Luis Illades, LCSW, CASAC · New York, California & New Jersey
Sometimes things pile up — old patterns, difficult relationships, questions about who you are or where you're headed. Therapy can help you slow down enough to understand what's happening and find a different way through.
"People often come in not quite knowing what to say — and that's a perfectly fine place to start."
Who I Work With
Over the years, certain kinds of people and challenges have shown up again and again. These are some of them — though I work with a wide range of folks and situations.
A complicated relationship with alcohol or substances. Relationships that feel unstable. A sense that things keep circling back. Many clients are working through several things together and find it helpful to have space to untangle them at their own pace.
I'm a queer Latin American person with my own experience of identity, culture, and recovery. I worked for years at the LGBT Center in Manhattan, and I bring genuine personal understanding — not just professional familiarity.
Some clients are men who haven't spent much time looking inward and aren't entirely sure where to start. That's okay. There's no particular way you're supposed to show up. We figure out what's useful together.
About Luis
My background as a Latin American queer person with my own experience of addiction and recovery shapes how I work. I have a personal understanding of what it means to navigate cultural identity, explore who you are, and work toward letting go of behaviors that aren't serving you anymore.
Years at the LGBT Center in the West Village deepened my experience with identity, community, and substance use. My work with Sanctuary Healing expanded my focus to include trauma, PTSD, co-occurring disorders, and eating disorders.
I draw on CBT, DBT, CPT, and Motivational Interviewing, and I'm comfortable working alongside 12-step frameworks when that's relevant. I offer telehealth to clients in New York, California, and New Jersey, with in-person sessions available in Midtown Manhattan the first week of each month.
Clinical Approach
I draw on several well-researched approaches and adapt them to what actually fits for the person in front of me.
Helpful when emotions feel hard to manage, or when relationships tend to be complicated. DBT offers practical skills for tolerating distress, regulating feelings, and communicating more effectively.
A widely used approach that looks at the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Together we explore patterns that may not be working anymore and find ways to shift them.
A structured, research-supported approach for working through trauma. We look at what happened, how it's been interpreted, and how those interpretations may be affecting daily life.
Useful when there's ambivalence about change — which is most of the time. MI is a collaborative conversation that helps people connect with their own reasons for doing things differently.
Issues & Specialties
Highlighted areas are where I have the most experience and background.
Rates & Logistics
Standard Session
$300 / 50 min
Private pay, out-of-network. Superbills provided for PPO insurance reimbursement. Ask about your out-of-network benefits — they may cover a significant portion.
Sliding Scale
$150+ / session
A limited number of slots are reserved for clients who need a reduced fee. Reach out to ask about current availability — I take access seriously.
Session Format
Telehealth
Telehealth available in New York, California, and New Jersey. In-person sessions available in Midtown Manhattan the first week of each month. 48-hour cancellation policy.
Contact
I do a free 15-minute consultation call. No commitment, no pressure. Just a conversation to see if we're a fit.
This form is for general inquiries only. Please do not include crisis information — if you are in crisis, call or text 988.
