LGBTQ+ therapists in New York City, New York NY
We are proud to feature top rated LGBTQ+ therapists in New York City. We encourage you to review each profile to find your best match.
Serving LGBTQ+
Colette Pauta
Counselor/Therapist
If you're looking for someone who will truly listen and help you feel heard and seen, my goal is to offer a space where you don't have to filter or perform. I take a warm, relational, and collaborative approach to therapy, meeting you where you're at with curiosity and care. I believe that humor has a place in healing, and when used thoughtfully, it can make difficult conversations feel less intimidating and more human. My work is trauma-informed and grounded in understanding how your experiences, relationships, and environment shape the challenging you're facing. Together, we'll explore patterns, build insight, and develop practical tools that feel relevant to your everyday life. Therapy with me is not about having all the answers, it's about creating space to slow down, reflect, and move forward with greater clarity and self-trust. Whether you're thinking about therapy for the first time, or have been in the counseling space before, I welcome the opportunity to get to know who you are at your core.
1 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Melissa Klass M.A., LMFT
Marriage and Family Therapist, M.A., LMFT #119163
One word. Relationship. Specifically ours. Yours and mine. Healing happens when you are seen, heard, and felt by another human being.
10 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Staci Des Rault
Licensed Mental Health Counselor, LMHC. M.Div
One of my favorite things about being a therapist is being able to support people in reclaiming power in their lives. I value the privilege of holding a safe space for people to process their deepest fears, struggles, and pain, but also to bear witness to their celebrations and victories, no matter how big or small. Diagnoses and labels can be helpful flashlights to help us find our way, but ultimately, therapy should be about having a safe place to come where you can be your full authentic self.
14 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Steven Merino
Licensed Mental Health Counselor, LMHC
My approach is collaborative and tailored to your unique needs, goals, and pace. I understand that it takes courage to seek a more fulfilling and meaningful life, and I honor that bravery. Whether you're navigating challenges or working toward personal growth, I’m here to support and empower you every step of the way. Together, we’ll create a safe space where you can explore, heal, and move forward with confidence
2 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Taylor Lee
Pre-Licensed Professional, MHC-LP, Ed.M., M.A.
I create a collaborative and nonjudgmental space for clients who are ready to make meaningful changes and live more authentically. I specialize in working with people who have spent much of their lives people-pleasing or prioritizing others, and who are now ready to reconnect with their own needs, values, and voices. As an Asian American woman, I bring lived experience and cultural humility into my work, and am deeply committed to creating a safe, affirming space for people of color and members of marginalized communities.
2 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Maggie McCarthy
Counselor/Therapist, LMSW
I work with women & LGBTQIA+ adults and couples who are uncertain about their path forward. My approach is rooted in cultural sensitivity and collaboration, customized to fit your identity and dreams, with a strong emphasis on ensuring your comfort and safety. I draw on a variety of therapeutic techniques to help you process past wounds, improve how you communicate, and clarify your next steps. My ultimate goal is to help you feel safe, confident, and aligned with who you are. We’ll work to foster a healthy relationship with yourself, while building stronger, more authentic connections with others. Healing your self-acceptance doesn’t have to be done alone. Let’s take that step forward together and create a life filled with more meaning and joy.
My mission is to help you feel safe, empowered, and at peace in your own skin. Together, we’ll strengthen your relationship with yourself and foster healthier, more fulfilling relationships with others. If self-acceptance feels overwhelming, you don’t have to face it alone. Let’s build a life you love and feel vibrant in!
3 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Zaray Dratch
Pre-Licensed Professional, MFT-LP
If you've tried to explain your relationship problems before and left feeling like something got lost in translation, this is a different kind of space. Whether you're queer, neurodivergent, first-gen, or simply someone who's never quite fit the mold, you'll be met here with zero judgment and real curiosity. Using Emotionally Focused Therapy and Somatic approaches, we'll get underneath the surface of what's keeping you stuck and work toward something that actually feels different. If you're ready, reach out.
1 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Elliot Paradis McCullough
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW
I am a trauma therapist who works with queer & trans communities; sex workers, poly / ENM, kink / BDSM communities, neurodiverse and disabled communities; and substance users. My approach is informed by my shared identities and experiences with these communities. I work with survivors of Intimate Partner Violence; childhood and adult sexual violence; attachment and complex trauma; hate violence; and police, state, and institutional violence.
8 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Roman Yumatov
Licensed Psychoanalyst, M.A., LP, FIPA
Are you curious about knowing yourself better and improving your relationships, creativity and life? If getting away from it all, in some way or another, didn’t get you away from your self, psychoanalysis might enhance — or even be — your life-changing endeavor.
12 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Dr. Ingrid Solano
Psychologist, PhD
Selecting a psychotherapist is an intimate and consequential decision. The work is most effective when you are able to be fully yourself—without self-editing, without judgment, and without pressure to perform. My role is to offer a calm, attuned, and intellectually rigorous space where anxiety, depression, and relational concerns can be explored with care, curiosity, and respect for your privacy.
