Arlington, Virginia
Anxiety Treatment in Arlington
Arlington holds clearances at dinner parties and bills by the hour in between, and both halves share the same fear: that a diagnosis in a database follows you through every reinvestigation and reference check. So the 4 a.m. wakeups get managed with discipline, and discipline is running out. Anxiety that persistent isn't a personality trait, it's the most treatable condition in psychiatry. shrinkMD treats anxiety in Arlington by secure video, with board certified clinicians and first appointments as soon as availability allows.
Medically reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, board certified psychiatrist · Published June 7, 2026 · Last reviewed July 7, 2026 · Editorial policy
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Why shrinkMD
Care built around Arlington
The structural answer: no insurance billing, so no claims data exists anywhere; records that move only with your written authorization; and current security guidance that treats voluntary care as the responsible choice, untreated conditions are the actual risk.
Appointments fit federal and consulting calendars, early before the Pentagon lots fill, lunch blocks, evenings, by video from Clarendon, Crystal City, or a parked car off the GW Parkway.
What's included
How we treat anxiety
First, precision: an evaluation that pins down which anxiety this is and what it's riding on, sleep debt, caffeine, thyroid, trauma, because precision up front is what makes treatment fast. Then a two track plan: medication from the SSRI and SNRI families when indicated, which calms the baseline within two to six weeks, and structured skills that retrain the alarm itself.
The skills aren't platitudes, they're clinical tools: breathing with an extended exhale that engages your braking system, graded exposure that shrinks avoidance, worry containment that gives rumination a schedule instead of a kingdom. Progress is measured with validated scales at every visit, so the plan adjusts to results. No benzodiazepines, ever, and an honest explanation of why.
Keep exploring
Care and next steps in Arlington
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Do you serve the rest of Northern Virginia?
Identically, Alexandria, Falls Church, McLean, Vienna, and Fairfax under the same Virginia coverage.
How does treatment interact with a security clearance, honestly?
Current adjudicative guidance focuses on impairing, untreated conditions and explicitly favors voluntary care. Structurally with us, no insurance claim ever exists, and records move only with your authorization.
My anxiety is mostly physical symptoms. Is that normal?
Extremely. Racing heart, chest tightness, stomach trouble, and dizziness are anxiety's most common costumes, and we screen carefully in both directions before treating.
Why do you not prescribe Xanax or other benzodiazepines?
Because they relieve an hour and reinforce the disorder, with real dependence risk. The durable path, SSRIs or SNRIs plus skills, actually shrinks anxiety, and that's what we practice.
What if it's anxiety and depression together?
Common, and treatable together. The evaluation maps both, and first line treatments overlap enough that one coherent plan usually covers the pair.
About Arlington
Arlington is a dense Northern Virginia community directly across the Potomac from Washington DC and home to the Pentagon. It's home to about 240,000 people. The people we see here include federal employees, defense and government professionals, and DC commuters.
Serving Arlington
Arlington is an urban county across the Potomac from Washington, DC, and reaching a psychiatrist here shouldn't take a long drive. shrinkMD sees adults across Arlington by secure video, whether you're near Rosslyn, Clarendon, and Ballston. You keep the same clinician each visit, with no commute and no waiting room.
What it costs
Transparent, published pricing
Our self-pay prices are the same in every state where we practice. No insurance billing, and no surprise statement later.
| Service | Self-pay price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Initial evaluation | From $295 | A full 50 to 60 minute evaluation, diagnosis, and written plan. |
| Follow-up visits | $110 to $215 | Per visit, depending on length and complexity. Member rates are lower. |
| Membership (optional) | $49 per month | Priority scheduling, member rates, and the Unstuck and QuitScrolling apps. First month free. |
Your care team
Who you will see
Your care is delivered by shrinkMD clinicians, and you keep the same one over time. You meet by secure video with a clinician licensed in your state.
- Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, founder and board certified psychiatrist (ABPN), dual board certified in psychiatry and in sports and performance psychiatry.
- Matthew George, PMHNP-BC, ANP-BC, dual board certified psychiatric nurse practitioner with more than two decades of clinical experience.
Related reading
More from a trusted source: Anxiety Disorders - National Institute of Mental Health.
Nearby areas
Anxiety Treatment in nearby Virginia cities
Your next step in The Shrink Network
You are here: shrinkMD, the clinical care layer of The Shrink Network.
Each site in the network has one job. No matter where you enter, we help you find the next step that makes sense.
Get clinical care with shrinkMD
Want to understand more first?
Start anxiety treatment in Arlington
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Arlington residents, by secure video from home.
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