The Shrink Network

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Published June 23, 2026 · Last reviewed July 14, 2026 by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA

Tell us what brought you here. We'll point you somewhere useful.

Reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA

The Shrink Network is a connected ecosystem of independent mental health properties. Each one does a different job. Shrinkopedia is the clinical encyclopedia. AnxietyResource is the practical layer for anxiety. DepressionResource is the practical layer for depression. PsychiatryRx covers the medications. AnxietyResearch summarizes the evidence. shrinkDaily teaches one concept a day. shrinkMD is the telepsychiatry option. Each one is independent, with its own editorial leadership, its own scope, and its own URL.

The cards below route you to wherever your question fits closest. If you're not sure where to start, "I want to understand a symptom" and "I want to understand what I was prescribed" are the two most common entry points. Either is fine.

What ties all of these together is the Shrink Network. We coordinate the editorial standards, the cross site linking, and the network wide infrastructure so wherever you arrive in the network, the path to the next useful page is short. That's the difference between a directory of sites and a knowledge ecosystem.

Symptom

I want to understand a symptom.

Chest tightness, racing heart, anhedonia, brain fog, intrusive thoughts. The Shrinkopedia symptoms collection explains what each one is, what it usually means, and what conditions it travels with.

Popular entry points

Browse symptoms on Shrinkopedia →

Daily

I want one concept a day.

A single mental health concept each day, explained in plain language. shrinkDaily is the habit layer for understanding your mind a little better every day.

Popular entry points

Open shrinkDaily →

Profession

I want professional psychiatry insights.

shrinkiatry for clinician resources. shariqrefai.com for long form essays on psychiatry, anxiety, depression, and recovery.

Popular entry points

Read perspectives →

Care-routing framework

When evaluation may help, care can look like one of five things.

Choose what fits your situation, your insurance, and your access. There's no single right answer, and there's no requirement to start with a psychiatrist. Full framework and disclosure on the editorial strategy page.

  1. Your primary care doctor.

    The entry point most people already have. Many PCPs evaluate and treat common anxiety and depression, and they can refer if a specialist is needed. If you have a PCP, this is often the fastest first conversation.

  2. A therapist through Psychology Today or your insurance panel.

    For talk therapy, evidence-based approaches like CBT, ACT, DBT, or EMDR are widely available. Psychology Today's directory is the largest in the US and lets you filter by insurance, specialty, and location.

  3. A psychiatrist for prescribing and complex care.

    If you need medication management, have a complex history, or aren't responding to the first line of treatment, a psychiatrist is often the right fit. Wait times for in-network psychiatrists in the US are often long, sometimes months.

  4. shrinkMD, one telepsychiatry option.

    shrinkMD is the network's independent telepsychiatry practice, board-certified, currently accepting adult patients in a limited set of US states. Transparently one option among many, not a recommendation above other qualified clinicians.

  5. 988 for crisis. This is a different moment.

    If you're thinking about suicide, in acute crisis, or someone you love is in danger right now, this isn't a "find a psychiatrist" moment. Call or text 988 in the US. Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger.

Full disclosure. The Shrink Network is founded by Shariq Refai, MD, who also owns shrinkMD. This site takes no referral fee, no affiliate commission, and no revenue for care sent to shrinkMD or any other clinician named here. We name shrinkMD because it's transparently one option, not because we recommend it above other qualified clinicians. Read the full disclosures.

Every site is independent. Each has its own scope and its own editorial leadership. The Shrink Network coordinates them. No matter where you enter the network, we help you find the next step that makes sense.

Follow a pathway → See the Knowledge Graph → Open the Network Map →