Many of my clients seek support for chronic anxiety, emotional exhaustion, low mood, or a sense of disconnection that persists despite outward success. I approach this work collaboratively, creating a conversational and grounded therapeutic process designed to help you feel understood, regulated, and supported—particularly when navigating complex or deeply personal material.
I offer secure telehealth psychotherapy, allowing for seamless and discreet access to care from anywhere with internet access. Extensive research demonstrates that telehealth therapy is as effective as in-person treatment, with increased continuity and flexibility for demanding schedules. For those who prefer in-person sessions, I also maintain a private office in West Hollywood.
When you contact my practice, you will communicate directly with me. Your care is never delegated. This structure ensures absolute discretion, continuity, and a highly individualized therapeutic experience from first contact onward.
In addition to my clinical work, I am an intimacy consultant for film and television, bringing a sophisticated understanding of relationships, emotional dynamics, and high-visibility professional environments.
My practice is intentionally small and selective, allowing me to provide focused, confidential care to individuals and couples seeking a refined, private, and deeply attentive approach to psychotherapy.
15 Years Experience
In-Person in New York City, NY
Online in New York City, NY New York
Serving LGBTQ+
Ren Lee
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW
We live within various systems and institutions that impact how we navigate our lives in relation to each other. My work is grounded in community care, growth, liberation, joy, resilience, healing, and justice. I am here to support you in exploring connections to yourself, your communities, and the world around you. My approach is rooted in liberation, relational, and psychodynamic work through an anti-oppressive lens, and includes modalities such as somatics, narrative therapy, and mindfulness. I am passionate about working with intersectional identities of race, gender, sexuality, and neurodivergence and I find it incredibly fulfilling to continuously build relationships through empathy, curiosity, and compassion.
6 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Michael Lockwood of Scene Creative Life Solutions
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, LMSW
Most men who reach out to me aren’t falling apart, they’re holding everything together while feeling numb, overwhelmed, or disconnected inside. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. You don’t need perfect words or a dramatic story to work with me. You just need the truth of where you are.
My work is grounded, direct, patient, and honest. I help men explore the deeper layers of identity, trauma, shame, and relationships, the things you were never given the space to talk about. I’m not here to lecture you or nod quietly. I’m here to help you understand yourself in a way that finally makes sense and opens something inside you that’s been shut for a long time.
If you’re ready for therapy that actually means something, I’m here for you.
11 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Liberation Therapy
Counselor/Therapist, LMHC
Many of the people I work with are insightful, capable, and used to being the strong one—but inside, they feel overwhelmed, lonely, or unsure how to change the patterns they keep repeating. Therapy with me is not about quick fixes or surface-level advice. It’s about creating a space where you can be fully seen and understood while we gently and honestly look at what isn’t working and why. My style is warm, direct, and deeply relational. I help people understand their emotional patterns, attachment wounds, identity questions, and relationship dynamics so they can live with more clarity, self-trust, and freedom.
5 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Avena Psychological Services
Psychologist, PsyD, PhD, LCSW, LMHC, LMSW, MHC-LP
Welcome to Avena Psychological Services, where your journey to a more balanced and fulfilling life begins with the compassion and expertise of our team of dedicated therapists. We are committed to providing a supportive and non-judgmental space where our clients can explore their thoughts, emotions, struggles, and experiences with professionals who genuinely care and appreciate the privilege of being part of that journey. With a focus on creating collaborative and empathetic therapeutic relationships, our therapists will work alongside you to develop strategies and insights that empower you to navigate life's challenges. Avena Psychological Services is committed to helping our clients build resilience, gain clarity, and achieve their personal goals. Together, we will uncover your strengths and explore pathways to a more meaningful and satisfying life.
11 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Denise Trainer
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, M.A., L.C.S.W., NCPsyA
I believe that we all have challenges to deal with at different times in our lives. All of us as humans are at times faced with situations that can feel overwhelming and trigger unresolved conflicts. Psychotherapy can help in understanding ourselves, our behaviors, and in developing an appreciation for our uniqueness. Please call for a free consultation.
34 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Dr. Lyndsay Elliott
Psychologist, PsyD.
My approach to therapy is straightforward — understand what is getting in the way, figure out why, and build a clear path forward. I work with adults, couples, and high-achieving professionals who are ready to make real changes, not just talk about them.
I am Dr. Lyndsay Elliott, a licensed clinical psychologist with a PsyD and a postdoctoral fellowship from UCLA. For over 20 years I have provided evidence-based psychotherapy, psychological evaluations, consultations and expert witness testimony to clients navigating anxiety, depression, burnout, chronic stress, relationship conflict, narcissistic abuse recovery, couples conflict, infertility, reproductive mental health, postpartum depression, family conflict, and major life transitions.
