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Locations / Texas / Austin

Online psychiatry for Austin, Texas

Austin talks openly about mental health and still cannot get an appointment. shrinkMD serves Austin by secure video with board certified evaluations within days, for a city of founders, creatives, and transplants who outgrew its psychiatric supply years ago.

Medically reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, board certified psychiatrist · Published June 7, 2026 · Last reviewed June 8, 2026 · Editorial policy

Paddleboarders on Lady Bird Lake with the Austin skyline
Quick overview. shrinkMD provides licensed online psychiatry for adults in Austin. You'll meet a board certified clinician by secure video, as clinician availability allows, with transparent pricing and consistent follow up.

Care in Austin

Real psychiatry, without the local waitlist

Austin's growth outran its couches: a city that doubled its tech workforce did not double its psychiatrists, so even the most therapy literate population in Texas waits months for medication level care. Founders white knuckle panic between funding rounds, musicians manage mood on tour schedules, and transplants arrive with prescriptions and no one to manage them.

shrinkMD picks all of that up within days, by video from East Austin, South Congress, Round Rock, or a quiet room at the office. Moves and travel do not break care: we serve ten states, so many Austin patients keep one clinician through whatever the calendar does.

Treatment is evidence first and measured at every visit, with the same clinician throughout, honest no controlled substance prescribing, and 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.

Anxiety Disorders

Generalized anxiety, panic, social anxiety, and OCD.

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Depressive Disorders

Major depression, seasonal patterns, and postpartum depression.

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Mood Disorders

Bipolar I, bipolar II, and cyclothymia, diagnosed carefully.

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Sleep & Insomnia

Chronic insomnia and disrupted sleep, treated without controlled substances.

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Women's Mental Health

PMDD, perinatal and postpartum care across life stages.

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Psychotic Disorders

Schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, managed with continuity.

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Friends flying kites on the Zilker Park lawn in Austin, Texas

From the east side to the hill country edges, expert care is a few days away.

Getting started

Getting started in Austin

1

Complete the secure intake

A few minutes online so we can match you with the right clinician.

2

Meet your clinician by video

A full 45 to 60 minute evaluation from anywhere private in the area, as clinician availability allows.

3

Get your plan the same day

A working diagnosis, clear next steps, and prescriptions to your local pharmacy when appropriate.

4

Follow up that actually happens

Short measured visits with the same clinician, scheduled around real life in Austin.

Local resources

Mental health resources in the Austin area

Crisis and community resources for the Austin area:

  • 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, 24 hours
  • Integral Care operates Travis County's 24 hour crisis line
  • Emergency: 911 or the nearest emergency department
Important. If you or someone you know is in danger, call or text 988 or call 911 right away. shrinkMD provides outpatient care and is not an emergency service.

Access

Insurance, access, and appointment availability in Texas

shrinkMD operates as a transparent cash pay practice: we do not 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 Texas and see patients by secure video anywhere in the state, as clinician availability allows. If we are ever not the right level of care, we say so plainly and help you find what is.

Where we serve

Austin and nearby areas we serve

Greater Austin, covered identically:

  • Downtown, East Austin, South Congress, and Zilker
  • Mueller, Hyde Park, and North Loop
  • Round Rock, Pflugerville, Cedar Park, and Leander
  • Buda, Kyle, and Dripping Springs

Frequently asked questions

Good questions, clear answers

Is telepsychiatry available in Austin?

Yes. shrinkMD provides licensed online psychiatry for adults across Texas, including Austin, by secure video, with evaluations usually available as soon as availability allows.

Do you prescribe controlled medication in Austin?

No. shrinkMD does not prescribe controlled substances anywhere, including stimulants and benzodiazepines. We are upfront about this and effective with the evidence based alternatives.

How fast can I be seen in Austin?

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 Austin 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 Austin?

We do not 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 have privacy and a connection: home, an office, or a parked car. There is 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 just moved to Austin with an existing prescription and no doctor. Can you take over?

Yes, for non controlled medications, after an evaluation and records review. Half of Austin arrived recently; mid treatment handoffs are routine for us.

Can treatment survive tour schedules and startup travel?

Usually. Visits happen while you are physically in any of the ten states we serve, and we plan follow up timing around tours, off sites, and launches.

Start online psychiatry in Austin

Call 1-877-747-4656 or book online. Appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Austin residents, by secure video from home.

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If you are in crisis or need urgent assistance: Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 • National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 9-8-8