Dr. Alexandra Adams
PsyD, Postdoctoral Fellow, PLP
Supervised by Dr. Shannon Ackal, M.Ed, Ph.D, LP
Dr. Alexandra Adams is a postdoctoral fellow and provisionally licensed psychologist with extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and families. She has trained in pediatric medical centers and private practices, conducting neuropsychological and psychoeducational evaluations for concerns related to learning, attention, development, and emotional functioning. Dr. Adams is especially passionate about helping individuals and families understand how they learn, what may be making school or daily life difficult, and which supports could help.
Alexandra’s Education and Experience
Alexandra earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). After graduating, she provided individualized behavioral therapy to young autistic children before moving to Chicago to pursue her doctorate in clinical psychology. She earned her M.A. and PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Midwestern University, where she graduated with an emphasis in child and adolescent psychology.
During graduate school, Dr. Adams trained in pediatric medical centers and neuropsychology private practices throughout the Chicago area. She conducted assessments and therapy for children and adolescents with a wide range of learning, developmental, emotional, and behavioral concerns. Her doctoral research focused on sleep and emotional functioning in youth with ADHD. She completed her doctoral internship on the Neurodevelopmental Disorders Track at Boston Children’s Hospital-Franciscan Children's. There, she conducted comprehensive evaluations for school-age children and adolescents, along with autism evaluations for young children. She also provided individual therapy and parent training, experiences that continue to inform the recommendations she gives families.
After training in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston, Alexandra is happy to return to her home state of Texas. As a postdoctoral fellow at The Mind Spot, she conducts all evaluations under the supervision of Dr. Shannon Ackal.
Alexandra’s Clinical Approach
Dr. Adams believes that understanding a child means listening to the people who know them well. She considers test results alongside each person’s history and input from families, teachers, and other providers. She also knows that a child may show different sides of themselves at home, at school, and during an evaluation.
Alexandra is particularly passionate about taking strengths-based approach and explaining test results in everyday, actionable language. She wants families to understand both what their child’s brain is already doing well and where extra support may help. Together, those pieces can answer the “why” behind a concern and point toward useful next steps.
Alexandra’s Area of Practice
Dr. Adams’s areas of practice include evaluations for:
Learning disorders, including difficulties with reading, writing, and math
ADHD and related attention or executive functioning concerns
School and college testing accommodations
Autism and other developmental concerns
Her areas of practice include providing the following evaluations
On a Personal Note
Alexandra grew up in Southeast Texas and is glad to be back near home. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, staying active, and playing Mahjong.