My style is warm and engaged, but also direct. Therapy should be useful — sessions that deliver genuine insight, practical tools, and honest feedback that actually moves the needle. I integrate cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, solution-focused intervention, and trauma-informed care, tailoring every treatment plan to each client's specific goals and circumstances.
I am PSYPACT authorized, serving adults and couples via secure telehealth therapy across 40+ states — making expert psychological care accessible wherever you are.
21 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Robert dos Santos Teixeira
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, SMF, MPIA, MA, MSW, LCSW
When you lose the little self, you find the bigger Self. You are the Light Who shines through the eyes: You are Ancient, Eternal, Infinite, One, and Unchanging Light. My job is to help you step out of the little self (the flesh-and-blood self), which is experiencing the pain of addiction, anxiety, depression, trauma, etc., and into Who You really are. As a result, you will gain observer consciousness, which offers freedom, healing, transformation, and ultimately awakening.
22 Years Experience
In-Person in New York City, NY
Online in New York City, NY New York
Serving LGBTQ+
Lauren Bradley
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW
Bringing ease to therapy with a relaxed, down-to-earth approach—where comfort and insight go hand in hand.
I specialize in a wide range of areas, including anxiety and depressive disorders, trauma and post-traumatic stress, sexual violence, grief, coping with chronic illness or cancer, life transitions, relationship and family issues, low self-esteem, women’s and men’s health, as well as caregiver distress and burnout.
10 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Paula Kirsch
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, CST
Some things are hard to say out loud. Maybe you've never quite found the words, or the right person to say them to. Maybe you've been carrying questions about your body, your desire, your relationship, or who you are, quietly and for a long time.
You don't have to do that here.
I'm Paula Kirsch, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Sex Therapist, and I work with women navigating sexual health concerns, LGBTQ+ individuals and couples, and people in ENM and kink-engaged relationships. Not as a specialty I added on, but as the heart of my practice. I understand your world, your language, and the particular weight of the things you may have never said to anyone.
Whatever you bring into this space, I'm not going to flinch, rush you, or hand you a formula. We'll sit with it together and figure out where to go from there. That's the work, and I genuinely love doing it. Book your Free Consultation on my website.
12 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
Serving LGBTQ+
Alignment Psychotherapy, PLLC
Psychologist, LP, PhD
Our practice is grounded in a deep appreciation for the diverse experiences that shape each person’s life. Our founder grew up in Jamaica, Queens, surrounded and supported by three generations of remarkable women—an experience that continues to inform the values of care, resilience, and community that guide our work today. Across our practice, we have the privilege of supporting individuals from a wide range of cultural backgrounds, gender identities, and socioeconomic experiences, each bringing their own unique perspectives and concerns. As a practice founded by a Black, queer, first-generation college graduate, we hold a strong awareness of how power, privilege, and systemic forces shape daily life and mental health. We also recognize the vulnerability it takes to seek therapy. Our work is informed not only by clinical expertise, but by a deep respect for the courage and commitment involved in pursuing healing and meaningful change. This perspective shapes our intention to create a space that is thoughtful, affirming, and responsive to the full complexity of our clients’ lived experiences.
3 Years Experience
Online in New York City, NY New York (Online Only)
New York City has the largest and most diverse therapy community in the world, with practitioners representing virtually every therapeutic modality, cultural background, and specialty area. The city's pace, density, and cost of living generate pervasive anxiety and burnout, while its diverse boroughs mean therapists fluent in dozens of languages serve communities from every corner of the globe. Columbia University Irving Medical Center, NYU Langone Health, and Weill Cornell Medicine anchor an extensive academic mental health infrastructure, supplemented by thousands of independent practitioners across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. New York's therapy culture is deeply embedded — many residents maintain years-long therapeutic relationships and consider finding the right therapist one of the more important decisions they make.
LGBTQ+ therapists in New York City, New York Statistics
LGBTQ+ therapists in New York City, New York average 15 years of experience and charge around $202 per session. 98% offer online sessions. The most commonly treated issues are Anxiety or Fears (80%), Depression (71%), and Trauma and PTSD (60%).
Average years in practice
15 Years Experience
Average cost per session
$202
Accept insurance
38%
Offer sliding scale
64%
Gender ID
| 56% |
Female |
|
| 28% |
Male |
|
| 9% |
Non-Binary |
|
| 7% |
Gender Fluid |
|
Session Type
| 52% |
In Person and Online |
|
| 46% |
Online Only |
|
| 2% |
In Person Only |
|
Top Specialties
| 80% | Anxiety or Fears |
| 71% | Depression |
| 60% | Trauma and PTSD |
| 57% | LGBTQ+ Issues |
| 53% | Stress |
| 50% | Relationship and Marriage Counseling |
| 47% | Women's Issues |
Ages Served
| 99% | Adult |
| 69% | Young Adult |
| 52% | Senior |
| 39% | Teen |
| 20% | Children |
Client Focus
| 100% | LGBTQ+ |
| 82% | Women |
| 62% | Men |
| 48% | Black / African American |
| 47% | Hispanic / Latino |