About
Dr Karolina Alichniewicz
Qualifications:
PhD - Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience
Master of Psychology - Health and Clinical
Other languages - Polish and German
Karolina is a highly experienced Psychologist who adopts a holistic approach when working with clients, putting emphasis on the strengths and assets of individuals. Throughout her career, Karolina has worked in a variety of settings, including hospitals and community-based settings (both inpatient and outpatient), private practice, and universities in Germany, New Zealand and Australia. In addition to her clinical work, she has presented her research at international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.
Karolina works one-on-one and in groups to address a range of challenges experienced by adults. Her clinical work has seen her work with diverse clients experiencing a range of challenging and complex personal, professional and mental health concerns. Karolina is passionate about providing clients with a safe and welcoming therapeutic environment.
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For more than 15 years, Karolina has been delivering evidence-based treatment and interventions for mood disorders (i.e., depression, bipolar spectrum), anxiety disorders (GAD, social phobia, OCD, PTSD), adjustment disorders, grief, self-esteem issues, perfectionism, personality disorders, chronic pain, and substance misuse disorders. She uses a range of therapeutic modalities, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), Interpersonal Therapy, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Schema Therapy, and Clinical Hypotherapy.
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Areas of expertise:
Depression, Anxiety, Adjustment Disorders, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Chronic pain, Eating disorders, Emotion regulation, Anger management, Self-esteem and perfectionism, Stress management, Communication skills, Mental health education, Culture and team reviews, Group facilitation
Publications:
Strodl, E., Shakespeare-Finch, J., Alichniewicz, KK., Brown, K., Quinn, C., Hides, L., et al. (2020) Clinicians' perceptions of PTSD Coach Australia. Internet Interventions, 21, Article number: 100333.
Shakespeare-Finch, J., Alichniewicz, K.K., Strodl, E., Brown, K., Quinn, C., Hides, L., White, A., Gossage, G., Poerio, L., Batras, D., Jackson, S., Styles, J., and Kavanagh, D. (2020). Experiences of Serving and Ex-Serving Members With the PTSD Coach Australia App: Mixed Methods Study. Journal of Medicinal Internet Research 22(10):e18447 doi: 10.2196/18447.
Black, E., Kisely, S., Alichniewicz, K., and Toombs, M. (2017). Mood and anxiety disorders in Australia and New Zealand's Indigenous populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research, 255, p.128-138. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2017.05.015.
Kisely, S., Alichniewicz, K.K., Black, E., Siskind, D., Spurling, G., and Toombs, M. (2017). The prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders in indigenous people of the Americas: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 84, p. 137-152. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.09.032.
Kisely, S., Black, E., Alichniewicz, KK, Ranmuthugala, G., Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, S., Siskind, D., Toombs, M. and Nicholson, G. (2016). Psychiatric Morbidity in Indigenous Peoples From Australia and the Americas: Unexpected Findings From a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 50, p.144-144. doi:10.1177/0004867416640967.
Conference Contributions:
Emotional regulation in Ex-Military Personnel. Counselling Conference, Brisbane, Australia
Psychological and functional benefits of chronic pain management program in Ex-Military compared to civilian population. APS Conference, Adelaide, Australia
Neural correlates of saccadic eye-movements in healthy young, in healthy elderly and in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. 34th European Conference on Visual Perception (ECVP), Toulouse, France
Neural correlates of visuospatial information processing in normal ageing and amnestic mild cognitive impairment: an impact of individual differences. 38th Australasian Experimental Psychology Conference, Auckland, New Zealand
Effect of Short-term Nordic Walking Training on Neural Correlates of Cognitive Functioning in Patients with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment. Aging & Cognition, Dortmund, Germany.
Influence of physical activity on the cognitive performance of patients with aMCI using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), The 14th Congress of the European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS), Geneva, Switzerland
Oculomotor Performance in Mild Cognitive Impairment, The 33rd European Conference on Visual Perception (ECVP), Lausanne, Switzerland
The Neural Correlates of Visuospatial Working Memory in Patients with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment, The 18th European Congress of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany