- Family of origin issues
- CBT and DBT skills
- Brainspotting and hypnotherapy
About Ann
Ann Ghabel is an Iowa-licensed independent social worker (LISW) with 11 years of work as a therapist and many more years in psychiatric nursing. She helps people with stress, anxiety, family concerns, trauma and abuse, and parenting challenges. Ann also supports people dealing with depression, grief, sleep and eating problems, anger, self-esteem, and career stresses.
Before moving into private practice she spent four decades in an inpatient child psychiatry unit as a nurse and taught psychiatric nursing. That background informs how she listens and asks practical questions. She uses straightforward conversation to help people name the patterns that trouble them.
Her approach draws on Client-Centered Therapy to focus on the person in the room, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to spot and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills for emotion regulation and distress tolerance. She also uses hypnotherapy and mindfulness techniques when they fit a person’s needs. Ann is a Brainspotting practitioner and may use it as a tool to increase insight around distressing memories.
Ann works with adult concerns related to family of origin, attachment, adoption and foster issues, and blended family dynamics. She also supports people facing chronic illness, caregiver stress, and the effects of domestic violence or separation. Her practice covers a wide range of issues without implying any particular outcome.
To start, she asks practical questions and helps people choose an initial focus. The early sessions are used to clarify goals, try a few techniques, and agree on what feels most useful going forward.
How therapeutic approaches are used in online sessions
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on the person's experience in the moment. The therapist listens and reflects to help someone clarify feelings and priorities. This approach can be useful for people sorting through family patterns and current relationships.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions. Sessions using CBT include simple exercises to notice and test unhelpful thoughts and to try new behaviors between meetings. This work is often practical for anxiety, depression, and habit changes.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers skills for managing intense emotions and improving communication. DBT skills taught in session can help with anger, mood swings, and coping during stressful events.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, try techniques from different methods, and agree together which ones feel most helpful. That collaborative process helps shape what happens in future sessions.
The original biography does not specify which session formats are used online. Confirm the current session options before booking so you know whether video, phone, or other formats are available. Online sessions can fit into work breaks, reduce travel time, and make it easier to follow up on skills between meetings.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
11+ years
Listed in
Iowa
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she work with?
She works with stress, anxiety, family issues, trauma and abuse, parenting, depression, grief, sleep and eating problems, anger, self-esteem, career concerns, bipolar conditions, ADHD, and related areas.
Which therapeutic approaches does she use?
Her work draws on Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), hypnotherapy, mindfulness, and Brainspotting as a tool when appropriate.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 11 years as a therapist plus about 40 years of prior work in an inpatient child psychiatry unit and teaching psychiatric nursing.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She holds an LISW credential and is licensed in Iowa.
Are sessions available in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English and she does accept international clients.
What session formats are offered?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Looking for someone else? Find them by surname.