Supports in Primary Care

Adult Primary Care

The Adult Primary Care Psychology Service offers a range of psychological services to people over 18 years who are living in the Dublin North City area. We offer a range of psychological assessments and interventions, depending on the needs of the client. Interventions include group based services such as Stress Control, guided self help (bibliotherapy), 1:1 drop-in advice clinics and a 1:1 therapy service.

Often, many of the difficulties that people come to see a psychologist about are simply more intense versions of troubles most people experience to some degree at certain times in their lives. These may be feelings of anxiety, depression or relationship troubles. These difficulties can develop after particularly stressful, traumatic or otherwise difficult experiences such as bereavements, illness, relationship break-ups or loss of a job. Often however there may not be any obvious cause or the causes are difficult to understand. The following are some examples of the difficulties a psychologist may help with:

  • Depression
  • Stress and tension
  • Anger
  • Anxiety, panic attacks, phobias and obsessions
  • Learning Problems
  • Coping with physical illness
  • Bereavement or divorce/separation
  • Relationship difficulties
  • Self esteem issues

We aim to work with clients to empower them to manage their mental health and to promote psychological wellbeing. Those requiring a secondary care mental health service (Community Mental Health Team) are not suitable for referral.

CIPC

What Is The Counselling In Primary Care (CIPC) Service?

People sometimes experience difficulties in life with which they would like help. Counselling in Primary Care (CIPC) is a short-term counselling service that provides up to 8 counselling sessions with a professionally qualified and accredited Counsellor/Therapist. The service is suitable for people who are experiencing certain difficulties such as: depression, anxiety, panic reactions, relationship problems, loss issues, stress.

Child & Family Primary Care (0-18 yrs)

Psychologists see children and families for assessments (except educational assessments), advice, psychological therapy and group interventions. The Child Primary Care Psychology service is for children aged 0-18 years and their families who are living in the Dublin North City area. Some of the reasons why your child or your family may be referred to our service might be:

  • Behavioural difficulties and parent guidance
  • Emotional problems such as anxieties, worries and fears
  • Relationship difficulties within the family
  • Screening for concerns about your child’s development
  • Adjustment to a traumatic event
  • Issues with toileting, sleeping and food

Children attending or eligible for specialist services or those requiring a secondary care mental health service are not suitable for referral. For school-based areas of concern, please discuss a referral to the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) with your child’s school principal. Queries regarding the appropriateness of referrals are welcome and appreciated, or you can discuss this with your GP.

We offer a number of different types of services such as:

  • Parenting groups and information talks where we can help direct you to useful resources for you and your child.
  • We also offer limited individual, face to face services including a range of Psychology assessment services. These may involve observing your child at play or in school, talking to you and your child and sometimes asking your child to complete certain puzzles and tasks.
  • After an assessment, some children and families will continue to see the psychologist for individual, group or family sessions or we may help you find other suitable services. We may liaise with your child's school or other agencies in planning supports for you and your child.

Child Psychology Service- Information for Children

Many children and their families can have problems that don't seem to go away. Parents and other adults try to help, but sometimes things don't get better. So your parents might ask a psychologist to help.

What might a psychologist help with?

A psychologist helps with lots of different problems such as:

  • Tricky feelings such as being upset, angry or worried
  • Finding school work hard
  • Not getting on with friends
  • Getting in lots of trouble
  • Feeling unhappy at home or in school

What is a psychologist?

A person who is trained to help people with their thinking, feelings and actions. Psychologists work with people of all ages from little kids right up to really old people.

What will happen when I see a psychologist?

Nothing that you don't want to. The psychologist may spend time listening to you and talking about your feelings. They might also ask you to play or draw. They might also look at your school work and find out more about what you are good at and what you find a bit harder. Sometimes they use tests to help figure out why some things are harder. The psychologist may ask you to come to their office or they may come visit you at school. They may also talk to your parents and teacher to help figure out what is going on.

Will the psychologist tell people what I've said?

Almost always what you tell us is private. We will not talk about it to other people. But if you tell us that you or someone else is being hurt, we must let others know who can help this to stop.