Specialising in translating psychological science into practical strategies that support children, families, educators, and organizations.
About
Practice Areas
Psychological Science & Everyday Practice
Through evidence-based programs, consultation, and practical resources, I help individuals, families, and organizations better understand human behavior and build skills that promote resilience, connection, and growth.
Children, Adolescents & Families
Educational & Neurodevelopmental Advisory
Core Areas
Cognitive & Executive Function Coaching
- Core Focus: Moving beyond standard subject tutoring to target underlying cognitive processes—including working memory, processing speed, task initiation, organization, self-monitoring, metacognition, and cognitive stamina.
Private Family Consultation & Guidance
- Includes: Document and testing review, 1-on-1 strategy sessions, and actionable home/school recommendations.
- Format: Virtual or In-Person (Inquire for rates and availability)
Educational & Assessment Advisory
- Includes: Independent record analysis, school team collaboration, and targeted programming recommendations.
Organizations & Systems
Family Strategy & Child-Centered Mediation
Core Areas:
Child-Centered Dispute Resolution & Family Mediation
- Why This Approach Is Different: Integrates deep child development expertise and personality-aware dynamics to resolve the underlying psychological friction driving the conflict.
- Child-Centered Strategy: Builds custom frameworks based on the child's true developmental and processing needs, eliminating unnecessary aggravation for the whole family.
- Attorney & Court Collaboration: Partners directly with family law attorneys, guardians ad litem, and court professionals to step into high-impasse cases and offer fresh, evidence-informed solutions.
- Bespoke Relational Tools: Designs customized, meaningful frameworks—not generic checklists—that infuse immediate relief, de-escalate tension, and preserve dignity for both parents and children.
- Flexible Engagement: Available for individual parent strategy sessions, joint collaborative mediation, or direct consultation within legal office settings.
Schools & Educators
Applied Psychological Science & Systems Design
Core Areas:
School & Organizational Consulting
- Includes: Interactive workshops, systems consultation, and curriculum alignment.
- Translational Science & Framework Development: Converting developmental research into practical, everyday tools.
- Organizational Development & Culture: Advising systems, teams, and communities on human behavior and group dynamics.
- Professional Education & Workshops: Evidence-based training programs for clinicians, educators, and caregiver groups.
In situations where my child previously reacted emotionally, he now stops, reflects, and explains the reasoning behind his decisions.
Kristen’s ability to bring out the best in people is unparalleled. Her leadership training is not just about improving skills, it’s about building and transforming mindsets.
I’ve gained the confidence I needed to thrive. An immeasurable impact on my parenting and career.
Her reputation as an influencer and coach is underscored.
My son is more motivated and engaged. He no longer isolates himself in his room.
My daughter now proposes the solutions but she used to be defensive - all the time.
Both of my children became more successful and more emotionally mature.
My daughter has stopped blaming everyone else. Family life feels calmer and more connected.
Arguments that previously escalated into shouting are resolve with logical discussions.
My child thinks more carefully before making decisions.
Participants learn to respond more thoughtfully to everyday situations.
Kristen has a rare ability to take dense psychoeducational data and make it usable for the people who actually need it
This program helped my son think more clearly, regulate his emotions, and make better decisions.
Kristen brings a rare combination to high-conflict cases: she's warm enough that both parties trust her in the room, but disciplined enough that neither side can pull her off course.
It has strengthened my daughter's skills in every way.
What I remember most isn't the report - it's that I felt like she actually listened. Even when the process was hard, I trusted that she was being fair to everyone involved, not just telling us what we wanted to hear. That mattered more than I expected it to.
My son shows far better judgment. We are incredibly grateful.
When I've run out of options on a case, Kristen finds one I hadn't considered, usually by going back to what the child actually needs instead of what either parent wants. I've referred her several cases for exactly this reason, and it's worked every time.
We were stuck for months, and every option just turned into another fight. Kristen asked about our kid, not about us. What she came back with wasn't a compromise; it was just right. We both knew it the moment we heard it.
