Leading Without Limits
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www.thesparkng.com<br />
The Spark | Ignite / Connect / Achieve<br />
VITAL SIGNS<br />
Ukwuori-Gisela Kalu<br />
The Mental Health<br />
Practitioner<br />
The mental health sector in Nigeria has been relatively<br />
ignored. While there are opportunities in this sector, a<br />
mental health professional who is looking to run as a<br />
private business should learn from Dr Kalu’s experience<br />
and draw from these guidelines.<br />
I<br />
studied Psychology in the UK, I<br />
did my first degree, masters and<br />
doctorate there. While writing my<br />
doctorate thesis, I realised I lacked the<br />
support that came with a robust social<br />
network of friends and family. So, in a<br />
quest to be closer to my loved ones,<br />
and excited by the opportunity to<br />
contribute to the relatively neglected<br />
area of mental health care in Nigeria, I<br />
moved to Nigeria in 2016 and started a<br />
private psychology practice.<br />
When I first opened my private<br />
psychology practice three years ago,<br />
I had little business experience and I<br />
didn’t really understand what it takes<br />
to run a business in Nigeria. If you are<br />
considering working (privately) as<br />
a mental healthcare professional in<br />
Nigeria, here are some things that I<br />
wish I’d known.<br />
Private Practice is a Business<br />
My initial decision to establish a private<br />
psychology practice was based on the<br />
fact that the country currently lacks<br />
adequate mental health infrastructure<br />
and does not have adequate<br />
governmental investment in mental<br />
health. I wanted to provide evidencebased<br />
diagnosis and treatment for<br />
individuals suffering from mental ill<br />
health.<br />
Yet the truth is, running a private<br />
psychology practice in Nigeria is a<br />
business. No matter how much you<br />
see yourself first and foremost as a<br />
clinician concerned with your patient’s<br />
health, the sooner you accept that you<br />
are running a business, the better.<br />
The Importance of Marketing & Social<br />
Media<br />
I have learnt that you can be a terrific<br />
clinician and have a tiny private prac-<br />
tice if you’re not good at marketing.<br />
Social media is definitely a good way,<br />
if not the way, to do some marketing<br />
these days. Instagram, Facebook and<br />
Twitter are all good ways of reaching<br />
people. Not just to talk about yourself<br />
or your service, but to advocate or educate<br />
people about mental health, for<br />
example.<br />
Finding Your Niche<br />
Developing a niche can also be<br />
helpful. There is currently still a need<br />
for professionals and services in all<br />
areas of mental health and clinical<br />
psychology in Nigeria. Before moving<br />
to Nigeria and opening my practice, I<br />
gained experience and skills in working<br />
with a variety of people. Given the lack<br />
of services, this allows me to provide a<br />
wide variety of people in Nigeria with<br />
access to psychological care.<br />
However, my areas of expertise are in<br />
trauma and addictions psychology. I<br />
have a very strong knowledge base<br />
in these areas, and as a result, I not<br />
only practice, but I consult for several<br />
NGOs. I believe it’s best to specialise<br />
in an area that you are particularly<br />
passionate about and a good way of<br />
finding out which area that is can be<br />
through volunteering.<br />
The Danger of Isolation<br />
When you work as a clinician in<br />
a hospital, it’s easy to take social<br />
interaction and peer relationships for<br />
granted. There’s always someone to<br />
consult when there are difficulties.<br />
For many clinicians, the transition into<br />
private practice therefore often means<br />
a loss of a professional support system,<br />
and there is a need to actively seek<br />
social interaction and consultation.<br />
Due to the low number of trained<br />
mental health care professionals in the<br />
“You can be a terrific clinician<br />
and have a tiny private<br />
practice if you’re not good at<br />
marketing.<br />
country, this is even more so the case in<br />
Nigeria. It will be important for you to<br />
seek regular clinical supervision in your<br />
practice.<br />
The Importance of Boundaries<br />
When I began my private psychology<br />
practice in Nigeria, I was driven by<br />
the need for mental health care in the<br />
country. The stigma around mental<br />
health means that the individuals<br />
I see are often more severely ill.<br />
Accordingly, I felt a huge responsibility<br />
to be available for all my clients all the<br />
time, and so I returned phone calls<br />
and emails 24/7. As time went by, this<br />
became more difficult to maintain. It<br />
is also unhealthy and a contradiction<br />
to what I teach my clients. I have now<br />
been able to put healthier boundaries in<br />
place. if you are thinking of establishing<br />
a private practice, I encourage you to<br />
do the same from the start.<br />
#WhatSheSaid<br />
In summary, to succeed as a private<br />
mental health doctor, you have to treat<br />
it as a business, you have to market your<br />
business, carve out a niche for yourself,<br />
stay in touch with your colleagues and<br />
set proper boundaries between you<br />
and your clients.<br />
@the<br />
sp<br />
ark<br />
ng<br />
07
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