Locations / Virginia / Charlottesville
Online psychiatry for Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville has a world class academic medical center and a months long psychiatric waitlist anyway. shrinkMD brings board certified online psychiatry to Charlottesville and central Virginia, with evaluations within days by secure video.
Medically reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, board certified psychiatrist · Published June 7, 2026 · Last reviewed June 8, 2026 · Editorial policy
Care in Charlottesville
Real psychiatry, without the local waitlist
The paradox of a university town: UVA anchors superb psychiatry, and its clinics fill instantly, leaving graduate students, faculty, hospital staff, and the families of Albemarle County waiting months for routine outpatient care. The surrounding rural counties wait even longer.
shrinkMD opens a second door. You meet a board certified clinician licensed in Virginia by secure video from your apartment near the Corner, your home in Crozet, or your office downtown, usually within days of booking.
We treat the full adult outpatient range, from the anxiety and depression of academic life to insomnia, bipolar disorder, and PTSD, with measurement based care and one consistent clinician. When wineries and mountains are your backyard, care should not require a drive to Richmond.
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 Corner to Crozet, expert care is a few days away, mountains included.
Getting started
Getting started in Charlottesville
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 Charlottesville.
Local resources
Mental health resources in the Charlottesville area
Central Virginia has dependable mental health resources.
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988
- Emergency: 911 or the nearest emergency department, including UVA Medical Center and Sentara Martha Jefferson
- Region Ten Community Services Board serves Charlottesville and surrounding counties
- NAMI Blue Ridge offers support groups and family programs
Access
Insurance, access, and appointment availability in Virginia
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 Virginia 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
Charlottesville and nearby areas we serve
We serve central Virginia by video, identically:
- Downtown, the Corner, and Belmont
- Barracks Road and the 29 North corridor
- Crozet, Ivy, and western Albemarle
- Pantops, Keswick, and eastern Albemarle
- Waynesboro, Staunton, and the surrounding counties
Keep exploring
Related care and next steps
Related conditions
- Psychiatric evaluation in Charlottesville
- Medication management in Charlottesville
- Anxiety treatment in Charlottesville
- Depression treatment in Charlottesville
- 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 Roanoke
- 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 Charlottesville?
Yes. shrinkMD provides licensed online psychiatry for adults across Virginia, including Charlottesville, by secure video, with evaluations usually available as soon as availability allows.
Do you prescribe controlled medication in Charlottesville?
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 Charlottesville?
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 Charlottesville 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 Charlottesville?
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'm a UVA graduate student and the counseling center has a wait. Can I be seen?
Yes, within days. We see adults 18 and up, and graduate school stress, funding anxiety, and dissertation stage depression are familiar territory. Flat fees, HSA and FSA funds work, and follow ups cost less than evaluations.
I live out in the county with spotty broadband. Will video work?
Usually yes; the platform tolerates modest connections, and a phone with cellular signal works as well. If your connection fails mid-visit, your clinician calls you and the appointment continues.
Start online psychiatry in Charlottesville
Call 1-877-747-4656 or book online. Appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Charlottesville residents, by secure video from home.
Join Our Waiting List