The Adult Primary Care Psychology Service offers a range of psychological services to people over 18 years who are living in the Dublin South area.
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 (Cluain Mhuire) are not suitable for referral.
Who we see?
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
- Memory and attention problems
- Learning Problems
- Eating problems
- Coping with physical illness
- Bereavement or divorce/separation
- Traumatic experiences in childhood
- Relationship difficulties
- Self esteem issues
- Parenting difficulties
What we do?
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, Living Well Group, parenting courses, telephone consultations, guided self help, 1:1 consultation and feedback sessions and a limited 1:1 therapy service.
How to make an appointment?
Your GP or other health professional may suggest you talk to a psychologist about your difficulties. If you agree, they will send us a summary of the concerns and your contact details.
We will contact you to confirm that you wish to engage with our service and to schedule a telephone conversation to discuss the issues that are concerning you. We may suggest that you attend one of our courses and/or direct you towards some self help information or other services. In some instances, we may offer an appointment to meet face to face and whilst we try to ensure that you don't have to wait too long for services, usually there is a bit of a wait.
What to expect at the first session?
Usually, you will have talked to a psychologist on the phone to discuss your difficulties and to consider if some of our other services might be helpful.
The first face to face session is a consultation appointment, which is carried out by two members of the team and usually lasts up to two hours with a short break. We appreciate that this may feel scary but people usually find that two heads are better than one for this first meeting.
During this meeting, we will ask questions about your current difficulties, how you cope, what has been helpful/unhelpful, supports available to you as well as a brief exploration of other aspects of your life - past and present. This is to help us understand your difficulties as fully as possible and to try and begin to understand you as a whole person. We may also ask you to fill out some questionnaires. Following this, we will share our understanding of what you have told us, think together about what might be helpful to you and begin to make a plan.
This may include:
- Access to interventions that we offer (such as groups)
- Psycho-educational reading to support you in managing your difficulties
- Further 1:1 sessions for a limited period of time
- Referral to another service that may be more helpful to your needs
Throughout first and subsequent appointments, we will listen carefully to you and take your problems seriously. We will try and understand you and help youmake sense of your difficulties, rather than read your mind, tell you what you should do or give you a magic cure. We will not offer further sessions or interventions unless we believe that it is a suitable option to help you in managing your distress.
Confidentiality
It is important when seeing a psychologist to feel you are in a private, safe and trustworthy environment. There are some exceptions however to absolute confidentiality.
- Your psychologist will usually provide some feedback to the person who referred you -this can be discussed with you in advance
- Your psychologist will also be obliged to notify appropriate others if they feel that there is a risk to your own or others' safety. This is in order to seek the appropriate help or protection.
Finally, as we work as part of a wider primary care team, Psychologists may on occasion consult with other colleagues about your case. This will be done in such a way as to continue to protect your privacy.
How to contact the service?
If you would like an individual referral you can ask your GP, physiotherapist, speech therapist, public health nurse, occupational therapist, social worker, or any other health professional to make this referral with you.
Where are we?
The location of service provision may vary depending on the type of services being provided. Currently, services are provided from Loughlinstown Health Centre, Shankill and Dun Laoghaire.