Our disagreements no longer escalate into chaos and overwhelm.
Kristen treats deadlock as information, not failure. When parties are stuck, it's usually because every option is built around their positions, not the child's needs. She re-anchors the conversation there, and that's often what breaks the impasse.
Dr. Nolfi's evaluations are some of the more decision-ready reports I've reviewed. They are well-organized, evidence-based, and free of unnecessary clinical jargon.
Her course evaluations consistently reflected that students felt better prepared for fieldwork after her classes.
The emotional meltdowns and constant escalation no longer control our home.
Dr. Nolfi is clearly experienced in translating complex behavioral and developmental information. Her recommendations are grounded, and she's very mindful of the impact her findings have on the families involved.
After years of struggle and working with multiple professionals, we finally began seeing change in our daughter. She's calmer, more thoughtful, and happier.
In situations where my child previously reacted emotionally, he now stops, reflects, and explains the reasoning behind his decisions.
Kristen’s ability to bring out the best in people is unparalleled. Her leadership training is not just about improving skills, it’s about building and transforming mindsets.
I’ve gained the confidence I needed to thrive. An immeasurable impact on my parenting and career.
Her reputation as an influencer and coach is underscored.
My son is more motivated and engaged. He no longer isolates himself in his room.
My daughter now proposes the solutions but she used to be defensive - all the time.
Both of my children became more successful and more emotionally mature.
My daughter has stopped blaming everyone else. Family life feels calmer and more connected.
Arguments that previously escalated into shouting are resolve with logical discussions.
My child thinks more carefully before making decisions.
Participants learn to respond more thoughtfully to everyday situations.
Kristen has a rare ability to take dense psychoeducational data and make it usable for the people who actually need it
This program helped my son think more clearly, regulate his emotions, and make better decisions.
Kristen brings a rare combination to high-conflict cases: she's warm enough that both parties trust her in the room, but disciplined enough that neither side can pull her off course.
It has strengthened my daughter's skills in every way.
What I remember most isn't the report - it's that I felt like she actually listened. Even when the process was hard, I trusted that she was being fair to everyone involved, not just telling us what we wanted to hear. That mattered more than I expected it to.
My son shows far better judgment. We are incredibly grateful.
When I've run out of options on a case, Kristen finds one I hadn't considered, usually by going back to what the child actually needs instead of what either parent wants. I've referred her several cases for exactly this reason, and it's worked every time.
We were stuck for months, and every option just turned into another fight. Kristen asked about our kid, not about us. What she came back with wasn't a compromise; it was just right. We both knew it the moment we heard it.
Our disagreements no longer escalate into chaos and overwhelm.
Kristen treats deadlock as information, not failure. When parties are stuck, it's usually because every option is built around their positions, not the child's needs. She re-anchors the conversation there, and that's often what breaks the impasse.
Dr. Nolfi's evaluations are some of the more decision-ready reports I've reviewed. They are well-organized, evidence-based, and free of unnecessary clinical jargon.
Her course evaluations consistently reflected that students felt better prepared for fieldwork after her classes.
The emotional meltdowns and constant escalation no longer control our home.
Dr. Nolfi is clearly experienced in translating complex behavioral and developmental information. Her recommendations are grounded, and she's very mindful of the impact her findings have on the families involved.
After years of struggle and working with multiple professionals, we finally began seeing change in our daughter. She's calmer, more thoughtful, and happier.
References: on LinkedIn under “Honors and Awards”
Resume
KRISTEN NOLFI, Ed.D.
