Hidden Gems: Meet Natalie Sobel of Sobel Psychological Group

Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Sobel.

Hi Natalie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My interest in this field dates back to college when, as a millennial coming of age in a post-9/11 world, I was really interested in psychology and law. I ultimately graduated with my B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Criminology from Miami University in 2007. I applied and got in to Law school upon graduation only to have a last-minute change of heart. I ended up in Los Angeles working for an entertainment attorney and realized very quickly that I really didn’t want to be a lawyer. After a few soul-searching years, I went back to school to become a psychologist and graduated with my Doctorate in Clinical Forensic Psychology in 2014. I became licensed in 2015 and have been working with individuals with mental illness in the criminal justice system in some way shape or form for the past 10 years. I took the leap to open my private practice in 2019.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I entered graduate school in 2010 after a recession and I was absolutely terrified of taking out student loans. I received scholarships and worked myself into the ground bartending and waitressing on the weekends to pay for my living expenses and books. However, I still had to borrow money for my tuition and lived in crippling fear of debt for several years, to the point that I very nearly quit my second year of graduate school. It was a really difficult and frankly lonely time in my life, because all my friends were out enjoying their twenties while I made margaritas until 3:00 am on Saturday nights. Fortunately I stayed the course and I’m so glad I did because I really love and am passionate about what I do. The moral of this story is to stay focused on the end goal and trust that you will figure it out. I am now a mid-career Psychologist and find my work incredibly satisfying and rewarding. And I paid off all my loans years ago.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Sobel Psychological Group?
I am a licensed clinical forensic psychologist that specializes in forensic evaluations and courtroom testimony. I have particular expertise in chronic, severe mental illness and am typically retained by attorneys to answer psycho-legal questions regarding criminal defendants’ competency to stand trial, suitability for mental health diversion, and criminal responsibility. Put more simply, I help the court understand the defendant’s mental health diagnosis and offer guidance on how to best treat the individual. The things that set me apart from other psychologists in this field is that I take a holistic/whole-person approach to understanding my clients, which results in very thorough, comprehensive reports to the court. I also have a very extensive understanding of the legal system, pertinent caselaw, and am abreast of recent developments in the field, which allows me to provide a very informed and relevant opinion to the court.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I prefer to maintain my anonymity and privacy because I work in the criminal justice system, so I don’t have social media or a podcast. But I will say that my apple watch has been a really worthwhile investment that reminds me to use my walking pad, stand up and go smell flowers in my garden, and not sit at my desk all day. It is really important that I take good care of myself so that I am able to provide exceptional service to my clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.drnataliesobel.com