Katherine Forbes-Smith, DNP, FNP-BC

Founder and President

Dr. Katherine Forbes-Smith is the Founder and President of The Well, A Center for Hope and Healing. A family nurse practitioner with more than 25 years of experience in pediatric primary and behavioral health care, Katherine is passionate about caring for children, adolescents, adults, and families to achieve lasting health by caring for the whole person.

Throughout her career, Katherine has been inspired by the science of whole-person health and the growing body of evidence demonstrating that physical health is deeply influenced by emotional well-being, relationships, life experiences, environment, and, for many individuals, spirituality and faith. Her years in primary care have reinforced the importance of looking beyond symptoms to understand each person's unique story, strengths, and circumstances. She believes the most effective care integrates biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors into an individualized plan that reflects the whole person. This philosophy led her to found The Well in 2009 as a nonprofit center where evidence-based clinical care, behavioral health, and complementary wellness services are integrated to support healing, resilience, and long-term well-being.

Over her career, Katherine has developed specialized expertise in child and adolescent health, behavioral medicine, family wellness, and parent guidance. Her clinical practice and doctoral training have reinforced the importance of understanding health through a biopsychosocial-spiritual lens, recognizing that physical health, emotional well-being, relationships, life experiences, and personal beliefs are deeply interconnected. She works collaboratively with individuals and families to develop individualized, evidence-informed plans of care that address the full range of factors influencing health, resilience, and lifelong well-being. She considers it a privilege to walk alongside families during some of life's most challenging and transformative seasons.

In addition to her leadership at The Well, Katherine is a family nurse practitioner, primary care provider, and owner at Bridgewater Pediatrics, where she has practiced since 2001. She earned her undergraduate degree from Gordon College, completed her graduate nursing education at Boston College, and earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She is also a member of the Pediatric Physicians’ Organization at Boston Children's Hospital.

Katherine and her husband, Karl, have raised three daughters in the Bridgewater community. Outside of work, she finds joy in traveling, reading, skiing, music, and dancing—especially in her kitchen! Most of all, she treasures time spent with the wonderful community of family and friends who fill her life with love, meaning, and joy.