Directory insurance filters go stale. So for this list we only included practices whose own websites name Aetna or Blue Cross Blue Shield, and we quote what each site says.
A practice listing an insurer is not the same as your plan covering your sessions. Networks can differ by plan and by clinician within one practice. Use this list to find practices worth calling, then use the checklist below to confirm.
How we chose
- The practice's own website names Aetna and/or Blue Cross Blue Shield on an insurance, fees or FAQ page, and we cite that page.
- It is based in Charlotte or elsewhere in Mecklenburg County, and we say where.
- It publishes who it works with.
- We could open its site in September 2026 and read the insurance wording that day.
The ranking
1.Laura Bass Counseling
Private practice, Charlotte, NC; part-time location in Columbus, NC
This is the practice that publishes this guide.
Best for: Adults and couples with Aetna or Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
Laura Bass is in network with two insurers only: Aetna and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. Being in network is not the same as your plan covering a particular service, so confirm your mental health benefits with your insurer before a first session.
She has been in private practice since 1991 and works with adults and teens aged 17 and over, as individuals and couples. Her listed concerns include relationship difficulties, infidelity, depression, anxiety, grief, life transitions, trauma and chronic illness. See the About page or couples counseling.
- In network with Aetna and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield (only those two)
- In private practice since 1991
- Works with adults and teens aged 17 and over, individuals and couples
- Licensed to practice in North and South Carolina
2.Montgomery Counseling Group
Group practice, Park Road area, Charlotte; in person and telehealth in NC
Best for: Adults and adolescents who want both Aetna and Blue Cross accepted in one practice
Montgomery Counseling Group lists Aetna and Blue Cross/Blue Shield on its insurance page, along with Magellan, Medicare and United Healthcare. Its FAQ says it can provide a superbill for out-of-network carriers and suggests calling to verify coverage first.
It describes itself as a psychotherapy practice founded by John Burns, MSW, LCSW. Its office is on Park Road, with telehealth throughout North Carolina, and its site says it works with adolescents as well as adults.
- Rates & Insurance page lists Aetna and Blue Cross/Blue Shield
- Office: 4108 Park Road, Suite 410, Charlotte, NC 28209
- Telehealth available throughout North Carolina
3.Reclaim Counseling and Wellness
Multi-office practice; Charlotte office on Fairview Road (SouthPark)
Best for: Individuals, couples and families who want a practice where every clinician takes both plans
Reclaim Counseling and Wellness states on its Insurance & Fees page that all of its clinicians are in network with BCBS and Aetna. That matters, because in many group practices network status varies by clinician; Reclaim notes that United Healthcare is available only with some.
Its Charlotte office is in SouthPark, with other offices in eastern North Carolina and telehealth across North and South Carolina. It lists therapy for adults, children and teens, couples and families.
- Insurance & Fees page: "All of our clinicians are in network with BCBS & Aetna"
- Charlotte office: 5950 Fairview Rd, Suite 618, Charlotte, NC 28210
- Lists individual, couples and family therapy
4.Carolina Counseling and Consulting Services, PLLC
Group practice, Huntersville (north Mecklenburg) and Denver, NC
Best for: North Charlotte, Huntersville and Lake Norman residents
Carolina Counseling and Consulting Services lists Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Aetna as in network on its Rates & Insurance page, along with United Health Care, Cigna, MedCost and some Medicare plans, and says to call for verification.
Its offices are in Huntersville, in north Mecklenburg County, and Denver, NC, not Charlotte proper. It lists CBT, EMDR, pre-marital counseling, and counseling for anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and new mothers.
- Rates & Insurance page lists Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Aetna as in network
- Huntersville office: 16325 Northcross Dr., Suite F, Huntersville, NC 28078
5.Carawell Counseling
Group practice for women, Springbank Lane, south Charlotte
Best for: Women with Blue Cross Blue Shield
Carawell Counseling lists Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) as in network on its Rates & Insurance page, with CBHA, Medcost and Cigna/Evernorth. It does not list Aetna as in network; the same page says it can help with out-of-network claims for Aetna. This entry is for Blue Cross members.
The practice focuses on therapy for women, including anxiety, depression and life transitions, with individual therapy, groups and telehealth from an office in south Charlotte.
- Rates & Insurance page lists BCBS as in network; Aetna handled as out-of-network
- Office: 3315 Springbank Lane, Suite 302, Charlotte, NC 28226
6.Wildflower Therapy Group
Charlotte-based, virtual only (clients located in NC)
Best for: People with Aetna, including the State Health Plan, who prefer sessions from home
Wildflower Therapy Group lists Aetna (including Aetna State Health Plan) and Blue Cross Blue Shield on its fees page, and its Aetna page says it verifies benefits before the first session. The fees page shows network status clinician by clinician, so check that your therapist is the one in network.
It is virtual only, for clients located in North Carolina at the time of the session, and describes a holistic approach that includes mindfulness and mind-body-spirit work.
- Fees page: "We are in-network with Aetna (including Aetna State Health Plan) and Blue Cross Blue Shield"
- Aetna page: "Wildflower Therapy Group is currently virtual only"
Aetna, Anthem and Blue Cross: which card do you have?
Blue Cross Blue Shield is a group of regional plans, not one company. In North Carolina the local plan is Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield belongs to Elevance Health, which offers Anthem plans in 14 states; North Carolina is not one of them. Some people in Charlotte still carry an Anthem card, often through an employer based elsewhere.
Most practices here say "Blue Cross" or "BCBS" rather than Anthem. Whichever Blue card you hold, read the plan name on the front to the practice and ask whether it is in network for that plan. Aetna has many plan types too, and a practice may take some and not others.
How to confirm your network status before a first session
A few calls before you book can save a surprise bill:
- Call the member services or behavioral health number on your card. Ask whether outpatient mental health visits are covered and whether the specific therapist, not just the practice, is in network.
- Search your insurer's provider finder: Aetna, Anthem or Blue Cross NC. Treat a match as a reason to ask, not proof.
- Ask the practice for the clinician's NPI number and billing name so your insurer checks the right record. You can look an NPI up in the federal NPI registry.
- Ask about your deductible, your copay or coinsurance per session, and any visit limit.
- If you want couples or video sessions, ask about those specifically; rules can differ.
- Ask whether you need prior authorization, and whether an employer assistance program (EAP) is separate from your health plan.
- Note the date, the name of the person you spoke to, and any reference number.
If the therapist you want is out of network
Some plans pay part of the cost for an out-of-network therapist. You usually pay the practice, which gives you a superbill (an itemized receipt with diagnosis and service codes) to send to your insurer for possible reimbursement. Ask what share your plan pays out of network and whether a separate deductible applies.
If you pay without insurance, federal rules generally entitle you to a good faith estimate of expected charges. See CMS on the No Surprises Act.
Questions people ask
- Does Laura Bass Counseling take Aetna and Anthem?
- Yes. Laura Bass is in network with Aetna and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, and no other plans. Please confirm your own coverage with your insurer before a first session.
- If a practice lists Aetna, am I definitely covered?
- Not necessarily. Network status can vary by plan and by clinician, and your deductible and copay still apply. Call the number on your card before you book.
- What if I am in crisis while waiting to find an in-network therapist?
- Call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, at any time. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911.
Sources
- Our Companies (Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield states), Elevance Health
- Find a doctor (DocFind), Aetna
- Find care, Anthem
- Find care, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
- NPI Registry, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- No Surprises Act, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 988 Lifeline
Published by Laura Bass Counseling as general information, not personal advice or an endorsement. Details change: confirm anything you rely on with the organization itself. Published .