ADHD Therapy for Kids
ADHD therapy for children ages 3–12 San Antonio —individual sessions that build focus, skills, and confidence in a kid-friendly setting.
Comprehensive ADHD Care for Children
If you’re wondering whether ADHD treatment could actually help your child, the answer is often yes—especially if attention, behavior, or school battles are beginning to overwhelm your family. Care at Mind Works is provided by child-focused clinicians who understand how ADHD looks in real life, not just on paper, and who tailor each plan to your child’s age, strengths, and challenges. Treatment typically includes weekly individual therapy sessions focused on building skills over time, with the option to add psychological testing and medication management when clinically appropriate. ADHD is highly treatable, and while medication can sometimes play a role, therapy and consistent skill practice are the foundation of long-term progress.
Choose the best entry point for your child’s care journey:
Assessment
(5 Step Process)
Our psychologists and psychometricians work with your family to ensure an accurate diagnosis.
Homework & Discovery
We’ll begin by asking you questions about your child, what potential behavioral problems they may have, and what you believe the goals for their treatment should be. We will also provide a questionnaire and other intake documents.
Testing
We offer developmental, educational, and psychological tests to better understand your child’s needs.
Analyze & Plan of Action
A psychometrist and psychologist will analyze the results, providing a summary of any findings and diagnoses.
Recommendations
We’ll provide you with a list of recommendations for your child’s care, which can include therapy, medication, and/or medical referrals.
Execute Plan
We’ll discuss your child’s results and options for moving forward. Once we’ve finalized the plan, we’ll quickly transition your child to the next steps.
Therapy
(6 Step Process)
We provide evidence-based play and talk therapy to help children and teens heal, grow, and thrive.
Intake & Goals
We’ll take time to learn your concerns and your child’s needs. Together, we’ll set treatment goals and expectations.
Therapy Weeks 1-3
These first weeks of therapy are foundational for getting to know one another and building trust with you and your child.
Therapy Weeks 4-8
We call this the “Working Stage” of the process. At this point, it’s common to see resistance and an increase in poor behavior.
Therapy Weeks 9-12
During the “Growing Stage,” children start to develop coping skills as they figure out healthier ways to manage behavior, express emotions, and heal.
Empowerment
Children are encouraged to practice their new coping mechanisms. During this stage, they are often better self-regulated and more resilient.
Graduation
As your child reaches new heights of independence, the time comes to celebrate their readiness to continue this journey with their newfound skills!
Medication Management
(4 Step Process)
We offer medication management services to help reduce problematic symptoms and improve treatment outcomes.
Intake & Initial Assessment (Parents Only)
We’ll gather a detailed history of your child’s mental health concerns and discuss if medication management is right for your child.
Consultation & Treatment Plan
A medication management provider will meet with you and your child and collaborate to develop a comprehensive medication treatment plan.
Medication Monitoring & Adjustment
We will hold periodic check-ins to evaluate the effectiveness of your child’s medication regimen and make adjustments as needed to promote their optimal well-being.
Transition to Maintenance Phase
Once your child shows consistent improvement and stabilization, we will gradually shift our focus to helping reduce medication dependence and emphasizing other non-pharmacological interventions.
Execute Plan
We’ll discuss your child’s results and options for moving forward. Once we’ve finalized the plan, we’ll quickly transition your child to the next steps.
Begin Your Child’s Success Story With Child Counseling at Mind Works
Ready to get started or have more questions for our team before moving forward? Give us a call or fill out a simple form online to start the journey toward your child’s thriving future.
Signs and Symptoms of ADHD in Kids
ADHD symptoms can show up in many ways, and they often look different from one child to the next. Some kids primarily struggle with inattention: they daydream, miss details, seem not to listen, or forget instructions soon after they’re given. Others are more obviously hyperactive and impulsive, always on the move, talking nonstop, blurting out answers, or having trouble waiting their turn. Many children have a mix of both, which can create challenges in nearly every part of their day.
Common signs include trouble staying focused on schoolwork, chores, or conversations, especially when tasks are boring or long. Kids may lose materials, forget homework, or jump between activities without finishing what they started. Hyperactivity might appear as climbing, running, or constant movement in situations where other children are able to sit relatively still, while impulsivity can look like interrupting, grabbing, or acting before thinking. Emotional reactivity is also common: big feelings, sudden outbursts, and difficulty calming down after disappointment or correction.
