Dr. Annette Schonder earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees of psychology and sociology with high distinction (suma cum laude) at George Mason University, Fairfax Virginia, USA. She continued her scientific studies at Breining Institute in Orangevale, California, earning a doctorate in psychology. For her credential as psychotherapist, she was required to complete over 2000 hour of supervised clinical work and to pass a specialist examination. She also completed the coursework, training and examination to become a certified clinical hypnotherapist in Newport Beach California and earned a membership with the National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH), USA.
Her early work was in psychiatric institutions in the greater Washington, DC, area. Upon completion of her academic work she provided group psychotherapy and one-on-one psychotherapy and counseling. Dr. Annette Schonder went on to lecture at Frederick Community College, Chapman University, Mission College, and Orange Coast College while working as psychotherapist and hypnotherapist in private practice. After leaving academia, she joined a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center providing education, life skills, counseling and hypnosis services. She began working with CHMC in 2013.
Dr. Schonder is trained in Person Centered Therapy (PCT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), Marital Counseling, Systemic Psychology, Trauma, and Grief Work, Ericksonian Hypnotherapy.
Areas of expertise
Mood disorders (depression, bipolar disorder), anxiety disorders (panic attacks, generalized anxiety, phobias),personality disorders, sleep disorders, human sexuality, burnout, psychosis, addictions (alcoholism/smoking and behavioral addictions), obsessive compulsive disorder, marriages and families, gender, and culture.
On my journey of depression treatment, I have come to understand that medication treatment should be accomapnied by psychotherapy.. Here I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Annette Schonder, who help me gain a deep understanding of how my past connected my current decisions, thoughts and feelings. She never judged me, but listened, asked thought provoking questions, and at times shared some of her wisdom of life. I can`t say exactly how it all happened , but today I am at peace and enjoing a full life. Thank you so much, Dr. Annette Schonder
By Thommy Wolf (Feb, 2024) |