Adriana Popescu, PhD
Clinical Director

Dr. Adriana Popescu is a licensed clinical psychologist, addiction specialist, and empowerment coach with over 20 years of experience in the mental health field. After majoring in psychology at Dartmouth College, she received her MA and PhD from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, a program that takes a holistic approach to the training of psychotherapists, teaching them how to help clients self-actualize and reach their greatest potential. In addition, she completed a year of studies at the Boulder School of Massage Therapy, where she was first introduced to alternative forms of healing and the idea that any problem or illness has physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual components that all need to be addressed in order to facilitate healing.

Adriana is a certified hypnotherapist, Access Consciousness® Facilitator, and Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) Practitioner. She has found that Energy Psychology provides incredibly powerful tools to identify and eliminate the deep-rooted causes of suffering and distress. She has many years of experience with and is a designated trainer of BSFF (Be Set Free Fast), having written her dissertation on this modality and worked closely with its creator. She discovered all these methods through her own quest for health and wellness, suffering with Lyme disease and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for 17 years before healing herself and becoming symptom-free.

Adriana developed her specialty in treating addictions and co-occurring disorders over 19 years at Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, where she managed the Adult Substance Abuse Program, as director of outpatient services at Marin Services for Women, and director of outpatient services at Alta Mira Recovery Programs. She has also been a consultant and facilitated groups for a number of programs in the Bay Area, in addition to training counselors in the Chemical Dependency Studies program at Cal State East Bay.

Adriana has contributed to a number of books and book chapters, including TJ Woodward’s Conscious Being Workbook and The Conscious Recovery Method™ Workbook, both of which she co-authored with him. Adriana also has a private practice in San Francisco and travels around the world coaching and facilitating transformational and empowering workshops. She loves bringing the most innovative and effective tools to her work with participants and programs, empowering people to overcome their perceived limitations, release their self-judgments, and discover the brilliance within – creating a life of infinite possibilities.

Aetna Insurance Coverage for Women’s Mental Health & Addiction Treatment at Avery Lane

Comprehensive Care for Women with Aetna Insurance

Choosing to enter treatment is a major decision, and many women worry about how to pay for care. At Avery Lane, we work to remove that stress by partnering with leading insurance providers like Aetna. If you have Aetna insurance, you may already be eligible for extensive coverage that applies to both addiction treatment and mental health services.

Avery Lane is a nationally recognized, women-only treatment center offering specialized programs for trauma, substance use, and co-occurring mental health conditions. Our admissions team helps every woman verify benefits, secure authorizations, and understand out-of-pocket responsibilities, making the process as clear and simple as possible.

Aetna In-Network Coverage and Fast Insurance Verification

Avery Lane accepts many Aetna health insurance plans for behavioral health services. Being in-network with Aetna typically means lower treatment costs and more streamlined approval processes.

When you call us, we provide:

Free insurance verification to confirm benefits
No-cost clinical assessment to match coverage with your treatment needs
Clear explanations of deductibles, copays, and out-of-pocket costs

We handle the communication with Aetna directly, so you don’t have to spend hours navigating insurance paperwork.

What Aetna Typically Covers for Behavioral Health

Aetna is one of the largest insurance providers in the U.S. and offers robust behavioral health coverage that helps women access essential treatment. Most Aetna plans include:

Substance use disorder treatment including detox, residential rehab, and outpatient programs
Mental health care for conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD, and bipolar disorder
Therapy services, including individual, family, and group therapy
Dual diagnosis treatment for women with both addiction and mental health conditions

Coverage may vary depending on your specific plan, but our admissions specialists will walk you through every detail before you begin treatment.

Levels of Care at Avery Lane that Aetna May Cover

Many Aetna insurance plans cover multiple levels of care when treatment is deemed medically necessary. At Avery Lane, women may be approved for:

Detoxification – Medically supervised withdrawal management to ensure safety and comfort.
Residential Addiction Treatment – A 24/7 structured environment where women can focus fully on recovery while surrounded by trauma-informed support.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) – Day treatment with intensive therapy while living at home or in supportive housing.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) – A step-down option providing flexible scheduling for women balancing recovery with daily responsibilities.
Mental Health Residential –
Outpatient therapy and aftercare – Continued counseling, relapse prevention, and long-term support to sustain progress.

These levels of care allow treatment to adapt as a woman’s needs evolve, ensuring continuity of care throughout recovery. Coverage depends on medical necessity and plan rules.

