Online Therapy for Children Across Texas & PSYPACT States
The meltdown over a sock seam that somehow lasts forty minutes. The bedtime that has quietly turned into a two-hour negotiation about everything that might go wrong tomorrow. The bright, funny kid who has started saying "I'm bad at everything" in a voice too flat for an eight-year-old.
When your child is little, big feelings don't come with words yet. They come out sideways, in the body and the behavior. At Little Dove Psychology, our licensed clinicians provide warm, evidence-based child therapy in Austin and online across Texas, shaped around how children actually process the world. Start with a free 15-minute consultation.
Little Dove Psychology wants our services to be financially accessible for all families. That's why we keep paying simple, with clear pay-as-you-go pricing.
See Fees & InsuranceTherapy for a young child isn't a smaller version of adult therapy, and it isn't a kid sitting stiffly on a couch answering questions. For children, the work is developmentally shaped: playful, concrete, and built around how kids learn. In practice that means sessions that use play, drawing, stories, and games to help your child name what she's feeling and practice new skills, because a seven-year-old learns to manage worry by doing, not by discussing.
Parent coaching is a core part of the work. For young kids, you are the most powerful part of the treatment, so we coach you on exactly what to say and do in the hard moments (the school drop-off, the meltdown, the bedtime spiral) so the skills carry into real life instead of staying in the therapy hour. Our clinicians draw on evidence-based methods (cognitive behavioral therapy adapted for children, gentle exposure work for fears and avoidance, and DBT-informed skills for kids whose emotions run big) and coordinate with teachers and pediatricians when it helps. The work is provided by our clinical team. The goal isn't a quieter, more convenient kid; it's helping the bright, funny, feeling-everything child you already know carry a little less weight.
If focus and attention are the bigger question, the "is this ADHD?" worry, our ADHD testing & treatment is a better starting point. For teens and college students, see our anxiety therapy and therapy for college students pages.
When a child is coping with a serious illness or a loss in the family, outside support can help alongside the work we do together. Mesothelioma Hope offers a guide to supporting children through a family member’s illness, with grief and coping resources families may find useful.
It's the first question most parents ask, and it's a fair one. For many children the answer is yes, surprisingly well. Kids are often more open on a screen from their own room, surrounded by their own things, than they are in an unfamiliar office. Our clinicians are trained to keep young kids engaged virtually (using screen-sharing games, drawing, movement, and props), and having you nearby means parent coaching happens naturally. For the small number of situations where in-person care is the better fit, we'll tell you honestly and help you find it. Because the work is virtual, it reaches your family wherever you are (Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Plano, Frisco, Southlake, and across rural Texas), plus other PSYPACT states.
Children as young as 4 to 5 can benefit from therapy when it's developmentally adapted, using play, stories, and parent coaching rather than talk alone. For very young children, much of the work is done with and through parents. As kids grow, they take on more of the skills directly. Our team works with kids, teens, and college students, adjusting the approach to fit the child in front of us.
Some worry, sadness, and big feelings are a normal part of growing up. It's worth a consultation when the difficulty lasts more than a few weeks, shows up in her body (stomachaches, sleep trouble), interferes with school or friendships, or shrinks her world by making her avoid things she used to enjoy. A free 15-minute consultation is the easiest way to sort "needs support" from "a few skills at home will do it."
For younger kids, sessions use play, drawing, stories, and games to build emotional skills, paired with parent coaching so you can support the work at home. For older kids, it shifts toward more direct skill-building: cognitive behavioral strategies, gentle exposure for fears, and emotion-regulation tools. The methods are evidence-based; the delivery flexes to fit your child's age and personality.
You'll be involved, on purpose. For children, parent coaching is a core part of treatment because you're the one there in the hard moments. We coach you on concrete strategies for drop-offs, meltdowns, and bedtime so the skills work in real life, not just in session.
Yes, for many kids it works very well. Children are often more comfortable and open from their own room, and our clinicians are trained to keep young kids engaged virtually with screen-sharing games, drawing, and movement. Having a parent nearby also makes coaching seamless. We'll tell you honestly if your child's situation calls for in-person care instead.
Anxiety and worry (including separation anxiety and school avoidance), depression and low mood, big emotions and emotion regulation, family stress and transitions like divorce or a move, behavior challenges that have everyone stuck, and social skills and friendships. If focus and attention are the main concern, our ADHD evaluation is a better starting point.
Little Dove Psychology is in network with Aetna, UnitedHealthcare (UHC), and Optum, and we are projected to be in network with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas by late September or early October. For self-pay families, we're happy to provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance for possible out-of-network reimbursement, and many families with PPO plans recover a meaningful portion. We are in network with Aetna, UnitedHealthcare (UHC), and Optum, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas is projected for late September or early October.
Therapy helps your child build skills to manage anxiety, emotions, mood, and behavior. An ADHD evaluation answers a specific diagnostic question about attention and focus using structured testing. Some families start with one and add the other; a free consultation helps you figure out the right entry point.
The simplest next step is a free 15-minute consultation. We'll talk through what you're seeing in your child, what child therapy would actually involve, and whether Little Dove is the right fit: no commitment, no sales pitch, just a real conversation. Call or text (512) 240-2633.
Schedule a Free 15-Minute Consultation →“I can’t recommend Dr. Kristin Kroll at Little Dove Psychology highly enough. She is extremely knowledgeable and brings years of experience to every session, and you can tell she genuinely cares and is invested in helping you.”
“Kristin is a very caring, compassionate and thorough therapist. She engages on a 1:1 level with varied age groups to better suit their individual needs. Professional, approachable, and respects privacy.”
“We cannot recommend Little Dove Psychology highly enough. They take the time to truly listen, helping clients feel understood and supported: thoughtful, evidence-based care tailored to each person’s needs.”