Dr Nneamaka Ekebuisi

I moved to Cornwall over 7 years ago to undertake my Doctoral Training at Plymouth University. I am a Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered Clinical Psychologist and hold Chartered status with the BPS.  

I have worked with children, young people and families for over 20 years, and specialise in working with families where there has been a history of trauma and abuse. My background prior to qualifying as a Clinical Psychologist includes working within residential drug rehabilitation units, prisons and criminal justice services, with homeless populations, and various roles within children’s homes, which provides me with a rich knowledge base to apply to my current work.

As a Clinical Tutor at the university I am responsible for supporting trainees within the Cornwall areas whilst they are on their placements. Clinical tutors remain with the same trainees throughout their training journey across the three years and act as their appraisers. Within this role, I also oversee the organisation and co-ordination of all placements within the Cornwall patch and am the link person for all of my tutees’ supervisors in terms of trainee assessment/progression issues and any other liaison, information or support they may need from the course. I am the module lead for the first year clinical practice strand. I am involved in teaching, including ‘Attachment Theory and Complex Trauma’ for year ones, and ‘Clinical Skills’ across the three years. 

I am also involved in providing supervision to trainees for their major research projects. My research interests include attachment theory as it applies to organisations; experiences of children within the care system, fostering and adoption; experiences of People of Colour within the UK; and issues relating to Forensic Psychology (substance misuse, domestic violence, homelessness, etc). I have contributed to a number of podcasts on some of these issues, as well as an article on trans-racial adoptions for the BBC. I am part of the DDPi (Worldwide) Research Committee, and so would be particularly interested in supporting research exploring interventions which fall under the DDP umbrella of approaches. 

I see myself as coming from a social constructionist standpoint, and so view knowledge as evolving and shared, and within a historic and political context, of which power is a main feature. I am most experienced using Discursive approaches to research methodology, including conversational analysis and discourse analysis, and using an attachment lens when thinking about individual and societal discourses. I have also supervised research which have taken IPA and Narrative Analysis approaches, and whilst these are not my areas of strength, I am comfortable supporting trainees in these methodologies.

In addition to this main role, I am also involved in EDI funded work as part of the widening access scheme funded by Health Education England. Within this role, I run the Breaking Through Mentoring Scheme for Aspiring Clinical Psychologists of Colour. This was founded and set up by myself and an external colleague and brought into the Plymouth DClin Programme as part of the HEE funding bid. I additionally offer mentoring for trainees of Colour on DClin Courses across the South West. I am committed to raising the profile of People and Professionals of Colour locally, and celebrating the diversity that people with difference and intersecting identities can bring to the region.

Externally to the university, I work in clinical practice as a Clinical Psychologist. In my professional role, I specialise in working with trauma which is underpinned by attachment theory. I work mainly with looked after children, adoptive and foster families across Devon and Cornwall.  

Qualifications

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of Plymouth, 2015-2018

MSc Forensic Psychology, Glasgow Caledonian University, 2010-2011

Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology (Conversion for Post-Graduates), Open University, 2007-2009

BA(Hons) Health Studies, Manchester Metropolitan University, 1997-2001

Professional membership

Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society

Associate Fellowship - AFHEA