Virginia (Ginny) McIntosh (she/her), LCSW

Board Member and Faculty Member


Educational Background

  • MSW. from University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice, Philadelphia, 1969
  • B.A. in psychology and sociology from Elmira College, Elmira, NY, 1966

Professional Experience

  • Clinical Private Practice in Narberth, Pa., since 1983. Psychotherapy with adults, couples and adolescents, supervision of groups and individuals; multiple workshops on gestalt therapy theory as well as diagnosis and other theories.
  • Gestalt Training Institute of Philadelphia, Faculty since 2000 to present.
  • Adjunct teaching at the Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research from 1990 through Spring, 2015
  • Widener University School of Social Work, 1993
  • Institute of Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work Post-Graduate Institute, 1987 through 1990

About Me

When I did my graduate studies at the Penn functional School of Social Work, I was trained in the “here and now,” “growth through pain,” human justice and acceptance of the individual as they are within their context. During my career in child protective services and two psychiatric hospitals, where I learned family systemic therapy, psychodrama, object relations and self-psychology, imagine my surprise to discover GTIP and how closely Gestalt Therapy Theory fit my graduate training — now I’m back at home to stay within the Gestalt Therapy Theory, philosophy and community since 1988. It has validated my identity as a psychotherapist and enlivened my sense of self, personally and professionally, ever since. I am amazed how helping people find their embodied self helps them to feel more their lively self, trust their selves and make better decisions for themselves. I love teaching and supervising Gestalt Therapy Theory and witnessing how folks grow. It is an honor to be part of GTIP, especially now as we integrate deconstructing white privilege and anti-racism into our curriculum toward making a better world.