Gretchen Sparacino moved to Charleston in 1987 to attend the College of Charleston.  During college she worked in an art gallery, a law office, and for many years in food and bev.  In her mid-twenties, Gretchen shifted to social work and got her masters degree in Clinical Counseling from the Citadel. Since then, she has been a counselor in community mental health before shifting to private practice after a few years. Gretchen will tell you there is no place like Charleston. She fondly remembers living downtown when she was younger, maneuvering around the intricate city streets by bicycle. Decades later, she still finds herself in awe of the beauty of the neighborhoods on the peninsula. Driving over the bridges and taking in the smell of the pluff mud, the blue skies, and water still takes her breath away after all of these years.

Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
I’ve been married to Frank, a local periodontist, since 2000. We have three children. Joseph attends UofSC and lives on campus, while his younger brother Leo, who is a senior at Academic Magnet, and Tessa, who is a freshman at Charleston Charter School of Math and Science, live with us at home. It can’t go without saying that we have several pets, including a flock of chickens with various comical names; Stella, a doodle; Hugo, an auggie puppy; and Pretty Kitty and Lucy, two tabby cats. I also have two bee hives, and I consider them pets too. The ongoing joke is that we will move to the country where I can truly have my farm and get some goats. Behind the scenes, we are a bit nerdy. My kids are amazing and such kind people. My childhood was chaotic and not peaceful, so I cherish the fact that Frank and I created a family without the drama.

Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I currently operate a private counseling practice in West Ashley. I have been doing this for 20 or so years. I started out as an artist and graduated from the College of Charleston with a studio art degree but changed my career direction after working with adolescents in a residential program who were going to be emancipated from DSS. Adolescence was such a hard time for me and working with the adolescents was so rewarding. Honestly, those girls taught me a lot about myself, including what I did not know about diversity. I was raised in a predominantly white community and had a lot to learn. I decided to move into social service. I also spent many years working at the Charleston Disability Board assisting clients with accessing services. I have a soft spot for this community and serve them still. My current job, though serious and heavy at times, is truly a win-win for myself and hopefully my clients. It is a quiet yet impactful way to help others heal, which I believe has a greater impact on the world as clients move about their day and influence others in a more positive, healthy way.

Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
This is a hard question! Charleston’s food and bev scene is constantly changing, and the pandemic has shown us how important restaurants and their staff are to the community. I love the eclectic restaurants that are popping up in off-the-beaten path neighborhoods throughout downtown. My favorite places are ones that do food well, bring a relaxed but upbeat vibe, and offer us some new ways of looking at food. Honestly, there’s too many to mention one specifically.

Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
After college, I stayed here for many years, then spent about 4 years in Chicago after getting married. Chicago was fabulous, but once we started having kids, we relocated back to Charleston to raise our family. The lifestyle seemed more suited to the life I wanted my children to have. Plus, I craved open spaces when I lived in Chicago. There is something peaceful about the vibe in this area. Charleston is a unique community since it is a place where many people come to visit. I think the word is definitely out about how fabulous it is here, and as Charleston has been flooded with people there have been many changes.

Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
I was lucky to have been under Michael Tyzack’s tutelage as a painting student at the College of Charleston. He was a kind and interesting man who had his large paintings hanging at the Gibbes. He also played in a Jazz band at Mistrals, a french restaurant that used to be located on Market Street. Sipping liqueurs at the bar and watching him play was such fun. Charleston is unique to me where you have access to the artists and game-changers in the community. It cannot go without mentioning that there was a one-man band that used to play downtown around the market. I am not sure who he was or where he went, but I respected his ability to create such joy and would stop and watch him anytime I saw him.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
Currently, I am planning a dorie trip in the Grand Canyon. The United States has so many offerings and beautiful places. Being in the South after living in Pennsylvania as a child has shown me that our country has a great deal of diversity and climates to be enjoyed. A trip to Italy and Paris with the family is on the horizon for 2023!

Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
I’m currently watching Ted Lasso. I also enjoyed The Good Place. Since I like my shows a little edgy, it is hard to find shows where my kids can walk through the room. I find reality TV alarming, but need some connection to real life. I am burned out on criminal dramas, but love watching documentaries. There is so much history that I find intriguing. I think I day-dreamed through my early years of schooling, and love learning things now that explain historical events I did not understand in the past.

Q: What advice would you give to people?
Be picky about who you associate with in your life. I have no time for people that cannot play nice in the sand box. Even though you can set good boundaries and hold the line, who needs the drama? Excitement needs to be something you invite in, not something you cannot get out of your world. Another favorite motto that I learned from an audience member during a Have-Nots show was, “do not seek constructive feedback from someone you would not go to for support.” Being careful about who you let influence your internal narrative is so very important.

