Dr. Nikki Eklektos
Psychiatrist
Practice Number: 0810177
My Story
My interest in psychiatry developed while I was a BSc student doing volunteer work at Tara Hospital. I decided to apply to medical school with the aim of one day specialising in psychiatry. After graduating from Wits Medical School in 2008 I moved to Pietermaritzburg to complete my two years of internship. During this time I experienced a brief but exciting time working in psychiatry at Edendale Hospital, which solidified my resolve to further specialise in the treatment of mental health conditions. After internship I completed one year of community service in Kimberley, where I was fortunate to spend six months working at West End Psychiatric Hospital. After community service I decided to remain at West End Hospital as a medical officer in psychiatry. After 18 months there I applied to the registrar training program at Wits in order to specialise
After completing my time as a registrar in 2017, I was then employed in a consultant position at Sterkfontein Hospital in the Forensic Neuroscience Unit. During my time at Sterkfontein Hospital I was responsible for running an acute forensic ward, doing forensic observation assessments and was involved in the teaching, training and supervision of medical students and registrars. I have since decided to continue my journey in psychiatry by entering into private practice.
During my time working in mental health I have come to truly value a team-centred, multidisciplinary and integrative approach to mental health. My aim is to provide all clients with a comprehensive and patient-centred approach to treatment.
I have a special interest in the treatment of anxiety disorders and depression in adults and adolescents, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
My Qualifications
Psychiatry
Completed MBBCh in 2008 at the University of the Witwatersrand
My Clinical Experience
Pietermaritzburg Hospital Complex (2009 - 2010)
- Two year internship with a rotation in psychiatry
Kimberley Hospital Complex (2011)
- Community service
- Six months in neurosurgery (Kimberley Hospital)
- Six months in psychiatry (West End Hospital)
West End Hospital (2012 - 2013)
- Eighteen months as a medical officer at West End Hospital
- Acute and chronic psychiatric conditions
- Inpatient and outpatient services
- Outpatient child and adolescent mental health care services
- Forensic psychiatric services
- Community clinic services throughout the Northern Cape
University of the Witwatersrand as a Psychiatric Registrar (2013-2017)
- Sterkfontein Hospital, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, Helen Joseph Hospital and Gauteng community health care clinics
- Acute and long-term psychiatric care of inpatients and outpatients
- Forensic psychiatric services - management of inpatient and outpatient State Patients and of forensic observation cases
- Outpatient child and adolescent mental health care
- Community psychiatry in local clinics at different locations in Gauteng
- Management of involuntary and assisted mental health care users
- Emergency psychiatric treatmentConsultation-liason psychiatry
- Experience in a dual-diagnosis unit
Sterkfontein Hospital (2018-2019)
- Consultant position in the Forensic Neuroscience Unit
- Management and provision of care, treatment and rehabilitation for patients admitted to an acute State Patient forensic psychiatric ward
- Coordinating care provided by a multidisciplinary team
- Outpatient forensic psychiatric services
- Forensic observation cases
- Teaching and supervision of medical students and psychiatric registrars
Media
THE LONELINESS PANDEMIC
Humans are social creatures and we are nourished by our connections with others. As John Donne highlighted, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” Human beings rely on one another, find joy in one another and work to foster special connections with one another. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic started sweeping through our world earlier this year, surveys had already been showing that people were feeling lonelier than ever, longing for more meaningful relationships. This may be due to many factors such as more people living alone, a decrease in volunteering and an increasing population of old people.
Read More about The Loneliness Pandemic Nikki_Eklektos-_The_Loneliness_Pandemic.pdf
