Vivian Mitchell

Currently waitlisted but accepting clients with all clinical concerns :)! Clients seeking services for assessment and evaluation get priority--please read the bottom of this section for information regarding autism and ADHD screening. -- 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 seven 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 do so here on our site :) https://www.tishaaronsenlmft.com/vivian-mitchell-apcc-16067 -- ASD/ADHD assessment information: -- I do provide assessment 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. 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 join my waitlist and put this in your request. You can also message me on Monarch to be added to the waitlist. 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. This also applies to self-pay clients; my fee for one self-paid hour is $120. 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. 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 consultation session prior to all developmental screenings. -- For Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) screening: Please join my waitlist and put this in your request. 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 consultation session prior to all developmental screenings. -- Insurance information: --As mentioned above, Cencal will cover developmental screenings 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. --Self-pay structure: This will be 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. 2) Three 2-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). The first hour is paid for by insurance, then the second hour is billed as self-pay at the rate of $120/hour 3) One ninety-minute 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. The first hour will be covered by insurance, and the remaining half an hour is charged at the self-pay rate of $60 per 30 minutes. 4) For the written report, another hour is charged, as it takes me time to write up the report. 5) all in all, this costs $120 x 4 hours plus $60 for 30 minutes, so $600 total. These may be billed separately or together, but when billing separately the session's invoice will be charged the day of service. It takes me 1-2 weeks following the assessment to complete the report.