Women’s Mental Health and Addiction Needs Covered by Aetna Insurance

At Avery Lane, we specialize in the unique challenges women face in recovery. Aetna insurance often covers treatment for:

Trauma and PTSD related to relationships, domestic violence, or life experiences
Depression and anxiety disorders, including postpartum and perimenopausal concerns
Mood disorders such as bipolar disorder and persistent depressive disorder*
Substance use disorders, including alcohol, opioids, stimulants, and prescription medications
Dual diagnosis cases, where addiction and mental health challenges overlap

This integrated approach means women can address not only symptoms, but also the underlying causes of addiction and mental health struggles.

Understanding Your Aetna Plan

Aetna offers a wide range of insurance plans, and coverage details vary based on your policy. Common plan types include:

HMO (Health Maintenance Organization): Requires you to stay in-network and may need referrals for specialty care.
PPO (Preferred Provider Organization): Offers more flexibility, including some benefits for out-of-network providers.
EPO and POS Plans: Hybrid options with different referral and coverage rules.
High-Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs): Paired with HSAs for lower premiums but higher upfront costs.

Your level of coverage, deductibles, and copays will depend on your specific plan. Our team works directly with Aetna to confirm exactly what’s included and to secure any required pre-authorizations.

Why Women with Aetna Insurance Choose Avery Lane

Women who use Aetna insurance often turn to Avery Lane because we provide more than just treatment we offer a trusted, accredited, and women-centered program that addresses the full scope of recovery.

Licensed and Accredited

DHCS-licensed in California – ensures we meet all state requirements for safety, clinical quality, and program oversight, with license numbers publicly listed on our site for transparency.
CARF-accredited – CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) is an international gold standard that evaluates treatment programs on outcomes, safety, and continuous quality improvement.
LegitScript-certified – verifies that our marketing and business practices are ethical and transparent, a credential recognized by Google and major healthcare platforms.
Proud member of NAATP (National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers)- connects Avery Lane to national best practices, peer-reviewed outcomes research, and advocacy in the addiction treatment field.

Together, these credentials signal that Avery Lane upholds rigorous standards of safety, ethics, transparency, and clinical excellence, giving women and their families confidence that care will be both effective and trustworthy.

Experienced, Credentialed Leadership

David Smith, MD, Chief Medical Officer and nationally recognized addiction physician, oversees our medical services
A multidisciplinary team of licensed professionals, including MDs, PsyDs, LCSWs, LMFTs, and LPCCs, delivers evidence-based care every day

“Our team’s mission is to create a safe, women-only environment where healing from addiction and mental health challenges becomes possible.” – Judit Colbert, LMFT, Clinical Director at Avery Lane.

Women-Centered, Evidence-Based Care That Work for Women

Our programs use a range of evidence-based therapies proven effective for women.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Helps address depression, anxiety, and relapse prevention by teaching women how to reframe harmful thought patterns.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Particularly valuable for women with trauma histories or challenges regulating emotions.
Beyond Trauma & Seeking Safety: Specialized trauma-focused therapies that support women with PTSD and substance use disorders.
Brainspotting: A powerful tool for processing trauma and releasing emotional pain that may underlie addiction.
Individual & Group Psychotherapy: Intensive sessions that provide both personal healing and community support.

By combining these therapies within a trauma-informed, women-only environment, Avery Lane provides truly integrated care for both addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders.

Recognition and Outcomes

Recently recognized by Conquer Addiction for quality and impact in women’s recovery
Ongoing treatment outcomes data and patient success stories reinforce our focus on long-term healing

When combined with Aetna insurance coverage, these strengths ensure women receive the highest-quality treatment with reduced financial burden and seamless support.

What Aetna Considers “Medically Necessary”

Aetna evaluates behavioral health coverage based on nationally recognized, evidence-based criteria tailored to adult women’s needs:

ASAM Criteria for substance use disorder levels of care evaluates withdrawal potential, medical and emotional stability, readiness to change, and recovery environment to determine the right level of treatment.
LOCUS (Level of Care Utilization System) for adult mental health scores functioning, risk of harm, recovery environment, treatment engagement, and supports to match women to the appropriate care setting.
MCG (Milliman Care Guidelines) used nationwide, including California, for utilization management, ensures consistency in authorizing services like residential care, PHP, IOP, or outpatient therapy.

These tools help guarantee that recommendations for detox, residential, PHP, IOP, or outpatient services are aligned with standardized, evidence-supported criteria. At Avery Lane, our clinicians document these criteria during your no-cost assessment to streamline approvals and minimize delays in beginning treatment.

