Newport Beach, California
Depression Treatment in Newport Beach
Newport Beach makes struggling feel like a personal failure: when the harbor view is this good and the household this accomplished, anxiety and depression hide behind performance. They are medical conditions, not character flaws, and they are as common on the peninsula as anywhere. Depression is biology, not a failure of will, and biology responds to treatment. shrinkMD treats adults in Newport Beach by video, with board certified clinicians, measured care, and first visits 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
Why Newport Beach chooses shrinkMD
From the peninsula to Newport Coast to Corona del Mar, visits happen by video around finance and real estate rhythms, with early slots before the market opens and short follow ups between closings.
We bill no insurance, so care stays entirely out of carrier databases, with flat published fees and no waiting room where anyone could see you.
What's included
What depression treatment includes
Treatment begins with a full evaluation, because depression has imitators, thyroid disease, sleep apnea, anemia, and the bipolar low that makes antidepressants alone risky, and each one redirects the plan. We confirm what this is, then combine what the evidence ranks highest: antidepressant medication matched to your trial history, behavioral activation scaled to the energy you actually have, and structured therapy where it multiplies results.
Your PHQ-9 score is tracked at every visit, so improvement shows on paper within weeks. Follow ups run every two to four weeks while we tune, then space out. Expect energy to return before mood, that's the normal sequence, and expect a written relapse prevention plan once you're well, because staying well is the actual goal.
Keep exploring
Care and next steps in Newport Beach
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Do you have appointments before the market opens?
Yes, early morning follow ups exist for finance schedules, and the 15 to 30 minute format fits before the open.
Everyone knows everyone here; how do I avoid being seen?
There is nowhere to be seen: care happens behind your own door by encrypted video with no waiting room and no insurance paper trail.
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.
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.
About Newport Beach
Newport Beach is home to about 81,000 residents. It's an affluent Orange County coastal city. Our patients here range across professionals, business owners, and retirees.
Serving Newport Beach
Care should reach every corner of Newport Beach. As a harbor city on the Orange County coast, Newport Beach stretches from the Balboa Peninsula, Fashion Island, and Newport Pier, and shrinkMD brings board-certified telepsychiatry to all of it by secure video, with the same psychiatrist over time.
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.
Learn more
More from a trusted source: Depression - National Institute of Mental Health.
Nearby areas
Depression Treatment in nearby California 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 Newport Beach
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Newport Beach residents, by secure video from home.
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