Last updated: May 23, 2026.
Shariq Refai, MD, MBA is a physician-author whose work spans clinical practice, educational publishing, and self-guided wellness programs. He believes readers and patients have the right to know which of those relationships exist, and where money flows. This page lays it out plainly.
Roles and Ownership Interests
Dr. Refai is:
- Founder and CEO of shrinkMD: an independent multistate telepsychiatry company. Dr. Refai holds a material ownership interest in shrinkMD.
- Founder of shrinQ: a self-guided digital mental wellness program. Dr. Refai holds a material ownership interest in shrinQ.
- Creator of the Unstuck app: a general mental wellness app. Dr. Refai holds a material ownership interest in Unstuck.
- Founder of shrinkMD Publishing: the independent imprint that publishes his books, including Your Mind Is Full of Sh*t, the companion workbook, and The Havoc in Your Head. Dr. Refai is the author of each of these titles and receives publishing income from their sale.
- Medical reviewer / medical editor for the editorial publications AnxietyResource.org, DepressionResource.org, AnxietyResearch.org, and PsychiatryRx.org, which are part of the broader Shrink Network of educational properties.
Where Dr. Refai is referenced on this website as a "founder," "creator," "author," or "editor," those relationships are real, ongoing, and financial.
What shariqrefai.com Is and Isn't
shariqrefai.com is an educational author and media platform. It is not a clinical service, not a substitute for clinical care, and not the customer-facing surface for any of the products above. It exists to publish books, essays, perspectives, and speaking and media information.
Each of the other ventures (shrinkMD, shrinQ, Unstuck, shrinkMD Publishing, and the editorial publications) operates separately from this website, with its own terms, privacy policies, and scope of service. They are not operated by, affiliated with, or services of this educational platform, even though they share a founder.
Editorial Independence
Editorial content on this website is intended to remain independent and evidence-based. Specifically:
- No outside sponsors pay to influence what gets published, how it is framed, or what is recommended.
- No pharmaceutical company, device manufacturer, supplement company, or treatment program pays for placement, mention, or endorsement on this site.
- Articles, essays, books, and frameworks may reference Dr. Refai's own ventures (shrinkMD, shrinQ, Unstuck, shrinkMD Publishing) where directly relevant to the topic, with the relationship disclosed at or near the reference.
- References to other people's books, tools, or services are made on editorial merit, not for compensation.
Promotional vs. Editorial Content
Pages that describe Dr. Refai's own ventures (for example, the Projects & Initiatives page, the homepage Founder Projects section, and bios across the site) are clearly identified as descriptions of his ventures, not independent third-party recommendations. Each such reference carries a relationship statement.
External Sponsorships, Honoraria, and Speaking Fees
Dr. Refai may from time to time accept honoraria, speaking fees, advisory roles, or consulting engagements. Where any such relationship is materially relevant to a topic he writes about on this site, it will be disclosed on or near the relevant content. If a meaningful new external relationship is established, this page will be updated.
Books and Royalties
Dr. Refai is the author of, and receives royalties from, the books published through shrinkMD Publishing. Discussions of those books on this website (excerpts, summaries, related essays) are promotional in the ordinary sense that they aim to describe and share the work. Buying a book results in compensation to Dr. Refai.
Affiliate Links
At the time of this update, shariqrefai.com does not participate in any affiliate program and does not earn referral commissions from external links. If that ever changes, affiliate relationships will be disclosed near the relevant links and globally on this page.
Insurance, Reimbursement, and Patient Care
This website does not provide patient care, does not bill insurance, and does not handle reimbursement. All clinical services, when offered, are provided through shrinkMD under its own terms and policies.
Conflicts and Corrections
If you believe a piece of content on this site reflects an undisclosed conflict of interest, or if you spot a factual issue, please flag it via the Corrections & Updates page.
Contact
Questions about disclosures can be sent through the contact page or to support@shariqrefai.com.