WE BELIEVE IN A WHOLISTIC
APPROACH TO HEALING
Historically, the North Star is known as a consistent guiding light for those who feel lost to navigate their path forward. North Star Psychiatry NYC embodies that beacon to guide someone towards self knowledge by managing psychiatric, substance use and mental health care.
We believe in compassionate care that is tailored to each individual. We work to get to know each client, as a whole person, to create comprehensive treatment plans. We have a wide range of experience where our collective knowledge is applied. We understand that each person walks a unique path and provide care with respect to that understanding.
Luis Cajina
Luis has an extensive range of experience in providing compassionate care in medicine, psychiatry and substance use treatment.
He graduated with honors from the Universidad Americana in Managua, Nicaragua (UAM) with a medical degree in primary care. He completed clinical rotations in surgery at Tulane University as well as rotations in pediatric care and internal medicine at the University of Miami at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Luis graduated with honors from New York University with a master’s degree in nursing as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. He values his clinical training at NYC Health and Hospitals – Bellevue, with a focus on substance use and psychiatric care. His range of experience during this time included working with the consultation-liaison department which bridged medical and psychiatric care, the CATCH team (Consult for Addiction Treatment and Care in Hospitals), and the ACT team (Assertive Community Treatment) where he was part of the mobile intensive treatment team serving individuals with severe mental illness in the community. During his time at NYU, he was a member of Sigma Theta Tau, an honor society recognizing excellence in nursing care.
As a provider, he is guided by his commitment to patient-centered care. His range of practice includes settings that are based on the models of recovery and harm reduction where he has experience in assessment, delivery of MAT, and therapeutic interventions. He has collaborated in building, training and executing overdose prevention protocols in the first overdose prevention center (OPC) program in the United States. Within this program, he has also worked to help build a psychiatric program for New York’s most vulnerable patients and has experience working with marginalized populations. Luis has been featured at speaking engagements highlighting his range of experience regarding substance use and patient care.
Luis truly believes in meeting the patient where they are at, and in providing the best opportunity for each individual to lower their threshold to change. He values educating clients as a way to enhance their motivation and is inspired by witnessing the process by which a patient realizes their potential.
Melissa Soong
Melissa Soong is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), with experience as a program director, social worker and private practice therapist. She values the work with clients in navigating through issues in the realms of mental health, substance use disorder, HIV/AIDS, PTSD and more.
She is a Registered Trainer and AcuDetox Specialist for the NADA protocol (ear acupuncture for recovery and stress regulation). Melissa helps to build and provide holistic services in various settings. Additionally, she is yoga teacher and teacher trainer, specializing in the study of applying the meridian anatomy of East Asian Medicine to the physical practice of yoga and in therapeutic sessions.
She is continually inspired by the path of holding space with clients on their journey towards healing mind, body and spirit.
