Locations / California / San Francisco
Online psychiatry for San Francisco, California
San Francisco professionals optimize everything except getting psychiatric care, which the city makes conveniently difficult. shrinkMD serves SF and the peninsula 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 San Francisco
Real psychiatry, without the local waitlist
SF has a particular flavor of untreated anxiety: brilliant people who have read every paper on SSRIs and still have not seen a prescriber, because the in network lists are fiction, the academic centers are booked into next year, and admitting the optimization project is you feels like failure.
shrinkMD is the low friction path: a board certified evaluation within days, by video from the Mission, Noe Valley, or a focus room at the office, with measured follow up that treats your symptom scores like the metrics you already think in.
No insurance billing means no diagnosis in any carrier database, relevant in an industry of background checks and small networks. Founders and engineers who travel keep continuity across our ten states, and prescriptions go same day to any SF 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 the Mission to the avenues, expert care is a few days away.
Getting started
Getting started in San Francisco
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 San Francisco.
Local resources
Mental health resources in the San Francisco area
Crisis and community resources for San Francisco:
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, 24 hours
- San Francisco's behavioral health access line runs around the clock
- Emergency: 911 or the nearest emergency department
Access
Insurance, access, and appointment availability in California
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 California 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
San Francisco and nearby areas we serve
The city and peninsula, covered identically:
- The Mission, Noe Valley, and the Castro
- SoMa, Hayes Valley, and downtown
- The Richmond, the Sunset, and the west side
- Daly City, South San Francisco, and the peninsula
Keep exploring
Related care and next steps
Related conditions
- Psychiatric evaluation in San Francisco
- Medication management in San Francisco
- Anxiety treatment in San Francisco
- Depression treatment in San Francisco
- All of California
- Online psychiatry in Los Angeles
- Online psychiatry in San Diego
- Online psychiatry in Sacramento
- Online psychiatry in San Jose
- Online psychiatry in Fresno
- Online psychiatry in Irvine
- Online psychiatry in Palo Alto
- Online psychiatry in Beverly Hills
- Online psychiatry in Newport Beach
Helpful next steps
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Is telepsychiatry available in San Francisco?
Yes. shrinkMD provides licensed online psychiatry for adults across California, including San Francisco, by secure video, with evaluations usually available as soon as availability allows.
Do you prescribe controlled medication in San Francisco?
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 San Francisco?
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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco?
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 have researched my symptoms exhaustively. Will that annoy my clinician?
The opposite, informed patients make treatment faster. Bring the research and the questions; you will get straight answers, real numbers, and a plan you understand mechanistically.
Can equity heavy compensation handle a cash pay model?
Fees are flat, published, and HSA or FSA eligible, and a superbill may recover part through out of network benefits. Most patients find the math favorable against high deductible plans.
About San Francisco
With about 800,000 residents, San Francisco is a community we're glad to serve. It's a major Bay Area metro and a center of technology and finance. We care for tech and professional workers, immigrants, and commuters.
Serving San Francisco
Across San Francisco, from downtown, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Mission District, residents can meet a board-certified psychiatrist by secure video with shrinkMD. San Francisco is a coastal city on the tip of the San Francisco peninsula, so virtual care means no drive and no waiting room, just steady follow-up with one clinician.
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.
Helpful guides to read next
More from a trusted source: Mental health - MedlinePlus.
Nearby areas
Other California 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 San Francisco
Call 1-877-747-4656 or book online. Appointments are available as soon as availability allows for San Francisco residents, by secure video from home.
Get StartedAlready know your state is active? Skip to the waitlist.