VIVIAN MITCHELL
APCC #16067
MA Applied Clinical Psychology
Current Ph.D. student in Clinical Psychology
SITE DIRECTOR AT ATASCADERO
For information on ASD/ADHD screenings, scroll to the bottom of this webpage.
My name is Vivian—I work with my clients to focus on goals they want to achieve. 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/research experience includes Cuesta College, University of California, Irvine, and Penn State University. In addition to my master's degree, I am currently working on my ph.d. in clinical psychology as a graduate student at Fielding. Prior to moving back to CA to serve my hometown community, I provided mental healthcare to underserved individuals in PA and continued my research after completing my master's degree.
I take pride in trauma-informed care in a large variety of different clinical concerns. 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, OCD, 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.
I also do offer autism and ADHD assessments for any individual above the age of 3.
TRAININGS AND CERTIFICATIONS:
Autism spectrum disorder:
Specialized ADHD Trainings:
Other therapeutic focuses/trainings:
Research experiences/focuses:
*** I currently have a waitlist, please email intake. As a note, insurance typically only covers ADHD/ASD assessment up to age 21, but we do offer flexible self-pay options for report fees***
EMAIL: VIVIAN@ARONSENCOUNSELINGSERVICES.COM
OFFICE LOCATION:
ATASCADERO IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL
If you'd like to request an appointment please email: VIVIAN@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 child 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 VIVIAN@ARONSENCOUNSELINGSERVICES.COM to schedule, if you have questions for me personally you can contact me via email.
I cannot complete child autism assessments remotely, and this process takes time. Typically, this process is completed over 8-12 weeks on different days. For older adolescents and adults, I can complete some sessions remotely, but I prefer to see you at least one time in-person, face-to-face.
I will do ADHD screening for all ages over three, but a report fee of $150 will be added if you are over 21 (depending on insurance, as most
insurance companies only cover developmental screening up to age 21)
The fee I charge for neuropsychological evaluation and report is to ensure that time I spend outside of sessions is paid for. It is considered a report fee.
Professional instruments, training, and time are fees clinicians have to pay for; insurance does not pay for neurodevelopmental screenings from master's level clinicians over age 21 at this time. I am flexible about self-pay and payment plans, and I try to make my fees as low as possible--please keep in mind that this is a specialized service and I try my best to provide support to each individual who reaches out.
--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 to prevent fees if a client does not need a full neurodevelopmental report.
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/diagnoses. I do one-two consultation session(s) 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.
--ADHD self-pay structure:
1) 1-2 consultation session(s) (insurance-paid, will include co-pay), with no additional fee.
2) $150 total fee for report. This will typically be 4-10 pages. Other clinicians may diagnose ADHD, especially in children, but this fee allows me to be thorough and provide you with a written neuropsychological evaluation for best clinical practice.
--Note about ADHD assessment: I have only ever charged this fee for adults; 21 and under will not have this fee. Neurodevelopmental disorders get more difficult to diagnose with age, and unfortunately insurance only covers this up to this age for my services.
--ASD self-pay structure:
1) 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 with a full assessment. I do not charge a fee for this screening.
2) Six 1-hour sessions (or five 75 min 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). I need a minimum of 6 hours of observation to make a clinical impression, and it's helpful for me to complete these over different days; every person acts differently day-to-day.
3) One 60-90min 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. If no parent/caretaker is present, this hour can be replaced by a friend/sibling/relative, or an additional hour of relevant information from the client themselves.
4) For final report to be complete, a fee of $175 is applied; this pays for the hours it takes me to finalize your results. My reports are typically 15-25 pages and adequate to receive services if required and/or desired.
5) The total fee for a full autism/neurodevelopmental assessment report (via self-pay) is $700. This is typically
billed as $75 after each session (so 75 x 7 sessions) and $175 for additional time I need to complete your written report. This fee allows me to spend time analyzing the report that I make and is a full comprehensive
psychological examination.
--NOTE: I am willing to work with you on payment options and plans that work for you. Autism assessments typically range between $1000-5000, I make my assessments as affordable as possible. The fee is charged only for the work I need to do outside of session to complete my assessment.
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.
--If ADHD screening is completed prior to a full neuropsychological evaluation from me, I will subtract that cost from the overall fee.
--Co-pays still apply for the psychotherapy hours needed to apply clinical judgment.
--Cigna is typically in-network up to age 21 as well as CenCal.
--I am just as mad about the lack of insurance coverage for adults as you, trust me :( I wish I could reasonably do every assessment completely covered by insurance; sadly, insurance sees things differently.
Contact Information:
OFFICE: 805-550-0594 x24
TEXT/direct line: 805-539-2821
EMAIL: Vivian@aronsencounselingservices.com
OFFICE LOCATION:
Atascadero
6717 Morro Rd, Atascadero, CA 93422
My name is Vivian—I work with my clients to focus on goals they want to achieve. 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/research experience includes Cuesta College, University of California, Irvine, and Penn State University. In addition to my master's degree, I am currently working on my ph.d. in clinical psychology as a graduate student at Fielding. Prior to moving back to CA to serve my hometown community, I provided mental healthcare to underserved individuals in PA and continued my research after completing my master's degree.
I take pride in trauma-informed care in a large variety of different clinical concerns. 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, OCD, 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.
I also do offer autism and ADHD assessments for any individual above the age of 3.
