Frequently Asked Questions

I want to see one of the doctors at Davenport Psychology, what do I do next?

You may message us through our contact form or call us at 941-702-2457. When you call, a psychologist will answer or return your call directly. We can often schedule appointments the same day for either in-person sessions at our Sarasota or Venice office, or via secure telehealth from wherever you are.

Can I get an appointment quickly?

Yes! Appointments are often available the same day, both in-person at our Sarasota or Venice offices and by telehealth. When you call 941-702-2457, a psychologist will speak with you or return your call to help schedule your appointment as quickly as possible. For urgent concerns, please let us know when you call so we can prioritize your needs.

Where are you located?

We have two convenient office locations:

• Sarasota Office: 1608 Oak St, Sarasota, FL 34236 (in historic Laurel Park)
• Venice Office: 200 Capri Isles Blvd, Ste 7G, Venice, FL 34292 (just off I-75)

Both offices offer the same high-quality doctoral-level services. Visit our office locations page for directions and parking information.

Which location should I choose - Sarasota or Venice?

Both our Sarasota office at 1608 Oak Street and our Venice office at 200 Capri Isles Boulevard offer the same high-quality doctoral-level services. Choose the location most convenient to you:

• Sarasota Office: Centrally located in historic Laurel Park, ideal for clients in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, and North County
• Venice Office: Just off I-75, serving clients in South Sarasota County, Venice, Englewood, and Charlotte County

All our psychologists provide services at both locations and via telehealth. Same-day appointments are often available at either office.

Where do we park?

Sarasota Office: You may park in the lot behind the office or on Oak Street. Free parking is available and convenient to the entrance.

Venice Office: Please park in the parking lot at the office. Free parking is available directly at the building.

Both locations offer convenient, accessible parking close to the entrance. If you have any difficulty finding parking or the entrance, please call us at 941-702-2457.

What are your office hours?

Both our Sarasota and Venice offices are open:

• Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
• Saturday: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• Sunday: Closed

We are closed on major holidays. Telehealth appointments may be available outside standard office hours by arrangement with your psychologist. Same-day appointments are often available.

What should I bring to my first appointment?

Please bring:

• Government-issued photo ID (driver's license, passport, etc.)
• Completed new patient paperwork (available on our patient forms page)
• Payment (cash, check, or Zelle to 941-321-1971)
• For testing appointments: Any previous psychological testing reports, IEPs, 504 plans, or relevant medical records

Any current or previous testing records should be brought to the initial appointment or faxed to 941-866-0936.

Do we have to come into the office to meet?

You do not need to come into the office. We offer secure telehealth services including telephone and video sessions for individual therapy, couples therapy, and some psychological testing services. In our fast-paced world, it is not always practical to come into the treatment room. Luckily, we are able to bring it to you. Same-day telehealth appointments are often available.

Is telehealth as effective as in-person therapy?

Research demonstrates that telehealth therapy is equally effective as in-person therapy for most mental health conditions. Many clients appreciate the convenience, flexibility, and privacy of attending sessions from home. Our psychologists use secure, HIPAA-compliant video conferencing platforms to ensure confidentiality.

While some specialized assessments require in-person appointments, most individual therapy, couples counseling, and family therapy services can be effectively delivered via telehealth.

What conditions do you treat?

Our team of licensed psychologists provides evidence-based treatment for a wide range of mental health conditions including:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depression and mood disorders
• Trauma and PTSD
• ADHD in children and adults
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Learning disorders
• Relationship issues
• Life transitions
• Support for gifted and twice-exceptional individuals

We offer specialized services for children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Visit our services page and conditions page to learn more.

What therapy services do you offer?

We provide a comprehensive range of evidence-based services including:

• Individual therapy
• Couples counseling
• Child and adolescent therapy
• Family therapy
• Psychological testing
• Parent coaching
• Sexual trauma recovery
• Sports psychology
• Telehealth services (available across 40+ states through PsyPact)

All services are available in-person at our Sarasota and Venice offices, as well as via secure telehealth. Visit our services page to explore our complete offerings.

How long are the appointments?

Each patient's situation is very different, so this can be a challenging question to answer accurately for any individual. In general, at our practice, individual therapy and couples counseling appointments range from 45 to 120 minutes.

Psychological testing session times vary significantly depending on the tests ordered, typically 2-6 hours of testing time plus feedback sessions.

Your psychologist will discuss the expected time commitment during your initial consultation.

What makes therapy work?

The psychologists at Davenport Psychology know that the right match between you and the therapist is so important to getting the most out of your individual psychotherapy. The right match between the therapist and patient is a critical ingredient to foster an environment where, if needed, you can explore challenging experiences, sensitive feelings and thoughts.

This relationship is not a friendship, not even like your friend who is a great listener. If we are not a good match for you, we see it as part of our job to help you find a psychotherapist who will be a good match for you. It is not always easy to reach out to a psychologist. If you reach out, we will do our best to connect you with the right match so you can find therapy that works for you.

Do you give medication for anxiety or depression?

Psychologists do not prescribe medication in Florida. There are many cases where a patient needs medication to help treat anxiety or depression. When we meet with patients, if they need to be evaluated for medication, we will discuss this and refer to one of the doctors in Sarasota or Venice who specialize in medication management.

Sometimes it does not take medication management to treat anxiety or depression, sometimes it is critical. Everyone is so different. If you need medication it DOES NOT mean you have worse anxiety or depression. Everyone's history and physiology are different. So, their treatment is different.

At Davenport Psychology, the psychologists will customize your treatment to your life and your goals. They look at what you have tried before, what has worked and not worked so well. Together, you and the doctor will refine your approach to treatment based on what is working best for you.

Do you work with other healthcare providers?

