Trish Schnabel

Trish Schnabel is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Licensed and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (LBA, BCBA), a dual qualification that allows her to support individuals with a wide range of emotional, behavioral, and developmental needs. Drawing from both counseling and applied behavior analysis, she works with children, teens, and adults experiencing mental health challenges, executive functioning concerns, or autism spectrum diagnoses. Her approach brings together emotional insight and structured behavioral methods, helping clients strengthen coping strategies, improve communication, develop relationship skills, and navigate life changes with steadiness. With more than 25 years of experience working with individuals on the autism spectrum, she has consistently demonstrated a thoughtful commitment to supporting individuals and families. Her counseling specialties also include depression, anxiety, life stress, military family challenges, codependency, and ADD/ADHD.

Professional Experience

She is currently an LPC at Paraclete Counseling, Inc., where she provides individual, group, and family therapy. Her clients face a variety of concerns, such as trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship conflict, and challenges involving executive functioning. She combines her mental health background with evidence-based behavioral strategies to develop treatment plans that reflect best practices and are tailored to each client’s needs. As part of her work, she conducts detailed clinical assessments, writes individualized treatment plans, and collaborates with social workers, case managers, and psychiatrists to support the overall well-being of those she serves. She has also led psychoeducational workshops on topics including autism spectrum disorders, stress management, executive functioning, and coping strategies. Through her combined background as a Counselor and Behavior Analyst, she supports both neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals as they identify their goals and work toward improved functioning and personal growth.

In addition to her counseling work, Trish has operated an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) company since 2010. In her role as a Behavior Analyst with The Learning Ladder Behavior Analysis & Therapy, she provided therapeutic consultation to adults with autism and individuals with developmental disabilities. Her consultation process included interviewing family members, caregivers, and the individual to understand their concerns and identify meaningful outcomes. She observed individuals in their natural environments, reviewed existing strategies and support tools, and assessed whether adjustments or environmental changes were needed to better meet their needs.

Throughout her work, she has created many therapeutic consultation plans and behavior support plans. She has trained group home staff, caregivers, and parents to help them better understand how to support individuals with autism in everyday settings. As an Owner and Board Certified Behavior Analyst with The Learning Ladder, she also provided one-on-one ABA therapy to children with autism. Her responsibilities included conducting direct and indirect behavioral assessments, identifying suitable strategies for behavior change, and implementing interventions based on assessment findings. She supervised BCBA candidates and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs), offering guidance in assessment practices, treatment planning, and intervention procedures.

A Life of Giving Back

A Volunteer with Military Families

As a military spouse, Trish has dedicated 20 years to volunteering in support of military families and veterans. Her service has supported individuals experiencing deployment cycles, long separations, reunifications, frequent moves, and stress connected to combat experiences and PTSD. She was appointed to the Virginia Governor’s Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, where she contributed to reducing the educational challenges faced by children of active-duty service members who frequently relocate across states.

Her long-standing commitment to military families and her work with military children with autism led to her receiving the National Infantryman’s Association Shield of Sparta award and the Department of the Army Commander’s Award for Public Service. She continues to volunteer in her community by teaching religious education classes for individuals with special needs, preparing meals for special needs group homes, and offering support at senior living facilities. She also participates in programs honoring veterans, including welcoming them to Washington, D.C., memorials through Honor Flights and participating in Wreaths Across America each year. In addition, she is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

During her time living in North Carolina, she identified a need for sensory-friendly movie options to help families with children with special needs enjoy going to the theater together. She brought the idea to a local theater, which agreed to host monthly sensory-friendly showings with raised lighting, lowered volume, and an environment that allowed children to move around, talk, or express themselves freely. Over time, this program became a valued offering within the community and was featured in the local newspaper on January 27, 2015.

Education

Trish earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. During her undergraduate studies, she served as a Research Assistant at the U.S. Army Research Institute. She later completed her Master of Education in Community Agency Counseling at Auburn University in Alabama, where she gained experience in individual and group counseling through practicum and internship placements. Her graduate-level achievement was recognized through her placement on The Chancellor’s List.

In 2009, she earned her Board Certified Behavior Analyst Graduate Certification through Pennsylvania State University. Her studies included advanced ABA topics, including functional assessments, intervention evaluation, executive functioning, and approaches to supporting individuals with challenging behaviors. She also studied ABA applications in family systems, classroom environments, and during crises or emergencies.

On the Personal Side

Trish Schnabel appeared on the television program “Wheel of Fortune” in January 2020, winning $65,495 in the Bonus Round by solving the phrase “Above and Below.” Her winnings also included a trip to Italy, which she described as a Bucket List experience. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys traveling, attending concerts, spending time with family and friends, and walking her two Labrador Retrievers to reach her daily step goals. During the fall, she often spends Saturdays watching college football and following SEC games.