Organizational difficulties, such as messy backpacks, disorganized desks, or inability to manage multi-step directions, often become more noticeable as children move into later elementary grades. Parents and teachers may see problem behaviors like arguing, talking back, or refusal, which are sometimes a child’s way of escaping tasks that feel overwhelming. As kids grow, symptoms may shift: a younger child’s visible hyperactivity may soften into an older child’s internal restlessness, racing thoughts, or chronic procrastination. Therapy helps families understand these patterns and respond in ways that support skill-building rather than repeated conflict.
Launch Your Child’s Healing Journey in Three Simple Steps
1. Get in Touch
Get started with Mind Works by filling out our simple contact form online or giving us a call.
2. Complete Intake Process
Submit all required paperwork so we can better understand your child’s history and needs.
3. Begin Treatment
Your child’s targeted plan will begin with testing or therapy and medication management.
Launch Your Child’s Healing Journey in Three Simple Steps
1. Get in Touch
Get started with Mind Works by filling out our simple contact form online or giving us a call.
2. Complete Intake Process
Submit all required paperwork so we can better understand your child’s history and needs.
3. Begin Treatment
Your child’s targeted plan will begin with testing or therapy and medication management.
How ADHD Affects Schoolwork, Behavior, and Self-Esteem
In the classroom, ADHD can make it hard for children to sit through lessons, tune out distractions, and follow multi-step instructions. They might know the material but still earn low grades because of incomplete work, careless errors, or missing assignments. Teachers may report that your child is bright but “not working to their potential,” which can be frustrating for everyone when effort isn’t the only issue. Over time, kids may start to dread school or avoid tasks that feel too hard or too long.
At home, ADHD can lead to frequent power struggles around routines like getting ready, homework, chores, and bedtime. Parents may feel like they are constantly reminding, prompting, or correcting, which can create stress and strain in the parent-child relationship. Siblings may feel resentful if they see one child getting “all the attention,” while caregivers often feel stuck between being too strict and too lenient. These daily conflicts can be exhausting and may leave everyone feeling discouraged.
Socially, ADHD can affect how children connect with peers. Impulsivity and difficulty reading social cues may lead to interrupting, talking over others, or acting in ways that come across as “too much” for other kids. This can lead to teasing, rejection, or conflicts that chip away at your child’s confidence. When children hear more about what they’re doing wrong than what they’re doing right, they may internalize a sense of failure. Effective ADHD therapy helps address not only behavior and school skills but also self-esteem, so kids can see themselves as capable and valued.
Feeling Overwhelmed by Parenting Challenges?
Let’s Tackle This Together.
Parenting can be full of pressures, uncertainties, and challenges. Together, we’ll create a supportive plan tailored to your child’s needs, ensuring you both are set up for success.
How ADHD Testing and Treatment Help Your Child Thrive at Home, School, and Play
If your child is showing symptoms of ADHD or has already received a diagnosis, getting the appropriate help can significantly improve your child’s chances of happiness and success in life. Parents have a hard time understanding a child with ADHD’s behaviors and may misinterpret symptoms as forgetfulness, lack of intelligence, or willful disobedience. Seeking ADHD treatment at Mind Works can provide your child with many benefits.
Accurate Diagnosis
Our specialized ADHD assessments provide a clear understanding of your child’s condition, differentiating between ADHD and other behavioral or emotional challenges, setting the stage for targeted interventions.
Customized Treatment Plans
Leveraging insights from testing, Mind Works creates personalized treatment strategies that may include therapy, medication, and practical support for both children and their families.
Enhanced Academic Performance
With our detailed evaluation, we identify and advocate for the necessary educational accommodations, ensuring your child receives the support they need to succeed in school.
Improved Social Interactions
Through therapy, children with ADHD develop essential social skills, learning to build and maintain healthy relationships with peers and adults alike.
Effective Coping Strategies
Our evidence-based therapies equip children with coping mechanisms to manage symptoms of ADHD, enhancing focus, reducing impulsivity, and promoting emotional regulation.
Family Support and Education
Mind Works provides parents and siblings with education and strategies to create a supportive home environment, fostering understanding and effective communication.
