Unlockt, “a whole new approach to ADHD,” celebrated the grand opening of its second location on Thursday, Oct. 2, near the St. Johns Town Center.
Unlockt, founded by Raghu Misra, Emily Connor and Eva Luther, first opened in Nocatee in 2024. Unlockt is a program designed to help children, teens, young adults and families navigate life with ADHD.
The Brain Arcade is a fun and inviting game room that provides interactive training techniques to help youth develop the skills needed to communicate, focus, manage emotions and practice self-care. The Brain Arcade incorporates games that help strengthen eye coordination, as one eye usually moves faster than the other in people with ADHD. This can make focusing increasingly challenging. Not only are these games fun, but they aid the brain in being in sync with the body.
Luther, co-founder and program director, and Connor, co-founder and organizational designer, showcased the arcade and how some of the games work. One computer game involves the child keeping track of three balls as they bounce around the screen. They can easily get lost among the other bouncy balls, and the game requires intense concentration.
Another game involves standing in front of a series of large buttons on the wall as they flash green and tapping them as fast as possible while avoiding the red lights. This game requires the child to use both agility and mental focus.
“When they lock in and know how to focus, they can do incredible things,” said Luther.
Not only is the Brain Arcade fun, but it is incredibly effective. Kids thrive on setting goals and learning from children like them. Statistics show that children who participated in their Unlockt program had increased emotional regulation and academic performance. Additionally, the children had decreased anxiety, inattentiveness and hyperactivity.
The Brain Arcade has yielded some unexpected results, as well. Two children’s ADHD score moved to zero and another child was able to go off of medication.
Half of the program includes parenting coaching. Unlockt teaches parents how to manage their child’s health and wellness, balance screen times and incorporate supplements or a special diet to better support their child. Starting with basic skills and self-care can lead to a better transition to adulthood.
“These things need to be in school,” Misra co-founder and technologist, said in reference to the Brain Arcade. He said Unlockt plans to open more locations across Jacksonville as the need for ADHD support is great. He explained that the belief behind Unlockt is that children with ADHD have superpowers, it’s just about knowing how to unlock them.
