Aetna Psychiatrist Serving Stamford, CT

Stamford runs on a demanding pace — long commutes, high-pressure careers, and a cost of living that keeps the stress dial turned up. So when you're dealing with depression, anxiety, or something that's been harder to name, finding a psychiatrist who takes your Aetna plan shouldn't be one more thing to fight for. Elite Health LLC accepts Aetna as an in-network provider, and Sindhia Shyras, APRN — a board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with nine-plus years of experience — sees Stamford residents via telehealth from anywhere in Connecticut. Your Aetna benefits apply, and you don't have to leave Fairfield County to use them. She treats depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, OCD, panic disorder, insomnia, and other mood conditions. And because telehealth is fully covered by most Aetna CT plans, all you need is your phone or laptop and a quiet spot — not another drive up I-95.

Aetna Mental Health Coverage — What It Means for You

Federal mental health parity law requires Aetna to cover psychiatric care at the same level as physical health care. Your copay for a psychiatrist visit should look similar to what you'd pay for any in-network specialist. Most Aetna plans in Connecticut put that in the $20–$60 range per visit. But parity goes beyond just copays — it also applies to prior authorization requirements and visit limits. Aetna can't put more hoops in front of mental health care than it puts in front of medical care. If you've been told otherwise, it's worth pushing back.

No Referral Needed — Direct Access to Psychiatric Care

Most Aetna PPO plans — which many Stamford-area employers offer — allow you to book a specialist directly without going through your primary care doctor first. So if you've been waiting for a referral, you might not need one. Book directly with our office. If your plan does require a referral, we can work with your PCP to get that in order. Either way, we're not going to leave you stuck in the middle of that process alone.

Prior Authorization — We Handle It

Some Aetna plans require prior authorization before ongoing medication management visits. It's an extra step, but it doesn't need to be your step — our office manages the authorization process on your behalf. Stamford patients shouldn't have to choose between their mental health and their insurance paperwork. We bill Aetna directly once you're enrolled, and follow-up appointments stay on schedule.

About Sindhia Shyras, APRN

Sindhia is a board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner — not a general practitioner who dabbles in mental health. She's been doing this full-time for over nine years. At your first appointment, she does a complete psychiatric evaluation: your history, your symptoms, what you've tried before, and what you want your life to actually look like. She speaks English, Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu — so if you've navigated language barriers before when accessing care, that's one less obstacle here. And she's accepting new Aetna patients now.

Frequently Asked Questions