| PROFESSOR ANGELA OFORI-ATTA
Prof. Angela Ofori-Atta is the founder of Psych Corps, chairperson of the Ghana Psychology Council, a practising Clinical Psychologist and immediate past head of the Department of Psychiatry. She is an accomplished author of several research articles and a book on Trends in Mental Health Research in Ghana. She co-heads a study of digital interventions in faith healing camps and the Escaping Poverty Randomized Control Trial where her cognitive behavioral intervention has been tested against conventional economic programs. Angela has previously held political office as a Deputy Minister for Manpower Development and Employment in President Kufuor’s administration and has worked on political and activist campaigns including those of Liberian President Sirleaf’s 2005 campaign, and to free President Obasanjo from imprisonment under Abacha’s government. Angela holds doctorate and master’s degrees in psychology from the University of British Columbia, where she was a Canadian Commonwealth scholar, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Zoology from the University of Ghana. Currently, “Prof. Angie” hosts a weekly resilience-building radio show called Beautiful Minds which seeks to reduce the stigma of mental illness. She is a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network and serves on the boards of The Enterprise Group, Databank, Accra College of Medicine and the Africa Leadership Initiative, West Africa. |
| DR ARABA SEFA-DEDEH
Dr. Araba Sefa-Dedeh is a Clinical Psychologist licensed by the Ghana Psychology Council. She is the first Ghanaian female clinical psychologist and started teaching and practicing in Ghana in 1980. Her undergraduate degree was in Psychology from the University of Ghana in 1972. She did her professional training and obtained a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, USA. In 1980 she joined the Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Dentistry of the College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana and worked there till she retired in 2011 and then worked on a full-time contract till she retired again in 2017. She also worked part-time at the Dept of Psychology, Univ. of Ghana Her work involved teaching medical students and psychology students to recognize mental health disorders as well as the impact of emotions on illness and wellbeing and possible therapies for them. Her work has been very collaborative, so she has worked with different professionals in mental health to bring healing to many. She ran a clinic at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital in the early years, later at Korle Bu hospital and still does so for students at the Careers and Counseling Centre of the Univ. of Ghana From 2002 to 2004 she was head of the Counseling and Support Division of Ghana’s National Reconciliation Commission. Her work involved supervising the counseling of trauma victims, educating the public on the effects of trauma and highlighting the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation for individual mental health as well as for national peace. Her research interests and publications are in religion and mental health, prevention of mental illness, community mental health, refugee mental health, women, young adults, the aged and adolescent mental health Her passion, however, is in the prevention of mental ill-health and so she has worked with universities, schools, churches, mosques, industry, radio and TV, public lectures and anybody who will listen on the importance of emotional health and ways of ensuring it. She is also interested in religious faith and its impact on emotional wellbeing.
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| DR. DZIFA ABRA ATTA
Dr. Dzifa Abra Attah works as a Lecturer/licensed Clinical Psychologist at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Ghana, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Legon. She holds a PhD in Psychology (Public Mental Health) from Stellenbosch University, South Africa. She also has a B.Sc. in Psychology and an MPhil in Clinical Psychology, both from University of Ghana, Legon. Dr. Attah teaches a range of topics in Clinical Psychology and clinical practice. Her research areas include topical issues related to child and adolescent mental health, sexual abuse and maternal mental health, as well as mHealth, Faith healers and serious mental illness. Dr. Attah also has a keen interest in trauma and loss and specifically works with vulnerable populations including girls and women, children with intellectual disabilities, street children, foster children, trafficked children and children engaged in forced child labour.
Currently, she supervises a team of clinical psychologists that offer free online psychological services for Ghanaians situated at home and abroad, as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. Additionally, she works with a number of corporate institutions, as employees return to work amid the COVID-19 pandemic to help the Ghanaian citizenry address existing and emerging mental health concerns.
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| DR. LILY KPOBI
Dr Lily Kpobi is a clinical psychologist who is passionate about mentoring young professionals in the field of mental health care. She is one of the founding trainers of the Psych Corps and was instrumental in developing some of the early training materials for the Corps. She has been involved in training, supervision and support of Psych Corps for several years. Lily is an avid researcher and advocate who is committed to fostering transformation in mental health care in Ghana. She has led and been part of several research projects on mental health over the years, with a particular interest in understanding available indigenous resources in order to promote collaborative care for mental health. Lily serves on the boards of various NGOs in Ghana focusing on community engagement and empowerment. She also volunteers her time training and mentoring young people through her partnerships with corporate organisations. In recent years, she has been working with community-based support groups using performative arts in Ghana to engage stakeholders in discussions about illness experiences and outcomes. She is passionate about modern art, literature and music, and how these can be harnessed to change mental health dialogue in the country.
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| MRS. BEATRICE DWUMFOR WILLIAMS
Mrs. Beatrice Dwumfor Williams is a diligent Clinical Psychologist and Public Health Personnel with experience in research education, advocacy, and mental health management. Presently, she’s a lecturer at the Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Ghana. Mrs. Williams has obtained degrees in Psychology and Public Mental Health from the University of Ghana and Stellenbosch Uni (South Africa) respectively. As zealous and career focused as she is, she is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Ghana and a member of both the Governing Board of National Sports Authority and Ghana 2023 Project Team. Mrs. Williams is particular about the development of children; therefore, she teaches Sunday school at the All Nation’s Christian Center. She is married and a mother of three children. |
| SETH MAWUSI ASAFO
Seth Mawusi Asafo is a Licensed clinical psychologist with a specialties in sex therapy, anxiety and somatic symptoms disorders. Currently, he lectures at the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Ghana Medical school and is an adjunct lecturer for school of pharmacy, Central University College. He has completed degrees in psychology, Clinical Psychology and public mental health and currently a PhD candidate at the University of Ghana. For his degree in Public mental health, he received full funding from the AFFIRM scholarship. He has served and continues to serve as a school counselor for schools like academic city college, Ghana international school and Accra college of medicine. In his spare time, he enjoys playing video games with his friends and volunteering his time to worthy courses. He is enthusiastic about bridging the wide mental health gap, so he strongly creates awareness of mental health conditions in the media space. |