MIND MOSAIC PSYCHOLOGY

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ below or reach out anytime.

About Us

  • At Mind Mosaic Psychology, we provide evidence-based psychological services for children, adolescents, and adults in Charlotte, NC.

    • Comprehensive Psychological Evaluations – In-depth assessments of cognitive, academic, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning

    • ADHD Testing– Clarifying attention and executive functioning challenges across the lifespan

    • Autism Testing – Neurodivergent-affirming diagnostic evaluations

    • Learning Disability Evaluations – Testing for learning disabilities such as, Dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia.

    • Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs) – Objective assessments for educational planning

    • Gifted Testing - Brief assessment of cognitive abilities

    • Kindergarten Readiness Evaluations - Testing to determine preparedness for early kindergarten

    • Consultation Services– Targeted guidance for parents, adults, and professionals

    • Workshops & Trainings– Educational and mental health workshops for schools and organizations

    • Counseling Services– Therapy for anxiety, emotional regulation, and life transitions

  • At Mind Mosaic Psychology, we offer fully individualized, comprehensive evaluations led by specialists with advanced training in autism, ADHD, and learning differences. Our process is collaborative, thorough, and grounded in both science and real-world application. We analyze data deeply, integrate it meaningfully, and translate it into clear guidance that works across schools, workplaces, healthcare systems, and daily life.

    Our clients choose us because they want answers that make sense—and recommendations they can actually use.

  • Getting started is simple. Reach out through our contact form or schedule a call—we’ll walk you through the next steps and answer any questions along the way.

  • You can reach us anytime via our contact page or email. We aim to respond quickly—usually within one business day.

  • At Mind Mosaic Psychology, both Sarah and Taylor are Licensed Psychological Associates (LPAs) with extensive training and many years of experience supporting children, teens, and adults. We understand that the title “LPA” may be unfamiliar, so we’ve answered some common questions below to help you feel confident in your care. Learn more HERE

Financial

  • Rates

    Each clinician will determine during the consultation the amount of testing needed to best serve your needs; the length of the test battery determines the cost and time required. Click Here for more information.

  • Insurance

    Mind Mosaic Psychology is out-of-network with insurance providers, but many insurance companies may cover part of the testing costs. You are responsible for verifying prior authorization and coverage requirements with your insurance company before services begin. Since we do not partner with insurance companies, please contact your provider directly for details.

    You are also responsible for paying all fees out of pocket. Once the testing process has concluded, we will give you a superbill, to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.

    You can find helpful tips for navigating insurance HERE .

  • Superbill

    A superbill is a billing statement for insurance reimbursement that is an itemized form created by healthcare providers and given to clients outlining specific information about the assessment and psychotherapy services rendered and the payments made. This information will be provided at the end of the testing process. It is then uploaded to our secure client portal. We securely email a superbill statements to our clients (or their legal guardian) upon request.

    Please note, a superbill does include personal information such as the client’s name, the provider’s name and credentials, the office address and phone number, the client’s DSM-5/ICD-10 diagnostic code, the type of service provided for mental health (referred to as CPT billing codes) such as a diagnostic interview CPT 90791), evaluation services (CPT codes: 90830, 90836, 90838), psychotherapy treatment services (CPT codes: 90832, 90834, 90837, 90846, 90847), the dates of service, and the fees paid by the client (or parent/legal guardian).

    PLEASE NOTE: Although Mind Mosaic Psychology is not in-network with any insurance company, in most cases, insurance companies will usually cover some of the testing costs. You are responsible for checking any pre-authorization requirements and coverage. You will need to provide a copy of any forms required by your insurance by the date of your consultation. 

  • We intentionally do not participate with insurance because insurance-based evaluations are designed to answer only the narrow questions required for reimbursement. This often means:

    • Limited assessment tools

    • Shortened testing time

    • One-size-fits-all protocols

    • Generic recommendations with little follow-through

    Our evaluations are different by design. By working outside of insurance constraints, we are able to:

    • Customize each evaluation based on your unique questions and goals

    • Spend the time needed for accurate interpretation and integration

    • Write reports that are clear, meaningful, and empowering

    • Provide recommendations that are evidence-based, individualized, and realistic within schools, workplaces, and daily life

    While our services may appear to cost more upfront, clients frequently tell us that the clarity, direction, and long-term usefulness of our evaluations save them time, money, and frustration in the future.

