Shuliweeh Alenezi

Dr. Shuliweeh Alenezi

Associate Professor and Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Administrative and Academic Positions:

• Chairman of the Psychiatry Department at the College of Medicine, King Saud University.
• Head of the Academic Quality and Development Unit at the College of Medicine, King Saud University.
• Chairman of the Scientific Committee for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program at the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS).
• Leader of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Specialty at the Ministry of Health.
• Former Head of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit at the University Medical City.
• Director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program at SCFHS in the University Medical City.
• Former Chairman of the Research Committee and the Academic Quality Committee in the Psychiatry Department at the University Medical City.

Scientific and Professional Memberships:

• Head of the National Guidelines Team for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder at the Saudi Health Council.
• Member of the Scientific Committee for the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Program for Autism and Developmental Disorders.
• Member of the National Standards Committee for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (CBAHI).
• Visiting Consultant at Prince Sultan Military Medical City.
• Visiting Consultant at the Autism Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital.
• Member of the Educational Committee at Dar Al-Uloom University and Al-Riyadh Colleges.

Education and Professional Training:

Dr. Shuliweeh Alenezi is a graduate of the College of Medicine, King Saud University. He worked as a teaching assistant and later completed his specialized studies at the Universities of Toronto and Ottawa in Canada from 2010 to 2018. He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Canada and obtained both the Canadian and American boards in Adult Psychiatry. He then completed an accredited training program by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the subspecialty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, subsequently earning the Canadian and American boards in this subspecialty. In 2018, he completed a Master’s in Health Professions Education from the University of Ottawa. During his training, he also completed a basic psychoanalysis program at the Toronto Institute of Psychoanalysis. Additionally, he received a Young Investigators Award from the Canadian Institute of Child Health and was awarded six academic excellence awards by the Saudi Cultural Mission in Canada.

Dr. Alenezi is highly trained in various psychotherapies, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy, Dynamic Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Family Therapy. He established the first group therapy program for children in Saudi Arabia and founded specialized clinics for the treatment of ADHD and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. He has extensive training and practical experience in the use of medications to treat psychiatric disorders in children. He currently serves as a part-time consultant and a member of the diagnostic team at the Autism Research Center at King Faisal Specialist Hospital.

He has a special interest in developmental and neurological disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, intellectual disabilities, behavioral issues, Tourette’s syndrome, and tics in children. He also diagnoses and designs treatment plans for other disorders such as anxiety disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, eating disorders, substance use disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adolescents.

Dr. Alenezi advocates for a holistic and comprehensive assessment and treatment approach, where the child is viewed as part of a system, including the family. He believes that both parents should be present during the assessment period. He emphasizes the importance of considering other abilities the child may possess as part of the diagnostic process, which often involves supportive disciplines such as intelligence and cognitive assessments, speech and language evaluations, educational and learning difficulties assessments, and sensory and motor capabilities evaluations.

He is also actively involved in promoting mental health awareness for children and adolescents through television appearances on Rotana, Al-Resalah, and Saudi channels. Furthermore, he has published 51 specialized research papers and scientific articles in international journals classified in the field of child and adolescent mental health, with other research still under publication.