Locations / Hawaii / Honolulu
Online psychiatry for Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu has paradise weather and mainland sized waitlists, with some of the thinnest psychiatric coverage per capita in the country. shrinkMD serves Oahu by secure video, with board certified evaluations within days.
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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Care in Honolulu
Real psychiatry, without the local waitlist
Hawaii's mental health shortage is among the worst in the nation, and Oahu feels it daily: months long waits, providers leaving for the mainland, and a local culture where family reputation and quiet endurance keep struggles inside the house. Military families layered across the island's bases add visibility worries on top.
shrinkMD brings mainland supply to island schedules: board certified clinicians by video, within days, from Kaimuki, Kapolei, Mililani, or a parked car at Ala Moana, with early slots that respect the time difference economy and care that honors family and cultural context.
Nothing bills to TRICARE or any insurer, records move only with written authorization, and the same clinician sees you visit after visit, with prescriptions sent same day to your local pharmacy.
What we treat
Conditions we treat
Evaluation, diagnosis, and ongoing care for the full range of adult outpatient conditions.
Sleep & Insomnia
Chronic insomnia and disrupted sleep, treated without controlled substances.
Learn more →
From town to the windward side, expert care is a few days away.
Getting started
Getting started in Honolulu
Complete the secure intake
A few minutes online so we can match you with the right clinician.
Meet your clinician by video
A full 45 to 60 minute evaluation from anywhere private in the area, as clinician availability allows.
Get your plan the same day
A working diagnosis, clear next steps, and prescriptions to your local pharmacy when appropriate.
Follow up that actually happens
Short measured visits with the same clinician, scheduled around real life in Honolulu.
Local resources
Mental health resources in the Honolulu area
Crisis and community resources for Oahu:
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, 24 hours
- Hawaii CARES coordinates statewide crisis support around the clock
- Emergency: 911 or the nearest emergency department
Access
Insurance, access, and appointment availability in Hawaii
shrinkMD operates as a transparent cash pay practice: we don't bill insurance, which is what keeps evaluations a full hour, follow ups consistent, and your records entirely out of insurer databases. Fees are flat and published before you book, HSA and FSA funds work, and superbills are available for possible out of network reimbursement.
Our clinicians are licensed in Hawaii and see patients by secure video anywhere in the state, as clinician availability allows. If we're ever not the right level of care, we say so plainly and help you find what is.
Where we serve
Honolulu and nearby areas we serve
Oahu, covered identically:
- Honolulu proper, Kaimuki, and Manoa
- Kapolei, Ewa Beach, and the west side
- Mililani, Pearl City, and central Oahu
- The windward side and North Shore under the same Hawaii coverage
Keep exploring
Related care and next steps
Related conditions
- Psychiatric evaluation in Honolulu
- Medication management in Honolulu
- Anxiety treatment in Honolulu
- Depression treatment in Honolulu
- All of Hawaii
- Online psychiatry in Hilo
- Online psychiatry in Kailua
- Online psychiatry in Kahului
- Online psychiatry in Pearl City
- Online psychiatry in Kailua-Kona
- Online psychiatry in Lihue
Helpful next steps
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Is telepsychiatry available in Honolulu?
Yes. shrinkMD provides licensed online psychiatry for adults across Hawaii, including Honolulu, by secure video, with evaluations usually available as soon as availability allows.
Do you prescribe controlled medication in Honolulu?
No. shrinkMD doesn't prescribe controlled substances anywhere, including stimulants and benzodiazepines. We're upfront about this and effective with the evidence based alternatives.
How fast can I be seen in Honolulu?
Usually as clinician availability allows, compared to the months long waits common locally. Early treatment is easier treatment.
Will I see the same clinician each time?
Yes. Continuity is a core standard: one clinician who knows your history, your scores, and your goals, visit after visit.
What number do I call in Honolulu for a mental health emergency?
Call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or call 911. shrinkMD is an outpatient practice, not an emergency service, and we want you safe first.
Does insurance cover telepsychiatry in Honolulu?
We don't bill insurance. You pay a transparent flat fee per visit, HSA and FSA funds work, and we provide superbills you may submit for possible out of network reimbursement.
Where do appointments take place?
Wherever you've privacy and a connection: home, an office, or a parked car. There's no clinic to drive to and no waiting room.
Do I need a referral?
No referral is needed. Book directly, and with your permission we coordinate with your primary care clinician afterward.
Does mainland telehealth understand local and military Oahu?
Our clinicians serve Hawaii deliberately, honor family and cultural context in planning, and sit fully outside military systems, nothing bills to TRICARE, which matters across this island.
How do appointment times work with the time difference?
Early island mornings and evenings are core scheduling blocks for Hawaii patients, set in your time zone, not ours.
About Honolulu
Honolulu is home to about 350,000 people. It's the capital and largest city in Hawaii, on Oahu's southeast coast. Our patients here range across longtime island residents, military families, students, and healthcare and service workers.
Serving Honolulu
Care should reach every corner of Honolulu. As Hawaii's state capital, on the south shore of Oahu, Honolulu stretches from the Diamond Head area, Ala Moana Beach Park, and Waikiki, 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
- our psychiatry services
- online psychiatry without insurance
- which mental health professional is right for you
More from a trusted source: Mental health - MedlinePlus.
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 online psychiatry in Honolulu
Call 1-877-747-4656 or book online. Appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Honolulu residents, by secure video from home.
Get StartedAlready know your state is active? Skip to the waitlist.