CLINICAL SERVICES

Neuropsychological Testing and Assessment

When a child, adolescent or young adult is experiencing academic and/or emotional challenges at school, work, or home, a psychological or neuropsychological assessment can provide helpful diagnostic information for support plans. Our therapist specializes in assessment of ADHD/ADD, Dyslexia and other Specific Learning Disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, adjustment disorders, and stress-related disorders.

A comprehensive assessment provides information about how brain processes affect behavior, particularly in learning situations and family dynamics, while also revealing both areas of strength and areas of specific challenges. 

Neuropsychological evaluation is tailored to the individual client and is efficient, thorough, and flexible. When recent assessment has been done elsewhere, a partial battery of tests may be used to clarify diagnosis and address remaining questions. Following completion of testing, a written report of clear findings and practical recommendations are shared at a feedback session.

Specializations:

  • Learning Disorders - Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia

  • ADHD

  • Mood Disorder

  • Anxiety

  • Adjustment Disorders

  • Stress-related disorders

  • Special Education modifications for IEP

  • Accommodations through Section 504

  • Academic accommodations for standardized testing

Dr. Cynthia Plotts, Licensed Psychologist and Licensed Specialist in School Psychology

Dr. Cynthia Plotts is a Licensed Psychologist in both Texas and Maine. Her specialty practice areas are neuropsychology, psychotherapy, and school psychology; and she has extensive experience in clinical, school and university settings. Prior to earning her doctorate at the University of Texas at Austin, Cindy was a special education teacher in Austin ISD. Early in her psychology career, she practiced child and adolescent assessment and psychotherapy, while also working on the crisis intervention team in Austin ISD. Her practice expanded to include adult services and university teaching at UT and Texas State University. Dr. Plotts retired as Professor Emeritus at Texas State University in 2018, after more than twenty years as a faculty member. She has continued her private practice in assessment and psychotherapy, and is happy to join BES to support students and families with neuropsychological testing and assessments.

Cindy enjoys gardening, hiking, cooking and cheering on her college alma mater in baseball and basketball. 

CLINICAL PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICES

Mia Roldan’s work consists of child/adolescent/young adult psychotherapy, family therapy, and parent coaching. Mia’s areas of expertise are: anxiety, depression, eating disorders, grief and loss, self-harm, trauma and issues specific to LGBTQ youth. 

Mia Roldan, Clinical Therapist

ABOUT MIA

Mia received her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley and her masters from UT Austin. She began her professional career as a Special Education Teacher in Austin. Since becoming a Clinical Social Worker, she has worked in hospitals, school districts, an outpatient specialty clinic at Dell Hospital, with the Dept. of Health Social Work at UT’s Dell Medical School and as an assistant professor of practice with the Steve Hicks School of Social Work. Mia has also authored three books on the subject of grief and loss.

PARENT COACHING

Becoming a parent is such a huge transitional time for us as adults. Prepared as we think we are, we are always searching for the best advice and that magical guidebook that can tell us what to expect and what to do. We come into this role influenced by how we were parented, as well as by what our experience of being a child and teenager was like. When one is a parent of a child with high needs, we are often in uncharted territory and are presented with a whole other set of expectations, responsibilities and systems.

You may be facing many issues - your child’s (potential) diagnosis, how it will impact them and your life, what it may mean for school success, how your child is different from their siblings and/or friends, etc. You may also be experiencing some feelings of grief and loss in coming to terms with tough realities and questions that challenge not only who you are as parents, but who you are as individuals. As a therapist, I offer parent coaching sessions to allow you to bring all of the experiences of parenthood into a safe and confidential space where we will talk about everything - the questions, fears, challenges, options and joys of raising a child in our world today. With the knowledge and expertise of the BES staff, plus my experience of being a Special Education teacher for 13 years, you will also be supported and guided through raising a child with high needs. This is an opportunity for you to put a voice to anything you are going through and be able to gain clarity and perspective on this essential role of being your child’s parent.

POSITIVE DISCIPLINE COACHING

Our sessions are tailored to support families with children who have unique needs, such as attention challenges, Executive Functioning deficits, and other mental health needs. While all families can benefit from Positive Discipline, this workshop is especially helpful for those who have “tried everything” and need more.  Here is what parents can expect: 

  • 10 individualized and consecutive 1-hour sessions with Mia Roldan, LCSW, LCDC, Clinical Therapist, Certified Positive Discipline Parent Coach. Sessions can be either virtual or in person based on the family’s preference. 

  • To truly individualize, Mia will review any evaluations and school-based documents pertaining to the specific special needs of the child prior to starting the sessions.  To provide continuity of care, she will collaborate with other helping professionals who know the family and/or child well.  

  • Ongoing access to Mia between sessions to help problem-solve and collaborate, as issues unfold in the home.  She will be available to parents by text and/or email Monday - Friday, 8am-8pm to offer coaching when specific questions come up. (Responses will be answered within the same day.) This allows for meaningful growth not only during sessions, but between meetings as well.  

  • Families will be provided Positive Discipline materials, (ex. visuals, charts, printed schedules, etc.) to utilize at home, based on the needs of the child and family.  

  • At the conclusion of the 10 sessions, Mia will provide recommendations for continued support and next steps after completion of the parent coaching program (including support for parents and/or children).


INTERVENTIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP

At BES, we empower parents with tools to support their child's emotional and behavioral well-being. Our new offerings, DBT-C and FBT, focus on the parent-child relationship, placing families at the heart of therapeutic interventions and building long-term resilience.

What is DBT for Children (DBT-C) ?

DBT-C is designed for pre-adolescent children (ages 5-12) who experience high emotional sensitivity and behavioral dyscontrol, including frequent temper outbursts, suicidal ideation, and self-injury. 

DBT-C:

  • Helps parents guide pre-adolescents with emotional sensitivity and behavioral dysregulation by addressing both environmental and self-related factors.

  • Includes an extensive parenting component to 1) educate parents on how to effectively address the child’s problematic responses, and 2) increase their ability to implement learned strategies consistently.


What is Family-Based Therapy (FBT) ?

Family-Based Therapy (FBT) is recognized as the “gold standard” for treating eating disorders like Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa in children and teens. Unlike traditional family therapy, FBT empowers parents to be an integral part of their child’s recovery, guiding their child through renourishment and helping the entire family heal together.

FBT:

  • Empowers parents to take an active role in their child's recovery from eating disorders (Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa) with a proven, family-centered approach.

  • Involves the entire family in treatment, with parents taking a leading role in their child's recovery process.

  • Generally involves roughly 20 weekly sessions (depending on the youth’s progress), divided into three phases with the therapist working primarily with the parents or caregivers.

  • Our therapist works alongside you to support the family in developing stronger relationships and long-term resilience.

  • As the child begins to regain control of their life, FBT supports a healthier sense of self and the ability to return to normal activities and goals.

Mia is currently accepting new clients.

To contact Mia: click here to send your inquiry, or email her directly.