Aetna’s Authorization and Precertification Process

In addition to medical necessity, many services require prior authorization (also known as precertification) before coverage begins. At Avery Lane, this often applies to:

Residential or inpatient treatment
Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP)
Certain procedure-based treatments such as TMS
Other specialized behavioral health services as listed by Aetna

Our clinical and admissions team advocates for every woman by:

Submitting detailed documentation to Aetna for approval
Coordinating continued-stay reviews during treatment
Appealing denials when medically necessary care is questioned

This process occurs behind the scenes, allowing women and their families to focus on healing rather than dealing with insurance paperwork.

How this looks in practice:

A woman entering residential treatment for alcohol use disorder: Avery Lane completes the clinical assessment, documents her withdrawal risks and living environment, and submits this to Aetna. Approval is typically received within 1–2 business days.
A mother experiencing postpartum depression and anxiety: If outpatient therapy is not enough, our team documents the impact on daily functioning and requests PHP coverage. With Aetna’s LOCUS criteria, this level of care is often authorized when safety or stability is at risk.
A woman with opioid use disorder and trauma history: Alongside residential treatment, Avery Lane may request approval for Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) with buprenorphine. Many Aetna employer plans cover this without prior authorization, making access faster and safer.

These scenarios highlight how Aetna applies medical necessity and how Avery Lane ensures women receive timely, appropriate care.

Support Throughout the Insurance Process

For many women, the insurance process can feel confusing and stressful. At Avery Lane, we take on this responsibility so you never have to navigate Aetna coverage on your own. From the moment you reach out, our licensed admissions and clinical team provides hands-on support that continues throughout your treatment.

We:

Communicate directly with Aetna to prevent delays and secure timely approvals
Track pre-authorizations and continued-stay reviews so coverage doesn’t lapse during care
Coordinate all billing and clinical documentation with accuracy and transparency
Keep women and families informed with clear updates about coverage, costs, and next steps

Our role doesn’t stop once treatment begins. If additional days or levels of care are needed, we advocate through continued-stay reviews and appeals to ensure women receive the care that meets medical necessity standards.

This wraparound support means your focus stays where it belongs on recovery while we handle the insurance details.

How to Start Treatment with Aetna Insurance at Avery Lane

If you’re covered by Aetna, taking the first step is simple:

Call Avery Lane to connect with an admissions specialist.
Submit your insurance information for free verification.
Schedule a no-cost clinical assessment to determine the right program for you.

With Aetna insurance and Avery Lane’s women-centered programs, you can start treatment knowing that financial and clinical support is already in place.

FAQs About Aetna Coverage at Avery Lane

Does Aetna cover residential treatment at Avery Lane?

Yes. Many Aetna plans include residential treatment when medically necessary. Our team submits the required clinical documentation and advocates for coverage on your behalf.

Will I need a referral from my primary care doctor?

Some HMO plans require referrals. PPO and many other plan types do not. During your insurance verification, our admissions team will clarify whether a referral is needed.

What happens if Aetna denies coverage?

Our team handles appeals and continued-stay reviews to advocate for extended treatment. We often succeed in overturning denials when care is clearly medically necessary.

How long does insurance verification take?

Most benefit checks are completed within 24 hours, and urgent assessments can often be handled the same day.

Does Aetna cover dual diagnosis treatment?

Yes. Aetna typically covers treatment for co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, provided it meets medical necessity standards. At Avery Lane, all levels of care integrate dual diagnosis support.

Will Aetna cover medication-assisted treatment (MAT)?

Many Aetna plans cover FDA-approved medications for addiction treatment, including buprenorphine and naltrexone, often without prior authorization. Our medical team coordinates directly with Aetna to confirm coverage and safety.

Does Aetna cover out-of-network services?

PPO and POS plans may reimburse some out-of-network care, while HMO and EPO plans generally do not. Avery Lane is in-network with many Aetna plans, which helps minimize out-of-pocket costs. Contact Avery Lane Today

Contact Avery Lane Today

If you or a loved one has Aetna insurance, Avery Lane can help you access compassionate, evidence-based treatment designed exclusively for women. We accept most private insurance plans, though we do not accept Medi-Cal, Medicare, or Medicaid.

Call us today or complete our insurance verification form online to confirm your Aetna coverage and begin your recovery journey at Avery Lane.

Verify Your Insurance

Avery Lane has admissions specialists ready to help you determine insurance coverage and financing options. We accept most private, commercial insurance. Please note that we are unable to accept  Medi-Cal, Medicare, or Medicaid at this time. Click below to fill out our Confidential Insurance Verification Form and we will contact you promptly.

Verify Your insurance