Locations / Virginia / Norfolk
Online psychiatry for Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk hosts the world's largest naval base and a psychiatric waitlist that serves no one in uniform or out. shrinkMD serves Norfolk and the southside by secure video, within days, completely outside military systems.
Medically reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, board certified psychiatrist · Published June 7, 2026 · Last reviewed June 8, 2026 · Editorial policy
Care in Norfolk
Real psychiatry, without the local waitlist
Norfolk's identity is the harbor: the base, the shipyards, the hospitals that serve them, and the neighborhoods that flex with every deployment cycle. The mental health load of that rhythm, spouse stress, reintegration friction, shipyard shifts, rarely fits a civilian clinic's Tuesday schedule, and TRICARE visibility worries keep many from trying at all.
shrinkMD removes the system problem entirely: nothing billed to TRICARE or any insurer, records only with written authorization, and adult family members, veterans, and civilians seen within days by video from Ghent, Ocean View, or the parking lot outside the gate.
Care follows the deployment calendar where it helps, heavier during workups and absences, lighter when the household is whole, with one clinician throughout and progress measured at every visit.
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 Ghent to Ocean View and across the water, expert care is a few days away.
Getting started
Getting started in Norfolk
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 Norfolk.
Local resources
Mental health resources in the Norfolk area
Crisis and community resources for Norfolk and the southside:
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, 24 hours, with a Veterans option
- The Norfolk community services board operates crisis services around the clock
- Emergency: 911 or the nearest emergency department
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
Norfolk and nearby areas we serve
Norfolk and the southside, covered identically:
- Ghent, downtown, and Colonial Place
- Ocean View and the bayfront
- Portsmouth, Chesapeake, and Suffolk
- The wider Hampton Roads under the same Virginia coverage
Keep exploring
Related care and next steps
Related conditions
- Psychiatric evaluation in Norfolk
- Medication management in Norfolk
- Anxiety treatment in Norfolk
- Depression treatment in Norfolk
- All of Virginia
- Online psychiatry in Virginia Beach
- Online psychiatry in Richmond
- Online psychiatry in Arlington
- Online psychiatry in Alexandria
- Online psychiatry in Charlottesville
- 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 Norfolk?
Yes. shrinkMD provides licensed online psychiatry for adults across Virginia, including Norfolk, by secure video, with evaluations usually available as soon as availability allows.
Do you prescribe controlled medication in Norfolk?
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 Norfolk?
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 Norfolk 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 Norfolk?
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.
Is this safe to use as a Navy spouse worried about visibility?
Yes, structurally. We bill nothing to TRICARE, no claims exist anywhere, and records release only with your written authorization. Many Hampton Roads patients chose us for exactly this.
Can shipyard shift workers fit appointments in?
Yes. Rotations and overtime weeks are scheduling inputs here, with post shift and evening slots, and the sleep those shifts wreck gets treated as part of the plan.
Start online psychiatry in Norfolk
Call 1-877-747-4656 or book online. Appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Norfolk residents, by secure video from home.
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