Trish Schnabel
Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
Trish Schnabel is both a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Licensed and Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (LBA, BCBA), a combination that enables her to support clients with a wide range of needs Through her dual training, she assists children, teens, and adults who experience mental health concerns, executive functioning challenges, or autism spectrum diagnoses Her work combines emotional support with behavior-focused strategies, helping individuals strengthen coping skills, improve communication, build relationships, and manage life transitions with greater confidence. With more than 25 years of experience working with individuals on the autism spectrum, she has developed a steady and informed approach to care Her counseling areas also include depression, anxiety, everyday stress, military family challenges, codependency, and ADD/ADHD.
Professional Experience
She serves as an LPC at Paraclete Counseling, Inc , providing individual, group, and family therapy to clients who bring a range of concerns. Her work includes counseling those facing anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship issues, and difficulty with executive functioning skills. She blends her understanding of mental health care with her background in evidence-based behavior strategies. This allows her to create treatment plans that are centered on the individual and consistent with accepted practices She conducts detailed clinical assessments, develops
therapeutic goals, and collaborates with social workers, case managers, and psychiatrists to provide coordinated support. Her experience also includes facilitating workshops on autism spectrum disorders, executive functioning, stress management, and coping strategies Through her combined roles as a Counselor and Behavior Analyst, she offers a perspective that helps both neurotypical and neurodivergent clients identify and work toward their personal therapeutic goals
In addition to her counseling work, Trish has managed an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) company since 2010 As a Behavior Analyst with The Learning Ladder Behavior Analysis & Therapy, she provided therapeutic consultation to adults on the autism spectrum and to individuals with developmental disabilities Her role included meeting with family members, care staff, and the individual to clarify concerns and identify the outcomes being sought She spent time observing clients in natural environments, exploring their routines, and reviewing support strategies or tools already in use She assessed whether adjustments to the environment or services were needed to assist the individual better.
Over the years, she has created many therapeutic consultation and behavior support plans She has also trained group home staff, parents, and caregivers to support individuals with autism better As an Owner and Board Certified Behavior Analyst at The Learning Ladder, she worked closely with children with autism by providing one-on-one ABA therapy Her responsibilities included conducting direct and indirect behavioral assessments, identifying behavior change strategies, and carrying out treatment interventions She supervised BCBA candidates and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs), offering guidance in assessment practices, treatment planning, and implementation.
A Life of Giving Back
A Volunteer with Military Families
As a military spouse, Trish has dedicated 20 years to volunteering with military families and veterans. Her support has helped families move through deployment cycles, long separations, reunifications, multiple relocations, and stress connected to combat or PTSD She was appointed to the Virginia Governor’s Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, where she worked to reduce educational barriers faced by children of active-duty service members who regularly relocate between states
Her 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’s Commander’s Award for Public Service. She continues to be involved in her local community by teaching religious education classes for individuals with special needs, preparing meals for group homes that serve them, and volunteering at senior living facilities She participates in programs that honor veterans, including greeting them at Washington, D.C., memorials through Honor Flights and taking part in Wreaths Across America each year She is also 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 that would allow families with a child with special needs to enjoy time together at a theater She shared the idea with a local theater, which agreed to host monthly sensory-friendly screenings with brighter lighting, lower volume, and space for children to move or vocalize as needed. The program became a vital community offering and was later featured in the Fayetteville Observer on January 27, 2015.
Education
Trish earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia While completing her undergraduate work, she served as a Research Assistant at the U.S. Army Research Institute. She went on to complete a Master of Education in Community Agency Counseling at Auburn University in Alabama During her graduate studies, she completed practicum and internship placements in both individual and group counseling She was also recognized in The Chancellor’s List for her academic achievement.
In 2009, she completed her Board Certified Behavior Analyst Graduate Certification at Pennsylvania State University Her coursework included advanced ABA topics such as functional assessments, intervention evaluation, supporting individuals with challenging behaviors, and understanding executive functioning needs. She also studied the applications of ABA principles in family settings, classroom environments, and during crises or emergencies
On the Personal Side
Trish Schnabel appeared as a contestant on the television show “Wheel of Fortune” in January 2020, where she won $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 as part of her daily routine. During the fall, she spends Saturdays watching college football and keeping up with SEC games