COOPER-LOPEZ AND ASSOCIATES - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Social Worker
- Restoration Specialist
Kate Ripley has been a social worker in the State of Arizona for over 15 years. Her first ten years of social work were spent as a Case Manager in Maricopa County. In 2013, she shifted her focus to working with victims of domestic violence for the Pinal County Attorney's Office as a Victim's Advocate. Her goal as a social worker has always been to help people achieve lasting behavioral change, believing that with appropriate acquired skills and a structured support system a person can reach their desired goals in life. She puts in the extra time to build a relationship of trust and mutual respect with each individual and designs a program that will help them succeed based on their desired outcome.
Kate has extensive experience within the court system, working with victims, attorneys, judges and has testified multiple times as a subject matter expert, which allows her to bring a unique set of skills and experience to her current role as a Restoration Specialist. She believes giving to the community is important, and is currently the Lead Facilitator for the Pinal County Fatality Review Board in a volunteer role and has also worked with numerous domestic violence and law enforcement agencies throughout the State of Arizona. Kate graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelors in Social Work.
Dr. Cooper-Lopez is a licensed psychologist who specializes in psychological, psychoeducational, neuropsychological and forensic assessment. Using tests for behavior, personality, attention, achievement and aptitude, executive functioning, and neuropsychology, she is able to provide insight that is critical for measuring one's potential or identifying cognitive strengths and deficits. Dr. Cooper-Lopez strongly believes in the value of psychological assessment in helping individuals better understand their psychological and cognitive make-up. To this end, she works collaboratively with her clients to help them better appreciate their individual minds and how to live in a way that maximizes their strengths, while diminishing or accommodating for areas of weakness.
Dr. Cooper-Lopez's clinical practice also focuses on conducting forensic examinations including the following: Competency to stand trial, guilty except insane and psychological evaluations for mitigation purposes. She also serves as a mental health expert for the Superior Court in Pinal County. Moreover, Dr. Cooper-Lopez conducts restoration to competency treatment for both in-custody and out-of-custody defendants for the Superior Court in Pinal and Graham Counties, as well as the Gila River Indian Community. She has also been a contract provider for evaluations and restoration to competency services for the Arizona Supreme Court Juvenile Services Division.
Additionally, Dr. Cooper-Lopez works with children and adolescents with challenging behaviors using Collaborative Problem Solving, a family therapy paradigm. Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) is a specialized treatment that engages both parents and children in the process of reshaping the way we think about and respond to children's problematic behaviors, as well as teaching kids the skills they need to succeed.
Dr. Cooper-Lopez earned a B.A. in Psychology from Point Loma Nazarene University and Masters and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from Azusa Pacific University. She completed her American Psychological Association ac credited internship at Atascadero State Hospital. Dr. Cooper-Lopez has been in private practice since 2012. She has a strong business background and is passionate about using her knowledge of psychology to help individuals and businesses reach their potential. To this end, she serves as an Assessment Consultant for Prepare to Change, a psychology corporation specializing in organizational growth and excellence.