    You can find more information about why we choose to remain out of network and what makes us different HERE.

Appointments

  • 1 - Once you make contact with our office, you will be given 48 hours to complete initial paperwork through the online electronic record portal.

    2- Once this is complete, our client representative will confirm a date for a consultation and/or testing. Please note that we encourage you to reserve any testing dates in advance because these book out rather quickly. You can schedule the testing when you meet for the consultation, but we cannot guarantee that this will be close to the date of consultation. To confirm any testing dates, a reservation payment earned upon receipt of $1700 is required for Sarah Smead, M.S., Ed.S. and and $1550 for Taylor Shirkey. This is non-refundable and applied to the balance held.

    3 - You are still required to complete the developmental questionnaire and intake form within one week of confirming your consultation appointment. You are at risk of losing this date, however, if these clinical forms are not completed.

    4- If you have a provider who referred you, please complete a release form (located in your client portal) to allow us to share information. Remember to submit a new form at the bottom for each person with whom you are consenting to exchange information.

    5 - If you have taken these steps, we will put you in our priority pool to ensure that you have first access to appointments as they become available.

  • Cancellation Policy

    If you are unable to attend a consultation session, please give at least 2 business days notice. Otherwise, you will be charged for the full rate of the session.

    For testing appointments, cancellations within 10 business days will incur a charge for the full reserved time. Testing fees are non-refundable unless there's an emergency (e.g., death in the family). In cases of significant illness or hospitalization, rescheduling is required; if rescheduling isn't possible, our office will determine eligibility for a refund. A one-time courtesy may be extended for therapy appointments in the event of illness or emergencies. Please email and call the office to coordinate rescheduling and adjustments.

  • During the initial (virtual) consultation, one or both parents are encouraged to attend without children, unless the person evaluated is an adolescent or adult. Everyone 18 or older can invite whomever they would like to attend to this initial 90 minute session.

    It is worth noting that having both parents of a child or teen ensures that we understand everyone’s perspectives. and that we adequately answer the questions that initiated the testing process.

    During testing appointments (in person), children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. This ensures that each child is comfortable navigating the transition to the testing room. Parents of older children are encouraged to stay nearby while waiting for breaks or for the child to finish.

    Parents are not able to stay in the room with the child due to standardization protocols for most tests.

    Each person evaluated is allowed time for breaks as needed. This is especially true for children, who can rejoin their parents in the waiting area.

    During the feedback session, this 90 minute virtual session is scheduled with adults or parents (of children). When discussing children’s results, both parents are encouraged to attend. The feedback session is one of the most important parts of this process. To miss this is to miss valuable insight into your child’s strengths/vulnerabilities, his diagnostic conceptualization, and/or thoughts on planning the trajectory, moving forward. These appointments can be scheduled to include parents with adolescents (usually asked to join for the last 20 minutes). If the family would prefer to schedule a separate feedback session, the 90-minute session can be split between two sessions. If additional time is needed, this can be scheduled separately with the office.

  • We make every effort to be responsive to your needs. We have specific office hours that you can schedule in advance. We respond to calls to our office within 24 hours, but our providers are not emergency personnel. If you are experiencing a true clinical emergency and need immediate assistance,please call the Mecklenburg County Crisis Response System (704-566-3410), call 911 (request a Crisis Intervention Team Trained Officer), or go to your nearest emergency room

    With regard to our testing process, our focus is on ensuring that we have all of the data we need prior to sharing feedback. In instances where all tests are scored, data and records are received in advance, and parents or guardians are present, same-day feedback may be arranged. However, our preference is to take the time necessary to thoroughly review all the data, considering various possibilities and sometimes gathering additional information and referrals to support post-testing follow-up and intervention planning.

    While this process may be part of our routine, we recognize its significance for our clients and their families. Allowing some time between testing and feedback enables us to approach the information thoughtfully, considering not only our recommendations but also the best methods of presentation and accessible referral resources."

Any Other Questions?

Please contact us for any additional questions you may have. We look forward to hearing from you.

(704) 765-2549