Rick Jaime-Bettan, LMSW
Richard (“Rick”) Jaime-Bettan is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who seeks to create a warm, welcoming environment conducive to self-reflection, growth, and positive change. In 2001, Rick received his Bachelor’s degree in English Literature (cum laude) with a double-major in Italian Studies, from Brown University. He received his MSW from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College in 2021, and has been practicing with CFI and WCF ever since.
Rick strives to employ a person-centered approach that focuses on the individual and the development of an authentic therapeutic rapport. He believes a strong, trusting therapeutic relationship is the single most important factor in his clients’ success. To maximize the impact of this relationship-oriented approach, Rick employs several evidence based practices, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Problem Solving Therapy (PST), Narrative Therapy (NT), and exposure therapy for phobias and OCD. Rick has been particularly proud of his work with adolescent boys struggling with ADHD, with young adults seeking to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression, and with members of the LGBTQ+ population of all ages. As an adoptive parent, Rick has a particular interest in and affinity for adoptive family units and is always interested in partnering with both parents and kids to navigate the unique challenges and opportunities the adoption context presents. Rick has also co-facilitated social skills development groups for young adults with autism spectrum disorder and groups providing support for young adults experiencing social anxiety.
Prior to pursuing his degree in Social Work, Rick received his JD in 2005 from the University of Virginia School of Law. He practiced commercial litigation for twelve years, during which time he was repeatedly named a “Rising Star” by Superlawyers magazine. In 2012, the National LGBT Bar Association selected Rick for inclusion on its Top LGBT Lawyers Under 40 list. Rick left his law practice to pursue a counseling degree because he felt a strong calling to support individuals in their mental health journeys. Rick has learned that his training as a lawyer informs his work as a therapist daily: he is skilled at asking focused, powerful questions that get to the heart of an issue. He is adept at spotting patterns. Most importantly, he is able to gently guide clients to “cross-examine” their own negative self-perceptions, allowing clients to search for evidence to refute those distortions, and synthesize a more neutral, objective sense of of self. Rick is a proud member of the National Association of Social Workers (“NASW”).
In his free time, Rick enjoys spending time with his kids, cooking, singing classical choral music, learning languages, and listening to all kinds of music.
