Her Story
A Life Devoted to Healing Minds
Gift Nakayinga is a distinguished Ugandan Medical Clinical Officer, Public Health Specialist, and Mental Health Coach, Strategist & Consultant with extensive expertise in mental health, trauma-informed care, and chemical dependency and addiction counseling. She is a passionate mental health advocate committed to advancing holistic wellbeing, resilience, and recovery across individuals, families, and communities.
"I help people heal emotionally, build resilience, and transform their lives through trauma-informed, clinically grounded, and purpose-driven mental health care & coaching."
With experience spanning psychiatric nursing, rehabilitation, clinical medicine, university lecturing, public health field work, and television broadcasting, Gift has developed a uniquely holistic lens on mental wellness — one that bridges the clinical and the deeply human. She is a certified trainer in Trauma-Informed Care, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Invitation to Change (ICT), and Motivational Interviewing (MI), with a strong track record in mental health advocacy, capacity building, and women's empowerment across Uganda.
Gift currently serves as an Assistant Lecturer in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ndejje University, where she teaches Epidemiology, Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology, and Clinical Pharmacology. She is also a Tutor at Kampala Institute of Health Professionals, and previously served as a Rehabilitation Nurse at African Retreat Rehabilitation Centre and Psychiatric Nurse at Mengo Hospital — giving her frontline depth that few coaches can match.
She has served as a TV presenter on Gugudde Television and Bethany Television — hosting mental health, women's wellness, and lifestyle programs that reached thousands across Uganda. This media experience deepened her ability to communicate mental health concepts in ways that are clear, culturally resonant, and genuinely transformative.
"My mission is to create safe, transformative spaces where individuals can understand their minds, heal from emotional wounds, build resilience, and step into healthier, more purposeful versions of themselves."
Gift is the Author of Healing Minds, a book offering practical insights into mental health healing, resilience, and emotional wellbeing. She is also a sought-after speaker on health, mental wellness, leadership, and personal development platforms across Uganda and beyond.
Through her leadership, teaching, coaching, and public engagement, Gift Nakayinga is widely recognized as a leading voice in mental health advocacy, youth mentorship, and women's empowerment in Uganda.