Virginia Beach, Virginia
Depression Treatment in Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach holds down deployments at Oceana and Dam Neck, runs a seasonal oceanfront economy, and waits on the same Hampton Roads psychiatric lists as everyone else. Spouse stress, reintegration friction, and tourist season burnout all get carried quietly because the systems that could help feel like systems that could see you. Depression is biology, not a failure of will, and biology responds to treatment. shrinkMD treats adults in Virginia 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 Virginia Beach chooses shrinkMD
We sit outside every system that worries a military household: nothing billed to TRICARE or any insurer, records only with written authorization, and adult family members, veterans, and civilians seen within days.
Care flexes with deployments and tourist season alike, heavier during workups and the summer crush, lighter otherwise, by video from Great Neck to Kempsville to Sandbridge.
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 Virginia Beach
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Does anything reach TRICARE or Navy systems?
No. We bill no insurance at all, no claims exist, and nothing reaches military systems unless you authorize records in writing.
Can a spouse get support mid deployment?
Yes, that is exactly when support belongs, with plans built around workups, absences, and homecomings.
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 Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is the site of Naval Air Station Oceana, the Navy's East Coast master jet base. It's home to about 456,000 people, the largest city in Virginia. The people we see here include military families, active-duty service members, veterans, and professionals.
Serving Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is a coastal city on the Atlantic in Hampton Roads, and reaching a psychiatrist here shouldn't take a long drive. shrinkMD sees adults across Virginia Beach by secure video, whether you're near the Oceanfront Boardwalk, Town Center, and First Landing State 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 Virginia Beach
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Virginia Beach residents, by secure video from home.
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