Meet Beth Caron, LCSW, CCS: Clinical Director of Cornerstones’ Residential Program

"I wish more people understood how central connection is to healing...lasting change happens in the context of safe, attuned relationships.”

That’s not just a clinical belief, but a lived truth that shapes how Beth Caron, LCSW, CCS leads and how she holds space for the young adults and families who enter Cornerstones of Maine’s Residential Treatment Program.

At Cornerstones of Maine, leadership is about more than credentials. It is about presence. Few people bring that kind of steady depth to our program more consistently than Beth Caron, Clinical Director of our Residential Treatment Program. With more than two decades of experience in behavioral health, Beth’s work is deeply relational. Her path into the field did not begin in a classroom or a clinic, but during a personal chapter of her own life when she sought the support of experts. That experience changed her direction and continues to shape how she helps others navigate their own turning points.

Since joining Cornerstones, Beth has played a key role in shaping the structure and rhythm of the residential program. She brings a thoughtful blend of clinical expertise and hands-on leadership to her work, grounded in the belief that healing takes root when people feel genuinely understood and supported.

We had the opportunity to talk with Beth about her background, her philosophy of care, and what young adults. and their families need most as they begin the work of rebuilding.

What brought you into the field of behavioral health and what keeps you grounded in the work, even on the hard days? 

More than two decades ago, I found myself in a position where I needed expert guidance, support, and direction. At that time, I was working as a graphic designer and had never envisioned a career in a helping profession. The care, skill, and compassion I received from behavioral health professionals during that period were profoundly impactful and ultimately inspired me to pursue a different path. I returned to school to earn my Master of Social Work and have since spent my career working in residential treatment settings.

What keeps me grounded in this work—especially on the hard days—is a deep belief in people’s capacity for change. While the outcomes of our work are not always immediately visible, I am sustained by the knowledge that we are planting seeds every day. Trusting that those seeds may take root over time, even beyond our direct involvement, continues to motivate and ground me in this field.

How did you end up at Cornerstones, and what made you say “yes” to this place in particular? 

I had been familiar with Cornerstones since its inception and had the opportunity to watch it grow and evolve from afar. When I began transitioning out of my previous role as a Clinical Director, I was excited to see an opening at Cornerstones. What stood out to me was the RTC’s potential—both in its mission and in its stage of development.

Joining a newer RTC offered a unique opportunity to help shape and strengthen the program, and I was drawn to the ability to contribute to building increased structure, consistency, and clinically meaningful programming. That combination of vision, growth, and hands-on leadership made saying “yes” to Cornerstones an easy and energizing decision.

What’s something that might surprise people about your role as Clinical Director? 

One aspect of my role that may surprise people is the breadth of responsibilities it encompasses. On any given day, I may be providing direct clinical care through individual, family, or group sessions while also overseeing program operations such as budgeting, ordering supplies, and collaborating with facilities. I am equally involved in preparing the program for new admissions, supporting outreach and tours for potential clients and referral sources, and addressing day-to-day operational needs. The role requires flexibility and the ability to move seamlessly between clinical leadership and hands-on program support to ensure both quality care and smooth operations.

What’s a therapeutic concept or approach you wish the general public better understood and why?

I wish more people understood how central connection is to healing. We often focus on correcting behavior or fixing symptoms, but lasting change happens in the context of safe, attuned relationships. Feeling understood and not judged allows people to take risks, tolerate discomfort, and grow. This applies not only in therapy, but in families, schools, and communities. Without connection, even the best interventions tend to fall flat.

What’s your go-to strategy when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally flooded, or just plain stuck? 

My go-to strategy is returning to my ‘why.’ When I feel stuck, I first get up and take a quick movement  break and then remind myself of the purpose behind the work and the people we’re supporting. That perspective helps shift me out of urgency and back into intention.

What’s a book, film, artwork, piece of music, etc., that you recommend to others again and again, and what makes it resonate so deeply for you? 

A work I like to recommend in our current society’s  landscape —especially when working with young adults and their families—is The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt.

What makes this book resonate so deeply for me is how clearly it articulates what many clinicians are witnessing every day in practice, but often struggle to fully name: the convergence of technology, reduced independence, heightened fear-based parenting, and a decline in unstructured play has fundamentally altered the developmental landscape for young people. Haidt provides a thoughtful, research-backed framework that helps explain why we are seeing unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, avoidance, and fragility in emerging adults—not as individual failures, but as predictable outcomes of broader cultural shifts.

From a clinical perspective, the book is especially powerful because it reframes the conversation away from blame—of parents, of young adults, or of clinicians—and toward understanding systems, incentives, and environments. It validates what many young adults feel but cannot articulate: that they were often protected from discomfort rather than prepared for it. At the same time, it challenges caregivers and professionals to reflect on how well-intentioned support can unintentionally undermine resilience, autonomy, and confidence.

I often recommend The Anxious Generation because it creates a shared language between clinicians, parents, and young adults. It opens the door to conversations about tolerating distress, rebuilding independence, reintroducing healthy risk, and restoring developmental experiences that foster competence and self-trust. Ultimately, it aligns closely with the work we are trying to do in treatment: helping young people reclaim agency, flexibility, and confidence in a world that has made those qualities harder—but not impossible—to develop.

What do you think the next generation of clinicians needs to hear right now? 

You won’t always see the outcome of your work. Trust that planting seeds still counts as success.

If you had a billboard that every parent of a struggling young adult could see, what would it say?

“Connection comes before correction.”

This reframes parenting away from control and toward relationship—especially powerful for families stuck in power struggles.

“Change is possible—even when it doesn’t look like it yet.”

Parents often feel hopeless long before the young adult does. This restores psychological flexibility.

“Support doesn’t mean rescuing.”

This gently challenges over-involvement without shaming, which is critical for parents of young adults.