Who Is Dr. sam scarnato

Sam Scarnato, Psy.D., FNLP, CFNC

Hello, I’m Dr. Sam Scarnato. I’m a Pediatric Functional Nutrition Mental Health Practitioner and Mom re-envisioning pediatric mental health care and guiding parents back into meaningful partnership with their child’s healing. 

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­After becoming licensed as a psychologist in 2006, I sought out countless trainings within the field of psychology to ensure I continued to provide parents and children with the most current, empirically supported therapy interventions available. For many families I worked with, treatment gains were made, family functioning improved, and therapy successfully ended. 

But then more complex cases came my way--children with two or three mental health diagnoses (like ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, OCD, anxiety, depression, or tics) who were also experiencing physical problems, such as constipation, headaches, stomachaches, and sleep issues. Their parents were doing “all the things” they thought could help--going to talk/play therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy appointments; attending medical visits; and following “doctors’ orders” with medications and various behavioral interventions. Things sometimes got better for these kids…for a brief time at least…but they often ended up back on my schedule, presenting with new physical or psychological symptoms or with relapses of previous complaints.

I knew I had to dig deeper to find better ways to help children with these more persistent issues.

Then my own son’s health changed in ways I couldn’t explain. He started having digestive difficulties and developed a rash over the lower half of his body. He experienced a frequent, intense urge to urinate and would spend hours standing over the toilet or running back-and-forth to the bathroom every few minutes. He also developed sleep troubles, vocal and motor tics, bizarre food cravings, and problems with attention and concentration that interfered with his learning. 

Despite my training and access to care, we cycled through multiple medical and mental health specialists, tests, and protocols without answers. Our family was exhausted, scared, and desperate to understand what was really happening.

Unwilling to simply watch my child deteriorate, I industriously researched ANYTHING I thought would be helpful and dove into the topics of digestion, immune stress, and nutrition.

None of the providers my son and I worked with were talking about these things, so I just started experimenting--using food to rebuild and support his body and mind. I tracked patterns, adjusted how I parented, and supported my son’s physiology alongside our relationship, because I was determined to remain connected through these exceptional challenges. 

Over time, after several trial-and-error efforts (along with setbacks), his symptoms resolved. 

This is when I became curious about the connections between digestion, inflammation, and the persistent mental health symptoms experienced by the children in my practice.

I returned to training to study physiology and nutrition, volunteered as a Scientific Reviewer and Education Committee member with The Center for Nutritional Psychology, and began integrating functional, whole‑child strategies into my clinical work.

Today, I work differently, crafting the approach I longed for when my own son was struggling.

I partner with parents instead of handing down labels. I ask better questions instead of rushing to protocols. I look to your child’s unique physiology, nervous system, and relational context to guide next steps while supporting you as the consistent, stabilizing presence in your child’s life. 

This work requires curiosity, engagement, and courage. It also creates clarity, connection, and real change.

If you’re a parent who senses that there must be a deeper explanation, and a more holistic way to help your child, I’d be honored to walk that path with you.

Now if you’re ready to stop guessing and want guidance that honors the whole child--and the whole family--I invite you to reach out and explore whether working together is the right next step.