McLean, Virginia
Depression Treatment in McLean
McLean households manage agencies, portfolios, and institutions, and the local psychiatric market answers with closed panels and referral chains. For people whose careers depend on discretion, the standard system feels riskier than the symptoms, so the symptoms go untreated. 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 McLean 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
shrinkMD in McLean, on your terms
From Langley to Great Falls to the Tysons border, visits happen by encrypted video from home or office, with no waiting rooms and no insurance billing anywhere in the model.
For clearance holders, current adjudicative guidance treats voluntarily seeking care as favorable, and our structure keeps every record between you and your clinician.
What's included
Depression care that compounds
Depression maintains itself through a loop, less activity, fewer rewards, lower mood, less activity, and effective treatment attacks the loop from every side at once. Medication lifts the floor, typically within four to six weeks. Behavioral activation restarts momentum in five minute increments. Therapy, where indicated, rebuilds the thinking patterns depression distorts.
We track your PHQ-9 at every follow up so the trend is visible to both of us, and we adjust until the numbers and your life agree. Once recovered, treatment continues for the months that protect against relapse, and you leave maintenance with a written plan: your warning signs, your responses, and exactly when to call. Recovery is the goal; staying recovered is the standard.
Keep exploring
Care and next steps in McLean
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
My work is sensitive enough that records anywhere are a problem.
Our model is the answer: cash pay means no insurance claims, no insurer database entries, and records held privately. Structurally, nothing is broadcast.
Can my college student be seen on breaks?
If they are 18 or older and physically in a state where we hold licenses at appointment time, yes, and care can continue by video from campus in our licensed states.
Can I do treatment if I can barely get off the couch?
That's exactly who video care is for: 15 to 30 minute visits from wherever you are, and a plan built for the energy depression leaves you, not the energy it takes.
What if I'm having thoughts of suicide?
Call or text 988 now, that line exists for this exact moment. Then let treatment start, because depression this heavy is still treatable, and you should not carry it alone.
How do I know it's depression and not burnout?
Burnout lifts with rest and distance from its cause; depression follows you everywhere. The evaluation tells them apart, and the treatments differ.
About McLean
McLean is an affluent Northern Virginia suburb of Washington DC and home to the CIA's headquarters. It's home to about 50,000 people. The people we see here include federal and intelligence professionals, executives, and DC-area commuters.
Serving McLean
McLean is an affluent community in Fairfax County near Washington, DC, and reaching a psychiatrist here shouldn't take a long drive. shrinkMD sees adults across McLean by secure video, whether you're near Fort Marcy, the Salona estate, and Great Falls Park. 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: Depression - National Institute of Mental Health.
Nearby areas
Depression 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 depression treatment in McLean
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for McLean residents, by secure video from home.
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