Elissa Doherty

Melbourne

Freelance Journalist at Freelance

Freelance Journalist | Adelaidean in Melbourne | Ex-Herald Sun, Sunday Mail reporter, chief of staff | [email protected]

Articles

Are you a dopamine junkie?

2 weeks ago | bodyandsoul.com.au | Elissa Doherty

From TikTok to takeout, we’re wired to chase the dopamine hit – but experts say this can come at a cost to our mental health. Here’s how to take back control. It was during a rough patch in life that business boss Barb de Corti discovered she was a junkie. Her drug? Shopping. She’d get an instant buzz by clicking the buy button, transporting her from the pain of her marriage break-up. “I was a dopamine junkie and chasing quick fixes that were keeping me in a loop of highs and lows,” she says.
Digital minimalism: How to Marie Kondo your screen time

1 month ago | bodyandsoul.com.au | Elissa Doherty

As technology creeps into every corner of our day, a growing number of us are hitting reset – not just by switching off notifications, but by radically rethinking our relationship with tech. A new study has confirmed what many of us have suspected – constant connection might be costing us our calm. Published in PNAS Nexus, the month-long study explored what happens when you block internet access on your smartphone – and the results were striking.
Can We Talk? campaign: Everyday Australians share mental health tips

1 month ago | heraldsun.com.au | Kate Jones |Elissa Doherty

As part of the Can We Talk? campaign, these four Australians have bravely shared their stories and detailed their advice to others. ‘Three priorities that help my mental health’Brisbane woman Griselda Quaggin says being vulnerable with her friends and family has helped her through a shock health diagnosis. The mother-of-two was leaving work in the city when she felt tingling in her feet and struggled to make the short distance to Central train station.
The Victorian students swapping schoolwork for apprenticeships

Aug 26, 2024 | theage.com.au | Elissa Doherty

By Elissa Doherty August 27, 2024 — 5.00am, register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for laterAdd articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Two days a week, year 12 student Lavena Yaqo’s alarm blares at 6am for work. She pulls on her boots and safety clothes, jumps on the bus and clocks on for her shift while many of her classmates are still waking up.
$45,000 savings and a dream job: Hannah did Year 12 differently

Aug 26, 2024 | theage.com.au | Elissa Doherty

By Elissa Doherty August 27, 2024 — 5.00am, register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for laterAdd articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Hannah Valenti can pinpoint the moment she decided to become a youth worker. She was on a work placement in year 11 as part of her Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL), manning the reception desk at a community services hub.
Presenter Melissa Doyle on why we need to embrace ageing

Aug 9, 2024 | houseofwellness.com.au | Elissa Doherty |Tianna Nadalin

A lot of us fear getting older, but TV and radio presenter Melissa Doyle says it is time to flip the narrative and look forward to our senior years. TV and radio presenter Melissa Doyle has a map of the world on a wall at home â an exciting reminder of adventures to come. She is 54, but you wonât hear her moan about getting older. Rather, the journalist and author is determined to approach her next chapter with positivity â and is on a mission for us all to do the same.
Lisa Curry on how she moved from heartbreak to health and happiness

Jul 3, 2024 | houseofwellness.com.au | Elissa Doherty |Tianna Nadalin |Michelle Rose

Triple Olympian Lisa Curry reveals her struggles with grief and how she is reclaiming her health through daily rituals and a new wellness regimen. Swimming legend Lisa Curry inspires scores of women to get back on the wellness wagon ‚Äď and she knows all too well how hard that can be. The much-loved Olympic star says she ‚Äúfell into a hole‚ÄĚ after the tragic death of her daughter Jaimi Kenny in 2020, and it took a long time to climb out.
Is your child addicted to gaming? Here’s how to tell

Jun 7, 2024 | houseofwellness.com.au | Elissa Doherty |Tianna Nadalin |Michelle Rose

Are you worried your child has a gaming addiction? It’s a recognised disorder. Here are expert tips for how to manage itWhen Henry’s* parents decided to ban video games on weekdays, they knew he wouldn’t be happy. The eight-year-old had become so enmeshed in the virtual world of Minecraft, he spoke of little else. But they weren’t prepared for him to become anxious and “manic” at the prospect of five days without his beloved game.
Heartbreak and happiness: A day in the life of a carer

May 30, 2024 | houseofwellness.com.au | Elissa Doherty |Tianna Nadalin |Sarah Fennell

After her mum was diagnosed with dementia in 2020, Elissa Doherty had to make a choice. She shares the highs and lows of being a carer during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was over fish and chips with my mum on a wintry night in 2020 that I knew something had toĀ change. Being Covid times, it wasnāt a typical family meal. I was standing outside her aged care home, speaking to her on the phone while pressing an iPad up to the glass so she could see her grandchildren on FaceTime interstate.
Are you sitting your way to heart disease?

May 5, 2024 | houseofwellness.com.au | Elissa Doherty |Tianna Nadalin |Sarah Fennell

Research reveals an alarming link between prolonged sitting and cardiovascular disease. Find out how to reduce your risk. How long have you spent parked on your backside today? Worryingly, we are spending more time being sedentary than ever before, as screens and desk time dominate our lives. Research warns too much sitting can have serious implications â€” particularly for our cardiovascular health.