Craig McIntosh, LCSW

Craig McIntosh is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensed in both Missouri and Illinois with 24 years of experience supporting individuals, couples, and groups. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Texas A&M University in 1992 and a Master of Social Work from New Mexico State University in 1997, and he has lived and practiced in St. Louis since 2004. He is also certified to provide licensure supervision in both Missouri and Illinois.

Craig understands that reaching out for help is a significant step, and he aims to make people feel supported, encouraged, and appreciated from the first meeting. He focuses on creating hope and momentum so clients leave sessions feeling they made a constructive choice and are ready for what comes next. His style can be direct or gently humorous as the situation requires, with a steady emphasis on listening for what matters most to each person and helping them turn those priorities into practical change.

He brings deep experience with 12-Step recovery and sober living, and he is a Gottman Level I Certified couples counselor who helps partners relearn listening, communication, and connection. He offers parent coaching to help families relax into more positive relationships with their children, and he welcomes existential conversations about life’s larger questions. His background also includes work in domestic abuse response, anger management, and long-term practice with men around fatherhood, masculinity, and relationship challenges. For the past twelve years he has served as a social worker for the U.S. Air Force. Craig draws from a range of evidence-based approaches to meet each person’s needs and looks forward to hearing from those ready to begin.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Counseling Options

Craig McIntosh integrates approaches that fit each person’s needs, starting with client-centered work that prioritizes the client’s perspective. In client-centered therapy the therapist offers empathic listening and support to help people identify their own goals and move at a pace that feels right, a useful approach for stress, anxiety, and life transitions.

He also draws on the Gottman Method for couples work, a research-informed approach that focuses on improving communication, reducing destructive conflict patterns, and rebuilding emotional connection, which can help partners rebuild trust and daily functioning. Existential therapy is another thread in his work, inviting exploration of meaning, values, and life choices to help people facing big questions or difficult changes.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Craig works with each person to determine which methods align with their goals and preferences and adjusts the plan as progress unfolds.

Online therapy offers practical access to these approaches through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options provide flexibility for scheduling, make ongoing care more convenient for busy lives, and allow licensed professionals to support people in different circumstances and locations where appropriate.