TRAININGS AND CERTIFICATIONS:
Autism spectrum disorder:
- WPS: SRS-2 (Social responsiveness scale) certified
- MIGDAS-2: Using the Adult MIGDAS 2: In person and remote applications
- MIGDAS-2 Online Workshop
Reveal Their Story: Sensory-Based Interview
Assessing Children and Younger Adolescents - Paraprofessional Behavior Technician training & experience in Applied Behavioral Analysis
- Internship & Practicum supervision on ASD focused psychotherapy
Specialized ADHD Trainings:
- PESI: Russell Barkley, Ph.D. on ADHD in Children and Adolescents: Advances in Diagnosis, Treatment and Management
- PESI: Time Management & Executive Functioning Strategies for Adults with ADHD Clients Survive & Thrive in Their Careers
- PESI: CBT Strategies for Kids and Adolescents: Supporting Students with ADHD and Anxiety
- PESI: Changing the ADHD Brain: Moving Beyond Medication +++ multiple other PESI ADHD trainings
- Clinical training and implementation on the Vanderbilt ADHD scales: throughout graduate school, internship, practicum
Other therapeutic focuses/trainings:
- NOCD: Childhood OCD: Symptoms and Assessment
- NOCD: Fundamentals of Exposure-Based Therapy for OCD and Anxiety Disorders
- ACES AWARE OF CALIFORNIA
- KETAMINE ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY
- CEs in many other areas such as: trauma-informed therapy, play therapy techniques, mindfulness, LGBTQIA+ approaches, cultural competence, behavioral therapy techniques, etc.
Research experiences/focuses:
- Thomas, A. J., Mitchell, V. M., Sumner, E., Terrizzi, B. F., P.K., Piff & B. W. Sarnecka. (2022) Children recognize decision-making structures and prefer groups with less concentrated power, OPEN MIND: Discoveries in Cognitive Science
- Thesis/ongoing: Childhood Trauma, Sense of Community, and Adult Adjustment
- Paid research fellowships: UCI, PSU, focus on cognitive development, ASD/ADHD, social psychology, trauma, resilience, childhood
*** I currently have a waitlist, please email intake. As a note, insurance typically only covers ADHD/ASD assessment up to age 21, but we do offer flexible self-pay options for report fees***
EMAIL: VIVIAN@ARONSENCOUNSELINGSERVICES.COM
OFFICE LOCATION:
ATASCADERO IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL
If you'd like to request an appointment please email: VIVIAN@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 child 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 VIVIAN@ARONSENCOUNSELINGSERVICES.COM to schedule, if you have questions for me personally you can contact me via email.
I cannot complete child autism assessments remotely, and this process takes time. Typically, this process is completed over 8-12 weeks on different days. For older adolescents and adults, I can complete some sessions remotely, but I prefer to see you at least one time in-person, face-to-face.
I will do ADHD screening for all ages over three, but a report fee of $150 will be added if you are over 21 (depending on insurance, as most
insurance companies only cover developmental screening up to age 21)
The fee I charge for neuropsychological evaluation and report is to ensure that time I spend outside of sessions is paid for. It is considered a report fee.
Professional instruments, training, and time are fees clinicians have to pay for; insurance does not pay for neurodevelopmental screenings from master's level clinicians over age 21 at this time. I am flexible about self-pay and payment plans, and I try to make my fees as low as possible--please keep in mind that this is a specialized service and I try my best to provide support to each individual who reaches out.
--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 to prevent fees if a client does not need a full neurodevelopmental report.
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/diagnoses. I do one-two consultation session(s) 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.
--ADHD self-pay structure:
1) 1-2 consultation session(s) (insurance-paid, will include co-pay), with no additional fee.
2) $150 total fee for report. This will typically be 4-10 pages. Other clinicians may diagnose ADHD, especially in children, but this fee allows me to be thorough and provide you with a written neuropsychological evaluation for best clinical practice.
--Note about ADHD assessment: I have only ever charged this fee for adults; 21 and under will not have this fee. Neurodevelopmental disorders get more difficult to diagnose with age, and unfortunately insurance only covers this up to this age for my services.
--ASD self-pay structure:
1) 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 with a full assessment. I do not charge a fee for this screening.
2) Six 1-hour sessions (or five 75 min 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). I need a minimum of 6 hours of observation to make a clinical impression, and it's helpful for me to complete these over different days; every person acts differently day-to-day.
3) One 60-90min 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. If no parent/caretaker is present, this hour can be replaced by a friend/sibling/relative, or an additional hour of relevant information from the client themselves.
4) For final report to be complete, a fee of $175 is applied; this pays for the hours it takes me to finalize your results. My reports are typically 15-25 pages and adequate to receive services if required and/or desired.
5) The total fee for a full autism/neurodevelopmental assessment report (via self-pay) is $700. This is typically
billed as $75 after each session (so 75 x 7 sessions) and $175 for additional time I need to complete your written report. This fee allows me to spend time analyzing the report that I make and is a full comprehensive
psychological examination.
--NOTE: I am willing to work with you on payment options and plans that work for you. Autism assessments typically range between $1000-5000, I make my assessments as affordable as possible. The fee is charged only for the work I need to do outside of session to complete my assessment.
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.
--If ADHD screening is completed prior to a full neuropsychological evaluation from me, I will subtract that cost from the overall fee.
--Co-pays still apply for the psychotherapy hours needed to apply clinical judgment.
--Cigna is typically in-network up to age 21 as well as CenCal.
--I am just as mad about the lack of insurance coverage for adults as you, trust me :( I wish I could reasonably do every assessment completely covered by insurance; sadly, insurance sees things differently.
Contact Information:
OFFICE: 805-550-0594 x24
TEXT/direct line: 805-539-2821
EMAIL: Vivian@aronsencounselingservices.com
OFFICE LOCATION:
Atascadero
6717 Morro Rd, Atascadero, CA 93422