Irit Schnabel Eliav M.A., Psychological associate (supervised practice)
Irit Schnabel Eliav is a Psychological Associate (Supervised Practice) registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario, with over 15 years of clinical experience. She has worked with children, adolescents, and adults in both private practice and multidisciplinary settings, providing psychotherapy, assessment, and guidance through a wide range of emotional and psychological challenges.
Known for her warm, steady presence and deep listening, Irit approaches each person with curiosity, respect, and care. Clients often describe her as grounded and attentive, and she places great importance on building a trusting relationship from the start so that clients feel safe, understood, and supported as they navigate life’s complexities.
Therapeutic Approach and Philosophy
Irit believes in psychotherapy as a way to support, strengthen, and create meaningful change in people’s lives, including their relationships, daily functioning, mood, and self-esteem. She views the therapeutic relationship as central, offering a safe and thoughtful space where trust and reflection can lead to growth.
Her approach is integrative, drawing on psychodynamic and trauma-informed principles, with cognitive-behavioral strategies when helpful. This flexibility allows her to tailor the work to each client’s needs, pace, and stage of life. With many years of experience with children, adolescents, and adults, she supports clients facing depression, anxiety, self-esteem and identity concerns, sexuality and sexual identity issues, trauma, grief, and relationship difficulties, always with warmth, empathy, and collaboration.
Irit offers sessions in both English and Hebrew.
Education and professional associations
-
M.A. in Clinical Psychology, The Academic College of Tel Aviv–Yaffo
-
Advanced training in psychoanalytic theory and clinical practice through the Israeli Psychoanalytic Society.
-
Registered as a Psychological Associate (Supervised Practice) with the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario.
Personal Journey
Irit completed her M.A. in Clinical Psychology, which laid the foundation for her interest in emotional development and the ways people navigate relationships, challenges, and change. Early in her career, she worked in community mental health clinics, child and family centers, and residential programs for youth, experiences that deepened her appreciation for the complexity of people’s lives and the importance of meeting each person where they are.
Her later years in private practice allowed her to further refine the integrative approach she uses today. Throughout her career, she has found that a therapeutic relationship grounded in trust, curiosity, and empathy is the most powerful catalyst for meaningful, lasting change.
Areas of Expertise
-
Depression, low mood, and emotional regulation
-
Anxiety, stress, and adjustment difficulties
-
Self-esteem, identity concerns, and questions related to sexuality and sexual identity
-
Trauma, loss, and life transitions
-
Relationship, family, and interpersonal challenges
-
Child and adolescent mental health, including parent guidance
-
Integrative therapeutic approach combining psychodynamic, trauma-informed, and cognitive-behavioral principles