Therapy: A Safe Place to Work Through the Hard Stuff
Therapy for children navigating anxiety, emotional regulation, self-esteem, and the everyday challenges of growing up.
Learning differences don't just affect grades.
They affect how kids feel about themselves.
When a child struggles in school day after day, the emotional toll adds up.
They start comparing themselves to classmates. They begin to believe they're not smart enough. They get anxious about being called on, avoid situations where they might fail, or shut down when things get difficult. Some children internalize it quietly. Others act out.
These emotional responses aren't separate from the learning challenge. They're part of it. And addressing them is just as important as addressing the academics.
What Therapy Looks Like at Mind by Design
Therapy here is tailored to your child’s needs, their age, and the challenges they’re facing.
Our therapists create a space where children feel safe to talk about what’s hard, explore their feelings, and build the coping strategies they need to handle the demands of school and daily life.
Therapy might focus on managing anxiety, building emotional regulation skills, working through frustration related to school, developing social skills, improving self-esteem, or processing a new diagnosis. The approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in evidence-based methods.
Because our therapists are part of the MBD team, they can coordinate with your child’s evaluator, coach, literacy specialist, or speech-language pathologist when they’re receiving other services. If a psychoeducational evaluation identified social-emotional concerns, therapy picks up where that report left off.
Session length: Tailored to your child’s needs (typically 45 minutes)
Typical frequency: Weekly
Ages: Children and adolescents
Evaluation required?: No
Insurance: Therapy may be partially reimbursable. Insurance carriers bill therapy under the CPT category “psychotherapy.” See our Billing & Insurance page for CPT codes and details.
What We Help With
✔ Anxiety
Worry about school, social situations, or performance that interferes with daily life and learning.
✔ Social Skills & Peer Relationships
Navigating friendships, reading social cues, and feeling confident in group settings.
✔ Emotional Regulation
Difficulty managing frustration, anger, sadness, or emotional overwhelm in productive ways.
✔ Processing a Diagnosis
Making sense of a new ADHD, autism, or learning disability diagnosis in a way that's empowering rather than limiting.
✔ Self-Esteem & Self-Concept
Negative self-talk, feelings of being "different" or "not smart enough," and the emotional weight of struggling in school.
✔ School-Related Stress
Test anxiety, avoidance, school refusal, and the general emotional burden of academic challenges.
Wondering If Your Child Could Use Someone to Talk To?
You don't need to wait for a crisis. If your child is carrying emotional weight related to school, learning, or how they see themselves, that's reason enough to reach out.
Why Therapy at Mind by Design is Different
Most therapists who work with children don’t have access to a detailed picture of how that child’s brain processes information. Our team does.
When your child has been evaluated at Mind by Design, therapy is informed by the full cognitive, academic, and social-emotional profile. That means therapy isn’t built on guesswork. It’s built on data.
And when your child is also working with our executive function coaches, literacy specialists, speech-language pathologists, or academic support team, your therapist can coordinate with them so everyone understands what’s happening emotionally and how it connects to the rest of your child’s support.
Your Child's Counselor
Our counseling team brings both clinical depth and a real understanding of learning differences to every session. Because they're part of the broader MBD team, therapy is never disconnected from the rest of your child's support.
Christina Reilly
Licensed Educational Psychologist #4038, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #145096, Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP)
Christina draws on her dual training in educational psychology and marriage and family therapy to support children and teens through anxiety, big emotions, self-esteem, and the relational dynamics that shape how they show up in the world. Her approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in a deep understanding of the whole child.
Dr. Alexa Padilla, Ph.D.
Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology #94029034, supervised by Dr. Melissa Sorci, Licensed Clinical Psychologist PSY #23816
Alexa is a child, adolescent, and family therapist who supports kids and teens navigating anxiety, depression, mood, and other mental health concerns. Her approach is warm, structured, and goal-oriented, drawing on cognitive behavioral therapy to help clients
Children Who Benefit Most from Therapy
Therapy is right for children who are carrying emotional weight related to their learning experience, whether that looks like anxiety before school, meltdowns during homework, withdrawal from activities they used to enjoy, or negative beliefs about their own abilities.
Many children we see have recently received a diagnosis and are working to understand what it means for them. Others have been struggling for a while and need a space to process feelings they haven’t been able to put into words.
You don’t need a diagnosis or an evaluation to start therapy. If your child is having a hard time emotionally and you think it might be connected to school, learning, or how they see themselves, that’s enough of a reason to reach out.
Common Questions About Therapy
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We provide therapy for children and adolescents.
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It depends on the child and the concerns being addressed. Some children benefit from a defined period of support around a specific challenge. Others engage in longer-term therapy. We check in regularly about progress and adjust as needed.
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Yes. Therapy sessions are confidential, with standard exceptions required by law (safety concerns, mandatory reporting). Your child’s therapist will discuss confidentiality with you and your child at the start of the process.
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Absolutely. Many children receive therapy alongside executive function coaching, speech therapy, or other support services. Because our providers are part of the same team, coordination happens naturally.
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Therapy may be partially reimbursable depending on your plan. Insurance carriers bill therapy under the CPT category “psychotherapy.” We provide a superbill for you to submit. Visit our Billing & Insurance page for CPT codes and guidance.
From Our Blog
Ready to Give Your Child a Space to Feel Heard?
When children have a safe place to work through the hard stuff, everything else gets a little easier. If your child is carrying more than they should have to, our counseling team can help lighten the load.
Get in Touch
Let us know how we can help. You’re welcome to fill out a form or give us a call or text at 669-282-2510.
If you’d like to schedule a call with one of our team members, please fill out the form. You’ll then receive a link to our calendar.
When your child with ADHD or autism experiences emotional overwhelm, traditional calming strategies often fall short. What works for neurotypical children may actually increase distress for neurodivergent kids who process emotions and sensory information differently.