Rochester, New York
Depression Treatment in Rochester
Rochester engineers its way through everything except the gray: long waits, long winters, and a workforce of engineers, clinicians, and students who treat their own symptoms as a side project to manage solo. By the time most people book, the project is a year overdue. 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 Rochester 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 Rochester, on your terms
We shorten the timeline to days, by video from the South Wedge, Brighton, or an RIT dorm, with seasonal patterns screened explicitly at this latitude and continuity through breaks and job changes across our ten states.
Measured care suits this town: validated scores at every visit, one clinician throughout, and nothing billed to any insurer or visible to any employer.
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 Rochester
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Can U of R and RIT students keep care through breaks?
Yes, anywhere in New York automatically and across our other states when home is elsewhere. Nothing touches university systems.
Is the gray season worth treating or just life here?
Worth treating. Seasonal patterns respond strongly to timed light, sleep anchoring, and medication when indicated.
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 Rochester
Rochester is an Upstate health care and university hub anchored by the University of Rochester Medical Center. It's home to about 210,000 people in the city and roughly 1 million across the metro area. The people we see here include hospital staff, students, working families, and professionals.
Serving Rochester
Rochester is a Finger Lakes city on the Genesee River, and reaching a psychiatrist here shouldn't take a long drive. shrinkMD sees adults across Rochester by secure video, whether you're near the Genesee River, High Falls, and the George Eastman Museum. 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 New York 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 Rochester
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Rochester residents, by secure video from home.
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