Anxiety Therapy for Kids
Anxiety therapy for children ages 3–12 in San Antonio – specialized mental health care to help your child worry less, feel braver, and enjoy being a kid again.
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.
Pediatric Anxiety Therapy Designed Around Your Child’s Needs
Anxiety can quietly reshape a child’s world, making school harder, friendships more stressful, and everyday moments less joyful. At Mind Works, our Texas-based team focuses specifically on kids’ and teens’ emotional health, offering thorough evaluations, personalized therapy, and, when appropriate, medication support. Every treatment plan is built around the individual child, with the goal of easing symptoms now while strengthening the skills they’ll need for long-term resilience and well-being.
For younger children, we rely on play therapy, using toys, art, and imaginative activities so they can express themselves and work through worries in a way that feels natural and safe. Older kids and teens benefit from one-on-one counseling where they can talk openly, learn practical coping strategies, and build confidence in who they are. When anxiety is more intense or persistent, our integrated care model allows us to add medication management, with prescribers and therapists working side by side to create a unified, thoughtful plan that supports every part of your child’s life.
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.
Signs It May Be Time to Seek Anxiety Therapy
When worry starts getting in the way of your child’s everyday life, it’s often a sign that more than simple reassurance is needed. If your child is refusing school, hiding in their room during birthday parties, melting down before activities they used to enjoy, or clinging so tightly at drop-off that leaving becomes a daily battle, it may be time to consider anxiety therapy.
You might notice patterns: Sunday night stomachaches before school, tears at every goodbye, long arguments about getting dressed, or big outbursts over small changes in routine. When these moments become frequent, predictable, and hard to calm—even with your best comfort, rewards, or boundaries—your child is likely telling you their anxiety feels bigger than they can handle on their own.
It’s also important to pay attention when anxiety starts to change your whole family’s rhythm. If siblings are missing out on activities, you’re constantly rearranging plans to avoid triggers, or you’re staying home instead of going out because it feels easier than facing a meltdown, the worry is no longer “just a phase”—it’s running the show. Many parents describe feeling drained, guilty, or like they have to carefully do everything “just right” to keep the peace.
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.
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.
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.
We offer developmental, educational, and psychological tests to better understand your child’s needs.
A psychometrist and psychologist will analyze the results, providing a summary of any findings and diagnoses.
We’ll provide you with a list of recommendations for your child’s care, which can include therapy, medication, and/or medical referrals.
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.
We’ll take time to learn your concerns and your child’s needs. Together, we’ll set treatment goals and expectations.
These first weeks of therapy are foundational for getting to know one another and building trust with you and your child.
We call this the “Working Stage” of the process. At this point, it’s common to see resistance and an increase in poor behavior.
During the “Growing Stage,” children start to develop coping skills as they figure out healthier ways to manage behavior, express emotions, and heal.
Children are encouraged to practice their new coping mechanisms. During this stage, they are often better self-regulated and more resilient.
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.
We’ll gather a detailed history of your child’s mental health concerns and discuss if medication management is right for your child.
A medication management provider will meet with you and your child and collaborate to develop a comprehensive medication treatment plan.
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.
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.
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.
How Anxiety Treatment Helps Your Child Thrive at Home, School, and Play
Anxiety doesn’t have to overshadow your child’s or teen’s potential for happiness and success. At Mind Works, we offer specialized anxiety treatment tailored to empower young minds, fostering resilience and well-being in every facet of life. From assessments to therapy and medication management, learn the many benefits of anxiety treatment for children.
Enhance Emotional Regulation
Anxiety treatment can help children to better understand their emotions. Learning how to identify, understand, and manage feelings helps kids and teens reduce anxiety levels and prevent overwhelming emotions from taking control.
Develop Coping Skills
Healthy coping skills help kids and teens to confidently deal with difficult situations and minimize anxiety in the process. These can include skills such as relaxation techniques, problem-solving, and communication.
Improve Their Self-Esteem
Anxiety, especially social or performance anxiety, can cause children and teens to feel insecure or inadequate. Treatment can help your child become more confident, improve self-esteem, and have a healthier body image.
Build Healthy Relationships
Anxiety can sometimes cause children and teens to feel isolated or struggle with relationships. Treatment can help children and teens to make the right friends, communicate their needs, and intentionally maintain relationships.
Develop Strategies for Success
Anxiety can affect performance and get in the way of your child reaching their full potential. We can help your children or teen to develop strategies for success in school, at home, and in their social lives.
Reduce Physical Symptoms of Anxiety
Therapy and medication can help alleviate physical symptoms often associated with anxiety, such as headaches, stomachaches, and muscle tension. Practices like mindfulness and deep breathing can offer immediate relief.
How Anxiety Treatment Helps Your Child Thrive at Home, School, and Play
Anxiety doesn’t have to overshadow your child’s or teen’s potential for happiness and success. At Mind Works, we offer specialized anxiety treatment tailored to empower young minds, fostering resilience and well-being in every facet of life. From assessments to therapy and medication management, learn the many benefits of anxiety treatment for children.
