Aleiia Asmundson may simply be the youngest individual to have ever attended an ADAA convention. Her father, famend Canadian psychologist and professor, Gordon J. G. Asmundson, PhD, has been a member of ADAA for over 30 years, calling it his “skilled residence,” and attending the annual convention for simply as lengthy. Bringing his daughter to conferences when she was a toddler could have had an affect on the younger Aleiia and maybe influenced her determination to observe in her father’s footsteps, however extra seemingly she loved taking her dad’s poster tube and working round swinging it on the adults.
Subsequent yr in Las Vegas (#ADAA2025), nevertheless, Aleiia needs to current her personal poster and attend her first ADAA convention as a member and doctoral scholar of psychology at Queen’s College in Kingston, Ontario. At the moment ending her Masters in scientific psychology within the college’s Division of Psychology Ache Have an effect on and Cognition Lab, Aleiia is paving a solution to a profession in psychology much like her father’s but additionally creating one thing of her personal.
A Huge Order to Fill
In 2023, Dr. Asmundson acquired the Order of Canada, the nation’s penultimate civilian award for profession achievement and contributions to Canadian society. The psychologist, professor, and Head of the Psychology Division on the College of Regina in Saskatchewan has labored endlessly and passionately to assist higher perceive, clarify, and deal with varied anxiousness problems. His main focus has been on post-traumatic stress dysfunction (PTSD) and its overlap with persistent well being circumstances like persistent ache.
As Dr. Asmundson continues to work to advance the sector of psychological well being and educate and put together the following era of clinicians and psychological well being professionals, his daughter is simply starting her journey. Aleiia admits that having a dad or mum so effectively revered and revered within the Canadian world of psychology is difficult however each father and daughter really feel she will likely be profitable.
“Now that I’m pursuing psychology, it has been nice having him as a mentor,” Aleiia mentioned, “and it turned out that I’m additionally all in favour of PTSD and persistent ache. I’ve tried to make sure my analysis shouldn’t be too near his however I can’t deny that seeing him do what he does my entire life didn’t plant a seed in my mind.”
Dr. Asmundson believes Aleiia is flourishing in her personal proper. He’s delighted and proud to see her blazing her personal path, together with her determination to turn out to be an ADAA member this yr (2024), however concedes that he has been an affect on her.
“In eleventh grade, she had an task associated to psychology and he or she included my work and what I do in it,” he advised ADAA. “That tweaked her curiosity within the discipline. I feel she has already positioned herself properly, pursuing a PhD, publishing her analysis, making contacts, and going to conferences – and even planning to use for some ADAA trainee awards.”
Imitation is the Sincerest Type of Flattery
Whereas rising up, Aleiia didn’t totally perceive her father’s work however she was drawn to it. She loved going to the lab with him and when he was in his workplace with a consumer, she would flip via books and browse interviews and information articles that includes him or his work.
“Up till 4th or fifth grade, I’d say my dad fixes folks’s brains,” Aleiia mentioned. “Possibly folks thought he was a neurosurgeon or one thing however as I obtained older, I grew to become extra all in favour of what he was doing. I grew up studying these information tales, seeing him get awards, and generally attending the ceremonies. That drove me to psychology. And the concept of doubtless attending to his stage is a good motivator.”
Aleiia remembers how her father would come residence from conferences, notably ADAA occasions, and inform her tales. She was fascinated and needed to have comparable experiences as she grew older and commenced to grasp his work and affect. Dr. Asmundson says he’s thrilled she finds that means in the identical areas that he has pursued in his profession and encourages her, as he does any of his graduate college students, to hitch organizations and apply for analysis grants and awards.
“When Aleiia indicated an curiosity in anxiousness and melancholy associated problems, each of which happen within the context of ache circumstances, I mentioned ADAA is a spot she ought to take a look at,” Dr. Asmundson defined. He added that whereas her final title could get her foot within the door at varied organizations and services, Aleiia would be the one to show her personal worth and value within the discipline of psychological well being for the following era.
Geographically Distant However Nearer than Ever in Psychological Healthcare for All
Father and daughter are at present fairly far aside; geographically talking a drive from the place Aleiia is learning in Kingston to her household in Regina takes virtually 30 hours.
Just like the US, the affect of the pandemic and the present scarcity of psychological well being professionals have affected the state of psychological healthcare in Canada. Dr. Asmundson says Canada is doing its finest to fund provincial governments with the intention to increase scientific psychology packages at universities – together with his – and improve the variety of educated psychologists.
“Being a college division head, I do know that not solely is there a necessity for clinicians, which the federal government acknowledges, however to coach them, we’d like extra school members,” mentioned Dr. Asmundson. “There are quite a lot of school positions open at Canadian college psychology departments proper now.”
Beneath these circumstances, Aleiia will in all probability not have issue discovering a job when she graduates and being the daughter of an Order of Canada recipient, psychology division head, and distinguished psychologist, she could have it simpler than most however what Aleiia has for herself is integrity, ardour, dedication, and an actual need to assist folks.
Talking of her present research, Aleiia reiterates her father’s phrases on the necessity for extra college students. “It’s a tricky program to get into however undoubtedly invaluable proper now.” As for her father’s affect, Aleiia sees it as each a blessing and a curse however wouldn’t have it every other means. “Even at grad college interviews I used to be requested about his work. My title in all probability does get related to him and it makes it difficult since I’m all in favour of persistent ache and PTSD too, however I really like having him as a well known dad in psychology.”
Dr. Asmundson will retire some day and who higher to take his seat – or an identical one – than his daughter? Aleiia is aware of she is coming into a discipline that wants her however benefit and laborious work on her half will take her far, or even perhaps nearer to her father.