Our Evidence-Based Approach to ADHD Therapy for Kids
ADHD treatment at Mind Works is skill-based, practical, and grounded in evidence-based approaches designed for children. We emphasize behavior management strategies, positive reinforcement, and organizational skills training to help kids build new habits gradually, one session at a time.
Parent training is a key component of our approach. We work with parents to develop consistent routines, clear expectations, and effective responses to both positive and challenging behaviors. Psychotherapy for children with ADHD often includes helping them understand their own brains, practice self-regulation skills, and rehearse problem-solving in a supportive space. When appropriate, we also collaborate with your child’s teachers to share strategies, support classroom accommodations, and ensure that the skills learned in therapy carry over into school.
Progress is measured session by session, not just week by week. Instead of expecting overnight change, we track small, meaningful improvements in attention, behavior, and self-control. Over time, these repeated, focused sessions help create new neural pathways—patterns of thinking and responding that make it easier for your child to succeed at home, at school, and with friends.
Accurate Diagnosis
Our specialized ADHD assessments provide a clear understanding of your child’s condition, differentiating between ADHD and other behavioral or emotional challenges, setting the stage for targeted interventions.
Customized Treatment Plans
Leveraging insights from testing, Mind Works creates personalized treatment strategies that may include therapy, medication, and practical support for both children and their families.
Enhanced Academic Performance
With our detailed evaluation, we identify and advocate for the necessary educational accommodations, ensuring your child receives the support they need to succeed in school.
Improved Social Interactions
Through therapy, children with ADHD develop essential social skills, learning to build and maintain healthy relationships with peers and adults alike.
Effective Coping Strategies
Our evidence-based therapies equip children with coping mechanisms to manage symptoms of ADHD, enhancing focus, reducing impulsivity, and promoting emotional regulation.
Family Support and Education
Mind Works provides parents and siblings with education and strategies to create a supportive home environment, fostering understanding and effective communication.
Begin Your Child’s Success Story
Ready to get started or have more questions for our team before moving forward? Give us a call or fill out a simple form online to start the journey toward your child’s thriving future.
Why Mind Works?
Specialized Expertise
Our team is specially trained and qualified to treat behavioral health concerns in children and teens, from ages 3 to 17. Every provider is trained by our registered play therapist supervisor, engaging in play activities to personalize therapy.
Comprehensive Treatment Options
We deliver the full spectrum of mental health services for children, including assessments, evidence-based therapy, medication management, and parental guidance.
Collaborative Approach
Our integrated team comes together to provide the absolute best care for your child, sharing key information and working cooperatively to establish a comprehensive treatment plan.
Evidence-Based Care
Our team uses a range of evidence-based therapeutic techniques, including play therapy for children 3-12, CBT, DBT, EMDR, and Solutions-Focused Therapy.
What Drives Our Team?
We care deeply about the wellbeing of your whole family, not just your child. Our team blends warm, compassionate care with specialized training, all grounded in a shared commitment to helping kids grow, heal, and thrive. We focus on creating an environment that celebrates small and big wins, while giving children and caregivers the practical tools they need to manage ADHD and build skills that will serve them far beyond treatment.
Our staff comes from diverse backgrounds, united by a passion for supporting children and families through every stage of their journey. Together, we aim to do more than meet clinical goals, we work to create a supportive, welcoming space where families can face challenges side by side, cheering on each new step forward as a meaningful milestone.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is ADHD, and how is it diagnosed at Mind Works?
ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) is a common neurobehavioral disorder that affects the ability to concentrate, remain still, and control impulsive behavior.
Mind Works uses a comprehensive approach for diagnosis, including a detailed evaluation by our healthcare professionals to differentiate ADHD from other medical conditions and to assess for co-existing disorders. We tailor the assessment to each child, potentially including cognitive tests (like IQ and achievement tests), as well as evaluations for emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning, to identify strengths, weaknesses, and the best course of action.
Each child is different, and having a personalized evaluation and plan can ensure that your time is spent effectively addressing and overcoming the effects of ADHD in daily life.
What happens if ADHD is left untreated?
Untreated ADHD can lead to academic difficulties, social and family relationship challenges, increased risk of self-harm, substance abuse, and other negative life outcomes. Likewise, ADHD is not something that a person will “grow out of,” and can lead to persistent challenges, even in adulthood. Early intervention and treatment are key to preventing these consequences and giving children, teens, and even adults the resources and skills to manage ADHD for a fulfilling daily life.
