Dr Rachael Wheatley

Dr Rachael Wheatley is a HCPC Registered Practitioner (Forensic) Psychologist and a BPS Chartered Psychologist, with full membership of the Division of Forensic Psychology. Dr Wheatley is on the current BPS Expert Witness Register, has attained the Expert Witness Certificate (Bond Solon and Cardiff University, 2009), is a Member of the Register of Applied Psychology Practice Supervisors (RAPPS), is an Associate Fellow of the BPS (AFBPsS), a Recognised Chartered Scientist (BPS), and holds the European Certificate in Psychology (EuroPsy: EFPA).

Due to her extensive training and experience, Dr Wheatley can provide a range of services such as forensic psychology risk and/or needs assessments (such as for violence, stalking, autism, ADHD, IQ, personality difficulties, etc.), as well as therapeutic interventions for a range of common psychological issues, using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Focussed ACT (FACT), Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR).

Dr Wheatley has over 20 years’ experience in working with adults who have been in, or are at risk of coming into, contact with the criminal justice system, having previously spent 21 years working for HMPPS, and more recently with the police. Dr Wheatley continues to be active in research and in publishing, particularly related to stalking topics, and is a confident and effective trainer and consultant. Dr Wheatley is an experienced, efficient, effective, fair and ethical professional witness, having been providing written and verbal evidence within parole board reviews for over 20 years, with consistent excellent feedback on her high standard of reports and in providing oral evidence within formal settings.

Areas of specialism

• Forensic psychology risk assessments with adults and formulating cases to advise on treatment and risk management planning.
• Forensic psychology risk assessments for future risk of violence, intimate partner abuse/violence, stalking, sexual offending, etc., and assessing for protective factors.
• Working with those who have been, or are at risk of, stalking others.
• Assessing personality difficulties, including psychopathy.
• Assessing IQ, with a developing specialism in assessing and working with those with Autism and /or ADHD.
• Intervention approaches using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR).

Profession: Psychologist

Courts or Tribunals: Criminal and Offending, Family Court, Mental Health Tribunals

Age groups: Adult

Psychological Specialisms: ADHD, Autistic Spectum Disorder, Domestic Abuse, Forensic, Personality Disorder, Trauma and PTSD

Therapies offered: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, EMDR