Little One And You
Autism & ABA Therapy With No Waitlist
Receive the support you need now!
Therapies Offered
Applied Behavior Analysis
Increase behaviors that are helpful and decrease behaviors that are harmful
or affect learning.
Pediatric Physical Therapy (by referral)
Physical therapists have expertise in movement, motor development, and body function (e.g., strength and endurance).
Pediatric Occupational Therapy (by referral)
Helps with various types of developmental delays including coordination disorders, sensory integration disorder, autism, attention deficit disorder, and more.
Speech–language pathology (by referral)
Specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of communication disorders, cognitive-communication disorders, voice disorders, and swallowing disorders.
Amazing place… love the therapists and the owners of the company.. SO thrilled to have found this for my children
Family member — Google review
Learn More & Get Started
Our experts are eager to cater to your requirements and are available to address your inquiries through phone, email, or face-to-face meetings, should that be your preference. Rest assured, you will always be in the capable hands of one of our professionals.
Our Goal
The essence of the idea of founding Hopeful Therapies has very deep family roots, love for children, compassion, and the vocation to care for those most in need, mark the pillars of our center.
We are a model of therapeutic integration, where the patient and his family are the center of our work, we guarantee a 360-degree approach.
Contact Our Team
Learn More About Hopeful Therapies
Autism and ABA therapy for children in Brandon, Lakeland and Winter Haven
Hopeful Therapies is a pediatric therapy provider serving families across Hillsborough and Polk counties in Central Florida. We work with children with autism spectrum disorder, developmental delays, speech and motor difficulties, and the behaviors that make everyday life hard for the whole family. Everything starts with a conversation — call (813) 655-8159 or send us a message.
Four therapies, one coordinated team
- Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) — evidence-based therapy for autism: communication, social skills, daily living and safety.
- Speech & Language Therapy (by referral) — for late talkers, unclear speech, comprehension, AAC and feeding.
- Occupational Therapy (by referral) — sensory processing, fine motor skills, dressing, handwriting and mealtimes.
- Physical Therapy (by referral) — motor milestones, strength, balance, gait and mobility.
Three clinics close to home
- ABA therapy in Brandon, FL — 350 E Bloomingdale Ave. Serving Riverview, Valrico, Seffner, Lithia and the Tampa area.
- ABA therapy in Lakeland, FL — 2019 E Edgewood Dr, Suite 130. Serving Bartow, Plant City, Mulberry and Highland City.
- ABA therapy in Winter Haven, FL — 1134 1st St S. Serving Auburndale, Haines City, Lake Alfred and Dundee.
Why families choose us
- No waitlist. Call today and we will give you a real start date.
- ABA here, with coordinated referrals. Your child’s therapists talk to each other instead of working in silos.
- Caregiver training included. You learn the strategies, so progress continues at home.
- Data you can see. Progress is measured and shared, not guessed at.
- English and Spanish. Atendemos a familias hispanohablantes.
Not sure where to start?
If your child is not talking yet, is struggling at school, or has just received an autism diagnosis and you do not know what comes next, start with our guide to the early signs of autism or read what ABA therapy actually involves. Then call (813) 655-8159 and tell us what you are seeing. We will explain your options honestly and help you check your insurance coverage before you commit to anything.
Five years serving Central Florida families
This October, Hopeful Therapies turns five years old. What began as one clinic is now three — Brandon, Lakeland and Winter Haven — and hundreds of Central Florida children who have moved from a first evaluation to real, measurable progress. We are a family working for families. We know what these years feel like from the inside, and that is exactly why we run the clinic the way we do.
Six things that make us different
- No waitlist. Not a short waitlist — none. Once your benefits are verified and your plan authorizes the assessment, we offer the next open assessment appointment. How soon your child starts depends on how quickly the intake paperwork is completed, your health plan’s authorization timeline and assessment availability.
- ABA here, with coordinated referrals. ABA treatment plans that, with your permission, are coordinated with your child’s speech, occupational and physical therapists. Coordinating ABA with the other therapies your child receives helps the goals reinforce each other.
- A human always answers the phone. During business hours and business days you get a person, not an answering machine and not a menu. Call (813) 655-8159 and hear for yourself.
- Extended hours: Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Early mornings, after school, evenings and Saturdays — so therapy fits around school and around your job, not the other way around.
- Three clinics close to home. Brandon for Hillsborough County families, Lakeland and Winter Haven for Polk County. Nobody should have to drive an hour each way to get their child therapy.