What are the signs of ADHD hyperactivity in kids?
Common signs of ADHD hyperactivity in kids include:
- Restlessness and fidgeting
- Needing to be moving, such as running, jumping, or other inability to sit still
- Inability to engage in quiet play or needing to vocalize behaviors and thoughts
- Interrupting others with thoughts
- Difficulty waiting
How does Mind Works handle medication management for ADHD?
We provide an integrated approach to treatment, coordinating care between the physician and therapist. Medications, such as stimulants and non-stimulants, are considered when therapy alone is insufficient, with a careful evaluation of benefits versus side effects.
What are the potential side effects of ADHD medications, and how are they managed?
Common side effects include sleep and eating issues, growth concerns, nausea, and mood changes. Our team at Mind Works closely monitors these effects and adjusts treatment plans as needed, ensuring the health and well-being of your child.
At what age is ADHD at its peak?
Symptoms of ADHD can be at their peak in children and adolescents, typically between the ages of 6 and early teenage or pre-teen years. However, ADHD is not something that will simply “go away” with time or something that a person will grow out of. Many adults still live with ADHD. Developing strategies as early as possible can help your child be prepared for these challenges and overcome them while leading a happy and successful daily life.
How does therapy complement medication in ADHD treatment?
Therapy at Mind Works aims to help children understand their condition, develop coping skills, improve self-esteem, and build relationships. Evidence-based modalities like CBT and social skills training provide strategies for managing ADHD symptoms alongside or independent of medication.
Can ADHD overlap with autism or anxiety?
Yes. ADHD often co-occurs with conditions like autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, or learning disabilities. A thorough evaluation helps determine which conditions are present so that treatment can be targeted and comprehensive.
Is behavioral therapy effective for children with ADHD?
Yes. Behavioral therapy is considered a first-line, evidence-based treatment for young children with ADHD and is strongly supported by leading pediatric guidelines. It focuses on teaching practical skills and shaping behavior in real-life settings, which can lead to meaningful improvements at home and school.
Success Stories
“Highly recommend Mind Works. I am a clinician in Illinois and needed to find a clinic in Texas that could provide services to my client that was moving. This is no easy feat to do across the United States. Mind Works was fabulous to work with from the very beginning. Coordination of care was 5 stars and my “previous” client is very happy with their new counselor. Thank you very much for going above and beyond during this difficult time so many other counseling offices are facing. I appreciate all the help and coordination you offered my client!”
Shelley Skas
“I have known the owners for over 8 years and have taken a family member to Mind Works. Therefore, I can speak of them both personally and professionally. There truly is no better place for this service, especially for children and young adults. On the personal level, I know how much they truly care about everyone they meet. On a professional level, the entire staff is a reflection of the dedication to helping others and competence that gets results that the owners exude. During the incredibly trying time of this pandemic and the fear and anxiety it has caused many people, we are incredibly blessed to have Mind Works available to support.”
Jim West
“I’ve had the privilege to work with the Mind Works team and have been impressed with their kindness and work ethic. Each of the clinicians are dedicated to helping as many lives as they can possibly fit into their schedule and they are truly making a positive difference. Mind Works strives to be a “one-stop-shop” by including a large range of therapy specialties and testing options, and is very connected in their community so as to make quality recommendations when needed. Don’t hesitate to give them call.”
Esther Kelly
“The front desk staff is kind and courteous and helped me find the right therapist for my child. When I met my therapist she was kind and explained the process to me. I love that she included me in the play therapy process and helped me understand how to help my child. Thankful for the therapists at Mind Works!”
Amira Maya-Martinez
“Mindworks is the leader in child centered play therapy and collaborative care in San Antonio and surrounding areas. Their focus is solely on the mental health of children and teenagers. Each clinician at all four locations is seasoned, knowledgeable, experienced, and capable. Parents trust that their child is going to get the treatment and services they need and deserve.
I thoroughly enjoyed working as a clinician at Mindworks. The support and leadership is consistent and outstanding. Unlike any other job that I have had, leadership and clinicians work together to cultivate an awesome work environment.”
Dana Carter
Help Your Child Soar to New Heights
A world of possibility awaits your child, and we’re so excited for the opportunity to help them work through roadblocks, improve their skills, and unleash their potential. Get in touch with our team at (210) 366-3700 and start your child down a happier, healthier path today!