Caroline Benfield McCloud, MSW, LCSW
Meet the Therapist
Caroline received her undergraduate degrees in Sociology and Psychology from Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, NC. She was awarded her Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of South Carolina with a concentration in clinical practice in 1995.
Her experience began as a clinician in an outpatient clinical diagnostic treatment center for children from ages 2 through 10. She then was employed for several years in adult inpatient hospitalization working with severe mental health disorders. Caroline obtained her License to practice Clinical Social Work (LCSW) in 1997 and began work during the evenings in private practice treating children, adults, and providing court custody consultations.
Caroline then moved her focus to child welfare, providing therapy for children and families involved in neglectful and abusive situations, forensic interviewing of child sexual abuse victims, individual and group therapy of sexual abuse victims, teaching the Nurturing Parent Program and receiving training & experience in sand tray therapy. After several years of clinical practice, she was promoted to a supervising administrative position where she provided LCSW supervision to staff, developed and evaluated programs, provided community education through lectures and speaking engagements, and managed both in home family intervention and foster care services. Caroline has testified in domestic and criminal courts throughout North Carolina and in Ohio and South Carolina. She has been deemed an expert witness in areas of child sexual abuse identification and treatment, child physical, sexual and emotional abuse, and in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. Caroline has also worked extensively in the court system providing child custody consultations and services to families involved in the child protective services arena, divorce and custody actions. During this time, she also provided social work home studies and post adoption support for foreign adoptions and families seeking to adopt special needs children from the United States.
Caroline is also a NASW certified clinical supervisor. She provides supervision to clinical social workers and professionals who are seeking licensure as a practical counselor. Several hours per week are devoted to helping future clinicians develop and strengthen their clinical skills with direct and ethical oversight.
Caroline is the owner and primary clinician at McCloud Counseling & Consultation Services. She moved her practice from Hickory, North Carolina to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2005 where she lives with her husband and daughter. She currently continues working in several social work arenas including this full time clinical practice, adoption services, consultation with several area service providers, training, and clinical supervision.