Vivian Mitchell APCC
SITE DIRECTOR AT ATASCADERO
My name is Vivian—I work with my clients to focus on goals they want to achieve. I mainly focus on neurodivergence (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], autism spectrum
disorder [ASD], complex differential diagnoses, bipolar disorders, obsessive-compulsive
disorders, and clinical assessment and evaluation. This being said, I take a person-centered
approach to psychotherapy and I love working with a wide variety of clientele! My assessment
services are explained in more detail at the end of this page.
I believe in authenticity, flexibility, and building meaningful relationships with my clients. I’ve
been in the mental health/psychology field for about eight years; my educational experience
includes Cuesta College, University of California, Irvine, and Penn State University. I have
extensive experience working with children, teens, young adults, neurodivergent individuals, and
LGBTQIA+ individuals. That being said, I am happy to book with anyone who would like to
work with me; I have worked with a diverse clientele of all ages with a wide variety of clinical
concerns. I take an eclectic approach to therapy that matches the needs of the client to the style
of therapy—typically I will use person-centered therapy, play therapy techniques, art/music
therapy techniques, behavioral therapy techniques, and cognitive restructuring. I’m trained in treating all clinical disorders, family struggles, coming-of-age concerns, substance/alcohol use disorders, ADHD,
and autism spectrum disorder. I believe in congruence—which means what you see is what
you’ll get with me, and honesty is one of my core values. I strive to enhance resilience and
promote better outcomes for all of my clients, and it would be an honor to work with you! I’m
proud to be a part of the Aronsen Counseling Services team under the clinical supervision of
Tisha Aronsen.
If you'd like to request an appointment please email intake@aronsencounselingservices.com
ASD/ADHD assessment information:
I do provide assessments for both ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder! By default, if you
request ADHD screening from me I will also pre-screen you for autism spectrum disorder. Screening for ADHD in my minor clients is something I do as a routine practice in sessions, but
diagnostics become trickier with age.
Cencal covers developmental screenings from me up to age 21, so if you have Cencal insurance,
you will be covered until age 21. I cannot accurately assess any child under the age of 3. If your
child is aged 3-5 and a pediatrician has noticed early signs of autism I recommend reaching out
to the local regional center, Tri-Counties Regional Center, rather than me, first and foremost.
For ADHD screening: Please email intake@aronsencounselingservices.com to schedule, if you have questions for me personally you can contact me via email.
I will do ADHD screening for all ages over
five, but a fee of $150 will be added if you are over 20-22 (depending on insurance, as most
insurance companies only cover developmental screening up to age 21--if you would like to
speak with your insurance about ADHD screening coverage, neuropsychological assessment
coverage, or other developmental screening and get this approved over age 22, this fee would not
need to be applied) for a developmental report. Adult ADHD screenings typically take 2 session
hours on different days but may take 1-5 sessions depending on the client, personal factors, age,
and family history. My assessment/report fee will not change based on the session, it is based on
assessment. Please be aware that I may find you/the client you are referring do not have ADHD or that you/the client may have another diagnosis/diagnosis. I do one consultation session prior
to all developmental screenings.
For Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) screening: This follows the same process as ADHD
screening. Per guideline, this screening will, by default, assess for all related disorders, including
ADHD. If you/the client you are wishing to schedule for an assessment is between the ages of 5-
23, they are likely to get coverage through health insurance to complete a developmental
screening, though this depends on insurance and coverage. For some clients, the self-pay
structure is still more economical. For clients aged 5-23, an autism assessment takes a minimum
of 7 hours and 2 weeks, though this would be an accelerated timeline. For adults over the age of
23, we may be able to complete an assessment in 6 hours, though my final hour is a parent/older
sibling/older relative interview of your behavior as a child, and without it my assessment holds
less validity. Please be aware that I may find you/the client you are referring do not have ADHD
or that you/the client may have another diagnosis/diagnosis. I do one consultation session prior
to all developmental screenings.
Insurance information:
As mentioned above, Cencal will cover developmental screenings (including autism spectrum
disorder) up to age 21, which includes a report from me.
Other insurances: some will require pre-authorization, and some require specialized billing
codes. If you're seeking these services, I recommend you call your insurance and ask which CPT
codes they cover for developmental screening for master's level clinicians, and whether or not
they need a pre-authorization from us. As a general rule, I’ve had success with clients up to age
21 with Cigna and Cencal.
--Self-pay structure: This will be1) one consultation session, covered by insurance if you have it. We will complete pre-screens
and review the process, and I'll let you know whether or not we should continue.
2) Six 1-hour sessions with me and the individual being screened for autism spectrum disorder
(parent is okay to be present during as much/little of this time as they like). These are billed as
psychotherapy through appointment and will include psychotherapy as well.
3) One hour session with ONLY the parents, caretakers, or other member of the family who is
old enough to describe the client's behavior and interaction under the age of twelve. This will
also be covered by insurance.
4) For the written report, another fee is charged, as it takes me time to write up the report.
5) The total fee for a full autism assessment and report (via self-pay) is $570. This is typically
billed as $60 after each session (so 60 x 7 sessions) and $150 for writing up the report. This fee
allows me to spend time analyzing the report that I make and is a full comprehensive
psychological examination.
6) If the client opts to have a consultation session prior to moving forward with ADHD and/or
autism assessment (which includes ADHD assessment), consultation is free apart from the co-
pay, so I can provide my opinion on whether or not I recommend moving forward with
assessment services.
