Norfolk, Virginia
Depression Treatment in Norfolk
Norfolk's rhythm is set by the harbor: deployment cycles that stretch households, shipyard shifts that wreck sleep, and a mental health load that rarely fits a civilian clinic's Tuesday calendar. TRICARE visibility worries keep many from trying at all, and the waitlists punish the ones who do. Depression is biology, not a failure of will, and biology responds to treatment. shrinkMD treats adults in Norfolk 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
Already know your state is active? Skip to the waitlist.
Why shrinkMD
Made to fit life in Norfolk
Everything here sits outside the systems: nothing billed to TRICARE or any insurer, records only with written authorization, and adult family members, veterans, shipyard workers, and civilians seen within days.
Care follows the deployment calendar, heavier during workups and absences, lighter when the household is whole, by video from Ghent to Ocean View to Portsmouth.
What's included
From flat to forward
The first visit establishes what we're actually treating, depression's severity and subtype, any seasonal pattern, and the medical or bipolar mimics that change everything, plus your full medication history with doses, durations, and responses. Treatment then starts immediately: a thoughtfully chosen antidepressant when indicated, an activity plan built for low fuel days, and therapy folded in where it strengthens the result.
Follow ups every two to four weeks measure your scores and adjust the plan while the medication takes hold, energy usually moves first, mood follows, most often within four to six weeks. As you recover, visits space out and the focus shifts to prevention: consolidating sleep, protecting the habits that lifted you, and writing the relapse plan that keeps the next episode from ever getting traction.
Keep exploring
Care and next steps in Norfolk
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Is this safe for a Navy spouse worried about visibility?
Yes, structurally: nothing bills to TRICARE, no claims exist anywhere, and records release only with your written authorization.
Can shipyard rotations fit appointments?
Yes, with post shift and evening slots, and the sleep those shifts wreck treated as part of the plan.
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.
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.
About Norfolk
Norfolk is home to about 231,000 people. It's anchored by Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval base in the world, in the Hampton Roads region. Our patients here range across active-duty sailors, military families, veterans, and Navy civilian staff.
Serving Norfolk
Care should reach every corner of Norfolk. As a historic port city in Hampton Roads, on the Elizabeth River, Norfolk stretches from Nauticus and the Battleship Wisconsin, downtown, and the Chrysler Museum of Art, 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 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 Norfolk
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Norfolk residents, by secure video from home.
Get StartedAlready know your state is active? Skip to the waitlist.