Clinician  ·  Researcher  ·  Consultant  ·  Author

Dr. Anum Ali

PhD  ·  LPC

Clinical depth. Research rigor. Human presence.

Dr. Ali works across therapy, organizational consulting, clinical AI, and academia — bringing the same conviction to every room: that the most powerful thing a person can offer is irreplaceably human connection.

The Algorithmic Child Speaking
The through-line

Whether in the therapy room, the boardroom, or on the keynote stage — it always comes back to the irreplaceable power of human connection.

Clinical Practice · Supervision · Consulting · AI Advisory · Research · Teaching

TEDx Speaker  ·  Houston Business Journal Women Who Mean Business  ·  Holmes Scholar  ·  Global Ismaili Health Professionals Conference  ·  European ACA Excellence in Research  ·  DigiWell Foundation Founder  ·  TEDx Speaker  ·  Houston Business Journal Women Who Mean Business  ·  Holmes Scholar  ·  Global Ismaili Health Professionals Conference  ·  European ACA Excellence in Research  ·  DigiWell Foundation Founder
Dr. Anum Ali
About

Clinician. Scholar. Builder.

Dr. Anum Ali (PhD, LPC) is a licensed counselor, doctoral researcher, TEDx speaker, and founder of the DigiWell Foundation. Her work begins in the therapy room and extends into boardrooms, classrooms, conference stages, and the labs of companies building AI mental health tools.

Technology can optimize almost anything. It cannot replace the experience of being genuinely known by another person.

Her doctoral research at Sam Houston State University examined how South Asian parents navigate adolescent social media use — work that shaped The Algorithmic Child and her clinical philosophy. She is currently a Clinical Care Navigator at Lyra Health and an adjunct professor at UH Clear Lake and UH Victoria.

TEDx Talk — Dr. Ali reframes what we think we know about kids, phones, and the relationships that actually matter.

Watch on YouTube →
Work With Me

How to engage.

01
Clinical Therapy
For individuals

Evidence-based individual psychotherapy. Specializing in trauma, identity, relational patterns, and life transitions. Accepting new clients on a limited basis in Texas.

Inquire →
02
Clinical Supervision
For licensure candidates

Individual and group supervision for master's-level counselors in practicum, internship, and post-graduate licensure. Relational models, ethical practice, professional identity.

Inquire →
03
Organizational Consulting
For organizations & healthcare systems

Workplace wellness strategy, burnout prevention, and leadership development. Evidence-based frameworks. Practical implementation.

Start a conversation →
04
Clinical AI Advisory
For AI & digital health companies

Clinical oversight, AI safety evaluation, and responsible deployment in mental health and healthcare contexts. Translating clinical evidence into ethical product development.

Explore advisory →
05
Speaking & Keynotes
For conferences, schools & organizations

Research-grounded keynotes and workshops on digital wellbeing, burnout, AI, and human connection.

See topics →
06
Academic Consulting
For universities & training programs

Curriculum development, guest lecturing, and consulting for counseling programs and professional training organizations.

Get in touch →
Socratic House  ·  2025

The Algorithmic Child

How to Become What the Algorithm Cannot Be

Dr. Anum Ali  ·  PhD, LPC

The Book

The Algorithmic Child

How to Become What the Algorithm Cannot Be

Grounded in doctoral research and clinical practice, The Algorithmic Child reframes the digital parenting conversation — from fear-based restriction to relationship-centered resilience. For parents, clinicians, and educators who want to understand what's actually happening when a child reaches for their phone instead of their parent.

The HELD Framework

History · Endurance · Loyalty · Discernment — a framework for understanding why adolescents bond with algorithms, and what parents and clinicians can do about it.

Learn More & Get the Book →
Speaking

Talks that change how people understand connection.

Dr. Ali speaks to parents, clinicians, organizational leaders, and healthcare teams — drawing on doctoral research and clinical practice. This is not motivational speaking. This is evidence-based clinical thinking, translated for the audience in front of her.

  1. 01
    Burnout Is a Relational Problem

    For healthcare systems and organizations: reframing burnout through the lens of attachment and disconnection — and what actually restores people.

    Healthcare & Orgs
  2. 02
    Building Irreplaceably Human Cultures

    For organizational leaders: what it means to lead with genuine presence — and why human connection is your most underutilized competitive advantage.

    Leadership
  3. 03
    AI, Therapy & the Human Difference

    For healthcare systems and tech companies: what the rise of AI mental health tools reveals about what human presence actually does — and why it cannot be automated.

    Clinical & Tech
  4. 04
    The Attachment Crisis Behind the Screen

    For schools, families, and clinical teams: reframing adolescent technology use from a behavior problem to a relational one — and what to do about it.

    Education & Families
Inquire About Availability Available for select engagements.
Contact

Let's start a conversation.

Free Resource

Download the Parent Conversation Starter Guide — research-backed prompts for talking with your teen about technology and connection.

"Dr. Ali didn't just give us information — she gave us a way of seeing our kids differently. I left understanding my daughter in a way I hadn't in years."
Parent  ·  Fort Bend Mental Health Workshop
"The HELD framework completely changed how I think about adolescent cases. I've already applied it in three sessions this week."
LPC Intern  ·  Clinical Supervision Cohort
"I've attended a lot of CME programming. This was the first time a speaker made me feel like the work I do actually matters — and showed me why."
Physician  ·  Global Ismaili Health Professionals Conference
"Dr. Ali has a rare ability to translate dense clinical research into something you can actually use the next day. My whole team is still talking about it."
Program Director  ·  Community Mental Health Organization

For speaking, consulting, media, or clinical inquiries.

Responses within 48 hours.

Email
hello@dranumali.com
LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/alianumtx
Instagram
@the.anum.ali

DigiWell Foundation

Dr. Ali's nonprofit making digital wellness education accessible, culturally responsive, and community-driven.