B.A. in Psychology, San Jose State University
Chika Ofodu, Ph.D. (she/her) is a postdoctoral clinical scholar fellow at The Family Institute at Northwestern University. She received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Palo Alto University, specializing in community mental health and LGBTQ+ psychology. Prior to joining The Family Institute, Dr. Ofodu completed her pre-doctoral APA-accredited internship through Adler Community Health Services in Chicago, IL, where she provided individual and family therapy and psychological testing across various community mental health agencies throughout Chicagoland. Dr. Ofodu has an array of clinical experience, working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds experiencing a variety of emotional, behavioral, and relational problems. Additionally, she has presented and lectured on topics related to culturally-responsive and systems-conscious clinical and teaching practices.
Clinically, Dr. Ofodu uses an integrated narrative and feminist therapy approach to help people understand their experiences more deeply and consciously and create (new) meaning about the stories of their lives. One of her favorite quotes by the esteemed Toni Morrison reads: “Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another.” As this quote suggests, Dr. Ofodu believes therapy to be a space where people, families, and couples can learn to liberate themselves from the problems keeping them stuck or disconnected. Further, she aims to help clients navigate other possibilities and directions in life with compassion, authenticity, intentionality, and curiosity.
Aside from work, Dr. Ofodu spends much of her time exercising – whether it be through long runs or walks, or CrossFit – reading, either solo or in community through virtual and in-person book clubs, or unwinding with the most popular shows and movies on Netflix, Hulu, or Peacock.
Tormala, T. T., Arastu, S. F., & Ofodu, S. C. (2024). Cultivating cultural consciousness: Identity-based affinity groups among clinical trainees. Training and Education in Professional Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/tep0000492
Ofodu, S.C., Habte Michael, D. (2024, April 18-20). Black womxn's help-seeking processes: Preliminary findings. [Paper presentation]. Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, Illinois, Unites States.
Ofodu, S. C., Habte Michael, D. (2023, July 19-22). What’s love got to do with it?: Guidelines for conducting intersectional qualitative research with Black womxn. [Poster presentation]. Association of Black Psychologists' 54th Annual International Convention, Detroit, Michigan, United States.
Ofodu, S. C., Tormala, T.T., Arastu, S.F. (2023, April 27-30). Affinity and beyond: Integrating affinity groups into pedagogical practice. [Paper presentation]. Western Psychological Association Conference, Riverside, California, United States.
Tormala, T.T., Arastu, S. F., & Ofodu, S. C. (2022, October 20-22). Cultivating cultural consciousness: The use of affinity groups as pedagogical practice. [Paper presentation]. The Society for the Teaching of Psychology Annual Conference on Teaching, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, United States.
Ofodu, S. C. (2022, August 26). Feminist therapy, research, and pedagogy: Principles for centering Black voices [Workshop presentation]. Racism and Mental Health Symposium, Baltimore, Maryland, United States.
Armas, A., Ofodu, S. C., Hernandez, M. (2022, August 4-6). Traversing systems in couples tele-therapy amidst COVID-19 with an anti-oppressive framework [Roundtable presentation]. American Psychological Association Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States.
Ofodu, S. C. (2022, May 26-29). A narrative examination of the mental health help-seeking processes of Black womxn to inform outreach programs [Poster presentation]. American Psychological Science Convention, Chicago, Illinois, United States.
Ofodu, S. C., Saddy, S. (2022, April 27-1). Clinical considerations for working with Black/African American LGBTQ+ individuals [Conference presentation]. Western Psychological Association Conference, Portland, Oregon, United States.
Ofodu, S. C. (2022, February 24-26). Theory and practice of feminist therapy with Black men [Conference presentation]. 39th Annual Winter Roundtable, Teachers College, New York, United States.