Dr Ali Schnabel Psychologist

My approach: I mostly use a psychodynamic psychotherapy framework. This approach to therapy focuses on how our early life experiences contribute to patterns of ways of relating to ourselves and others. If we become stuck in patterns that don’t help us to get our needs met, this can generate suffering. The work of psychodynamic psychotherapy is to build a deeper relationship to oneself. This can be described as developing the ability to “think about your own thinking”. I also draw on Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. This is a more structured approach to therapy that supports people to understand the different parts of themselves, and how their conflicting needs or desires can cause distress. I strive to be an inclusive practitioner and to create a culturally sensitive, LGBTQIA+ and sex work safe space in therapy. My experience: For the last 10+ years I have worked in a combination of public mental health, private practice and community service settings. Outside of private practice, I currently work at a publicly funded Centre Against Sexual Assault providing therapy to victim/survivors of sexual violence. In a previous role at a public youth mental health service for young people with severe mental health difficulties, I had the opportunity to diagnose and support many young women and gender diverse people with previously undiagnosed adult autism. I completed my Doctorate of Clinical Psychology at Deakin University in 2019.