Fairfax, Virginia
Anxiety Treatment in Fairfax
Fairfax County crowds 1.1 million residents, a forty thousand student university, and federal commuters in every direction onto a psychiatric supply built for far fewer. Old Town's charm does not shorten anyone's waitlist; months out is the local standard. When worry runs most days for months and starts steering decisions, that's a treatable condition. shrinkMD brings evidence based anxiety treatment to Fairfax as soon as availability allows, by secure video.
Medically reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, board certified psychiatrist · Published June 7, 2026 · Last reviewed July 7, 2026 · Editorial policy
Already know your state is active? Skip to the waitlist.

Why shrinkMD
Made to fit life in Fairfax
From Old Town Fairfax to Burke to Centreville, visits happen by video from townhouse, office, or between classes at the university, with early and evening slots for federal schedules.
We bill no insurance, fees are flat and published, HSA and FSA funds work, and investigation adjacent households are familiar, comfortable territory.
What's included
From spiral to skills
The work begins by mapping your specific pattern, when the worry spikes, what it costs your sleep and your decisions, and whether panic, social fear, or constant background dread leads the picture. That map decides the plan: medication when it earns its place, typically helping within two to six weeks, and skills training matched to your pattern, exposure for avoidance, interoceptive work for panic, containment for rumination.
Every follow up measures your progress on validated scales, every two to four weeks while we tune, then monthly or quarterly as you stabilize. You learn tools that work in real time, in traffic, before meetings, at 3 a.m., and the plan keeps adjusting until the numbers and your life both say better. No controlled substances, stated before you book.
Keep exploring
Care and next steps in Fairfax
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
How much of the county do you serve?
All of it, identically: Springfield, Chantilly, Clifton, Fair Oaks, and beyond, by video.
Is this realistic on a graduate stipend?
Fees are flat and published, follow ups cost less than evaluations, and the evaluation itself is honest about whether you need psychiatry, therapy, or both.
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.
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.
About Fairfax
Fairfax is a Northern Virginia city in the Washington DC suburbs and the seat of Fairfax County. It's home to about 26,000 people. The people we see here include federal workers, government contractors, and DC-area commuters.
Serving Fairfax
Fairfax is the historic seat of Fairfax County in Northern Virginia, and reaching a psychiatrist here shouldn't take a long drive. shrinkMD sees adults across Fairfax by secure video, whether you're near George Mason University, Old Town Hall, and Historic Blenheim. 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 Fairfax
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Fairfax residents, by secure video from home.
Get StartedAlready know your state is active? Skip to the waitlist.