Dr. Chioma I. Igboegwu holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology. She is the Founder and President, Agency for Families in Distress, a humanitarian, gender-sensitive, voluntary development, non-profit organization. She is also the pioneer of psychological services for prisoners’  offender reformation, rehabilitation and mental health in the Nigeria Prisons Service. 

Through 26 years of working with trauma survivors, including prisoners, military and police personnel and veterans, Dr Igboegwu recognized critical gaps in knowledge, policies and institutional capacities, due to neglect of the psychological dimension, as a priority in the agenda for women, children and youth development, education, health, social and criminal justice system. She also recognized that it is within these gaps that diverse categories of psychologically disoriented, destabilized and disillusioned populations have been produced, while violence and human rights violations thrive. Dr. Chioma I. Igboegwu saw this tragedy as a serious threat to the safety and security of women and children, present day survival and collective future of people in various communities and nations, across the globe. She therefore developed a three-dimensional psychological intervention strategy (3-DPIS) Model for the mobilization of communities, national, regional and international cooperation and collaboration to bridge the highlighted gaps, transform and empower communities and institutions to unlock the key to learning and development, break the cycle of trauma and violence, accelerate public safety and development,  integrating cutting edge issues of diversity, inclusion and equity.

In addition to major contributions to psychological literature through books of reading, Dr. Igboegwu has organized several international and domestic conferences and workshops and has made major significant contributions through international journals she has authored. Dr. Igboegwu has been actively engaged in the activities of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and American Psychological Association, where she continues to contribute to the profession as well as advance her professional development.  She is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Psychological Association.

Dr. Chioma Igboegwu has conducted ground breaking national research on the prevalence and predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression in First Responders, including the Police.  Dr. Igboegwu is also the initiator of the “Women Go On!” global campaign. Since women and children bear the brunt, when their families and communities are torn apart by violence, women need to be empowered, inspired, sensitized and mobilized Women Go On!”  mobilization campaign to empower, inspire and sensitize women and girls on their fundamental, facilitating role, relevance and potential in peace building, leadership, politics and general upliftment of the society. Women are to inspire in the hearts of their people the enthusiasm for what is right, those uplifting , sublime values that serve as building blocks of peace and nation building. The campaign therefore aims to mobilize to facilitate the 3-DPIS for the transformation and empowerment of their communities and institutions to break the cycle of trauma and violence, accelerate public safety, security and development. 

Advocacy, information, education materials(AIE) materials,  including books, posters and a musical album have been produced for this campaign. United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), sponsored the production of the AIE materials. The printing of copies of a book of poetry for women and girls,  titled, “Womanhood in Peace and Nation Building: A Collection of Poems Heralding a New Dawn”, and the production of a master piece musical album , titled, Women Go On!. , were sponsored by UNESCO. some of the pieces of music are on u-tube. The printing of  copies of the book and production of the musical album were sponsored by United Nations.

Women and children are most vulnerable when their families and communities are torn apart by violence and Human Rights violations. It is therefore justified to empower women and girls with the information they need to fulfil their inspiring, nurturing, supporting, facilitating role in the agenda to transform and empower communities and institutions to work together and break the cycle of trauma and violence in the society.

The 3-DPIS Model, including the Women mobilization campaign component, is being disseminated by Dr. Chioma Igboegwu in various institutions and communities, at national, regional and internationally levels, where she is often invited to address stakeholders as a Guest Speaker, since 1999. She was a Guest Speaker at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fribourg University, Switzerland, Stanford University, California, University of California at Sacramento, Golden Gate University School of Law, Nigerian Defence College, Abuja, Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Centre, Kaduna, Nigerian Police Peacekeeping Centre, Abuja, National Center for PTSD, Veterans Affairs, Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California, and the National Veterans Affairs, San Francisco, California, and Guitarlina School of Music, Brent Wood, California, and for Women groups in North Carolina, United States, in 1999, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2019, 2021 and 2022, respectively.

Specialty areas:

Psychological research and teaching, human service delivery for substance use and mental health disorders,  assessment services for patients presenting with substance use and mental health disorders; case management/treatment planning, evaluation and monitoring; specializes in treatment of addictions, traumatic stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, pain, sleep disorder, psychosomatic illness, family issues; cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), family/marital therapy; nature harmonization therapy, poetry, music and dance therapy; innovator of a Three-Dimensional Psychological Intervention Strategy to bridge the gaps in knowledge, policies and institutional capacities to unlock the key to learning and development, break the cycle of trauma and violence