How can I check whether my Aetna plan covers therapy?

Log in to the Aetna member directory or call the number on the back of your insurance card. Ask about outpatient mental-health benefits, network status, your copay or coinsurance, your deductible, and any prior-authorization requirement.

Can I see an Aetna therapist in Palo Alto by video?

Telehealth is available while you are physically located in California at the time of the session. Confirm the coverage details for telehealth with Aetna because benefits vary by plan.

Aetna · Palo Alto

Aetna therapy,
in plain terms

Q: Are you in-network with Aetna?

Yes. Shawn Walters is in-network with Aetna. Coverage, cost-sharing, referral requirements, and availability can vary by the specific plan, so members should confirm the details of their own coverage before the first billed session.

I am in-network with Aetna for individual therapy in Palo Alto. The useful question is not only whether therapy is covered, but what your particular plan asks of you before we begin.

In-person in Palo AltoTelehealth in CaliforniaFree 15-minute consultation

Ask about fit

The short version

There is room for the practical and the personal.

When you use Aetna, the practice bills the insurer directly for covered individual-therapy sessions. Your out-of-pocket cost may be a copay, coinsurance, or the full allowed amount until a deductible is met. Those details belong to your plan, not to a general promise on a website.

Before a first billed session, it is worth taking a few minutes to confirm the benefit. It makes the beginning quieter: less guesswork about money, more room to decide whether the work feels right.

Coverage note: Network participation, benefits, cost-sharing, authorization rules, and telehealth coverage can vary by Aetna plan. Please verify your own benefits with Aetna before relying on an estimate.

Before reaching out

Five questions for Aetna

Is this provider in-network for my exact Aetna plan?
Do I have outpatient mental-health benefits for individual psychotherapy?
What is my copay or coinsurance for a 50-minute session (CPT 90837)?
Does my deductible apply, and how much remains?
Do I need a referral or prior authorization?

Use Aetna’s signed-in provider directory where possible: it is tailored to the plan on your card. The public directory can be a useful starting point, but it cannot replace plan-specific confirmation.

Aetna’s provider-search guidance

Place and format

Palo Alto office; California telehealth

Sessions are available in person at the Palo Alto office. Video sessions are also available when you are physically in California. If you are coming from Menlo Park, Mountain View, or elsewhere on the Peninsula, the practical question may be whether an office visit or video session gives the week enough room to hold the work.

Questions people ask

Before the first conversation

Are you in-network with Aetna?

Yes. I am in-network with Aetna. Please confirm your specific plan’s network status and benefits before the first billed session.

Does Aetna cover couples therapy?

Coverage for couples work can differ from coverage for individual psychotherapy. Ask Aetna specifically about your plan before assuming it is covered.

What if the details are unclear?

The contact form is a good place to say that you are considering Aetna. We can talk through what is practical, while Aetna remains the source of truth about your individual benefit.

A first conversation

See whether the work feels like a fit.

A brief consultation is free. You can ask about the structure of therapy, timing, and what to verify with your plan before beginning.

Use the contact form

Aetna therapy,in plain terms