Beth Scarpino, MSW, LSW

What do you value most in the therapeutic relationship?

‍
The most important part of a therapeutic relationship to me, is being open and non-judgmental.
Human beings are more alike than we are different, and the key to understanding ourselves and
our own lives, is to be open to the experiences of others. When there is a strong rapport
between a client and their therapist, there is more room to explore all of the different facets in a
client's life.

‍
What do you want clients to know before their first session?

‍
I want my clients to understand that from the moment they step into my office,
they hold the power to guide their session and their treatment. I often joke with
clients “some sessions might be about your childhood, some may be about your
boss, and some may be about the most recent episode of Love Island”, and
they’re all equally important. The hardest “obstacle” to get over in a therapeutic
setting is feeling comfortable in being vulnerable with your provider, and I want all
of my clients to know there is nothing they cannot share with me.

‍
How does your training shape the way you approach therapy?

‍
My clinical background is genuinely eclectic, and I think that's one of my greatest assets as a
therapist. I've worked across inpatient mental health, medication-assisted treatment, school
counseling, inmate counseling programs, and PHP/IOP and outpatient levels of care. I also hold
a 200-hour trauma-informed yoga teaching certification. That range of experience means I can
roll with wherever a client wants to take a session — and feel confident doing it.

‍
How do you hope clients feel after working with you over time?

‍
I hope clients feel empowered to take control of their life after working with me, I have
often worked with clients while they completed high school, and after they begin the
college transition, they start to decrease their therapy. That is one of the best feelings I
can have as a clinician, is to walk a child or adolescent through a particularly distressing
time in their life, and I get to offer them the tools to thrive in the future. Whether my
clients are in school, school aged, or working professionals, the most joyful moments in
my career have been the moments where a client and I are reflecting on all of the
progress that they have fought hard to achieve.