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
CORE EXPERTISE & COMPETENCIES
- Psychological & Educational Assessment: Cognitive, Neurodevelopmental, Executive Functioning, & Psychoeducational Evaluations, & Autism Diagnostic Teams (ADOS-2 / ADI-R)
- Specialized Family Mediation: Child-Centered Dispute Resolution, Co-Parenting Frameworks, & Consultation
- Family Court & Litigation Support: Motion & Memorandum Drafting Support, Case Analysis, & Professional Witness Testimony
- Student Coaching & Intervention: Cognitive-Behavior, Working Memory, Processing Speed, Self-Regulation, & ADHD Strategy
- Systems & Organizational Leadership: Authored District Dyslexia Manual-Policy based, District SEL Design, Educator Professional Development, Educator Professional Development, De-Escalation/Crisis Prevention, Trauma-Informed Practice, Supervised University of Massachusetts school psychology interns
- Multi-System Navigation: Forensic Mental Health, K-12 Special Education (IEP/504), Pediatric Healthcare, & Judicial/Court Collaboration
SELECTED CAREER HIGHLIGHTS & IMPACT
Clinical Evaluation & Case Conceptualization
- Administered and interpreted over 2,000 comprehensive psychoeducational and diagnostic evaluations for children, adolescents, and young adults facing complex learning, autism, behavioral, and emotional challenges.
- Translated dense clinical data into actionable, strengths-based recommendations for families, school teams, and multidisciplinary service providers.
Dispute Resolution & Child and Family Forensic Consultation
- Developed a specialized, child-centered mediation framework that bridges psychological assessment with high-conflict family law, helping attorneys and parents break legal gridlocks by anchoring decisions in the child’s developmental needs.
- Completed post-graduate studies in Child and Family Forensics, providing consultation across developmental, educational, legal, and institutional systems.
Cognitive Coaching & Systemic SEL Practice
- Designed and delivered targeted, 1-on-1 executive functioning and cognitive processing strategies to help neurodivergent students (ADHD, NVLD, Autism, processing differences) build sustainable academic habits and confidence.
- Advised school leadership and district teams on social-emotional learning (SEL) integration, trauma-informed practices, and evidence-based instructional methodologies.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Provide independent educational, executive function, and developmental consultation to families, school districts, and family law attorneys.
- Conduct bespoke family strategy sessions, record/evaluation reviews, and child-centered co-parenting dispute resolution.
- Conducted diagnostic intakes, brief evaluations, interventions, and mental health risk assessments within correctional and health setting.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary medical and security teams to support client stabilization, treatment planning, and re-entry programming.
- Led multidisciplinary evaluation teams, conducted comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations, and collaborated on legally compliant IEP/504 intervention plans across broad student demographics.
- Partnered with educators, administrators, and parents to design behavioral intervention plans (BIPs), SEL curricula, and classroom accommodations.
- Facilitated district intervention, school climate initiatives, and professional development for staff on neurodiversity and learning differences.
- District Policy Leadership: Served as Chairperson for the district task force responsible for authoring and implementing the comprehensive District Dyslexia Guidelines and evaluation manuals in accordance with state regulations.
- Multidisciplinary Autism Diagnostic Specialist: Served as a core member of Autism Assessment Teams, utilizing gold-standard diagnostic instruments (ADOS-2 / ADI-R) to evaluate complex neurodevelopmental profiles.
- Taught secondary English language arts, developing lesson plans, classroom dynamics, student engagement, and instructional design.
EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational PsychologyAmerican International College | 2006, Doctoral Research: ADHD and Parental Knowledge & Understanding
- Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) in School Psychology & Special Education
- Master of Arts (M.A.) in School Psychology & Special Education
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Teaching & Psychology Western New England University
Advanced Specialized Post-Graduate Training
- Child and Family Forensics Training | Center of Excellence for Children, Families and the Law | William James College
- Massachusetts Probate and Family Court Standing Order 1-17 Qualifications: Parenting Coordination | Massachusetts Framework Standards
- Trained Mediator 40-Hours | Affordable Mediation
- Trained Family Mediator 40-Hours | Alternative Dispute Resolution & Co-Parenting
- Advanced Emotional Intelligence Certification | Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
- Overcoming Barriers 30-Hours | Parent-Child Interventions