It was an honour to interview Dr Mayers and hear about her journey to becoming a clinical psychologist. She talked about her experience of play and the importance of having toys, books and figures in psychology to support her aspirations. She gave a beautiful insight into her childhood growing up in the west midlands, in a big family and how she and her siblings continue the traditions of play.
Dr Mayers has a private practice, and she explained about EMDR and attachment trauma and how this can support adults in their everyday lives.
Website: https://www.mayerspsychology.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayerspsychology/
Dr Chanae Mayers is a passionate Senior Clinical Psychologist and EMDR Therapist,
specialising in trauma and attachment difficulties. She has over 5 years’ experience working
with children, young people and families within the care system. She is trained in several
therapeutic approaches including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
(EMDR), Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) and many more, helping clients to
process complex emotional experiences, build resilience and develop healthy attachment
relationships.
Driven by a passion for trauma-informed care, Dr Mayers’ private practice stems from
wanting to support adults who have experienced significant childhood trauma. Through her
work, she highlights the substantial impact of unprocessed trauma on interpersonal
relationships, friendships and professional lives. Her mission is to raise awareness of
developmental trauma and its biological impact, understanding how this leads to attachment
difficulties and impacts mental health.
Dr Mayers is deeply committed to black mental health, understanding the stigma and
barriers to accessing services within the black community. She is an advocate for addressing
intergenerational trauma, racial trauma, and the systemic challenges that contribute to
mental health disparities. Her published Thesis, Exploring the Experiences of Black Men
Through the Decision-Making Process in Secure Settings: A Qualitative Study, featured inThe Journal of Black Psychology, highlights the experiences of black men in secure inpatientservices. The study focused on biased decision-making processes related to conflictmanagement and their impact on black male service users. It highlights how these decisionsaffect care, including seclusion, the use of restraint, and the application of the Mental HealthAct.Dr Mayers is also dedicated to mentoring aspiring Clinical Psychologists, particularly thosefrom minority backgrounds. Having faced her own struggles seeing few professionals whoreflected her identity, she is passionate about reducing the barriers to entry forunderrepresented groups in Clinical Psychology and increasing diversity within the field.
