- Anxiety and depression
- Relationship concerns
- Adoption and foster care
About Dedra
Dedra McIntosh is a licensed clinical social worker who focuses on helping people cope with anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship struggles. She works with clients to manage stress, build self-esteem, and face difficult emotions like guilt and shame. Her style is warm and direct, aimed at practical steps people can use between sessions.
She uses approaches that center on values, attachment, and emotions to support healing. That may include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, and Emotionally-Focused Therapy, among other methods. These approaches are chosen to match each person’s needs rather than following a single formula.
Dedra pays special attention to issues that arise from early connections and caregiving roles. She helps people untangle family of origin patterns, attachment concerns, and feelings tied to abandonment. Adoption and foster care are listed among areas she focuses on, and she integrates that understanding into her work when it is relevant.
Her practice also addresses a range of relationship and personality challenges. She helps with communication problems, commitment worries, dependent or avoidant patterns, and the stress that comes from caregiving or frontline work. Sessions aim to make relational patterns clearer and easier to change.
Clients looking for a therapist in Florida will find that Dedra combines evidence-based techniques with a client-centered manner. She encourages small, realistic changes and supports people as they practice new ways of coping and connecting.
How therapeutic approaches guide online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice painful thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them. It focuses on clarifying personal values and taking small actions that match those values to reduce suffering over time.Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early bonds shape current relationships and emotional responses. It helps people understand patterns like avoidance or fear of abandonment and practice new ways of relating that feel safer and more dependable.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and practical needs, then recommend approaches that fit. That process is collaborative, and adjustments are made as progress and needs evolve.
If you are considering online sessions, please confirm which session formats are offered before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, shorten travel time, and allow for quicker check-ins between appointments. Some formats can also be helpful when bandwidth is limited or when a brief phone check-in is preferable to a longer appointment.
Licensed professionals often adapt ACT and attachment-focused methods to an online setting by assigning brief exercises, practicing new communication skills in-session, and reviewing what worked between meetings. Ask about the available session options when you match and schedule to ensure they fit your routine and goals.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
3+ years
Credentials
Florida
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does Dedra address?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and relationship concerns, plus related areas like self-esteem, guilt, and attachment issues.
What is her therapy style like?
Her approach is collaborative and practical, combining acceptance, attachment, and emotion-focused methods to help people make concrete changes.
What experience does she bring?
She has three years of clinical experience as a licensed clinician helping people through trauma, relationship problems, and caregiving stress.
Where is she based and what are her credentials?
She is a Florida licensed clinical social worker, listed as LCSW, practicing in Florida.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.