Petrovnia McIntosh, LCSW

Petrovnia McIntosh is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) practicing in Wisconsin and a Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist for Individuals (CCTS-I). She earned a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The LCSW credential indicates advanced clinical training and licensure to provide psychotherapy, the MSW reflects graduate training in social work, and the CCTS-I denotes specialized training in individual trauma treatment.

She works primarily with adults who experienced long-term childhood trauma, helping them understand how early experiences shape current patterns of thinking and behavior. Grounded in psychodynamic ideas, she looks for recurring themes that link past adaptations to present-day challenges and treats behaviors as strategies that once served to help a person survive difficult circumstances.

Her approach emphasizes a non-judgmental exploration of the needs a behavior was meeting, followed by collaborative development of alternative responses. Together with clients she identifies practical steps to try new ways of coping and then examines how those changes affect daily life and relationships.

Petrovnia centers clients with intersecting identities, especially people of color, members of the LGBTQ community - including those planning gender-affirming transition or surgery - and people living with HIV. She incorporates attention to systemic and internalized oppression as well as historical and generational trauma into the work to understand how these forces shape present experience. She looks forward to working with clients to clarify goals and support meaningful change.

Therapeutic Approaches and Virtual Care

Petrovnia uses Attachment-Based Therapy to help clients explore how early relationships influence current emotional patterns and interpersonal expectations. This approach can be especially helpful for people who struggle with trust, abandonment fears, or difficulty forming close connections. Client-Centered Therapy guides the work through the client's priorities and lived experience, offering a respectful, non-directive space where personal strengths and choices drive progress. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used to identify unhelpful thought patterns and experiment with concrete behavioral changes; it can assist with anxiety, depression, and managing day-to-day symptoms.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Petrovnia collaborates with each person to identify which methods align with their needs, goals, and preferences, and she adjusts the plan as progress unfolds so the work stays relevant and practical.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect - video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - making it easier to fit care into a busy life or when in-person visits are not practical. These options allow licensed professionals to provide ongoing support, homework review, and skill-building between sessions while making therapy more accessible across different schedules and locations.