Todd Creager, LMFT, LCSW

Business & Personal Relationship Therapist

Todd Creager, LCSW, LMFT, is one of the nation’s leading experts in the field of business/personal relationships as well as specializing in the art of creating and maintaining a fulfilling marriage. His recently released book, The Long, Hot Marriage, is based on Creager’s 28 years as an LMFT and also his 24 years of experience as a fulfilled married man. Located in Huntington Beach, California, the Todd Creager Center for Successful Relationships (TCCFSR) assists individuals, couples and business entities in becoming highly and effectively functioning.

Creager attended the USC School of Social Work and has licenses in Marriage and Family Therapy as well as Clinical Social Work. In addition, he did an intensive internship on Human Sexuality through the UCLA School of Medicine and Extension Program in Human Sexuality. Creager has also received training in Business and Personal Coaching through MentorCoach, LLC. He is a speaker in-demand for his poignant lectures on the topics found in his book as well as the topic of “Bringing the Best Out Of Others;” which is information vital for successful personal relationships; as well as well as those which are work-related.

How did you decide to get an MSW?

I applied to medical school, had two interviews, waited for the results and when I did not get in, instead of being devastated and disappointed, I was exhilarated and relieved. Surprised by that reaction, I decided to soul search and see what I really wanted to do. I had been in therapy to help me deal with some anxiety and to help me get out of a relationship and was amazed how much it helped and how much I had learned about myself. I decided to explore the field of mental health and wellness and loved learning the material. A year later, I was in graduate school at the USC School of Social Work.

Please tell us about your early years--as a young person.

My family was from Brooklyn, New York. My father did not finish college due to a need to work for his family. He eventually had his own business repairing furniture. In 1974, the family moved to California. My mother went back to school at 58 years old, eventually got her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at the age of 71 and started a new career teaching seniors and retired at age 80. My brother has a Ph.D. in engineering, and my sister has the same degree as I do and works for Federal Probation. She is a high-ranking supervisor and loves what she does. My family always emphasized the importance of a good education and all three children got graduate degrees and were successful. Now, my wife and I have two daughters attending UCLA and the trend continues.

Your mother is phenomenal! Please tell us about your educational pursuits!

I went to USC and majored in biology. Then after some soul searching, I returned to USC and received my MSW at their School of Social Work. From 1991-1992, I attended a program in Human Sexuality through the UCLA School of Medicine.

What were the greatest challenges for you educationally?

Education and academics came easy for me. I enjoyed it and did well, so I cannot say there were any great challenges for me there.

What are your professional group affiliations?

I am a member of CAMFT, California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists as well as my local Orange County chapter. It is helpful for education and networking. I speak at a variety of groups as well to spread my messages about relationships. I am also involved in a variety of networking groups, which are helpful for continuing to build and sustain a profitable private practice. I recommend for therapists to get involved in groups that are relevant to their specialties and to join organizations that are helpful to developing effective treatment approaches in their specialty area.

What advice would you give someone who wanted to follow in your footsteps?

My best advice is to follow your passion. Ask yourself what population or for what problem do you really want to help with. Learn as much as you can. Remember that you don’t have to be the world’s foremost authority to be an expert and to stand out and be noticed. Take risks, speak and act like an expert, meet lots of people who will either refer to you or become clients. Lastly, find mentors who can help you both in doing your brand of therapy and to help you market yourself.

What one thing do you hope to have accomplished by the end of your career?

I would love to have reached many thousands of people to raise their awareness about how truly powerful they are to create alive, passionate and loving relationships. I would hope that I accomplish this by direct counseling, live and virtual seminars, speaking and the variety of informational products that I have and will continue to produce.