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LCSW

Dedra McIntosh, LCSW

  • Experience3 years
  • LocationFlorida
  • Focus areasStress and Anxiety, Relationship, and Trauma and abuse
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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About Dedra

Dedra McIntosh is a Florida-licensed clinical social worker who draws on Internal Family Systems alongside several evidence-based therapies to support people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship concerns.

Background and approach

With three years of professional experience, she blends person-centered listening with structured techniques to help clients untangle patterns that contribute to guilt, shame, and low self-esteem. Her work pays particular attention to attachment dynamics and caregiver-related stress, helping clients explore how past family relationships and adoption or abandonment experiences shape current emotional responses.

Dedra uses tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to build practical skills for managing symptoms, while fostering deeper self-understanding through attachment-based perspectives. Clients can expect a collaborative atmosphere where communication barriers and commitment or dependent personality issues are addressed alongside eating-related concerns, domestic violence impacts, and family-of-origin problems.

Dedra approaches therapy with empathy and respect, aiming to guide individuals toward greater resilience and more satisfying interpersonal connections.

Bringing IFS and Evidence-Based Care to Online Sessions



Internal Family Systems supports exploration of internal parts and their roles, helping people understand conflicting thoughts and feelings and find more self-led balance; it can be useful for trauma responses, guilt, and inner critical voices. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) emphasizes values-guided action and learning to notice difficult thoughts without getting entangled in them, which often helps with anxiety, avoidance, and depressive patterns. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on understanding how early relationship patterns shape current connections and communication, offering ways to repair relational wounds and improve emotional regulation.

Deciding which approach fits best is a collaborative process. The therapist will work together with each individual to assess needs, goals, and personal preferences, and may combine elements from different modalities to create a tailored plan rather than relying on a single method.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules and accommodate different comfort levels with communication. These formats allow licensed professionals to provide ongoing support, skill development, and therapeutic reflection from a distance while maintaining regular, convenient contact.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Dedra commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, self esteem, and depression, along with related issues like abandonment, attachment problems, and caregiver stress.
What therapeutic approaches inform her style?
Her practice incorporates Internal Family Systems, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to tailor sessions to individual needs.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has three years of clinical experience working as a licensed social worker helping clients navigate emotional and relational challenges.
Where is she licensed and based?
Dedra is licensed as an LCSW in Florida with license number FL LCSW SW25455 and practices with that credential.
Does she offer services in other languages or for international clients?
Sessions are offered in English only and she is not currently accepting international clients.
Which session formats are available?
Clients may meet through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on preference and scheduling.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions are provided through a subscription service that can be canceled at any time.
What steps are needed to begin therapy?
To get started select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseSelf esteemDepression

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityCaregiver issues and stressCommitment issuesCommunication problemsDependent personalityDomestic violenceEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesGuilt and shameInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesPanic disorder and panic attacksPersonality disordersPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressSelf-harmSelf-loveWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Gottman MethodMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family SystemsSystemic Therapy

Experience

3+ years

Licensed

Florida

Languages

English