About Dr. Alyssa Schneider
I’m Dr. Alyssa (Aly) Schneider (she/they), a licensed psychologist and the founder of Forge Therapeutics. I’m interested in how people make sense of their experiences, the patterns that keep showing up, and what can change when there is room to ask honest questions and try something different.
I earned my undergraduate degree from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, and my PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Dakota. I completed my doctoral internship at the University of Puget Sound and my postdoctoral training at a group private practice in Tacoma. My professional experience includes individual, family and group therapy, and psychological evaluation.
Who I Work With
I work with children, adolescents, adults, and families navigating anxiety, depression, trauma and stress, emotional regulation, relationships, identity, and periods of transition. I particularly enjoy working with college-aged and young adults, when life can involve a complicated mixture of freedom, uncertainty, expectation, and change.
As a member of the queer community and a former college athlete, I also value working with LGBTQIA2S+ clients, athletes, and people exploring their sexual, gender, cultural, or other intersecting identities. I aim to provide care that considers the whole person and makes room for the different identities, relationships, and experiences that shape their life.
How I Work
My approach is collaborative, practical, and grounded in curiosity. I draw primarily from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy while adapting the work to the person in front of me. Depending on what fits, therapy may include conversation, reflection, skills practice, writing, art, play, or therapeutically applied role-playing games.
I want therapy to be a place where you can think out loud, feel understood, and try things differently. We can make sense of the patterns that keep showing up while also practicing approaches you can carry into your relationships, work, school, and everyday life. Honesty and humor are welcome here.
In assessment, I aim to make a process that can feel clinical or overwhelming more understandable and human. We begin with the questions you want answered, look carefully at the information gathered, and translate the findings into clear explanations and practical recommendations. A diagnosis may be part of that process, but it is only one part of understanding the person behind the results.
Outside the Office
I was born and raised in Oregon, and the Pacific Northwest has always felt like home. When I’m not working, I can often be found paddleboarding on the Sound, hiking, running through Tacoma’s parks, reading, creating, planning an adventure—imaginary or otherwise—or spending time with my partner and our cats.
Dr. Alyssa Schneider, PhD
she/they
Licensed Psychologist · Washington