Business Details
22 Years
experience
Your Trusted Mental Health Partner in Sarasota
Established in 2004, COPE is a collaborative mental health practice specializing in comprehensive psychological and psychiatric services for children, adolescents, and families. Our team of licensed psychologists and board-certified psychiatrists delivers evidence-based treatments, including diagnostic evaluations, medication management, and therapeutic interventions tailored to individual needs. We prioritize a nurturing environment while maintaining clinical excellence, with expertise in gifted testing, learning disabilities, ADHD, and behavioral challenges.Our services extend to school consultations and play therapy, emphasizing collaboration with families, educators, and healthcare providers. With decades of combined experience, we adhere to strict professional standards, ensuring personalized care and measurable outcomes for Gulf Coast communities.
Services
Psychological Evaluation
Psychotherapy
Psychiatric Evaluation
Medication Management
Play Therapy
School Consultation
Details
- Year established: 2004
Highlights and features
- We offer comprehensive diagnostic evaluations by licensed psychologists with school district approval.
- Our team includes board-certified child/adolescent psychiatrists for specialized care.
- We provide personalized medication management with 20-30 minute follow-up visits.
- Specialized play therapy services designed for children's emotional development.
- Approved providers for gifted testing and educational accommodations in Manatee/Sarasota counties.
Services
Psychological Evaluation
Our comprehensive psychological evaluations assess cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development for children and adolescents. Services include gifted testing, learning disability diagnosis, and ADHD assessments aligned with Florida school regulations. Evaluations determine eligibility for academic accommodations on standardized exams like SAT/ACT, ensuring accurate diagnoses for conditions such as dyslexia, autism spectrum disorders, and processing difficulties.
Psychotherapy
Individual and family therapy sessions address emotional and behavioral challenges through evidence-based approaches. Our services include play therapy for children, parent counseling, and behavioral support plans developed collaboratively with families and educators. Treatment focuses on depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and behavioral difficulties like ODD, using age-appropriate interventions to improve home and school functioning.
Psychiatric Evaluation
Comprehensive psychiatric assessments for pediatric and adult patients involve two one-hour sessions examining developmental, academic, and social factors. Diagnostic impressions guide treatment plans combining medication, psychotherapy, and school accommodations. Evaluations include family history reviews and collaboration with primary care physicians to create holistic biological/psychological/social treatment strategies.
Medication Management
Personalized medication management includes 20-30 minute follow-up appointments for monitoring treatment effects and side effects. Our psychiatrists collaborate with pediatricians and therapists to adjust prescriptions while considering family dynamics and school environments. Services emphasize informed decision-making through detailed consultations about medication options and alternative therapies.
Play Therapy
Specialized play therapy interventions help children express emotions through natural play behaviors. Therapists use toys and structured activities to address social, emotional, and behavioral challenges, translating play into therapeutic progress. This approach effectively treats anxiety, trauma, and developmental delays while involving families in supporting therapeutic outcomes through guided sessions.
People
Dr. Tara M. Files-Hall
Licensed Psychologist
Founder of COPE with 20+ years of experience in child psychology. Specializes in diagnostic evaluations, gifted testing, and evidence-based therapies. Approved provider for Sarasota/Manatee school districts.
Dr. Stephanie Lirio
Board-Certified Psychiatrist
Child/adolescent and adult psychiatrist with expertise in medication management and psychiatric evaluations. Conducts comprehensive assessments for developmental and emotional disorders while collaborating with multidisciplinary care teams.
Dr. Kimberly LaCivita
Licensed School Psychologist
Specializes in educational evaluations and school consultation services. Provides testing for learning disabilities and behavioral interventions, approved for assessments in Manatee and Sarasota county schools.
Nina Meyer
Office Manager
Manages scheduling and client communications with 10+ years of administrative experience in mental health services. Primary contact for appointment coordination and scholarship program information.
Questions
What mental health services does COPE offer for children?
We provide psychological evaluations, play therapy, psychiatric assessments, medication management, and school consultation services for children and adolescents with emotional, behavioral, and developmental needs.
How do I schedule a gifted evaluation?
Contact our office manager Nina at 941-702-9978 or email [email protected] to schedule gifted testing, which follows Florida school district regulations for eligibility determination.
Are your providers approved for school district assessments?
Yes, Dr. Files-Hall and Dr. LaCivita are approved providers for educational, psychological, and gifted evaluations in Manatee and Sarasota county school systems.
What happens during a psychiatric evaluation?
Pediatric evaluations include two one-hour sessions assessing developmental, academic, and social factors. Adults receive a one-hour comprehensive assessment to create biological/psychological/social treatment plans with family collaboration.
Do you offer play therapy for behavioral issues?
Yes, our play therapy services address emotional and behavioral difficulties in children through structured therapeutic play activities designed to improve communication and coping skills.
Can you help with ADHD diagnosis and treatment?
We conduct comprehensive ADHD evaluations and multimodal treatment plans including medication management, behavioral interventions, and school accommodations tailored to each child's needs.
