With a background that includes a Master’s degree in Clinical Child Psychology from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge and a Bachelor and Honors degree in Psychology from Glasgow Caledonian University in the UK, Doctor Mashael Alrowaili is here to answer your questions as we commence the back-to-school season.
Mashael, what brought you to the field of Clinical Child Psychology?
The well-being of people has long been at the center of my world and where I hope to continue making my contribution to society. Personally, I feel that one real key to my own well-being is the satisfaction achieved out of making a difference in someone’s life and Clinical Psychology is a career that offers me that. My interest in supporting the well-being of people was triggered from a young age by my involvement in a range of experiences, where I volunteered in help centers, supported charity projects and assisted individuals with mental and physical difficulties in summer camps. Hence, it led me to take my first degree in physical therapy. During my hospital internships, I fueled my passion for offering clinical support and gained strong knowledge about individual’s physical development and disabilities. But my desire to support their mental health and understand their psychological processes grew stronger through my direct interaction with people at that time, which encouraged me to shift my career path and dedicate my time academically to pursue a second degree in Psychology.
As my knowledge in the field was expanding, I developed a fascination about the simple yet complex mind of children. I came to understand how childhood is a very influential time in a person’s life, and how most people’s childhoods will have a big impact on the type of adult they turn out to be later in life. This significance was my reason to specialize in Clinical Child Psychology. One of my most valuable aspects of being in this field is helping children, adolescents and their families take small steps to create a long-lasting positive change for the future.
Please describe your career scope and what your workday looks like
Work in the field can be incredibly broad and varied in scope, so a typical day will depend entirely upon the tasks and setting in which a clinical psychologist works. It can range from providing therapeutic services and assessments in private practice, schools, colleges, clinics, hospitals, etc. And to teaching in universities or working in research settings. My experience is mainly focused on providing one to one therapeutic sessions to children, adolescents, adults and families at a mental health clinic setting, and will use my personal experience to give a sample of a typical day of my work.
What is typical on a daily basis is working to make a life altering difference to someone’s life. I spend most of my work day interacting therapeutically with clients, I see an average of 5 to 7 clients per day to help them find tools and strategies to overcome the challenges they are facing. It is such a privilege to be invited into their individual journeys, to truly get to know them and appreciate the sublime uniqueness of each client one at a time. Therapy is effective not simply due to the use of theory and intervention, but also in large part to other humane factors. A lot of genuine care, compassion, connection, depth and empathy is required on a daily basis. It is the human value itself that is most therapeutic. So every day you use parts of your human self and that is why I make sure to wake up every day with the intention to help someone heal and to make a difference in their life.
The other part of my work day is usually spent in planning for the sessions, writing reports, documentation, and communicating with caregivers, teachers and psychiatrists to work closely together for the best therapeutic outcomes. Life as a psychologist is definitely interesting and challenging in its unique ways, people share and trust you with their pain, traumas and deepest parts of themselves but most psychologists are trained to find ways to maintain equilibrium. For me to thrive in my professional work I have to dedicate time during my days for my own self growth and self-care. Therefore, apart from spending some time in continuing education, research and supervision, I make time to connect with friends and family, read, and have an alternate passion/hobby which is very vital to bring the necessary balance to my days.
What advice would you give to parents with children suffering from trauma or mental illness?
Parenting isn’t easy and no one can be prepared for the challenges of parenting a child with a mental illness. Learning how to respond to your child’s psychological and emotional needs can be a trial-and-error process, however, there are few steps that may help to support in the process:
A diagnosis of mental illness can be very difficult for families to come to terms with. It can evoke a range of emotions and often brings up feelings of guilt, fear and worries. These emotions are understandable, it is hard for any parent to imagine that their child is experiencing emotional pain and challenges in life. Yet, it is important to remember that seeking professional help to get the right diagnosis and treatment is a vital first step to better understand their children’s needs, arrange the right support and to help their child maximize their true potential.
The best way for parents to support their child with a mental health disorder is for them to make sure they understand it for themselves. Learn about that mental illness and how it may affect your child’s emotions, behavior, and social functioning, as well as the impact it has in the family dynamic. Learn about the treatment options available and what is most effective for your child’s condition. Learn about ways to care for and support your child by consulting with professionals, researching, reading and attending workshops and seminars.
Create an environment that accommodates your child’s mental health needs. Build a safe, protective and empathic home environment where your child can open up about his or her feelings, thoughts and problems. Focus on fostering your child’s strengths and their uniqueness. This will help them grow confidently despite any challenges they may have.
Tell your child about their diagnosis. I can’t stress enough how important this is in building a child’s self-esteem. Teach your child about the disorder in an age-appropriate way, explain how it can affect their emotions and behaviors. Many parents I work with fear that the child will feel or be labeled as different, but in most cases, children are already confused and curious about their symptoms. The more a child understands their mental illness, the more likely they will be able to recognize the symptoms and externalize them from themselves, which in turn will help them better manage the challenges of the disorder.
And why do you think it took so much time for individuals to realize the significance of mental wellbeing?