Yes, with your written consent, we collaborate with your other healthcare providers including primary care physicians, psychiatrists, pediatricians, neurologists, and other specialists. We believe in integrated care and often communicate with other members of your treatment team to ensure coordinated, comprehensive care.

For psychological testing, we provide detailed written reports that can be shared with schools, physicians, and other professionals involved in your care.

Do you see children and adolescents?

Yes, we provide specialized psychological services for children and adolescents of all ages. Our doctoral psychologists have extensive training and experience working with young people facing anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, autism, learning challenges, behavioral issues, and developmental concerns.

We also conduct comprehensive psychological and educational testing for children and teens. Parents or legal guardians are involved in the treatment process as appropriate to the child's age and needs.

Do you offer couples counseling?

Yes, we provide evidence-based couples counseling for partners facing relationship challenges, communication difficulties, conflict resolution, intimacy issues, life transitions, and pre-marital preparation.

Our psychologists use proven therapeutic approaches to help couples strengthen their relationships and develop healthier patterns of interaction. Couples counseling is available in-person at both our Sarasota and Venice offices, as well as via secure video telehealth.

Do you offer psychological testing?

Yes, we offer comprehensive psychological testing services for children, adolescents, and adults, including:

• ADHD evaluations
• Learning disability assessments
• Autism spectrum evaluations
• Gifted assessments (meeting Sarasota County School Board requirements)
• Psychoeducational evaluations
• Personality assessments
• Neuropsychological screening

Testing helps us understand your unique strengths and challenges to develop the most effective treatment plan.

What psychological tests do you use?

We use the most up-to-date versions of validated assessment instruments including:

• MMPI, PAI (personality assessment)
• WAIS (adult intelligence)
• WISC (child intelligence)
• CPT (attention/ADHD)
• BASC (behavior assessment)
• WRAT (achievement)
• CVLT (memory)
• Vineland (adaptive functioning)
• ADOS-2 (autism assessment)
• Conners scales (ADHD)

The specific tests used depend on your assessment needs and referral questions. Our doctoral psychologists select appropriate test batteries for each client.

Can you do gifted evaluations for Sarasota County School or Pine View?

Yes, we follow the Sarasota County School Board requirements for gifted evaluations and provide assessments that meet Pine View admission criteria.

Here is more information about gifted evaluations for Sarasota County Schools.

What should I expect at a gifted evaluation?

Our evaluations begin with an initial 45 to 55-minute appointment with the student, their caregiver and/or parent and the doctor. We get a comprehensive history and work to understand the emotional and social needs of the student. We review Gifted Characteristic Scales with parents and reach out to current teachers and any other educators to better understand how this student performs and conducts themselves in the academic and home-life environments.

Typically, we schedule another time to meet for the gifted testing (Standardized Test of Intelligence) portion of the evaluation. The time required can vary greatly from individual to individual. We most frequently use the most up-to-date version of the WISC for our gifted evaluations.

Any current or previous academic or gifted testing records should be brought to the initial appointment or faxed to 941-866-0936. We will review these and, as appropriate, incorporate them into our gifted evaluation report.

Most reports are completed within 2 weeks from initial contact.

Do you accept health insurance?

We are not an in-network provider with any insurance carrier. If you have out-of-network coverage, you may be able to see us and receive reimbursement from your insurance carrier. Out-of-network patients pay us up front for the appointment and then file with their insurance carrier for out-of-network reimbursement, if they have that kind of coverage.

Our psychologists are opted-out providers with Medicare. This means all Medicare-eligible patients are self-pay.

What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept:

• Cash
• Personal checks
• Zelle payments to 941-321-1971
• HSA and FSA checks (Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts)

Payment is due at the time of service. We kindly request 24 business hours' notice for cancellations. In case of emergencies, this requirement is waived. Otherwise, payment for the reserved hour will be necessary.

How much do your services cost?

Service fees vary depending on the type and length of appointment. We provide transparent pricing and written cost estimates before beginning services, in compliance with the No Surprises Act.

During your initial contact, our staff will provide specific fee information for the services you are seeking. Many clients use HSA or FSA funds, and those with out-of-network insurance benefits may receive reimbursement from their insurance carrier.

What is the No Surprises Act and how does it affect me?

We want to inform you about the No Surprises Act, a federal law aimed at protecting consumers from surprise medical bills. Davenport Psychology is committed to providing you with transparent and upfront information about the costs of your care.

As required by the No Surprises Act, we will provide you with a written estimate of the expected costs for any service prior to rendering the service. This estimate will include all charges, including any out-of-network charges, and any applicable deductible, coinsurance or copayment amounts.

We are also committed to working with you to understand your insurance coverage and any potential out-of-pocket expenses. If you have any questions or concerns about the cost of your care or your insurance coverage, please do not hesitate to contact us at 941-702-2457 or visit our website at davenportpsychology.com.

Are your psychologists licensed?

Yes, all psychologists at Davenport Psychology hold doctoral degrees (Psy.D. or Ph.D.) and are fully licensed by the Florida Board of Psychology. Our psychologists maintain active licenses, carry professional liability insurance, and engage in continuing education to stay current with the latest evidence-based treatments.

Several of our psychologists also hold PsyPact certification, allowing them to provide teletherapy to clients in 40+ states. Learn more about our team of licensed psychologists.

Can you help with psychological services for court?

Our experience is in counseling, therapy, and psychological testing for clinical purposes. We are not the best match for anything you need for court.

The best match for psychological services to be used in court are forensic psychologists. They have specialized training and are able to serve as experts in the courtroom. We are happy to refer you to a forensic expert.

Call our office - if we cannot help you, we will refer you to another psychologist in Southwest Florida who can help. We are not able to serve as forensic experts.

If you are looking for high-quality counseling, therapy, or psychological testing, we are your match in Sarasota or Venice, FL.