Locations / New York / Rochester
Online psychiatry for Rochester, New York
Rochester invented imaging and optics, but you still cannot get a psychiatric appointment in under a season. shrinkMD serves the Flower City and the Finger Lakes region by secure video, within days.
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.
Care in Rochester
Real psychiatry, without the local waitlist
Rochester's mental health math is upstate standard: strong hospitals, long waits, gray winters, and a workforce of engineers, healthcare staff, and students at U of R and RIT who treat symptoms as a project to manage alone. By the time most people book, they have been white knuckling it for a year.
shrinkMD shortens that timeline to days: board certified evaluations by video from the South Wedge, Brighton, or a dorm at RIT, with seasonal mood patterns screened explicitly at this latitude and continuity through school breaks and job changes across our ten states.
Care is measured at every visit, prescriptions reach your local pharmacy same day, and no insurance billing keeps everything off employer and university systems.
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 Wedge to the Finger Lakes, expert care is a few days away.
Getting started
Getting started in Rochester
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 Rochester.
Local resources
Mental health resources in the Rochester area
Crisis and community resources for the Rochester area:
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, 24 hours
- Monroe County's mobile crisis and access services operate around the clock
- Emergency: 911 or the nearest emergency department
Access
Insurance, access, and appointment availability in New York
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 New York 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
Rochester and nearby areas we serve
Greater Rochester and the region, identically:
- The South Wedge, Park Avenue, and downtown
- Brighton, Pittsford, and the eastern suburbs
- Greece, Webster, and the lakeshore towns
- The Finger Lakes communities beyond
Keep exploring
Related care and next steps
Related conditions
- Psychiatric evaluation in Rochester
- Medication management in Rochester
- Anxiety treatment in Rochester
- Depression treatment in Rochester
- All of New York
- Online psychiatry in New York City
- Online psychiatry in Buffalo
- Online psychiatry in Albany
- Online psychiatry in Manhattan
- Online psychiatry in Brooklyn
- Online psychiatry in Queens
- Online psychiatry in Long Island
- Online psychiatry in Syracuse
- Online psychiatry in Westchester County
Helpful next steps
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Is telepsychiatry available in Rochester?
Yes. shrinkMD provides licensed online psychiatry for adults across New York, including Rochester, by secure video, with evaluations usually available as soon as availability allows.
Do you prescribe controlled medication in Rochester?
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 Rochester?
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 Rochester 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 Rochester?
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.
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 or family insurance.
Is gray season depression worth treating or just life here?
Worth treating. Seasonal patterns respond strongly to timed light, sleep anchoring, and medication when indicated, and we plan for the gray rather than surrendering to it.
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 High Falls, the George Eastman Museum, and the Park Avenue area. 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
- how telepsychiatry works
- which mental health professional is right for you
- is online psychiatry effective
More from a trusted source: Mental health - MedlinePlus.
Nearby areas
Other New York 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 Rochester
Call 1-877-747-4656 or book online. Appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Rochester residents, by secure video from home.
Get StartedAlready know your state is active? Skip to the waitlist.