Locations / Virginia / Roanoke
Online psychiatry for Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is the medical hub for all of southwest Virginia, which is exactly why its psychiatric waitlists are so long. shrinkMD brings board certified online psychiatry to the Roanoke Valley and beyond, with evaluations within days by secure video.
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 Roanoke
Real psychiatry, without the local waitlist
When you are the biggest city for a hundred mountainous miles, every county's shortage becomes your waitlist. Roanoke's health systems carry psychiatric demand from the entire Blue Ridge region, and routine outpatient appointments stretch months while the star looks down on a valley full of people waiting.
shrinkMD shortens the wait to days. You meet a board certified clinician licensed in Virginia by secure video from your home in Grandin Village, your office downtown, or your parked car between home visits, usually within days of booking.
We treat depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, insomnia, and the full adult range with measurement based care and plain mountain sense: clear plans, honest answers, consistent follow up, and prescriptions to the pharmacy you already use.
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 the star to the New River Valley, expert care is a few days away.
Getting started
Getting started in Roanoke
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 Roanoke.
Local resources
Mental health resources in the Roanoke area
The Roanoke Valley has solid crisis and support resources.
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988
- Emergency: 911 or the nearest emergency department, including Carilion Roanoke Memorial
- Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare serves the Roanoke Valley
- NAMI Roanoke Valley offers support groups and education
Access
Insurance, access, and appointment availability in Virginia
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 Virginia 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
Roanoke and nearby areas we serve
We serve southwest Virginia by video, identically:
- Downtown, Grandin Village, and South Roanoke
- Northwest and northeast Roanoke
- Salem and Cave Spring
- Vinton and Botetourt County
- Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and the New River Valley
Keep exploring
Related care and next steps
Related conditions
- Psychiatric evaluation in Roanoke
- Medication management in Roanoke
- Anxiety treatment in Roanoke
- Depression treatment in Roanoke
- All of Virginia
- Online psychiatry in Virginia Beach
- Online psychiatry in Richmond
- Online psychiatry in Arlington
- Online psychiatry in Norfolk
- Online psychiatry in Alexandria
- Online psychiatry in Charlottesville
- Online psychiatry in McLean
- Online psychiatry in Tysons
- Online psychiatry in Fairfax
Helpful next steps
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Is telepsychiatry available in Roanoke?
Yes. shrinkMD provides licensed online psychiatry for adults across Virginia, including Roanoke, by secure video, with evaluations usually available as soon as availability allows.
Do you prescribe controlled medication in Roanoke?
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 Roanoke?
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 Roanoke 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 Roanoke?
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.
I work for the railroad and my hours rotate. Can appointments flex?
Yes. Rotating and on call schedules are normal here, follow ups run 15 to 30 minutes, and early or evening slots exist. The insomnia that rotating shifts produce is also something we actively treat.
Is this available out in the smaller counties past the valley?
Anywhere in Virginia with an internet or cellular connection, identically. The mountain counties are precisely where telepsychiatry earns its keep, and your care is the same as a Richmond address would get.
About Roanoke
Roanoke is home to about 97,000 people. It's the largest city in southwest Virginia and the medical center of the region, anchored by Carilion Clinic. Our patients here range across hospital staff, healthcare workers, and families across the surrounding rural counties.
Serving Roanoke
Care should reach every corner of Roanoke. As the largest city in Virginia's Blue Ridge, Roanoke stretches from Mill Mountain, downtown, and the Mill Mountain Zoo, 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
- which mental health professional is right for you
- is online psychiatry effective
More from a trusted source: Mental health - MedlinePlus.
Nearby areas
Other Virginia cities we serve
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 Roanoke
Call 1-877-747-4656 or book online. Appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Roanoke residents, by secure video from home.
Get StartedAlready know your state is active? Skip to the waitlist.