DR Alissa Knight

A conversation with Alissa Knight

• What led you to choose psychotherapy or counselling as a profession?

  My journey begun at university. My academic background spans across 17 years of University Education. Despite often questioning my own sanity over that extended time being the 'Uni student', across those years what I gained from it was an amazing learning experience that equipped me with unparallel knowledge experience and wisdom learning from some of the most acclaimed experts in the world.
  I now hold five University Degrees, including a Doctorate across fields of Psychology, Neurology, Junior Primary/Primary/high school Dance Education, and Journalism. I have been so fortunate to work in some amazing research teams all over the world and published multiple empirical studies in scientific journals. Within my practice, I often draws upon this incredible body of knowledge to inspire my clients, and transform their life.

• Which philosophical approaches have influenced your professional development?

  1. Honesty.
  I think it is just so important to be your true self and embrace realness, transparency, and openness. If you want others to trust in you, connect with you, and build genuine, lasting relationships with you, you have to be willing to put yourself out there; good bits, exciting bits, boring bits, flaws and all, without hiding behind a mask and trying to be someone you are not.
  
  2. Compassion.
  I think the whole world would be such a different place of humanity if we just held more compassion for others and our self. I don't think there is a single moment working as a clinical psychologist where my eyes and mind do not exude compassion, and the constant feeling of wanting to just wrap my arms around people struggling and let them know 1. they are going to be okay, and 2. I will never give up on them.
  
  3. Belief.
  I am person who has perhaps always been a little bit of a dreaming believer since I was a young girl that you can do anything, and overcome anything if you simply believe in it and yourself.

• Which particular aspects of health or the human journey are you interested in?

  I passionately dedicate time helping children and their parents who are struggling at home or school with the challenges faced by multifaceted issues (e.g. ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder, Learning Disabilities, Down Syndrome, explosive emotions, sleep disruption, and feeding challenges) that are impacting their psychological, emotional, cognitive and physical wellbeing.

• What do you like most about being a therapist?

  Oh gosh I love everything about my job as a clinical psychologist. There is just no greater gift than being able to work with young people who are struggling and help them shine again. I also love being a mentor to younger psychologists and helping them reach their career dreams and aspirations, and growing into the psychologists they want to be.

• Do you ever have 'bad hair' days?

  Absolutely!

• What do you think is the most significant problem we face, in the world today?

  So much! The world we live in has drastically changed over the past 20 years. There is recent concern among parents, educators, psychologists, and other healthcare professionals about how these changes in our society may be affecting the mental health of Australian female children, adolescents, and young female young adults. Indeed, results from a recent Australian National Youth Mental Health Survey taken in 2020 -2021 showed Gen Zer's are reporting the highest rates of anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, loneliness, unemployment, housing stress, educational disruption, eating disorders, substance abuse, and social anxiety, ever since in history!
  With increasing direct and non-direct family violence prevalence, childhood adversity, widening income and wealth inequality, alarming access to a multitude of online social media technologies ushered within a digitally enhanced world, growing pressure to compete against peers in a variety of sectors including: school, university, work, sport, and body image, and the recent impact of COVID-19, mild and chronic mental health conditions, including suicidality among Australian youth, has proliferated over the past five years to a level never seen before in history.
  
  Of particular concern is the study findings showing the average number of young girls in South Australia requiring in-patient treatment for eating disorders has exploded in the last three years by nearly 300%. This was accompanied by an increase in referrals for outpatient eating disorder treatment that nearly quadrupled when compared to pre-pandemic data. There has also been an estimated 200% increase in the demand for psychological services in the last two years since the COVID-19 pandemic, which is suggested to be close to impossible at present to meet anywhere in Australia due to a dire lack of resources, clinicians, healthcare facilities and funding.
  
  What would I love to see? I would love to see South Australian girls and woman free of negative body image ideals that were created generations ago, but are still alive and well today. Free of the societal expectations and standards that they are meant to be the caretaker and always in the shadow on men and boys. That they can be equally respected and considered vital contributors to society in all workplace industries, and have the opportunities to fair justice and equality. A future generation of girls and woman in South Australia who are smiling happiness through their eyes because they are embracing who they are with confidence and an empowering knowing of how special and important they are.
  
  As Much As I Wish I Could Literally Go And Make My Life's Mission To Eradicate All Of Social Media, Every Single Platform Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook One By One, Technology Is Silent Assassin That Has Been Wrapped Up In So Much Addiction By The Greatest Leaders Of This World There Doesn't Appear To Be Much We Can Do To Stop It Yet! And I Say Yet Because I Still Hold Hope That At Some Point It Becomes So Catastrophic For Mental Health, They Just Declare It A Pandemic Problem.
  
  If optimal mental health is the catalyst to healthy longevity in all sectors of health and life, then what I would love to see first and foremost more tailored treatment approach options for youth with eating disorders and body image issues in South Australia that have not recovered previously with conventional models. More psychology experts willing to step out into the community and do more on the prevention side of things in schools, seminars, social media, charity events.

• Can you share the name of a book, film, song, event or work of art that inspires you?

  Scars to your Beautiful - Song By Alessia Cara
  Singin My Song - Christina Aguilera