About

I hold the degree of Doctor of Psychology, and I am an experienced Forensic Psychologist. I am an HCPC registered practitioner psychologist and have a BPS chartership (Stage 2 qualification in forensic psychology). I am an Associate Fellow of the BPS, Chartered Scientist, and a full member of, as well as General Committee member (previously Honorary Secretary), for the Division of Forensic Psychology. I also hold EuroPsy and the Register of Applied Psychology Practice Supervisors (RAPPS) certification.

My primary professional and academic interest is in tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and specifically, understanding and addressing stalking.

Teaching responsibilities

I am the Professional Psychological Practice Programme Manager (Postgraduate Diploma in Forensic Psychology Practice), which is an innovative flexible online professional practice qualification starting in 2023. I am also currently module leader on the MSc in Forensic Psychology for forensic risk assessment and case formulation (on-campus and online versions). I am a supervisor to MSc students carrying out their independent studies and research dissertations, and to a PhD student investigating protective and desistance factors related to stalking. 

Professional interests

My primary professional and academic interest is in understanding stalking as a problem behaviour and a crime, and understanding what effective management of stalking is. Over the last decade or so I have specialised in understanding stalking concentrating my practice on conducting forensic risk assessments with people who have stalked, providing case and service consultancy and peer supervision, delivering practical and awareness training, undertaking and supervising research in this area, and forging strong national and international links with experts in this field. I have been an invited (and accepted) speaker at numerous national and international conferences on this topic, have published peer-reviewed articles in respectable journals, contributed a book chapter, provided podcast and YouTube episodes, and have been an invited specialist member of high-level roundtable consultations, and the like. I am the lead author of the BPS resource for psychologists on working with people who have engaged in stalking (released 2022), and I am the co-developer (and continued therapy deliverer) of the innovative Early Awareness Stalking Intervention (EASI) project, which aims to tackle stalking by intervening early with those charged with stalking by provided brief intervention. 

Research interests

My primary professional and academic interest is in understanding and addressing stalking. My research interests are related to Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and most proactively within the area of stalking, specifically investigating what drives people who stalk and how practitioners can best respond to help them desist. My doctoral studies used IPA and Repertory Grids, which I visually adapted and referred to as the Visually Adapted Repertory Grid Technique (VARGT). I have an interest in developing the popularity of repertory grids for furthering VAWG-related research, and in particular, using the VARGT.  

I am active in research plans aimed at investigating intimate partner abuse and “so-called” honour-based abuse.

I am an active member of various research networks and also the founder of the Young People and Stalking Research Network (supported by the Alice Ruggles Trust) and Deputy Chair of the National Stalking and Harassment Offences Working Group Knowledge Exchange Network (supported by the police, Suzy Lamplugh Trust and national Stalking Consortium).

Membership of professional bodies

I am:

• A member and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS)
• A full member of the Division of Forensic Psychology (DFP)
• A registrant of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Qualifications

• 2021 - EuroPsy Certification
• 2020 - Chartered Scientist Certification - BPS
• 2019 - Doctor of Psychology - Nottingham Trent University
• HCPC registration
• Register of Applied Psychology Practice Supervisors
• 2004 - Chartered Psychologist Registration - BPS
• 1998 – 1999 Advanced Certificate in Therapeutic Counselling - UKCP
• 1997 – 1999 MSc in Forensic & Legal Psychology - Leicester University
• 1994 – 1997 BSc (HONS) in Behavioural Sciences - Leicester University

Recent conferences

• HMPPS Midlands Psychology Service and Leicestershire Police Stalking Conference, ‘An exploratory relational study into how stalkers make sense of their offending behaviour: early observations’ and ‘The HMPPS Midlands Psychology Service strategy for addressing stalking’, August 2018
• Division of Forensic Psychology Conference, ‘What drives men who commit stalking offences and how practitioners can best respond to their needs- Thesis Teasers’, June 2019
• Division of Forensic Psychology Conference, ‘Introducing the EASI model’- June 2022
• HMPPS Insights training and webinars, ‘Working with people who stalk: Understanding the challenges in engagement, assessment, treatment and risk management, 2019-2022
• NHS Grudges and Grievances Conference 13^th International, ‘Stalking and prisoners: The perpetrator’s perspective’, September 2019
• BPS CPD event, ‘Working with people who stalk: Understanding the challenges in engagement, assessment, treatment and risk management’, 2020-2022
• Action Against Stalking (Scotland) masterclass, ‘Working with stalking perpetrators: Integrating research with practice experiences and evidence base’, April 2022
• 2^nd Annual Canadian Forensic Psychology Conference, ‘It’s so hard to get out of that bubble: A phenomenological analysis with men who have stalked’, Feb 2022
• The Tackling Stalking and Harassment Conference 2022, ‘Early intervention with stalking cases, 7 July 2022
• 7^th European Congress of Psychology, Psychology as the Hub Science: Opportunities and Responsibility, ‘The responsibilities and opportunities of working as Forensic Psychologists in the UK’, Slovenia, July 2022

