courtesy appointments as a professor in psychology at USF and USF St. Petersburg. Dr. Lewin is the director of the Tourette Association of America Center of Excellence.

Dr. Lewin is board certified in child and adolescent psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. Dr. Lewin specializes in OCD, anxiety, misophonia, Tourette/tic, trichotillomania and developmental disorders. Dr. Lewin evaluates both pediatric and adult patients for assessment/evaluation for cognitive-behavioral treatment of OCD, anxiety and habit reversal therapy for tic spectrum disorders, skin picking, and hair pulling/trichotillomania. Dr. Lewin has previously worked with youth with poor adherence and anxiety related to type 1 diabetes and has volunteered with the Florida Diabetes Camp since 1992.

Dr. Lewin received his Ph.D. in clinical and health psychology from the University of Florida in 2007. Subsequently, Dr. Lewin completed his clinical residency and a postdoctoral National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) research fellowship (in psychology and behavioral neuroscience) at the Semel Institute for Neuropsychiatry and Human Behavior at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Dr. Lewin's research activities focus on obsessive-compulsive spectrum (including Tourette syndrome/tic disorders, misophonia) and anxiety disorders. Dr. Lewin has received research funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Tourette Syndrome Association, the Ream Foundation, NARSAD (now the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation), Joseph Drown Foundation and Friends of the Semel Institute, International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) and the University of South Florida Research Foundation. He was a 2012-13 NIMH Child Intervention, Prevention and Services (CHIPS) fellow and was the 2007-2008 Friends of the Semel Institute fellow. Dr. Lewin has approximately 200 peer-reviewed publications and is on the editorial board for four scientific journals. He is an associate editor for Child Psychiatry and Human Development and the Journal of Child and Family Studies. He served as the member-at-large for Education and Standards for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology – American Psychological Association Division 53. He is the examination coordinator for the Board of Directors of the American Board of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Jane Mutch, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Dr. Mutch is a certified speech-language pathologist with more than 20 years of experience working with children, with a special emphasis in the areas of autism, social skills development, language-learning disabilities and written language disorders. She is the coordinator of several research studies. Dr. Mutch is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics.

Omar Rahman, Ph.D.

Dr. Rahman is a clinical associate professor specializing in habit reversal training for trichotillomania (hair pulling) as well as cognitive behavioral therapy to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder. In December 2008 he received a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Purdue University. Dr. Rahman completed his residency at the University of Florida and his fellowship at the USF Rothman Center. Dr. Rahman also has worked extensively with children with OCD, tics, hair pulling, disruptive behavior disorders and anxiety disorders.

Justyna Wojas, M.D.

Dr. Wojas is a clinical associate professor and acting medical director of the USF Rothman Center. Dr. Wojas completed her general psychiatry residency and child psychiatry fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital/ University of Miami program. Dr. Wojas is board certified in general psychiatry and board eligible in child psychiatry. She completed her internship at Hennepin-Regions Psychiatry Program in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota.

Dr. Wojas participates in a variety of research projects/ clinical trials and sees patients in the outpatient clinic. Dr. Wojas also runs the Pediatric Consult Line service that provides primary care providers with telephone consultation with mental health experts. Dr. Wojas’s interests include integration of psychiatry in primary care setting, anxiety, OCD, Tourette/tic, skin picking, trichotillomania, ADHD, and developmental disorders, as well as PANS/PANDAS.

Allison Kennel-Besselieu, APRN, MSN

Allison Kennel-Besselieu is a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner at the University of South Florida Rothman Center. Kennel-Besselieu completed her undergraduate nursing studies at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, and her Master of Science in nursing at the University of South Florida. She is pursuing a certification as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner through Florida State University.  Kennel-Besselieu sees patients for medication management up to age 21 and participates in clinical trials at the Rothman Center as a sub-investigator and research nurse. She specializes in anxiety disorders, tic disorders, ADHD, trichotillomania, and PANDAS.

Psychology Services

Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Program

Program Director: Adam B. Lewin, Ph.D., ABPP
Faculty: Betty Horng, Ph.D., Omar Rahman, Ph.D., and psychology fellows

Behavioral Treatment Program

Our team offers psychotherapy for OCD, anxiety, Tourette/tics, misophonia, phobias, hair pulling/trichotillomania, skin picking and related disorders. Sessions are individual/family and are generally weekly but can be adjusted based on individual factors and clinician guidance.

A consultation appointment is conducted first to determine if our services are a good match. Our focus is on child/adolescent although we do see some adults who fit our subspecialty. Our team coordinates closely with the medical providers. Our focus is on cognitive behavioral therapy and other evidence-based care.  

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD

We specialize in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for OCD. CBT is mainly based on two principals: 1) exposure and response prevention, and 2) cognitive therapy. Exposure is described as having the patient face his or her fear. Response prevention follows exposure and involves the patient with OCD refraining from engaging in repetitive, compulsive activities often performed to ease anxiety. Cognitive exercises teach the patient to challenge his/her thought processes. This approach has strong research support.

Our program is all out-patient and offers weekly and intensive treatment options. All therapy is individual (1:1 with your provider) – typically conducted in the context of the family. Parents and family members are integral to maximizing outcomes and we aim to include family members in treatment sessions.