- Bilingual, family-centered care. English and Spanish, with parent and caregiver training built into every program, because what happens at home matters more than what happens in a session.
Insurance we accept
We work with Simply Healthcare, TriCare, Humana, Sunshine Health, Florida KidCare, Step Up For Students, Ambetter and Molina Healthcare (including the CMS Health Plan). CMS families: since October 1, 2026 the CMS Health Plan is with Molina Healthcare, and we are in Molina’s network, so your child can keep receiving therapy with us. See the full list of insurance we accept and how we verify your benefits for you.
Frequently asked questions
Do you really have no waitlist for ABA therapy?
Yes, really. Hopeful Therapies does not keep a waitlist at our Brandon, Lakeland or Winter Haven clinics. Once your benefits are verified and your plan authorizes the assessment, we offer the next open assessment appointment. How soon your child starts depends on how quickly the intake paperwork is completed, your health plan’s authorization timeline and assessment availability.
What are your hours?
All three clinics are open Monday through Saturday, 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Those extended hours exist so families can come before school, after school, in the evening or on a Saturday.
Will a real person answer if I call?
During business hours and business days, yes. A member of our team answers the phone at (813) 655-8159 — no automated attendant, no callback queue.
Do you coordinate with speech, occupational and physical therapists?
Yes. Hopeful Therapies provides ABA only. When your child also needs speech, occupational or physical therapy, we refer you to independent licensed providers and, with your written permission, our BCBAs share goals with them so a skill practiced in one setting is reinforced in the others.
Which areas do you serve?
From Brandon we serve Riverview, Valrico, Seffner, Lithia, Bloomingdale, Dover, Gibsonton and Tampa. From Lakeland and Winter Haven we serve Bartow, Plant City, Mulberry, Auburndale, Haines City, Lake Alfred, Dundee, Eagle Lake, Polk City, Highland City, Lake Wales and Davenport.
How old is Hopeful Therapies?
We opened in October 2021 and are celebrating five years of serving Central Florida families in October 2026.
The team behind your child’s progress
Hopeful Therapies is led by a family that built the clinic it wanted for its own children. Julio Lorie serves as President and CEO, with Niurka Naranjo as Senior Vice President, Elizabeth Lorie as Chief Financial Officer, Evelin Lorie as Chief Operating Officer, Daymarelis Betancourt as Director of Operations and Omar Montenegro as Director of Human Resources.
On the clinical side, every ABA program is written and supervised by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Our team includes five BCBAs – Ashley Filipek, Ayendi Polite, Gilda Perez, Cristabel Rodriguez and Domanik Brack – and four BCaBAs, including Nadine Perez and Destinee Nash. Meet the full team.
What families say about us on Google
These are real reviews written by families of children in our care and published by them on our Google Business Profiles in Brandon and Lakeland. We publish each one in the language it was written in.
5 out of 5 stars
This is an amazing place, my kid love this center, the team is kind, caring and professionals. My kid [name removed] has made so much improvement in this couple years in his behavior problems and his communication have changed for better. He is growing stronger and I feel secure and confident that he has been with the amazing team [staff names removed]. The management team is awesome as well and guide you tremendously with all your concerns. God bless you all!!!
Family member — Google review, Brandon, FL, 2025
5 out of 5 stars
Amazing place! My granddaughter didn’t talk and since she started with my favorite RBT, [name removed], she is talking, playing and showing love. I love this center and the home service too. A plus that they are opening a center in Winter Haven! God bless the staff!!
Family member — Google review, Lakeland, FL, 2025
5 out of 5 stars
Si pudiera darle 20 estrellas a este centro lo haría. El mejor lugar que encontré para mi hijo [nombre omitido]: en el poco tiempo que lleva ha progresado mucho y le encanta estar ahí, es su lugar preferido. Todos son muy profesionales, dedicados y preocupados por nuestros niños. El señor [nombre omitido] es excelente como dueño de este centro, nos ha brindado una atención y apoyo increíble. [Nombre omitido], la terapista que atiende a mi niño, ha sido una bendición en nuestras vidas. En fin, todos son personas excepcionales en su profesión y como seres humanos. Si quiere ver cambios en su hijo y tener una atención y ayuda de calidad y dedicación, no dude en contactar este centro, lo recomiendo 100 por ciento.
Family member — Google review, Brandon, FL, 2024