Enhance Emotional Regulation
Anxiety treatment can help children to better understand their emotions. Learning how to identify, understand, and manage feelings helps kids and teens reduce anxiety levels and prevent overwhelming emotions from taking control.
Develop Coping Skills
Healthy coping skills help kids and teens to confidently deal with difficult situations and minimize anxiety in the process. These can include skills such as relaxation techniques, problem-solving, and communication.
Improve Their Self-Esteem
Anxiety, especially social or performance anxiety, can cause children and teens to feel insecure or inadequate. Treatment can help your child become more confident, improve self-esteem, and have a healthier body image.
Build Healthy Relationships
Anxiety can sometimes cause children and teens to feel isolated or struggle with relationships. Treatment can help children and teens to make the right friends, communicate their needs, and intentionally maintain relationships.
Develop Strategies for Success
Anxiety can affect performance and get in the way of your child reaching their full potential. We can help your children or teen to develop strategies for success in school, at home, and in their social lives.
Reduce Physical Symptoms of Anxiety
Therapy and medication can help alleviate physical symptoms often associated with anxiety, such as headaches, stomachaches, and muscle tension. Practices like mindfulness and deep breathing can offer immediate relief.
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
Comprehensive Treatment Options
Collaborative Approach
Evidence-Based Care
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!”
“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.”
“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!”
“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.”
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 and start your child down a happier, healthier path today!
Frequently Asked Questions:
There are various types of anxiety disorders that can be observed at various ages and stages of a child’s life. These can include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, separation anxiety disorder, phobic disorders, and adjustment disorder.
Many parents believe that their child will grow out of their anxiety and that simply waiting it out will help. Untreated anxiety in children can often lead to more serious avoidance behavior problems later in life. Untreated anxiety can also increase depressive symptoms for children as they are unable to cope with their anxious stressors and do not find a sense of relief. Anxiety disorders are the most common childhood mental health disorder and are estimated to affect about 8% of all children and adolescents.
Anxiety disorders in children can many times be managed by therapy alone, but there are times that the addition of medication may be needed to help alleviate some of the symptoms. It has been shown that the combination of medication and evidenced based treatment interventions yields the most effective results.
While medication does indeed help lessen the symptoms, using an evidence-based treatment model will help children learn coping skills that can be useful well into adulthood. Evidenced-based treatment interventions such as play therapy are an effective tool to help children learn about themselves while also learning techniques to help them cope with their symptoms.
The goal of therapy when medication is needed is that children are weaned off of medications as soon and as safely as possible, while fostering the copings skills that will be utilized throughout their lives.
It’s time to seek help if you, your child, or others who frequently interact with your child notice behaviors or emotions that seem out of the ordinary. This includes if your child struggles with adapting to daily changes, exhibits excessive tearfulness or clinginess, or faces challenges with sleeping. Your child may also complain of physical symptoms, such as frequent tummy aches or headaches. These signs indicate that your child might be grappling with anxiety that could benefit from professional evaluation and treatment. Early intervention can significantly ease your child’s distress and improve their ability to cope with anxiety.
For managing anxiety, medication has proven effective, especially when used alongside therapy. The medications commonly prescribed are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs). SSRIs and SNRIs help by increasing levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain, neurotransmitters that play a key role in mood regulation and communication between nerve cells.
However, it’s important to be aware of possible side effects, which can include sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal issues, skin rashes, headaches, mood changes, dizziness, and in rare cases, suicidal thoughts. There may also be interactions with other medications your child is taking. It’s crucial to have an open dialogue with your healthcare provider to carefully weigh the benefits against the potential risks and to monitor your child’s response to the medication closely.
Supporting your child’s anxiety treatment at home involves a holistic approach that touches on various aspects of their daily life. Encouraging healthy eating habits and regular physical activity can significantly impact their mood and energy levels, positively affecting their mental health. Additionally, setting limits on screen time, especially before bed, can help improve their sleep quality and overall well-being. Establishing a consistent sleep routine is crucial for managing anxiety, as well as fostering an environment that emphasizes their strengths and interests. By integrating these practices into your family’s lifestyle, you can offer invaluable support that complements professional treatment and helps your child manage anxiety more effectively.
If worry is starting to interfere with school, friendships, family life, or sleep—or if your child’s fears feel bigger than what you’d expect for their age—a professional evaluation can help clarify next steps.
The number of sessions varies by child, but many kids benefit from at least several months of consistent, weekly therapy, with session-based goals reviewed and updated along the way.
Many families use health insurance to help cover the cost of therapy; our team can review your benefits, explain estimated costs, and help you navigate the intake process before you commit to care.
CBT focuses on helping children notice worried thoughts and practice new behaviors, while play therapy uses toys, art, and games as the main way kids communicate and rehearse these skills. For most children ages 3–12, we blend play therapy with CBT techniques so sessions feel natural and effective.