A Lifetime of Understanding the Mind: Dr. Gary Schnell Joins Wellpoint Care Network
Wellpoint Care Network is excited to welcome Dr. Gary Schnell as Psychiatrist and Medical Director.
With more than 40 years of experience in child and adolescent psychiatry, Dr. Schnell brings expertise, compassion, and personal experience to his new role.
“I became interested in child psychiatry when I was in medical school and my wife and I had our first child,” he recalls. “I enjoyed watching how my oldest developed and then my middle son. It was fascinating to watch.”
That curiosity led him to pursue a residency in psychiatry followed by a fellowship in child psychiatry. After completing his fellowship in 1988, Dr. Schnell joined a group of physicians at Milwaukee Psychiatric Physicians Charter, where he practiced for the next 33 years.
Upon moving into semi-retirement in 2021, he continued working part-time in Walworth and Waukesha Counties.
“I just love how the mind works,” Schnell says. “I think there are a lot of misunderstandings, and I like to try to understand those misunderstandings. People generally are who they are not because they’re good or bad, but because of the experiences that shape them. It’s important to understand those experiences rather than reduce people to labels.”
Nancy Reed, Chief Clinical Officer, notes that Dr. Schnell’s perspective reflects Wellpoint Care Network’s trauma-informed approach to care. We recognize that experiences shape how people move through the world. Our work is grounded in understanding those experiences and helping children and families find stability, healing, and the opportunity to thrive.
“Dr. Schnell is very passionate about working with families who are navigating difficult circumstances,” Reed says. “He grew up in the city of Milwaukee, specifically on the north side. He shared that he was raised by a single mom, so he understands what many of our families are going through and the challenges they face.”
“I didn’t have a good childhood or a good family life,” adds Schnell. “I never knew my father, and my mother was only 19 when she had me. My grandmother raised me, and she struggled with alcoholism. But I have no regrets about my childhood because it made me the person I am today. More importantly, it made family — my wife and my children — the most important thing in my life.”
Dr. Schnell is a married father of three with four grandchildren. Aside from his upbringing, another significant moment that shaped his practice and philosophy was the death of his son in 2008.
“He died of suicide,” Schnell shares. “Psychiatrists treat depression all the time without truly understanding what it feels like. Experiencing that loss gave me a very different understanding of depression. It requires much more than simply throwing medicines at it.”
As Psychiatrist and Medical Director, Dr. Schnell will help lead Medication Management services at Wellpoint Care Network. His personal experiences deepen his belief that effective psychiatric care goes beyond just prescribing medication.
“It’s much more than that, especially when you’re working with children,” he explains. “You have to understand environments, including school, family, parents, siblings. It’s not just giving a child medication and seeing what happens. You have to work with the family and the environment around them.”
Having psychiatric and Medication Management services available directly within Wellpoint Care Network’s Clinic removes challenges that many families face when trying to access mental health services.
“Families can get the care they need right here in our Clinic instead of being referred somewhere else,” says Reed. “We can address medication needs in house, and kids can be seen right away instead of waiting weeks or months. It also allows our therapists and psychiatrist to work closely together so families receive more connected, coordinated care.”
That immediate access to services can make a big difference for children and families across Milwaukee.
“People should not have to wait to get care,” added Reed. “You wouldn’t ask someone to wait for diabetes medication. Mental health needs are just as critical. Immediate access helps us prevent crises, address safety concerns, and reduce the risk of hospitalization.”
Dr. Schnell agrees that timing matters when someone reaches out for help.
“It means you’re seeing people at the time of their struggle,” he says. “That’s when people are most willing to talk, when they’re most willing to make changes, and when they may be most open to support.”
Families interested in scheduling an appointment with Dr. Schnell or learning more about medication management services at Wellpoint Care Network can call 414-465-5770 or email [email protected].
