Elisabeth Counselman Carpenter

Dr. Counselman Carpenter works in advanced clinical practice with children, teens, and families. Her expertise is in play/art therapy, developmental parenting models, LGBTQIA+ affirmative medical and behavioral health equity, post-traumatic growth, and disabilities advocacy.

Dr. Beth Counselman Carpenter is an educator and licensed clinician in Connecticut and New York. In addition to teaching and research, Dr. Counselman Carpenter maintains a private practice working with adolescents and adults with a focus on treating trauma, mood disorders, and developmental life concerns through psychodynamic play, art, and other expressive therapies. She also provides parent guidance training and play therapy supervision, and she regularly consults with local schools, hospitals, and mental health agencies and on diversity, inclusion and trauma-informed care. She served as a bereavement consultant for ABC News for the tenth anniversary of 9/11, and her work has been featured in O Magazine. Her first book, Working with Grief and Traumatic Loss: Theory, Practice, Personal Reflection, and Self-Care, was published in November 2019 by Cognella Publishing.

She taught Diagnosis and Assessment, Substance Abuse Treatment, and other practice- focused courses before joining the School’s faculty. Her current funded research projects explore the use of technology in the classroom and clinical settings to break down barriers to service provision, expressive arts trauma treatment and art as a restorative practice in preventing burnout, and affirmative practice models for trans-inclusive medical and behavioral health care.

Dr. Counselman Carpenter holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Richmond, an MSW from New York University, and a PhD in Social Work from Adelphi University. She recently received her Registered Play Therapy Supervisor designation from the International Association of Play Therapy.