She is a media specialist and a clinical psychologist, working in the field of child abuse, as well as a founding member of the first Saudi Assembly against domestic violence, where she was appointed as the Chairman of the Assembly Board in its previous session. She has many diverse programs on different TV channels. Samira Khaled Al-Ghamdi shares her background in an exclusive interview:
What is your background?
I was born in the city of Jeddah, and I have seven brothers and sisters, among whom I am the oldest girl and in the middle of the whole group. I am the daughter of a great man who taught me how a woman can respect her identity, how a real man can deal with her, and how she can make him do so. I am also a daughter of a woman from Madinah from whom I learned that my strength lies in my being a woman, that the family is the basis of life, and that science is the basis of the formation of personality. I am also a mother of three sons; Abdul Malik, my eldest son, who is studying Business Administration in America, my daughter Jamar (Jmarti), who is a student in the second year of the Dentistry College, and my youngest daughter Jenny (Jononi), who is a student in her first year of secondary school and plans to study law — and I believe she is following in my footsteps.
I studied clinical psychology and was interested in the subject of abused children as well as law.
I have been a clinical psychologist for more than 18 years, and a.m. working in the field of abused children. I am also a founding member of the first Saudi Assembly against domestic violence, where I was appointed as the Chairman of the Assembly Board in its previous session. I have now settled to work with the Assembly as a founding member because of my health status. I am also very interested in the media, as I consider myself a half media specialist and have made a number of programs, including “Health and our Children” on the Saudi Channel, “The Saudi Scene” on ART channel, and the “The Wisdom of Women” on Abu Dhabi TV. Currently, I am also a broadcaster on Abu Dhabi TV.
How do you see psychotherapy in Saudi society? Is it as needed as in other communities?
The need for psychological treatment services as well as psychological guidance programs is important for all societies, as long as there are human beings. We need psychological support because it is the basis of the stability of the human being, and without stability we cannot cope with the psychological variables of life. In my opinion and through my experience in the field of psychiatry in all its branches, I can say that we have distinguished specialists in our region, but what we need is community awareness.
What is the difference between us and other communities?
As in any other community, we have a framework which forms the identity of the person, and helps determine his choices and needs and affects his productivity. However, we also have what is known as “The Saudi Privacy”, which I am not fond of. It is used by some to hinder the march of development and community development, so it is necessary to grasp the meaning of privacy first.
When should a person resort to a psychiatrist?
Anything that hinders the individual and affects his future life or his social environment is enough reason to resort to medicine and psychotherapy. These reasons include: 1- A sudden change in the psychological stability of the person and its impact on his public life; 2- In many cases the psychological hurdle from which a person is suffering becomes a hindrance to him in the various areas of his life; 3- If it impacts his peripheral environment and his productivity; 4-If any defect or symptoms have persisted for long periods such as lack of sleep, isolationism, lack of interest in the person himself or in his family, sadness, depression, strange ideas, thoughts of suicide, or hurting others; 5- If there is a lack of awareness of the person’s conduct, as well as denying that there is a problem noted by others, afflicting him.
Professional integrity and being discrete about the patient’s problems are crucial in psychotherapy. So how do you practice that in a small community where everyone knows everyone else?
We are no longer a small society, and I think society, as a result of the openness and the high level of education and training, has become conscious of the importance of the boundaries between one’s professional and personal lives. Professional ethics is a science which we are trained in and it is a line hard to cross. Also, keeping the patient’s secrets is the duty of the specialist and violating this important code is against the oath.
In light of the increasing number of divorce cases, do you support sessions before marriage, and whether couples need regular visits to a psychologist?
Personally, I strongly support the courses before, as well as after marriage, because the idea of visiting a therapist is important, civilized, and applicable in all countries. I hope that every newly-wed or older couple has a family counselor to follow up any developments in their lives.
Do you define a specific period of time for treatment?
Psychologists often work in a therapeutic team with other physicians, social workers, and nurses. Therefore, my answer is ‘yes’ as we design a treatment program through which we define an initial period, subject to the initial measurements and evaluation.
What is the difference between a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist, and a psychologist?
The psychiatrist has studied medicine and specialized in psychiatry while the psychologist is a specialist who has studied psychology and specialized in one of the minute fields of clinical or counseling psychology.
Is it possible that you, Samira, need to consult a psychiatrist?
Absolutely. Indeed, at one time I needed to consult a psychiatrist and took a course of treatment to improve the situation through psychiatric sessions.
Are your friends afraid of you? And who is closer to you?
I don’t think so, but it is the opposite as I’m afraid of them, because when I am with them, I don’t let down my guard. I am only a friend for them, but they always ask me about their problems. Regarding the question about who is closest to me, there are many from my family and my friends, but the closest to me is my grandson, Abdul Malik, who is a keeper of my secrets.
Do you think protection homes or centers fully play their roles toward the Saudi woman?
Community awareness is important, and the power of community and civil society institutions are important. Therefore, the role of the protection homes alone is not enough and is not a solution to the problem. We need programs to enable the psychological, social, economic, legal and human rights of the battered women to live normal lives and we need a strategy based on empowerment of the victimized woman. We also need to drop the myth that the expression and the claim of the young girl for her rights is an insurgency, and we need to acknowledge that there is a real problem called violence, which needs confrontation.
If you could choose another major other than psychology, what would it be?
Media followed by history. But if I had the opportunity, I would like to be an archaeologist.
Do you think that Saudi women are able to bring about change through the Shoura Council and through the Municipal Councils?
The political role of women is important, and their role in community development is essential, and I am with community participation, not only because they are women, but because this is the duty of any community and the right of us as citizens in our country. If possible, I’ll be one of the first voters among women, and I will nominate myself to the municipal council, even if I do not win, because this is the national right and duty which must be noted.
How can we get rid of the prevalence of mental illness, especially in Saudi Arabia?
This could be achieved through awareness and knowledge, and by moving away from wrong ideas, traditions, and hypocrisy, as well as by seeking advice from specialists.
How would you describe your experience with the media?
I love it very much, and I plan to dedicate my future to the media and my fundamental issue of anti-domestic violence.
Do you support electronic consulting through social media?
I don’t mind electronic consulting as a means for the patient to be oriented with the psychologist and to help in getting started to recognize and accept a problem initially, but I wouldn’t advise depending completely on social media for consultations and advice. It is logical to use my account to convey information and to communicate with others of the same specialty to benefit the followers.
Do these sites help in solving the issues of violence?
Yes of course. I just raised a lot of issues and situations that provoked me personally on the professional level, and Twitter or Facebook contributed in delivering them and making a fuss about them. On the other hand, I find myself dissatisfied with the behavior of some people when using the Hashtag in a personal issue or case which I find hurts the case because of the attacks. Not to mention the exchange of rumors and images that are harmful to the case and sometimes give it a nasty twist. But on a personal level, I’m happy that there are cases that are communicating with me and, thank God, I was able to resolve them.
How do you rate your performance as a social media user?
I have been criticized by people who are close to me, precisely because of my Tweets, saying I was too comfortable, with this virtual world and that this might harm my professional image. In general, it is a two-edged sword, and I always remind myself that it is just a virtual world regardless of the realistic situation conveyed through it, and I cannot rely upon it as a reliable scientific reference. However, I am keen on minimizing its use.
What do you think of the social accounts of the big and famous names?
They are of many types, and they are important as long as they are honestly and humbly putting forth their views, and not for the purpose of fame or increasing followers without providing anything to them. Despite my conversation on the big names, who believe that the prestige lies only in the number of followers, I’m surprised by the existence of these names, and I am following some of them just to see how people are presenting their questions and issues without any response from the owner of the account.