Q: What is something on your bucket list?
I have a cello in my storage with “for retirement” on it. I also want to learn how to play the drums. Being part of a drumline would be dreamy. Traveling is on the list as well, and seeing other cultures is invigorating. Getting back into painting is also a must! I plan on not letting older age stop me from anything new. I need novel experiences to keep going, though I will never skydive. Certain risks are not worth it.

Q: What is your go to band when you cant decide what to listen to?
I have a very eclectic song list on my phone. I gravitate to alternative music though I love the funky 70’s, classic rock, 90’s grunge, or easy-going acoustics. My car is like my stage and if you see me driving by, more than likely I am singing loudly behind the wheel. My daughter and I have certain songs we belt out together when we are out and about, though I would not subject anyone else to my theatrics.

Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
Charleston has changed dramatically since I was in college. I still believe that, despite its size, you can see familiar faces wherever you go. In the early 90’s, I loved Myskyns and the Music Farm– I’ve calmed down a lot since then for sure! There are local farms that help support the food and bev industry such as Legare or Rosebank farms, and I love what they have to offer. You also have to mention Coburg. Seeing the spinning cow on Highway 17 is nostalgic. I knew some folks who took a ride on it back in the day, but I still love to see how they dress the cow up with the changing seasons and holidays.

Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
If I had to pick, it would be Tom Hanks. He reminds me of my brother, and I want to believe Tom is as awesome as he appears on screen behind the scenes. I would go to 167 Raw and hope that Tom Hanks being my date would help us avoid the lines at the door.

Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
The balancing of holding tight onto the beautiful pieces of history and the blending of things that are new is something I love about Charleston. Compared to other parts of South Carolina, Charleston is rather innovative. It is interesting that folks who have lived here the majority of their lives can find this change unnerving but people who are new to the area feel like they have traveled back in time.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
More than likely retired in some fashion. I was diagnosed with RA about 5 years ago and do not want to replicate the history of the previous generations where you work and work and work, then you are too spent to enjoy retirement. I also had two life-threatening events over the last decade that caused me to realize that time is short and to live each day with a sense of gratitude. Those events helped put life into perspective for me. I am enjoying watching my children spread their wings and go out into the world. This also has provided my husband and I the opportunity to look at and work on our marriage. Older age is chomping on our heels and I plan to live life to the fullest until my body forces me to slow down. A running joke with my kids is that if I end up wheelchair bound, they have to buy me the helmet with beers attached where I can whoop it up but still get about. Until then, I plan to continue shooting to be the best tennis player that is possible. I play competitive tennis and us ladies take ourselves very seriously at times though it is fair to say the ship to go pro sailed many, many years ago.

Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
Most answers to this would be outright embarrassing… I have to think about this one. I no longer hide pieces of me that I used to when I was younger, so only the dark pieces are left to share, and some aren’t meant to be disclosed. Besides, a girl’s gotta hang onto some aire of mystery. LOL!

Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
I saw Jaws at a pivotal time in my childhood which ruined beaches for me. I still remember the day I swam on Sullivans Island and realized I was wading amongst a group of stingrays. From then on, I was too skittish to go far out into the ocean water. I love being near water in general and love any lake in the mountains where you can turn your boat engine off and swim. I am type-A and the feel of being on the water forces me to shut this off.

Q: Favorite month? favorite holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
October or November in Charleston is the best time of the year. We are blessed to have perfect temperate weather during those months, and I might as well say that Halloween is my favorite. Being able to be someone or something else for a day and get free candy is such a treat! Christmas is a close second and making that magical for my kids and family is still a fave. The best moment on Christmas day is the tradition of an eggs benedict breakfast with champagne. The excitement of the morning mixed with good food and beverages allows me to chill and enjoy my family.

Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
We took a trip to Jocassee Lake a few years ago. The best part of the trip was my Chicago-raised husband at the helm of our boat, way out of his comfort zone, but giving it a go and tugging our kids around the lake on the tube. We explored waterfalls, and I absolutely loved the feel of the lake and forest. It is a 10 because spending time with my family doing things out of mine or their comfort zone is exciting, but sharing novel experiences together is what pushes it way up the joy scale. Those moments do not have to be extravagant to be full of meaning.

Q: Who inspires you to be better?
The children I meet in my practice. I see a lot of adolescents and cherish the ability to educate them about managing people in their world while also learning their perceptions about the world around them. Kids keep it real. When we move into adulthood, we learn ways to cope that inhibit the curiosity and honesty that youth embrace. “And these children that you spit on As they try to change their worlds Are immune to your consultations. They’re quite aware of what they’re goin’ through.” Love me some old David Bowie.

Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
Freshly cut grass and any meal that someone is making for me!

Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Peace, safety, and food.