TRAININGS AND CERTIFICATIONS:
KETAMINE ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY
MIGDAS 2 ADULT ADHD ASSESSMENT
ACES AWARE OF CALIFORNIA
Contact Information:
OFFICE: 805-550-0594 x24
EMAIL: Vivian@aronsencounselingservices.com
OFFICE LOCATION:
Atascadero
6717 Morro Rd, Atascadero, CA 93422
disorder [ASD], complex differential diagnoses, bipolar disorders, obsessive-compulsive
disorders, and clinical assessment and evaluation. This being said, I take a person-centered
approach to psychotherapy and I love working with a wide variety of clientele! My assessment
services are explained in more detail at the end of this page.
I believe in authenticity, flexibility, and building meaningful relationships with my clients. I’ve
been in the mental health/psychology field for about eight years; my educational experience
includes Cuesta College, University of California, Irvine, and Penn State University. I have
extensive experience working with children, teens, young adults, neurodivergent individuals, and
LGBTQIA+ individuals. That being said, I am happy to book with anyone who would like to
work with me; I have worked with a diverse clientele of all ages with a wide variety of clinical
concerns. I take an eclectic approach to therapy that matches the needs of the client to the style
of therapy—typically I will use person-centered therapy, play therapy techniques, art/music
therapy techniques, behavioral therapy techniques, and cognitive restructuring. I’m trained in treating all clinical disorders, family struggles, coming-of-age concerns, substance/alcohol use disorders, ADHD,
and autism spectrum disorder. I believe in congruence—which means what you see is what
you’ll get with me, and honesty is one of my core values. I strive to enhance resilience and
promote better outcomes for all of my clients, and it would be an honor to work with you! I’m
proud to be a part of the Aronsen Counseling Services team under the clinical supervision of
Tisha Aronsen.
If you'd like to request an appointment please email intake@aronsencounselingservices.com
ASD/ADHD assessment information:
I do provide assessments for both ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder! By default, if you
request ADHD screening from me I will also pre-screen you for autism spectrum disorder. Screening for ADHD in my minor clients is something I do as a routine practice in sessions, but
diagnostics become trickier with age.
Cencal covers developmental screenings from me up to age 21, so if you have Cencal insurance,
you will be covered until age 21. I cannot accurately assess any child under the age of 3. If your
child is aged 3-5 and a pediatrician has noticed early signs of autism I recommend reaching out
to the local regional center, Tri-Counties Regional Center, rather than me, first and foremost.
For ADHD screening: Please email intake@aronsencounselingservices.com to schedule, if you have questions for me personally you can contact me via email.
I will do ADHD screening for all ages over
five, but a fee of $150 will be added if you are over 20-22 (depending on insurance, as most
insurance companies only cover developmental screening up to age 21--if you would like to
speak with your insurance about ADHD screening coverage, neuropsychological assessment
coverage, or other developmental screening and get this approved over age 22, this fee would not
need to be applied) for a developmental report. Adult ADHD screenings typically take 2 session
hours on different days but may take 1-5 sessions depending on the client, personal factors, age,
and family history. My assessment/report fee will not change based on the session, it is based on
assessment. Please be aware that I may find you/the client you are referring do not have ADHD or that you/the client may have another diagnosis/diagnosis. I do one consultation session prior
to all developmental screenings.
For Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) screening: This follows the same process as ADHD
screening. Per guideline, this screening will, by default, assess for all related disorders, including
ADHD. If you/the client you are wishing to schedule for an assessment is between the ages of 5-
23, they are likely to get coverage through health insurance to complete a developmental
screening, though this depends on insurance and coverage. For some clients, the self-pay
structure is still more economical. For clients aged 5-23, an autism assessment takes a minimum
of 7 hours and 2 weeks, though this would be an accelerated timeline. For adults over the age of
23, we may be able to complete an assessment in 6 hours, though my final hour is a parent/older
sibling/older relative interview of your behavior as a child, and without it my assessment holds
less validity. Please be aware that I may find you/the client you are referring do not have ADHD
or that you/the client may have another diagnosis/diagnosis. I do one consultation session prior
to all developmental screenings.
Insurance information:
As mentioned above, Cencal will cover developmental screenings (including autism spectrum
disorder) up to age 21, which includes a report from me.
Other insurances: some will require pre-authorization, and some require specialized billing
codes. If you're seeking these services, I recommend you call your insurance and ask which CPT
codes they cover for developmental screening for master's level clinicians, and whether or not
they need a pre-authorization from us. As a general rule, I’ve had success with clients up to age
21 with Cigna and Cencal.
--Self-pay structure: This will be1) one consultation session, covered by insurance if you have it. We will complete pre-screens
and review the process, and I'll let you know whether or not we should continue.
2) Six 1-hour sessions with me and the individual being screened for autism spectrum disorder
(parent is okay to be present during as much/little of this time as they like). These are billed as
psychotherapy through appointment and will include psychotherapy as well.
3) One hour session with ONLY the parents, caretakers, or other member of the family who is
old enough to describe the client's behavior and interaction under the age of twelve. This will
also be covered by insurance.
4) For the written report, another fee is charged, as it takes me time to write up the report.
5) The total fee for a full autism assessment and report (via self-pay) is $570. This is typically
billed as $60 after each session (so 60 x 7 sessions) and $150 for writing up the report. This fee
allows me to spend time analyzing the report that I make and is a full comprehensive
psychological examination.
6) If the client opts to have a consultation session prior to moving forward with ADHD and/or
autism assessment (which includes ADHD assessment), consultation is free apart from the co-
pay, so I can provide my opinion on whether or not I recommend moving forward with
assessment services.
TRAININGS AND CERTIFICATIONS:
KETAMINE ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY
MIGDAS 2 ADULT ADHD ASSESSMENT
ACES AWARE OF CALIFORNIA
Contact Information:
OFFICE: 805-550-0594 x24
EMAIL: Vivian@aronsencounselingservices.com
OFFICE LOCATION:
Atascadero
6717 Morro Rd, Atascadero, CA 93422