The concept of mental health has been constructed through historical misrepresentation and misconceptions. The term mental health was and to an extent still is connected to themes such as stigma, shame, and false beliefs. The stigma has always been an obstacle not only to accessing mental health services but also to the willingness to understand what mental health is and its role in our overall well-being. The World Health Organization (WHO) conceptualizes mental health as a “state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”. In other words, mental health is our emotional, psychological and social well-being and has a strong impact on every domain of our life. What I think has helped to advance our awareness in the Middle East is the recognition of “Mental Health” as an essential part of one’s overall health and well-being. The link between physical, emotional, psychological and social has recently come to light in the region. For example, many emotional and social difficulties related to a person’s mental health can manifest as physical symptoms. Medical doctors today acknowledge this as an essential part of their daily screenings. Nowadays patients are asked directly about their stress levels, work load, marriage life and levels of satisfaction by many health care providers, which was considered a taboo in the past or was perceived as an intrusion of someone’s private life. I personally have seen this develop rapidly over the course of the past years as I have noticed how the referrals from family doctors and GPs to mental health services have increased compared to previous times. One may argue that the actual number of people with mental health issues in the Middle East appears to be rising. But what may be happening is that more cases are being recognized today than before due to this new knowledge and approach.
On a different note, the pace of our lives has been accelerating recently. Especially in the Middle East with all the changes that have been taking place. People today face challenges and rapid transitions that probably older generations didn’t face. Such challenges can increase stress levels, which have a direct impact on our mental health. So the need today to recognize the significance of mental health is more heightened than in previous times due to the demands and complexities in our lifestyle. Also, with the rise of mental health education, awareness campaigns and the impact of media exposure in recent years, the stigma surrounding mental health and mental illness has lessened and we can now see a gradual generational change. The understanding that Mental Health is at the core of our lives and dictates everything we do has come to light. Today, many people are more open about sharing their experiences, where in previous times challenging experiences, traumas and emotions were encouraged to be kept private and not talked about out of fear that it could negatively impact their relationships, career and lives. So there is no clear-cut answer, but most likely a combination of different factors.
Besides professional support, what are some daily things we can do to improve our mental wellbeing on a personal level?
There are long lists of important things we can do to improve our mental well-being such as exercise, healthy diets, reading, faith, religion and spirituality, art, music, yoga, meditation…etc. I can fill a whole page with daily things, but the significance of each aspect will depend entirely on the person and what would be more useful for them and is best suited to improve their mental health. However, I would like to mention a few things which from working with clients I feel they may be relevant to most people.
Improve the quality of sleep. A core part of our mental health depends on the quality of our sleep. The part of the brain responsible for our emotions goes into overdrive when we are sleep deprived and can negatively impact our mental health.
Reduce stress: develop a personal list of coping strategies and acknowledge ways you can deal with stressful situations and life challenges, this can help improve flexibility, resilience and overall well-being
Connect with yourself: tune in to your emotions, express, don’t repress. Repressing our emotions can have negative impact on our mental health. Sharing your thoughts and feelings with others or writing them down in a journal can add clarity and peace and enhance your understanding of yourself.
Connect with others: we are social creatures wired by connections. It is in our nature! so I can’t stress on the importance of surrounding yourself with the right company and its significance in altering how our minds function.
And lastly, be kind to yourself and others. There is so much value that you can add to people’s lives and to your own by just a simple daily act of kindness.
Knowing that students pass a majority of their time in school, how important is the role of teachers in a student’s mental health? And what are some malpractices you have witnessed?
Relationships are at the heart of everything we do and it’s no different for teachers. A teacher’s positive relationship with students can contribute to creating a positive sense of wellbeing and safety throughout the school day. Teachers spend considerable amounts of time observing students’ behavior in a social setting, which may not be evident to parents and other caregivers, thus teachers play a fundamental role in understanding how a student is functioning at school and can provide valuable information about a student’s mental well-being.
Students often have many worries at school whether academic, social or interpersonal, and the first point of contact for students experiencing such worries is likely to be their teacher. The role of the teacher is to create an emotionally safe and healthy classroom to support students with their mental health. If the teacher is responsive, caring and empathetic, students are more likely to approach him or her when facing worries and problems at school rather than feeling alone, and forced to internalize their emotions throughout the school day. I believe any form of malpractice by teachers is mainly related to limited awareness, lack of resources and misconceptions about students’ mental and emotional health needs. Many teachers are not trained to have insight into what might be going on with students on an emotional and psychological level or how to interpret their behavior in that sense. When a child misbehaves in the classroom the step taken is punishment to manage the behavior. When a child experiences an episode of anger outburst the step taken is to remove the student from the classroom rather than guiding the student to regulate the intense emotions.
But this is not a one teacher job, a whole school approach is necessary in promoting mental health. It is crucial for schools to arrange workshops for teachers with topics related to child mental health, or appoint trained counselors and psychologists who can help both teachers and students in navigating the challenges faced at school, as well as adding mental health education as part of the curriculum. My hopes are to bring about such changes in the school system, to embed a safe and healthy environment for our children to thrive.
Text by Victor Gee
