A diagnosis of autism is a first step towards better understanding your child and how your child’s mind works. A diagnosis can also help your child get resources and supports that will help them reach their full potential.

I provide comprehensive, strength-based evaluations to not just answer the question, “Is my child autistic,” but also provide guidance and next steps for you and your child, regardless of the outcome of the assessment.

How do I make an appointment?

To schedule an appointment, fill out this form and I will contact you to set up a time for us to talk. You an also email me at cynthia@highcountrytherapy.org or call me at 828-970-3057. We can talk via a secure virtual meeting platform, over the phone, or via email, whatever you prefer.

  • Autism is a neurological condition, a form of neurodiversity. The characteristics, strengths, and differences of autistic individuals vary greatly and this makes describing autism challenging. If you would like to learn more about the diagnostic criteria for autism, click. here.

  • The first step will be a brief (about 15 minute), free consultation. During this time we will talk about whether this assessment makes sense for your child and what your goals are. We can do this over the phone, via a virtual (online) meeting, or by email, whatever is easiest for you. After this consultation, if we agree to proceed, I will send you some questionnaires and other paperwork to complete. You can do all of this online.

    Our next meeting will take place in person or virtually (your choice). During this conversation I will ask questions to learn more about your child’s developmental and medical background and their educational history. We will also talk about how your child interacts with other people, what interests them, and about sensory processing. This information will help us determine what additional types of assessment are going to be most appropriate for you and your child.

    I will use a variety of rating scales (completed by you and possibly your child) and direct assessments where I interact with your child to explore the presence or absence of autism. During this process, I will explore different factors that could be contributing to any challenges your child is experiencing.

    If your child has not had a formal cognitive assessment completed in the last year, the assessment process will include an IQ test. This helps me get a complete understanding of your child’s strengths, abilities, and challenges. Many autistic people have significant strengths in some areas (e.g., recalling information) and challenges in others (e.g., quickly processing sensory input). Better understanding your child’s strengths and challenges will allow us to identify ways to ensure your child is successful at school, at home, and in other areas of life.

    If you are paying out of pocket for the evaluation, you can expect costs to range between $1,500 and $2,600 depending on the what the evaluation includes. Please see my “Do you take insurance” tab for more information about billing.

  • I accept BCBS and Optum/United Behavioral Health insurance however, even within these insurance companies, policies differ with regard to what is and is not covered. You can ask your insurance company if they cover CPT Codes 90791, 96136, 96137, 96130, and 96131. I can help you with this process.

    If you are not using insurance, I can give you what is called a Superbill that summarizes the assessment. You can submit that to your insurance company and they may reimburse you for all or part of the costs.