Experience in industry

I was previously employed by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service Psychology Services Group for 21 years. During this time, I worked across a range of categories of prisons in the male and female estate, and within probation settings. I supervised numerous trainees to qualification (level 8 equivalent) over that time, became an experienced negotiations advisor, and often delivered training in relation to forensic risk assessments and professional witness roles. I have held various responsibilities and roles and latterly, within a senior leadership role, I oversaw the delivery of psychology services into a cluster of prisons, was deputy chair of the HMPPS national psychology research board and took on the role of national stalking lead to advise relatedly on policy and service delivery. After being in post 0.2 FTE as a Senior Lecturer within Forensic Psychology for a few years, I am now employed by the University of Derby as a Professional Psychological Practice Programme Manager. I am also an independent forensic psychology practitioner.

International experience

Through my stalking research and practitioner work, I have forged strong national and international links with experts in this field. I have been an invited (and accepted) speaker at numerous national and international conferences on this topic, have published peer-reviewed articles in respectable (international) journals, and have founded a research and knowledge exchange partnership with the Stop Stalking Clinic in Berlin, Germany.

Additional interests and activities

I am a proud and active trustee for the Alice Ruggles Trust, whose aims include raising awareness of stalking (including coercive control) and bringing it to an end.

I am on the reviewer team for the British Journal of Forensic Practice (since 2019).

In the media

I have contributed a book chapter on stalking for a key textbook titled, "Forensic Psychology", provided podcast and YouTube episodes, and I am the lead author on the BPS resource for psychologists on working with people who have engaged in stalking (released 2022), and I am the co-developer (and continued therapy deliverer) of the innovative Early Awareness Stalking Intervention (EASI) project, which aims to tackle stalking by intervening early with those charged with stalking by provided brief intervention. I have featured in vlogs for raising awareness of national stalking awareness week for the BPS and DFP, and have featured in video information as part of the Stalking Awareness for Education Environments (SAfEE) qualification provided by St Mary's University and the Alice Ruggles Trust.

Podcast: 

Episode (5) on STALKING for the 'Forensic Psychology Podcast' which was aired in November 2020.

Media links for EASI:

https://www.westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk/new-initiative-developed-to-tackle-the-growing-problem-of-stalking/

https://www.alicerugglestrust.org/post/early-awareness-stalking-intervention

Recent publications

• Wheatley, R., Winder, B. and Kuss, D. (2020), "Using a visually adapted repertory grid technique (VARGT) with people who stalk", The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. 22 No. 2, pp. 109-121
• Wheatley, R. and Kuss, D. (2020), "Researcher-practitioner reflections: the therapeutic utility of the visually adapted repertory grid technique (VARGT) with stalkers", The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. 22 No. 2, pp. 97-108
• Wheatley, R., Winder, B., & Kuss, D. J. (2020). What are the features of psychopathology for men who commit stalking offences? A systematic review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 101461
• Wheatley, R., Winder, B. & Kuss, D. (2020). ‘It’s so hard to get out of that bubble’. A phenomenological analysis with men who have stalked. Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice
• Kitson-Boyce, R., Wheatley R. & Blagden, N. (2020). The Application of the Repertory Grid in Forensic Practice. Journal of Constructivist Psychology
• Wheatley, R. (2021). Stalking. In Forensic Psychology (pp. 136-148). Routledge
• Dearn, G., Whatson, C. & Wheatley, R. (2021). Stalking risk assessment tools: A brief critical review. In Forensic Update Issue, 138 (pp. 58-63). British Psychological Society
• Johnson, H., Derefaka, G. & Wheatley, R. (2021). The effectiveness of interventions for male perpetrators of stalking: A Rapid Evidence Assessment. In Forensic Update Issue, 138 (pp. 64-74). British Psychological Society
• Carter, L. & Wheatley, R. (2021). A brief overview of literature reviewing options. In Forensic Update Issue, 138 (pp. 27-31). British Psychological Society
• Thesis link: What drives men who commit stalking offences and how practitioners can best respond to their needs?

Courses

• Forensic Psychology MSc (online)
• Forensic Psychology Practice PG Dip (online)