El Paso, Texas
Depression Treatment in El Paso
El Paso sits hundreds of desert miles from the next major metro, with a fraction of the psychiatrists its 700,000 people need and a waitlist that treats the Borderland as an afterthought. Soldiers, medical workers, and families all queue for the same short list of local providers. Two weeks or more of that pattern is clinical depression, and it's one of the most treatable conditions in medicine. shrinkMD treats depression in El Paso by secure video, with board certified clinicians and 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 El Paso
From the Westside to Horizon City to the Fort Bliss area, visits happen by video from home or a parked car, with veterans mental health as a core specialty and bilingual-city realities respected.
We bill no insurance including TRICARE, but fees are flat and published, superbills are provided, and evaluations happen within days rather than months.
What's included
How we treat depression
Precision first: an evaluation that separates depression from burnout, grief, medical causes, and bipolar lows, because each calls for different treatment. Then the plan runs on evidence: medication chosen against your complete history of past trials with doses and responses, activity scheduling that starts smaller than feels worth it because that's what depression allows, and therapy coordinated when the combination earns it.
Progress is measured, not assumed, validated scores at every visit, follow ups every two to four weeks during the climb, monthly or quarterly once you hold. Most patients feel energy shift before mood, usually inside four to six weeks. The final step is the one most practices skip: a relapse prevention plan with your early warning signs and the playbook for them.
Keep exploring
Care and next steps in El Paso
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Do you work with soldiers and veterans from Fort Bliss?
Yes. Transition stress, deployment cycles, and PTSD are core territory. We do not bill TRICARE, but flat fees and superbills keep it simple and private.
Is telepsychiatry reliable this far from other Texas cities?
It is exactly where it matters most: your clinician is licensed in Texas and the distance to Dallas becomes irrelevant.
How long until depression treatment works?
Typically two to six weeks for medication, with energy improving before mood. We track scores at every visit so neither of us is guessing.
What if antidepressants have failed me before?
Bring the history, names, doses, durations, responses. Past trials are a map, not a verdict, and structured re evaluation often finds the path earlier prescribers missed.
Will I be on medication forever?
Often no. Many patients treat for a defined period after recovery, then taper with a plan. Some conditions warrant longer treatment, and we're honest about which is which.
About El Paso
With about 680,000 people, El Paso is a community we're glad to serve. It's a West Texas border city on the Rio Grande across from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. We care for working families, a large Hispanic community, and military families connected to Fort Bliss.
Serving El Paso
Across El Paso, from El Segundo Barrio, downtown, and San Jacinto Plaza, residents can meet a board-certified psychiatrist by secure video with shrinkMD. El Paso is a West Texas border city at the foot of the Franklin Mountains, so virtual care means no drive and no waiting room, just steady follow-up with one clinician.
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.
Helpful guides to read next
More from a trusted source: Depression - National Institute of Mental Health.
Nearby areas
Depression Treatment in nearby Texas 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 depression treatment in El Paso
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for El Paso residents, by secure video from home.
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