For youth, we focus on training parents to understand and implement exposure and response prevention. Parents and children (and family members if appropriate) are included extensively in determining the treatment plan and throughout the treatment process. With parents, our approach is based on a “Parent as Therapist” model. In other words, we believe that if parents know the theory, nature, and treatment of OCD, then they will be effective figures in maintaining gains and preventing relapse. This education starts in the initial evaluation with the child and his or her family where we provide extensive education about OCD and CBT. For adults, we welcome inclusion of spouses, adult children, or parents with permission from the patient.

Intensive Program: The average duration of treatment in the intensive program is 3 weeks. However, there is usually flexibility to extend in many cases. Some patients elect to seek a shorter duration which can be arranged. The initial visit consists of a diagnostic and problem-focused assessment to best guide treatment. Thereafter, sessions are held once daily, Monday through Friday (except holidays) ranging from 45-75 minutes. A substantial amount of homework (to complete outside of their scheduled therapy sessions) rounds out the program.

In addition to the CBT/behavioral treatment program, the USF Rothman Center has extensive physician services that can be arranged separately (please see below). Medication management is neither required nor included in the intensive behavioral treatment program. In some cases, we may recommend physician consultation due to severity, risk or co-occurring problems that may impede CBT. Out-of-state patients will be considered on a case-by-case basis but not over telehealth.

Who should consider intensive treatment?

We generally recommend intensive treatment for patients who do not have access to local providers with expertise in CBT for OCD. Additionally, intensive treatment may be appropriate for individuals who have not responded to at least one course of CBT with exposure and response prevention. Greater severity might suggest the need for intensive treatment – however, many patients with severe OCD respond to weekly treatment.

For patients whose lives are severely disrupted by OCD (for example, not going to work/school), daily sessions in the intensive treatment may be recommended to potentially speed recovery. If it becomes a concern that a patient cannot safely participate in intensive or weekly outpatient CBT, we can discuss referrals for inpatient or residential treatment. Particularly in the case for local families, our experts can discuss the advantages of intensive vs. weekly CBT during your initial evaluation appointment.

Is a once daily visit "intensive" enough?

Advantages of our program:

  • 1:1 therapy (not group-based)
  • Doctoral level therapists conduct sessions (if desired, on a limited basis trainee therapists may be available for discounted rates/study-based options)
  • Individualized program, based on the specific needs patient/family
  • Housed within a leading academic research center with expertise in OCD spectrum disorders
  • Clinicians have expertise working with PANS/PANDAS
  • Providers have expertise in Tourette/tics, autism and other comorbidities
  • Billed as individual/family daily therapy sessions, reducing cost

Other Behavioral Services:

Habit Reversal Therapy:

Habit reversal therapy (HRT) consists of awareness, generalization, and competing response training, and contingency management. At the Rothman Center, we use HRT to treat tic disorders (including Tourette syndrome), hair pulling (trichotillomania), and skin-picking. Our faculty have expertise in HRT and the comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT). Week-long intensive outpatient programs of HRT (as well as standard once-weekly sessions) for hair pulling disorder is available under the leadership of expert Omar Rahman, Ph.D., and our team of therapists. The Rothman Center at USF is a Tourette Syndrome Association Center of Excellence.

Medical Services

Team: Dr. Justyna Wojas; Dr. Tanya Murphy; Allison Kennel-Besselieu, APRN, MSN; and psychiatry child and adolescent fellows

The Rothman Center offers specialty physician services which may include consultations, diagnostics, and medication management. Our medical team has expertise in OCD spectrum disorders, Tourette syndrome, autism, and PANS/PANDAS.

Evaluations: Psychiatric evaluations consist of a detailed medical history, neurological examination, and an interview with individual and his or her family to assess psychosocial functioning. The Rothman Center Physicians are one of the few academic groups in the world with expertise in PANS/PANDAS, immune function and nutrition in neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Medical management: If medical treatments are needed, the clinician will aim to minimize side effects and maximize treatment effectiveness. Diagnostic testing may be ordered/performed such as rating scales, interviews, laboratory assessments, cultures, MRIs (externally) and EEGs (externally). Additional medical specialty referral may be facilitated if needed.

Fees and Accommodations

Our services are covered by many private insurance companies. Psychologist and physician services are billed separately if both are received. Unfortunately, Medicaid does not cover services by psychologists in Florida. We do offer a discount for people paying out of pocket and may also have research studies in which people can participate. Our psychotherapy is billed as individual/family psychotherapy sessions, rather than as a program, reducing cost. Please contact our financial specialist at 727-767-8230 for questions regarding insurance/cost.

There are ample affordable accommodations for our out-of-town families. Families often stay at the Ronald McDonald House, which is within walking distance to our facility. Families must request availability from the Ronald McDonald House in advance. There is also an extended stay suite (Staybridge Suites) with in-room cooking facilities within walking distance (request the USF rate). Details can be provided by our office.

Our programs serve people from all over the world. We have had families come from Europe, Asia, and South America to receive treatment, as well as many from most of the states in the U.S. Many families utilize the Ronald McDonald House while others take advantage of many lodging options available in the Tampa Bay area, a tourist destination with numerous hotels and extended stay options. Many families opt to stay at the beach communities approximately 15 minutes west. We are approximately 25 minutes from Tampa International Airport or St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport.